GeForce FX Questions

[SiegeTECH]

The most I can honestly afford on a video card is right around 150.00 and I've sort of decided on one of the three following cards. Now, I picked these out sort of thinking that they will last me for a while down the road with my budget due to the ram. What do you guys think of these three? Any other video card ideas? Please let me know. This is going to be sort of a christmas present to myself, I want to be able to play Planetside decently as well as other future games. My current system is also a MK77M-V MB, Athlon XP 1800(1.54) OCed to (1.66) or right around their, messing with the voltage in the bios makes my system unstable. 256 megs DDR ram. I'm about to add a additional 512 DDR module also though, and my current video card is a "Bloody Monster GeForce4 MX440-SE" made by Apollo. I know it's a POS. And my Sound card is the original SBLive! Here are the three choices below.

GeForce FX 5200 256 Meg DDR AGP version for 149.99
<A HREF="http://www.bfgtech.com/5200_256.html" target="_new">http://www.bfgtech.com/5200_256.html</A>

e-GeForce FX 5200, 256MB DDR for 168.00
<A HREF="http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?Part_Number=256-A8-N307-TX" target="_new">http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?Part_Number=256-A8-N307-TX</A>

PNY GeForce FX 5200, 128 DDR for 99.00 before the 20.00 rebate.
<A HREF="http://www.pny.com/products/verto/geForceFx/5200agp.asp" target="_new">http://www.pny.com/products/verto/geForceFx/5200agp.asp</A>

All feedback encouraged please, I really need help.

 

[butthead007]

ATI 9600PRO 128Mb would be a better choice as u say u want it to be able to play future games. The dx9 on the nvidia are lets say...... not so good!! since more and more games will use dx9 in the future. U can probably pick it up for around 150 somewhere. also its a nice overclocker. if ur into that.

 

[SiegeTECH]

yeah but arent those 8 x agp only? my mb only does 4

 

[butthead007]

nope, 4x and 8x... not sure about 2x tho. so thats no problem for ur mobo

 

[cleeve]

A 9600 PRO should work on a 4x AGP motherboard.

Stay away from the GeforceFX 5200 cards. They are famous for being pathetically underpowered.

The 9600 PRO is by far the obvious choice in your price range.

------------------
Radeon 9500 (hardmodded to PRO, o/c to 322/322)
AMD AthlonXP 2400+ (o/c to 2600+ with 143 fsb)
3dMark03: 4055

 

[sargeduck]

I have a 9600Pro in a 4x motherboard, and it rocks! Actually, there is no difference (performance or technical (I think) between a 4x and a 8x). Stay away from the geforce fx 5200. They're crap. They can't do dx9 (well, they can, but at 2 frames per second). Buy a 9600Pro.

Error: Keyboard not attached. Press F1 to continue

 

[Crashman]

The 9600 series is 8x/4x. Every other card on the market is 8x/4x/2x. The difference is voltages, the 9600 doesn't support AGP 1.0 standard 3.3v signals. It does support 1.5v signals from 4x boards, and 0.8v signals from 8x boards.

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[Vimp]

From what I've read many cards that say 8xagp don't actually run any slower in 4xagp because they havn't been designed to take advantage of the additional ability of the 8xagp slots.
I can understand why you'd want to get a 256mb card so as to be better off down the road when 256mb starts to become more neccesary. However Ive read that inless the card is fast enough then it can't make use of 256mb so it won't run any btter then a 128mb of the same card.
Your prices are obviously canadian so heres some that might be in your price range:
$98 Leadtek FX5200 A340-TD 128M DDR AGP8x w/TV-o, DVi
$99 Saphire Radeon 9200 128M DDR, DVI, TV-O, AGP8x Retail
$135 eVGA N307 FX5200 256M TV-o DVi AGP8x cables retail
$155 Asus Radeon 9600SE 128MB AGP w/TV Retail
$169 ATI Radeon 9600 128MB DDR AGP8X OEM
$175 Chaintech Geforce FX5600 128M DDR DV-i, TV-o, AGP8x
$195 Saphire Radeon 9600 128M DDR, DVI, TV-O, AGP8x retail

 

[coylter]

Planetside WILL NOT play well on a fx5200

My own beast: Athlon 2700xp+ , Radeon 9800pro (oc: 410/370) , 512mb ddr400. SO MUCH faster than my father pIII 550......

 

[coolsquirtle]

psss U CAN'T GET A RADEON9600pro here for $150 Canadian = =

not possible

RIP Block Heater....HELLO P4~~~~~
120% nVidia Fanboy
FX5700Ultra, the next Ti4200? seems so

 

[Vimp]

My system runs Planetside very well except in the occasional very large battle where I get major delayed reactions. I run it on fairly low visual settings but certainly not the lowest settings. 1024x768 with low-medium visual settings.
My system:
Asus Nforce2 mobo
AMD 2500+ Barton
512mb DDR PC3200
Geforce 2 GTS/Pro
WD 80g 8mb cache

 

[spitoon]

If you can find a 9600Pro for under $150CAD I would get it, if not a GeForce4 Ti4200 would be a good bet, and you can get one for under $150CAD...I just replaced an FX5200 with a Ti4200 and I am getting double FPS in most games....

A 9600Pro may be too much for your machine, the cpu will bottleneck, while the Ti4200 is a nice match...On the other hand, the 9600Pro is more "future proof" and will handle DX9 titles. Only problem there is that the rest of your computer may not handle DX9 titles when they are out in full force.

And, unless you are going to spend over $300, I don't really think there is any point in buying a card with 256MB. No card <$150 will be able to take advantage of it...EVER...even when games are designed to use 256MB, your sub $150 card won't be up to the task.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by spitoon on 11/27/03 05:13 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[coolsquirtle]

didn't i just mention IT'S NOT F***ING POSSIBLE TO GET A RADEON 9600PRO FOR $150 CAD?

RIP Block Heater....HELLO P4~~~~~
120% nVidia Fanboy
FX5700Ultra, the next Ti4200? seems so

 

[Vimp]

Quite right. 9600 Pros have only just recently gone down to $200. But many are still selling 9600 Pros in the $220-$250 range.

 

[GeneticWeapon]

They sell them here on Oklahoma for $149 bucks...

<b>I help because you suck</b>

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

When I get my R42X/RV380 that may very well change. :tongue:


A Proven overclocker BBA R9600PRO,how much would you pay?

Wait, don't answer yet, that's not all..

If you act later, we'll also throw in a DVI-VGA adapter.

But still that's not all...

If you Send a Bunch of Empty CD-Rs, we'll throw in at no extra cost;

ALL the Catalyst, Omega, and DNA drivers released wince this card came out. Plus All of the Benchmarks used by yours truely, and all the demos I could think of adding.
Plus some naked pictures of CoolS and FlameThrower with Dawn. Suitable for Posting to the THGC album.

This offer void where prohibited in areas where they still watch LA LAW.




Of course that is then , and this is now.

.

I have seen an R9600(not se) for $149 as a white box OEM, but the best I've seen for an R9600Pro is $200.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <b>RED GREEN</b> GA to SK

<A HREF="http://www.lochel.com/" target="_new">-NEW PIC IN THGC ALBUM-</A>

 

[spitoon]

didn't i just mention IT'S NOT F***ING POSSIBLE TO GET A RADEON 9600PRO FOR $150 CAD?

Of course you did, I was just saying, IF you could get one for $150, then get it (hell, I'd buy one today for $150CAD), but you can't so he will have to look elsewhere.

 

[toxicogen]

And, unless you are going to spend over $300, I don't really think there is any point in buying a card with 256MB. No card <$150 will be able to take advantage of it...EVER...even when games are designed to use 256MB, your sub $150 card won't be up to the task.

Maybe not in the near future but they will if you wait long enough. A a certain point I'm sure 512MB cards will be the standard (with the 64 bit processors coming in ect.)

And then you can get a 256MB card for near free!!

If all else fails: Read The Manual

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Maybe not in the near future but they will if you wait long enough.

If by that you mean that in 6+ months you will be able to buy a card for $150CDN that can take advanatage of 256mb sure, but that's not what we are talking about here. We are talking about; 'no current $150CDN card will ever make good use of 256mb of memory'.

A a certain point I'm sure 512MB cards will be the standard (with the 64 bit processors coming in ect.)

So to you it's just about the size of the memory is it? 64 bit processors will not change it, they aren't related, if anything PCI-EX would have a greater effect on the need (or lack thereof) for more/less memory.

The thing is that there is no <$150 that has the power or bandwidth required to see a significant difference offered from 256mb of memory (especially since it's invariably 128bit). Sure you may see a statistical diff., but it will be like a 'remarkable' 16.6% increase taking you from 6 to 7fps @ 1600x1200+AA/AF, it's still unplayable, and threfore of little consequence.
Even the Top of the Line cards only show significant improvement under certain conditions (hi res. and high AA), and even then only in certain games that don't already overtax the cards.

And when 256mb cards are 'near free' it will be because they are near useless.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <b>RED GREEN</b> GA to SK

<A HREF="http://www.lochel.com/" target="_new">-NEW PIC IN THGC ALBUM-</A>

 

[mgame]

I just want to say. I just bought a Geforce FX 5600 Ultra 128Mg. I think it is awsome and I only paid ruffly $150 dollars for it. Everyone on here seems to be in love with ATI cards. I just don't care for ATI so I go with Nvidia. Never failed me once and my games look great. Lets face it we can't see the diff between the 2 manufactures.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Lets face it we can't see the diff between the 2 manufactures.

Says you.

Those of us familiar with reality can tell the difference.

I'll put my R9600Pro against your card in ANY modern benchmark. It's nice you're happy, but try not to confuse your enjoyment of your card with which one outperforms, and whihc one had to be respun and still under performed.

People like yourself confuse those of us who know what a good buy is, with those who are Fanbois. I like my R9600Pro, but it's not because ATI is my friend or anything.

You show me a single benchmark that has come out in the past 6 months that your card can outperform mine, and then I'd grant you that your FX5600U is an acceptable choice. Even the new forceware drivers can't help you once both our cards are unleashed.
At least the FX5700U(and NU) have the architecture and performance to back it up. The Fx5600 even Rev.2 is not match for the price/performance of the R9600Pro, which also sells for 'ruffly $150 dollars ($ redundant?)'.

If you want I can even point you to a ton of reviews showing you in detail the diffences.

So 'Let's face it', you're just trying to justify your own purchase, and it has very little to do with what we can/can't see.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK

<b>-NEW PIC IN THGC ALBUM-</b>