26-08-2003 05:28									#1
	GeForce Buying Help? Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Mr. Raedon 9000 pro has been a good friend- he works well with any computer I put in him. But sadly, he's OLD AND BUSTED and I'm looking for some NEW HOTNESS . I've fixed my eye on the GeForce FX 256MB line- specifically the 5600 (I'm not that rich ).

I've got several questions. The first is wether the 256MB worth the cost (~$160)". Another is what manufacturer/brand to buy from- pricegrabber lists five or six! .

Have you had any serious problems with the GeForce? What's your opinion?

	26-08-2003 05:32									#2
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You can also get an ATI Radeon 9800.

If you want to play Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, you'll need a Radeon 9800 (I think) or what you've mentioned, a GeForce FX 5600. The rumour is that Doom 3 plays better on ATI cards and HL2 plays better on nVidia cards. (I may have gotten that transposed, though.)

EDIT: I'm sorry, it appears I've transposed everything--the FX 5900 and Radeon 9800 Pro, I think. Better yet, just ****it and wait for some geek who's built a vidcard out of socks and pipe cleaners to tell you what to get.

Last edited by mrmitchell on 26-08-2003 at 05:37

	26-08-2003 05:39									#3
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I think they always did well against the forces of Zoltar.

	26-08-2003 05:51									#4
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

quote: I think they always did well against the forces of Zoltar.

It seems that the GeForce 5600 is the equivalent of the Raedon 9600. The only Raedon in 256MB format (9800 pro) costs $435- the same as an equivalent GF. I don't need $400 worth of performance.

I looked at the 5600 because it was modern and had 256 MB for the same price as the 9600. The games I play include UT 2003, Rainbow 6 3, RON, Morrowind and Neverwinter Nights among others.

	26-08-2003 05:53									#5
	Increase Your PM Length

Maximum PC's current "Best Budget Videocard" is the Radeon 9600.

Honestly, I seem to have a gravitation towards ATI myself, but buy whatever suits your needs.

	26-08-2003 05:57									#6
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I like ATI and I've always recomended them, but here the gap seemstoo large... Off to tomshardware.

	26-08-2003 06:04									#7
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

The GeForece 5600 Ultra beat the 9600 Pro in all but two UT 2003 benches.

	26-08-2003 06:07									#8
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...But overall the reviewer says the R9600 is better.

AARGH!! It's tearing my mind in two...

	26-08-2003 06:08									#9
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Flip a coin. You can't go wrong.

	26-08-2003 06:09									#10
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I've had hell with my ATi Radeon drivers... though that was a while ago.

	26-08-2003 06:23									#11
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

No problems with Raedon on XP pro...

	26-08-2003 08:49									#12
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Nvidia GFX

all the way

ATI go with your budget buster 9800. Really good card.

	26-08-2003 10:18									#13
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I have no advice to give after I shamed myself by buying 512MB or RAM that wasn't compatable with my computer. Anyone want 512 MB sdram for AMD Thunderbird/Duron newer motherboards?
Anyone have 512 MB of ram compatable with a Dell Dimension 8200? I'll trade you...

I've been looking at video cards too. I have a 64MB GeForce 2, and it's just time for an upgrade... GeForce 5200 for $99 might be just the one for me...

	26-08-2003 10:49									#14
	Increase Your PM Length

I have a Radeon 9700 Pro. I can run every game fairly well. So, I would recommend buying the latest Radeon, the 9800, for best performance.

	26-08-2003 12:15									#15
	Full PM-box? Change here!

As some tests showed the extra price for 256MB Ram on Gfx cards wont do ANYTHING at all currently.
The 9800 Pro 128 and the 9800 Pro 256 perform EXACTLY the same!
You may need it for future but as it is currently there isnt really a benefit and probably by the time it is, you'll be upgrading again anyway.

As I have heard all ATI cards will have a successor about next month or so.
Btw, what game did came out that you want to upgrade your gfx?

ata

	26-08-2003 15:34									#16
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Stay away from the 9200 radeon series though, it has many eugh issues .

I, myself, own a 9600 and am very pleased about it, no conflicts, runs like a charm (and it is DX9 ready ).

	26-08-2003 23:00									#17
	Increase the size of your Attachments

There really isn't one game that I'm upgrading for... HL2, SC4K, and The Sims II (I know) are coming out, and I wanted better fps in UT 2003- and maybe be able to get Unreal.

I was surfing Googlegear one day and I hit the "graphics card" button. I was so suprised to see a decent 256MB card for the same price I paid for my current Raedon. T

RE: Atahualpa- the cash for a R9800, but that's what I really want. Maybe it will go down in price when the 10000 series or whatever is coming now gets on the shelves.

	27-08-2003 00:03									#18
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bah, ever since I had two shitty ATI cards, I've stuck with the GeForce series... they've been reliable, fast, and very affordable...

	27-08-2003 01:58									#19
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I have recently purchased GeForce FX 5600 128MB and i like it plenty

Vice City and Ron run perfectly

	27-08-2003 02:22									#20
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Well if we were comparing a GF5900 with the 9800, the former is faster, the latter better image quality...so it is, basically, take your pick - they are within pissing distance of one another...

	27-08-2003 02:35									#21
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: I have no advice to give after I shamed myself by buying 512MB or RAM that wasn't compatable with my computer. Anyone want 512 MB sdram for AMD Thunderbird/Duron newer motherboards?

Most stores have a return policy that'll let you take it back if you goofed up on your own (though it's still recommended that you study up first, if just to save time.) ...But, finding out that they did have one would be doubly shaming wouldn't it?

quote: The 9800 Pro 128 and the 9800 Pro 256 perform EXACTLY the same!

The idea is that future games will use up all the 256mb and start begging for more before ye know it.

	27-08-2003 02:53									#22
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quote: Originally posted by mrmitchell The idea is that future games will use up all the 256mb and start begging for more before ye know it.

by that time either the chipset will be showing it's age and/or the price of the board will have come down

	27-08-2003 02:59									#23
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quote: Originally posted by reds4ever by that time either the chipset will be showing it's age and/or the price of the board will have come down

Yeah. I'd wait until Doom3 and HL2 came out before buying a new board--just to see exactly what it is they require, and prices for what they require will have gone down by then, too.

	27-08-2003 03:00									#24
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I'm NOT going to buy a Raedon 9800 of GeForce FX 5900.
The money just doesn't exist- that $400 is 1/2 the cost of my current new computer.

How long do you estimate the FX 5600 will last (before it becomes obsolete)?

	27-08-2003 03:03									#25
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I'm still using a TNT2.

	27-08-2003 03:05									#26
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Depends what you mean by obsolete, unless the games you are playing NOW are suffering perfomance-wise, every month you can wait before you upgrade will save you money, no matter what board you choose

	27-08-2003 03:05									#27
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Yeah, well how good does it play UT 2003?

	27-08-2003 03:29									#28
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quote: Originally posted by MattH Yeah, well how good does it play UT 2003?

It doesn't, but I figure I won't be playing that game for about three years anyway.

	27-08-2003 03:34									#29
	Put an end to popups!

I've heard that the 256MB versions use slower RAM, so maybe the only performance gains will be in apps that are very graphics-intensive.

I'm in the process of building a new PC too and still deciding on which graphics card to get .. so far I have my eye on the Radeon 9600pro. However, next month ATI and nVidia plan to release new mainstream boards, so maybe that'll drive down the prices of the current mainstream ones.

	27-08-2003 03:52									#30
	Get a bigger avatar today!

Alright. I can wait.