Up To Speed

[Cataclysm]

Hey.

I've fallen out of keepin up to date with parts and prices and what not this year, so I need some info to get back up to speed on a new vid card.

I'm not askin which is best, I've already decided both the X800 and 6800 are outta my budget. So I'm aiming for a 9700, 9700pro, or a 9800xt (if I can get one cheap, maybe a powercolor model). Or, if I go Nvidia, Geforce 5700 or 5800.

Now, a quick question of performance. Are the 5700, 5800 and 9700 pro worth looking at? Or are they so serviely out dated with the new gen cards comin in, that buyin one now would be folly? (feel free to point me to a better card I've missed, and give suggestions of which you would recommend)

Last, I've also noticed with a large percentage of the x800 I've seen, they're boastin PCI Express. First I've heard of it, and I'm wondering if this is gonna replace normal AGP? If so, does this mean an X800 will not take kindly to an Epox 8RDA+ ? Can someone give me a quick run down of it all?

Thx.

[sr4470]

Re: Up To Speed

A 9800 Pro would be a better choice, plus u can always overclock to XT speeds, or u could buy a Geforce 6600GT (PCI Express).

[Darthtanion]

Re: Up To Speed

Though hard to find anymore, a 9800 Pro is a good choice if you can come across one. Many of the ones that came out late will also allow you to Flash the video card BIOS to make it into a 9800XT. In this area, don't even consider nVidia as the ATI line is much more powerful.

As to the PCI-E concerns, yes it will likely replace the AGP port... eventually. This won't be a rapid change and AGP will still be supported for a while yet. I doubt you would have any issues with your current board and the X800 boards, but with your current setup I would recommend the Pro instead of the XT model. Not only will it save you some money, but your system isn't beefy enough to make that vid board work to its potential.

[Gamebit]

Re: Up To Speed

I agree a 9800 pro with a R360 core is the way to go for price and power! As for it being hard to find I dont know I just went to Newegg and counted 16 diff kinds of 9800pros in stock. But beware of the EZ version!!!!! Good luck!

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Up To Speed

They aren't hard to find just yet. There are still plenty of cheap 256-bit ones still in stock at Newegg. If the Sapphire 128MB comes back into stock, that would be a great choice as it is known to often be flashable to XT. I wouldn't ever go with a 9800 anything for more than, say, $230 U.S. A GeForce 6800 non-ultra non-GT can be had for about $270, and it's much more powerful than just about any overclocked 9800XT, much less a flashed 9800 Pro.

[Cataclysm]

Re: Up To Speed

I'm goin with eBay, as you just wont beat it for price. And I've bought off it b4 and know the ins and outs.

I can pick up a Powercolor 9800pro for around $340 Aus. But thats only a 128mb model. Still worth lookin at, or should I def go for the 256?

Or, I can hope and pray to "snipe" a BFG 6800 OC for around $460. But thats a little pricey. And like Darthtanion said - I doubt my box could utilise it.

I know Nvidia is kinda weaker, but would a Gigabyte FX 5900XT for around $150 be worth considering?

[Darthtanion]

Re: Up To Speed

- Buyer beware... nuf said.

- Newer 128MB versions used the R360 core while older 256MB versions used the core. This is the core you want to have the best chances of a successful Flash.

- A normal 6800 will work on your rig, but the 6800 Ultra or X800 XT won't be fully utilized.

- I would recommend staying away from ANY nVidia board that isn't 6800 based, but that's just me.

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Up To Speed

- I would recommend staying away from ANY nVidia board that isn't 6800 based, but that's just me.

That's not just you. Nvidia simply doesn't have any older generation cards that are better than competing ATI products. I also agree about eBay. It costs less for a reason, and you get what you pay for.

[Cataclysm]

Re: Up To Speed

I think I'll head toward a 6800. I know the 9800 was suggested, but I cant get a worth while deal on one. I can get a 6800 for around $400 - $500. Which is a saving of atleast $100. And will keep my box up to date for a while to come.
I'm not too sure about a few brands though.

Theres a brand I haven't heard of. BFG. Which (upon reading reviews) seem to have a moderate name for them selves. Anyone had some experience with them?

Theres also a Leadtek A400 TDH (128mb) - From my knowledge, Leadtek were goin down the drain a while ago, and were strugglin to keep up. Is this still true, or is it a worth while lead to look into?

Lastly, Theres an Asus V9999GT/TD 128mb - Asus had a good name, but I'm a bit warey of a GT/TD as I cant seem to find ANY reviews on it.

[sr4470]

Re: Up To Speed

Go with the standard 6800, because the GT will become limited by the processor in your system. Unless you plan on upgrading the rest of your system later.

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Up To Speed

He is looking at the standard (pretty much any 128MB 6800 is a regular version or just an overclocked regular labeled "GT"), and CPU limitation depends entirely on the game. Unreal Tournament 2004 can be CPU-limited when using an Athlon 64 FX 55, but Doom 3 is barely CPU-limited with a Pentium 4 2GHz. Either card will be great for upgrading. I'd say go with a 6800 over a 9800 Pro if you plan on upgrading. If you have extra money for a GT instead of a regular 6800, you should consider upgrading the rest of your system.

[sr4470]

Re: Up To Speed

Well, the CPU limitation is moot if you turn up the resolution or turn on FSAA\anisotropic filtering. Though with Unreal Tournament 2004 and a 6800 card, its necesary to turn on 4x FSAA and 8x anisotropic filtering and play the game at 1280x1024 or higher before the CPU limitation disappears.