help please!need advice...

[Maitai]

Hi all
I have an ATI Radeon 9600pro 256MB 128bitDDR AGP gfc.
GPU Clock 398 MHz (original: 398 MHz)
RAMDAC Clock 400 MHz
Field Value
Real Clock 196 MHz (DDR) (original: 200 MHz)
Effective Clock 392 MHz
Bandwidth 6272 MB/s

As i understand it it runs at 400 core and 200 memory

System specs:

CPU Type Intel Pentium 4E, 3000 MHz (15 x 200)
1024mbDDr ram
80GB ATA 400mhz hard drive
Motherboard Name Intel La Crosse D865GLC

My box Is a MIDIA TX 300W black ATX case, which I suppose refers mainly to the psu.

I looked at some nvidia cards, but most are pci-e

Then i decided i would like to buy the GeCube ATi Radeon X1950PRO - 256MB - AGP

GeCube Radeon X1950XT, 256MB, 256bit, DDR3, AGP X8, 36 PIXEL SHADER PROCESSORS, CORE CLOCK 575MHZ, MEMORY CLOCK 1380MHZ, SUPPORTS DIRECT X 9.0C, SHADER MODEL 3 & OPEN GL, ATI AVIVO TECHNOLOGY, DOUBLE DUAL-LINK DVI, AVIVO

The reason is that i play flightsims like lock on and pacific fighters
and would like more detail because i play wit labels off and it should make it easier to see more with a better gfc (is this true?)

Is the psu sufficient or should i upgrade it and to what minimum.
what is more important with gfx? core or memory.

Another thing i would like to mention is that i recently bought medieaval 2: total war. i would like t crank the graphics up, but my current card takes a lot of stress with the shading details.

If i have to upgrase my psu first, would it help my gfx capabilities on current card?

If not and i can't use my new proposed card i would rather wait to buy a new comp and tell the guys they must build it spesifacally for gaming. But it will take very long, perhaps a year.

Sorry for the long post, but this is really important to me. My current card has never really given me problems and i can bear with what i have a bit longer if i have to instead of spending money witch will be a waste. But me..
I tend to do stupid things which I usually regret , cause the pcgeeks down here.. never tell you the details so that they can sell their products.

Responses would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Maitai]

I forgot to add that my main reason is the frame rates for quality trade. i would like to have both, at least 60 fps as i currently run lock-on with an average of 20fps.

 

[mactronix]

Right the GeCube Radeon X1950XT is the best,fastest single card you can get for an agp port.
You have no chance of running it on that psu though.
Im not really up to speed on advising you on which one though but will look into it and get back too you if one of the others that know thier stuff dont get to you first.

Second thoughts you would be best posting your full system specs and the card you intend to use on the power supply forum and asking them for recomendations.

Mactronix

 

[nvalhalla]

If the x1950 pro is much cheaper, go with that. Your processor is going to hold you back a little, the xt probably wouldn't give you much better frame rates. You will need a new PSU, your current one is pretty crappy. Look into a new PSU at 500w, use the money you save not getting the xt. FSP makes some nice ones that are pretty cheap, around $50. Don't buy a cheap no-name PSU.

 

[mactronix]

Also when you are playing games like total war where there is a lot of stuff on the screen the cpu is doing a lot of the work keeping track of where stuff is on the screen,you could take some of the load off if you could up the res.
Some people play at low res thinking that it will give them the best fps which is mainly true but a lot of the time you can up the res and get better quality with little or no diff in frame rates.
As nvalhalla said the pro version would be cheaper and while it does not keep up with the xt it will no doubt be cheaper and also will draw quite a bit less power.
From your point of view it will make little diff any way an upgrade from a 9600 to a 1950 pro or xt will be a huge diff

 

[kaotao]

Yeah, you're going to need a new PSU for either of those 2. 450W PSU with at least 30amps on the +12V rail.

 

[Maitai]

Hey gus!

Thanks for the response. They were very informing.

I actually got my fps up by increasing the res in both games to 2080 by 768 and lowering the anti - aliasin, which actually smoothed ot the edges just as well as the 6x aa i had set. I play wirt water low and im actually very happy for now. i would suggest trying this before anything else, it worked for me. my fps in lock on increased by average of 15fps, which sounds minimal, but you can see a huge diiference. I surfed the crossfire.com site and decide to save my hard-earned cash for their abs system. Check it out... it sounds awesome!!! they won't ship to South Africa of course, but ill be able to get the parts from the guy who built my comp. like someone else told me..SAVE AND DO IT RIGHT!!

 

[mactronix]

Yep you have took some of the load fron the cpu and given it to the g/card and upping the res has meant you dont need the aa.
Works out cheaper than getting a 1950 as well.
Sorry cant resist :twisted: Think what it would be like with one though :twisted: .

Mactronix