Author Topic: Your next upgrade? (Read 106995 times)

n1c · « **Reply #225 on:** December 12, 2003, 10:55:16 AM »

lol Im glad he dident

ZWarrior · « **Reply #226 on:** December 12, 2003, 03:27:43 PM »

I'm not!

Boomslang · « **Reply #227 on:** December 12, 2003, 06:32:54 PM »

But I did save you from making a $130 mistake on that 5200.

ZWarrior · « **Reply #228 on:** December 12, 2003, 08:02:56 PM »

This is true. Though I should have bought it for Mrs. ZW's PC. Just thought of that.

Boomslang · « **Reply #229 on:** December 16, 2003, 04:49:05 PM »

b/b has the 5200 for $80
I just put in a new sata 120 gig H/D Maxtor. It is faster than the ata drives. I do see a performance increase. I see its much slower then the $300 74 gig W/D raptor. But at 3 times the price and doesn’t improve FPS

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=raptor74&page=1

[Edited on 12-16-2003 by Boomslang]

JollyRoger · « **Reply #230 on:** December 16, 2003, 09:06:09 PM »

Yo ,
I have an NVidia GeForce 4 ti 4400
it kicks ass, I love it, but it is time to upgrade and well I need some help. I don't know if I should get the latest from NVidia or ATI.
Now I alredy know that most of seem to be ATI people I just want to know what you have heard about each. I have seen the data but the Data... well it doesn't alway work to go with the data alone on somethings.
So if you gent would be so kind I would apreciate it.
Cheer-e-o.

Jolly

n1c · « **Reply #231 on:** December 17, 2003, 10:09:04 AM »

Well I love my 9800 Pro!!!!!!!

It looks great and my 3DMark score went from 8921 or so with my ATI R8500 to 14921 and that’s with total details not performance options. With my R8500 I had to have all of it on performance to get the Marks I got…..

Wolverine of Ambush! · « **Reply #232 on:** December 17, 2003, 10:16:15 AM »

Personally, I have a Radeon 9700 Pro in my machine and a Radeon 9500 Pro in my mom's machine.

I think ATI puts out great cards..but so does Nvidia. If I had to vote...i would say ATI. I think the graphic definition is better...and the colors seem to be a little more vibrant.. but that is just my eyes.

Morpheus · « **Reply #233 on:** December 17, 2003, 10:22:28 AM »

At this point in time I'd go ATI. Better quality image equivalent FPS. I have the 9600 pro that I won at the last game day WOOT!

n1c · « **Reply #234 on:** December 17, 2003, 11:26:07 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Wolverine of Ambush!
Personally, I have a Radeon 9700 Pro in my machine and a Radeon 9500 Pro in my mom's machine.

I think ATI puts out great cards..but so does Nvidia. If I had to vote...i would say ATI. I think the graphic definition is better...and the colors seem to be a little more vibrant.. but that is just my eyes.

No wolfy I have noteced the same thing between ATI and Invidiot... ATI has always had the better looking grafix in games and such

Morpheus · « **Reply #235 on:** December 17, 2003, 01:00:28 PM »

Umm read it again Dragon you are saying the same thing....

ZWarrior · « **Reply #236 on:** December 17, 2003, 07:52:17 PM »

I have stuck by nVidia for some time, but I am considering a switch to ATI. The nVidia line is showing poor support and performance, whereas ATI seems to have overcome this and fought it's way back top the front lines.

Will nVidia come back up to it's former glory? Only time will tell.

JollyRoger · « **Reply #237 on:** December 17, 2003, 08:01:30 PM »

Well Obviously Dragon has a Complex...
WOW!!!

I have been An NVidia Man Myself and have noticed that they have been slacking off or something. I just Don't want to buy an ATI and then NVidia comes out of its hole and takes a Giant Dump on ATI and I am left in the stink to clean up. But then if I don't buy something I am still left behind (AAAHHH!)
Well I dunno what to do...

Fraggster · « **Reply #238 on:** December 17, 2003, 09:09:01 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by JollyRoger303
Well Obviously Dragon has a Complex...
WOW!!!

I have been An NVidia Man Myself and have noticed that they have been slacking off or something. I just Don't want to buy an ATI and then NVidia comes out of its hole and takes a Giant Dump on ATI and I am left in the stink to clean up. But then if I don't buy something I am still left behind (AAAHHH!)
Well I dunno what to do...

NVIDIA FO LIFE MOFUGGERS!!:eek:

Morpheus · « **Reply #239 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:31:02 AM »

Jolly,

You have to remember that with most technology the shelf life is about 6 months. So no matter what you buy in 6 months, and usually less, it's obsolete. Unless you are willing to shell out the $500 every 6 months or so, you will be behind at some point. My approach is to look for the best bang for my buck, which means I may be behind the technology a little bit, but I can upgrade a little more often. With video cards here is what I've done the last few years.

When I bought my PC in June 2001 or so, I got an ATI 7200 VIVO for $125. I had good quality graphics and plenty of FPS for the games we were all playing.

Then a little over a year ago I got the GeForce 4 TI4200...great card for the money...cost me $100. I didn't NEED to upgrade because I still had good enough FPS for the games we were playing, but it was worth it.

Now I won the ATI 9600 pro at the last Ambush! lan party, I expect to be very happy with it for a year or so. Then I'll have to research the available options and get the best price for performance at that time.

As I said previously right now I would go with ATI. In reviews their image quality seems to be better, which is consistent with history ATI has been noted for years as having better image quality.

I've compiled the latest benchmark data from Toms Hardware into an excel file and pulled prices from Newegg.com. You can use this to help in your research. My pick based on the data would be the ATI 9600 XT for $172. If that was too much money I would go with the ATI 9600 pro for $139. Here is my spreadsheet. The ratio of cost to benchmark results is at the end. Basically it shows the cost per benchmark point, so lower is better. You still have to take into consideration othe aspects as well. For example, which games do you play or expect to play, and how the specific card performs in that game. How anti aliasing and anistropic filtering effect frames, if you want to even use them.

If you right click and choose save as, you can then change the prices to what you can find (rebates can make a huge difference) when you are ready to buy.

By analyzing the data in this fashion, you get out of the emotional ATI fanboy nVidiot mentality and actually base decisions on facts. The fact is that both companies product excellent cards.

[Edited on 12-18-2003 by Morpheus]

JollyRoger · « **Reply #240 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:56:08 AM »

Morpheus,
Thanx for the Data it will help out alot, Wow.
Nice Choice in the Game for the Benchmark:)

I know that I will alway be behind for awhile but I am looking at the Long term. Like I said above I currently have a GeForce 4 Ti 4400 and at the time it was awsome and it still performs great. As you well know it is hitting the 2 year mark... Upgrade time! Iwant to buy a card that will last just as long with the same results. I'm just having the pre-buy butterflies, if you know what I mean. I am shure that what ever I buy it will more then saticefy my thurst for supurb Grafix.
Thanks again Morpheus

Boomslang · « **Reply #241 on:** December 18, 2003, 05:51:22 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by ZWarrior
I have stuck by nVidia for some time, but I am considering a switch to ATI. The nVidia line is showing poor support and performance, whereas ATI seems to have overcome this and fought it's way back top the front lines.

Will nVidia come back up to it's former glory? Only time will tell.

Now all we have to do is come over to the P4E

n1c · « **Reply #242 on:** December 19, 2003, 11:08:42 AM »

how much do you have to spend???

Cuz if at all posible you should get the ATI 9800 pro for around $400 its defenetly the top card just under the 9800 XT

n1c · « **Reply #243 on:** December 19, 2003, 12:26:42 PM »

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/graphics-cards-2003.html

[Edited on 12-19-2003 by Dragon Master]

JollyRoger · « **Reply #244 on:** December 20, 2003, 12:45:43 AM »

Moneys not a worry.
Its just the whole I want to make sure of what I buy. I could spen $400 or $700 on a card and not be worried. I just want to make sure that i am happy with the card.
I See the data on the both of the cards in question Thanx to Mopheus for that, but I also did my own reaserch I found in "most cases" ATI came out above NVidia but only by 2 to 5 FPS nothing to soil you boxers about in my book.

Boomslang · « **Reply #245 on:** December 20, 2003, 04:42:06 AM »

Better look at the bad drivers NV has put out. What use to plague ATI has now been placed on NV. I like eye candy and have pay a price for it ($$). Ati with the omega drivers is the best looking combination out there. It is now easer to write code for ATI than NV. You figure it out if your making games which one are you going to write for?

JollyRoger · « **Reply #246 on:** December 20, 2003, 07:27:44 AM »

thats a good piont, I was unaware of that.

ZWarrior · « **Reply #247 on:** December 20, 2003, 11:17:43 AM »

quick note here. I am still using a nVidia card, and there is Omega drivers for nV.

I have only had a very few "bad drivers" from nV, and stick to the Omega drivers exclusively. The key here in my opinion is this:

What are you willing to pay, and how "GREAT" does it have to look right now?
I have a Ti4200, and will replace it next year most likely. I generally go 2 years on a card anymore. So plan for a card that is far enough ahead to be good for atleast 2 years, but won't break your bank.

I don't feel that $500 for a card is reasonable when I plan to replace it in 2 years. That would be $250/year!

But $100-$200 for a card would be much more reasonable. Maybe even as high as $250.

But then I don't always need the "eye-candy".

Just my thoughts on the issue.

Boomslang · « **Reply #248 on:** December 20, 2003, 08:39:44 PM »

ATI 9800 pro 128 meg $300
9700 pro $250

9800xt 256 meg $500

[Edited on 12-21-2003 by Boomslang]

JollyRoger · « **Reply #249 on:** December 20, 2003, 11:47:37 PM »

I checked out the Omega site and even downloaded the Drive install but before i run it i must ask What are the Omega driver I didn't get a whole lot from the site except Better Texturing and slower Perfomance...
Can you fill me in?

[Edited on 12-21-2003 by [303]JollyRoger]

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Author Topic: Your next upgrade? (Read 106995 times)