Radeon 7500 or Geforce2 GTS?

[Quetzacoatl]

Okay, first of all, don't tell me to go out and buy anything other than what I mentioned. Next, i'm on a strict budget for a value oriented computer. I'm not looking for any Mx420 crap either.

Either of these two from Newegg.com

Radeon 7500 DDR 64mb for $65, no shipping
Geforce2 GTS-V DDR 32mb for $47, no shipping

You think the Radeon 7500 is worth the extra $18? Thinking of dl'ing the Catalyst 2.2 drivers and trying them out. Or just go the GTS value and get good old reliable dets.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[AMD_Man]

The R7500 will be a lot faster but I'd stick with the Catalyst 2.1's until ATI releases a new set in two weeks. The Catalyst 2.2's have a couple of memory leak problems.

Intelligence is not merely the wealth of knowledge but the sum of perception, wisdom, and knowledge.

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Does Ati's website still support the older 2.1 Cat's? I'm considering getting the R7500 for now, until I get the cash for a Geforce4 ti4200.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Get Radeon 7500

 

[klau851979]

I would get the radeon 7500, that is the same exact card I suggested my co worker to get on his budget computer.

 

[AND17]

Look , right now it all depends on what CPU you "drive" if its one over 1.1GHz go with the Radeon 7500 , if your CPU is betwin 600-1000MHz go with the GeForce 2 GTS , i'm facing your exact problem as well , i'm running a 750MHz CPU and need a gfx card that can take some load of the processor.

 

[Quetzacoatl]

It's going to go on a 1.33Ghz Athlon AXIA Thunderbird. My other system is an Athlon XP 1800+ with a Geforce2 Pro, soon to be a Geforce4 ti4200 128mb.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[chuck232]

Get the R7500 for sure then.

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Planning on it, from Newegg.com

Radeon 7500
.15um process
290Mhz core
460Mhz DDR, I think it's 3.3ns
Pretty barebones, has an Svideo cable, but that's all
$60, $5 shipping


Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[klau851979]

actually why don't you just put your gf2 pro card on your slower system and upgrade your faster system with a gf4ti4200. i am running a gf2 pro with 64mb ddr on my 1.1ghz amd computer. i don't play too much intensive 3d games counter strike and warcraft3 run great on my computer. max payne and Return to Castle Wolfenstein are also running well. this should save you around a hundred dollars.


edit: all games are running under 1024x768 32bits res.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by klau851979 on 08/25/02 03:38 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Once I get enough money, I plan on getting a Geforce4 ti4200, but for now, I can save a little, and for $65, get the Radeon 7500, and have two good full Athlon systems.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Do you have any idea how to overclock the thing? I never owned a Radeon card before, just Nvidia cards. Any specific utility I can use like Rivatuner? I'm guessing Powerstrip, but I never actually used that myself.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[klau851979]

go to here <A HREF="http://www.entechtaiwan.com/ " target="_new">http://www.entechtaiwan.com/ </A>, they offers program for overclocking videocards.


edit: the following is from a different post on another board. hope it help too.

Overclocking a video card is a bit easier than overclocking an entire system. You're going to need some kind of video card tweak program.

Although there exist tweak programs designed for specific video cards or series of cards, Power Strip by EnTech Taiwan works with many different types of video cards and would be a good place to start. If you like the program, why not register it to support the company?

When overclocking your video card, do so in small increments - most people suggest jumps of no more than 5MHz, which is as good a rule as any. With every increase in the speed of your video card's graphics core or memory, run a series of tests. Try A benchmark program such as 3D Mark 2001 or playing some levels in your favorite game.

If, after a bit, you don't experience any graphical artifacts - flashing polygons, "static" or "snow" effects on the screen, or anything else that you shouldn't be seeing - then increase the clock speed again. You can keep doing this until you reach the point where you start experiencing graphical errors. That's when you've gone too high. So back it down a bit and always be on the lookout for other graphical anomalies that might require you to lower the speed a bit.

About the only thing you can do to try and overclock further is to improve the cooling on your video card by putting some kind of third-party heatsink/fan unit on it. But even this might not guarantee a much higher overclock.

If you're experiencing graphical strangeness, don't mess around. Decrease the clock speed as soon as you can. Leaving the video card at settings too high can cause the chip to overheat, and many a card I've seen destroyed by running too hot.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by klau851979 on 08/25/02 04:11 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[chuck232]

I use powerstrip with my RadeonAIW, and it works great.

As the other guy said (name's too obscure, can't remember it) o/c by 5MHz increments, then when you see weirdness in IQ, then it's usually the RAM's too high. If it locks up, then it's usually the core. I wouldn't bother putting a 3rd party HSF, if you have to to go higher, that just means your quite severely shortening its life expectancy...

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Uhm, I have overclocked a card before, thanks. I just wanted to know a program to oc it. I'm still used to Rivatuner and Nvidia cards.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[chuck232]

Sorry about that . Yeah, PowerStrip is a real good utility.

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Any idea where I can find the older 2.1 catalyst drivers for the Radeon 7500?

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[chuck232]

Right <A HREF="http://www.rage3d.com/files/?page=radeon" target="_new">here.</A>

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Thanks Chuck

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[cakecake]

The way I actually test memory is by looking for artifacts in 3d games. If the core is clocked too high, that can often result in your windows desktop getting graphical glitches as well.

1° of separation between my monopoly and yours. That's business with .NET

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Mem or core first?

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[chuck232]

Ok, well I do RAM first, then core, but it really doesn't matter i don't think.

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Well, i'm going to try and see which brings up artifacts first, then tone it back down. The thing is already at a crazy high core for a Radeon...I think it's 290Mhz. The memory should oc much further though, it's the BGA 3.3ns memory, rated at 230Mhz (460Mhz DDR). I kinda doubt the core will go any higher than 300Mhz or so on a .15um process. Thanks for the help again.

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Hmmm...small update, might have a change in choice.

I'm now down to either of these two.
Ati Radeon 7500 $65, no shipping
ECS Xabre 200 $70, no shipping

The Sis Xabre seems a little better with the new drivers...even a little more than the Geforce4 Mx 440/460. Heck, the card comes with a composite video out and 3d shutter glasses. Might be fun. Worth the extra $5 or not?

Soon enough, Intel will make the i845s...imagine dual channel Sdram...*shudder*

 

[Crashman]

My Radeon DDR has the same performance as my GTS did. The 7500 is a faster version of the Radeon DDR, so it's an obvious choice.

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