Need a budget gaming card

shadrach · Post by **shadrach** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 10:51 am

I built a budget system for my brother last year:

ECS K7S5A Pro
AMD 1700+ TBred
256MB PC133
GeForce 2 GTS

I want to get him a newer video card that will allow him to play BF1942, MOHAA, and other similar FPS games on it. I'm using a Ti4200 card on my main rig and I get great frame rates in those games, so I'm thinking I don't need a killer card for him. He doesn't need VIVO, or TV-in either....

I'd like to get him an ATI card, but I need ideas. Would a Radeon 9000 be enough? He won't be gaming online.

I'm hoping to stay <$100 for the card....

Cypher · Post by **Cypher** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:00 am

9600XT is the best card under $200.

shadrach · Post by **shadrach** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:22 am

Thanks, but too much $$$ (and overkill for his needs)

Any input on these cards?
Gigabyte Radeon 9200

Sapphire 9000 Pro

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:53 am

I'd say 9600...keep DX 9 compliance, and in my opinion, best entry level card. Be it regular, pro, or XT...

SLK · Post by **SLK** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:56 pm

Get a Radeon AIW 9800XT

HAHA, JK

Don't get any Radeon "SE" (****ty Edition) Only 64bit mem bus which has like no bandwidth LOL.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... =48&depa=1

shadrach · Post by **shadrach** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 6:28 pm

Originally posted by Rob P
Don't get any Radeon "SE" (****ty Edition) Only 64bit mem bus which has like no bandwidth LOL.[/url]

Thanks for the tip. How comparible do you think the 9600 is to my current Ti4200?

zooner · Post by **zooner** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 7:27 pm

Originally posted by shadrach
Thanks for the tip. How comparible do you think the 9600 is to my current Ti4200?

I had a ti4200 and am currently using a 9600pro.

I was disappointed with the ti4200 and feel the 9600pro is much better.

I also feel the 9600xt is a waste. If you're going to spend that much, try and find a 9800np. They are becoming rare, but you can still get them for 200-250ish from circuitcity.

SLK · Post by **SLK** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:51 pm

Originally posted by zooner
I had a ti4200 and am currently using a 9600pro.

I was disappointed with the ti4200 and feel the 9600pro is much better.

I also feel the 9600xt is a waste. If you're going to spend that much, try and find a 9800np. They are becoming rare, but you can still get them for 200-250ish from circuitcity.

How could you be dissapointed with a Ti4200?? They were awesome cards at the time. Performance and overclockability. I don't think you can compare a ti4200 with a R9600 because the ti4200 is much older and doesn't support DX9. But whats nice is a 2 year old card that is STILL fully capable of playing the latest games with no problems is very good.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:48 am

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.a ... pr1c3watch

145.00 for a 9800SE, if thats not too much, if it is, then a non pro 9600 is the way to go.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:54 am

Originally posted by YARDofSTUF
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.a ... pr1c3watch

145.00 for a 9800 non pro, if thats not too much, if it is, then a non pro 9600 is the way to go.

Those are 9800se cards in that link, not 9800non pros. Big difference.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:26 am

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
Those are 9800se cards in that link, not 9800non pros. Big difference.

whats the difference?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:15 pm

Originally posted by YARDofSTUF
whats the difference?

Besides the se being about 1/2 the cost of a 9800 non-pro,

Brent I'm sure can get a heck of a lot more exact than me, but the standard 9800 series (XT, Pro, and non-pro) is 256 bit memory, and 8 rendering pipelines. The SE series of all the cards is only 128 bit memory interface, and 4 pipeline VPU. Think of the SE as not too different from the MX series of nVidia.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:46 pm

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
Besides the se being about 1/2 the cost of a 9800 non-pro,

Brent I'm sure can get a heck of a lot more exact than me, but the standard 9800 series (XT, Pro, and non-pro) is 256 bit memory, and 8 rendering pipelines. The SE series of all the cards is only 128 bit memory interface, and 4 pipeline VPU. Think of the SE as not too different from the MX series of nVidia.

Gotcha, thanks!