Good video card at a decent value? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Slavakion · 06-06-2004, 12:58 PM

My question is, what's a good 256 MB card that won't bankrupt me? I'm expecting at least $100, and hoping to keep it under $150. Hopefully I'm not dreaming.

The important thing is that I want a card that will last for a while, not my GeForce 5200 FX.

Oh, and here's a nice story for why I decided I should look into a new card.

So I recently got Thief III. I hadn't read much about it, but Thief II was pretty damn good. Anyways, i install it, and boot up the game. Start a new game and... unplayable framerates. I'm forced to play it with minimal settings at 640x480. I can almost get a decent framerate on 800x600 now that I turned off all the good settings

sailor · 06-06-2004, 01:56 PM

Unfortunately, a decent 256 meg card for that price doesnt exist. There are some 128MB cards that are OK, but in that price range, a 156MB card will perform much worse than a 128MB one--they just tack the extra RAM on the card to try to get people to buy it, thinking its a better card.

For just under $200, you can get a Radeon 9800, which is an excellent card that will last you quite a while.

Lasereth · 06-06-2004, 03:16 PM

The GeForce FX 5200 is a very, very bad videocard. That's why Thief 3 runs like crap.

For under $150, the best deals are an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128 MB and an ATI Radeon 9600 XT 128 MB. Other choices would be any NVIDIA GeForce 4 TI series. You can find TI4200's for under $100 now, and NewEgg has refurbs for about $70.

If you want to spend $170 you can find a huge increase in power with the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900. If you want to spend right at $200 you'll have an even bigger increase in power with an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.

EDIT: I know you say you want a videocard that will last a while, but that won't happen unless you spend at least $170. $150 will get a damn good videocard, but it won't be top of the line, and in a year or so you'll have to upgrade again.

-Lasereth

Slavakion · 06-06-2004, 04:16 PM

Quote:

The GeForce FX 5200 is a very, very bad videocard.

Maybe that's why it was so cheap

Looking on newegg, I see 9800SE, 9800 PRO and 9800 XT.

XT is definitely a kick in the crotch money-wise, so it's between the PRO or the SE softmodded. Should I take the chance that when I mod the SE, I could end up with artifacts or worse? I've read that with proper modding and overclocking, the SE becomes an XT.

How easy is it to replace the heatsink on a graphics card? I'm eyeing that Artic Cooling fan here Also, how can I check my power supply?

By the way, what's the chance that a local pc store will give me cash(yeah right) or store credit for my old card? I don't have the box, but I have the drivers, instructions, and (most importantly) the anti-static bag. Hey, maybe I'll get $50?

Lasereth · 06-06-2004, 05:37 PM

A GeForce FX 5200 isn't worth $50.

They'd probably give you $15, if anything.

I'm not a big fan of flashing the BIOS of videocards, so that's up to you. I know it's possible on a lot of videocards, particularly the GeForce FX 5900 series. I think it's simply better to spend the money and get a card that'll always work without worrying about fucking it up.

Don't buy the Radeon 9800SE...those are shitcans. Get the Pro at least. The regular 9800's aren't that great either. The GeForce FX 5900 is a really nice card though.

-Lasereth

Slavakion · 06-06-2004, 05:58 PM

I'll have to think about this, and check the prices at my local shoppe. Maybe I can trade the card with my friend for some RAM

theburner · 06-07-2004, 09:11 AM

Just checked NewEgg, they have the 9800 Pro 256 MB for $260. GREAT card for the price, as I paid $195 for my 128MB 9800 Pro.

Confederate · 06-07-2004, 11:12 AM

I got the 128 meg 9200 for 80 bucks, I am very pleased with it

theburner · 06-07-2004, 11:54 AM

Heck, for what most people use PC's for (email, spreadsheets etc) a 64 MB card would be fine.

My suggestion is buy what you need.

TawG · 06-07-2004, 02:48 PM

get a 9800se, then replace the stock fan with something better, and softmod the basterd

Slavakion · 06-07-2004, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by theburner
Heck, for what most people use PC's for (email, spreadsheets etc) a 64 MB card would be fine.

My suggestion is buy what you need.

Well, I do need a better card. Check my nice story about how Thief III ran like crap on the card I have now.

Silverbrain · 06-07-2004, 09:41 PM

My GeForce FX 5200 cries...Lasereth has ripped into it further then it can imagine, and as such, time to offload this card onto a "friend" who cant play thief 3 because of his 865G integrated video adapter! Lasereth, your brutally honest, and that sir is costing me money!!!!!

theburner · 06-08-2004, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slavakion
Well, I do need a better card. Check my nice story about how Thief III ran like crap on the card I have now.

Wasn't busting your ass man, just saying buy what you need. If you are a gamer, buy a 9800 pro. Good quality card, and it will play most if not all of the games out there now.

Slavakion · 06-08-2004, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by theburner
Wasn't busting your ass man, just saying buy what you need.

My comment wasn't supposed to be mean or whatever, I was just pointing it out in case you missed it. Sorry.

theburner · 06-08-2004, 01:14 PM

Shoot, no worries. I thought I offended you. All in all I am happy with my 9800 Pro. I have a dual monitor setup on the 9800 and it is happy all the time!

I just wish I had the cash to throw at some of the new beasts.. But $400-$500 is steep for just a graphics card.

primal · 06-08-2004, 01:25 PM

I would look at the 9800 or 9800 pro. In benchmarks they are usually very close to each other. If there is less than $30 difference I'd go ahead and get the 9800 pro. I'd be shocked if a game comes out within the next 18 months that a 9800 pro couldn't play well.

Peryn · 06-08-2004, 05:52 PM

Take a look at http://mirror.ati.com/buy/traderebate/tradeup.html

Basically ATI is giving $50 off with trade in on any vid card. Give em your old junker, and get a rebate on your new card. Kinda nice, and you get a built by ATI card, straight from ATI, and since it is in Canada, i believe US citizens dont hafta pay a tax on the purchase. Plus, this way you dont hafta wait for your favorite parts store to have a sale, or wait for mail-in rebates to come back (well, not as long anyway). Downside is the shipping costs.

Not the best deal of the century, but a pretty good way to get a great card for a little bit cheaper.

Slavakion · 06-09-2004, 10:58 AM

Definitely something to keep in mind.

06-06-2004, 12:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Slavakion Mjollnir Incarnate Location: Lost in thought	Good video card at a decent value? My question is, what's a good 256 MB card that won't bankrupt me? I'm expecting at least $100, and hoping to keep it under $150. Hopefully I'm not dreaming. The important thing is that I want a card that will last for a while, not my GeForce 5200 FX. Oh, and here's a nice story for why I decided I should look into a new card. So I recently got Thief III. I hadn't read much about it, but Thief II was pretty damn good. Anyways, i install it, and boot up the game. Start a new game and... unplayable framerates. I'm forced to play it with minimal settings at 640x480. I can almost get a decent framerate on 800x600 now that I turned off all the good settings

06-06-2004, 01:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Unfortunately, a decent 256 meg card for that price doesnt exist. There are some 128MB cards that are OK, but in that price range, a 156MB card will perform much worse than a 128MB one--they just tack the extra RAM on the card to try to get people to buy it, thinking its a better card. For just under $200, you can get a Radeon 9800, which is an excellent card that will last you quite a while. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

06-06-2004, 03:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	The GeForce FX 5200 is a very, very bad videocard. That's why Thief 3 runs like crap. For under $150, the best deals are an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128 MB and an ATI Radeon 9600 XT 128 MB. Other choices would be any NVIDIA GeForce 4 TI series. You can find TI4200's for under $100 now, and NewEgg has refurbs for about $70. If you want to spend $170 you can find a huge increase in power with the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900. If you want to spend right at $200 you'll have an even bigger increase in power with an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro. EDIT: I know you say you want a videocard that will last a while, but that won't happen unless you spend at least $170. $150 will get a damn good videocard, but it won't be top of the line, and in a year or so you'll have to upgrade again. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

06-06-2004, 05:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	A GeForce FX 5200 isn't worth $50. They'd probably give you $15, if anything. I'm not a big fan of flashing the BIOS of videocards, so that's up to you. I know it's possible on a lot of videocards, particularly the GeForce FX 5900 series. I think it's simply better to spend the money and get a card that'll always work without worrying about fucking it up. Don't buy the Radeon 9800SE...those are shitcans. Get the Pro at least. The regular 9800's aren't that great either. The GeForce FX 5900 is a really nice card though. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

06-07-2004, 09:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	Just checked NewEgg, they have the 9800 Pro 256 MB for $260. GREAT card for the price, as I paid $195 for my 128MB 9800 Pro. __________________ Take Off Eh!

06-06-2004, 05:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
Slavakion Mjollnir Incarnate Location: Lost in thought	I'll have to think about this, and check the prices at my local shoppe. Maybe I can trade the card with my friend for some RAM

06-07-2004, 11:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
Confederate Death Leprechaun Location: College Station, TX	I got the 128 meg 9200 for 80 bucks, I am very pleased with it

06-07-2004, 11:54 AM	#9 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	Heck, for what most people use PC's for (email, spreadsheets etc) a 64 MB card would be fine. My suggestion is buy what you need. __________________ Take Off Eh!

06-07-2004, 02:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
TawG Crazy	get a 9800se, then replace the stock fan with something better, and softmod the basterd

06-07-2004, 09:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
Silverbrain Addict Location: Nor Cal	My GeForce FX 5200 cries...Lasereth has ripped into it further then it can imagine, and as such, time to offload this card onto a "friend" who cant play thief 3 because of his 865G integrated video adapter! Lasereth, your brutally honest, and that sir is costing me money!!!!! __________________ Over Thinking, Over Analyzing Seperates the Body from the Mind - MJK

06-08-2004, 01:14 PM	#15 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	Shoot, no worries. I thought I offended you. All in all I am happy with my 9800 Pro. I have a dual monitor setup on the 9800 and it is happy all the time! I just wish I had the cash to throw at some of the new beasts.. But $400-$500 is steep for just a graphics card. __________________ Take Off Eh!

06-08-2004, 01:25 PM	#16 (permalink)
primal Crazy Location: Oklahoma City	I would look at the 9800 or 9800 pro. In benchmarks they are usually very close to each other. If there is less than $30 difference I'd go ahead and get the 9800 pro. I'd be shocked if a game comes out within the next 18 months that a 9800 pro couldn't play well. __________________ "Where the white women at?" -Sheriff Bart (Blazing Saddles)

06-08-2004, 05:52 PM	#17 (permalink)
Peryn Junkie Location: San Diego, CA.	Take a look at http://mirror.ati.com/buy/traderebate/tradeup.html Basically ATI is giving $50 off with trade in on any vid card. Give em your old junker, and get a rebate on your new card. Kinda nice, and you get a built by ATI card, straight from ATI, and since it is in Canada, i believe US citizens dont hafta pay a tax on the purchase. Plus, this way you dont hafta wait for your favorite parts store to have a sale, or wait for mail-in rebates to come back (well, not as long anyway). Downside is the shipping costs. Not the best deal of the century, but a pretty good way to get a great card for a little bit cheaper. __________________ Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck.

06-09-2004, 10:58 AM	#18 (permalink)
Slavakion Mjollnir Incarnate Location: Lost in thought	Definitely something to keep in mind.