Topic: Any Advice on a new Video Card? (Read 2825 times)

DeepThought · « **on:** January 18, 2004, 02:13:57 pm »

Hello all...

After 3+ years using running an old VIPER II/32Mb video card, I'm shopping for something new. After all these years, I'm still a SFC2:EAW fanatic and I play it almost constantly-- heavily modified with custom ship models, etc. I gave up years ago trying to get the illumination maps to work (even on the stock Taldren models).

I'm looking for some advice. I am a novice when it comes to video cards. I want something that will let me use more ships, with higher quality textures in EAW, and will also run newer games.

Any advice? I'd appreciate it!

DeepThought

3dot14 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2004, 03:15:54 pm »

how much are you looking to spend?

digi · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2004, 04:39:20 pm »

The choice you have is certainly between ATI and nVidia. Of course it does depend on what you want to pay for a new card but both of these offer cards at all price ranges. I've always used nVidia based cards but theres plenty of guys on this forum who will tell you to go for ATI cards, and to be honest the ATI cards are good. nVida aren't lagging though and apart from some major noise problems on the FX5800 model have some great cards out now.

But if your budget isn't unlimited (and who's is??) then try the mid ranged cards.

Try this VGA charts III from tomshardware. This should be very helpful to you.

Dash Jones · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2004, 06:45:58 pm »

Ati drivers STILL stink after all these years. For SFC...go Nvidia. At least in my opinion. The Ati DOES run games nicely...when you don't hit bugs in their drivers (which for me seems like every other driver release...they say that it's only because I get newer games...BUT I have had the problems with the older games...AND...what the heck would I want a top of the line card if not to actually PLAY the newer games). On the otherhand, I've been lucky with Nvidia cards and never had one refuse to play a game yet...(crosses fingers).

DeepThought · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2004, 08:04:45 pm »

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Which ind (ATI Raedon or nVidia) would act "less buggy" with SFC3? I bought the game a while ago but never got into it....

Pestalence · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2004, 09:06:55 pm »

NVidia with the latest drivers would be my first suggestion... however it is up to you... the community would argue all day ATI vs Nvidia, so my best suggestion is to go to a comp store and look at systems with both cards and make a choice off that..

now which card has given less problems with SFC 3.. that would be NVidia FX cards.. the best being the FX 5900XT, th e lowest would be the FX 5200.. don't get any vid card with less than 64MB vid memory... this is just for future games you may get.. and even then, that is starting to be considered the low end of graphics cards now...

RingWraith 413 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2004, 08:57:33 am »

2 good cards out right now would be ATI 9600 Pro and the nVidia FX 5700. And they can be had under $150 US. Or you could get a 9800 Non-Pro or a FX 5900 Non-Ultra for just over $200 US. All of these have 128 mb of ram onboard.Depends on your monetary situation. I personally wouldn't go lower than the 5700 or 9600.

DIF_Wraith 413

kziti kat · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2004, 09:16:44 am »

I have used both NVidia and ATI products. My latest card is an ATI 9600XT. My previous card was an NVidia Geforce2 ultra.

My advice:

1. Get something that is DX9 compatible. This means NVIdia 5200 and newer or ATI 9500 or newer.
I wouldn't buy one just because they say it is DX9 compatible though, because the 5200 ultra and 9500 even though they are DX9 compatible don't play DX9 games at acceptable frame rates.

2. A mid-ranged priced NVidia 5600 ultra or ATI 9600XT will cost from $135 - $160. Either of them should run DX9 games at acceptable frame rates.

3. NVidia is known to have better drivers - EXCEPT when it comes to certain aspects of DX9 (shaders for example), which their cards do not process very well. Their visual quality compared to ATI is lacking.

4. I have the latest catalyst 3.10 drivers for ATI installed and haven't had any problems with any game I play.

I settled on the 9600XT because:

1. The visual quality issue over NVidia.

2. The card can be significantly overclocked without additional cooling.

I recommend the ATI 9600XT.

Primus2003 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2004, 08:23:18 am »

I have also used ATI and Nvidia in the past. The computer I got in 1999 had an ati that ran like a dream and still does. (I sold it to my sister so she would let me know in no uncertain terms if there was a problem LOL). When i got one through some strings atttached funding, I got it from IBM (never again for me). It burned out within a couple of years the nvidia card IBM used. Through a recent settlement, because IBM sold me a computer so riddled with technical problems I got my money back (hallelujah) In any event love the new ati card, 9600 pro 128 megs. I would go with ati given my experieinces but nothing less then the 9600 pro so that way you are direct x 9 compatible already or you risk outdatining yourself before you begin in my opinion.

DeepThought · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2004, 02:13:57 pm »

Hello all...

After 3+ years using running an old VIPER II/32Mb video card, I'm shopping for something new. After all these years, I'm still a SFC2:EAW fanatic and I play it almost constantly-- heavily modified with custom ship models, etc. I gave up years ago trying to get the illumination maps to work (even on the stock Taldren models).

I'm looking for some advice. I am a novice when it comes to video cards. I want something that will let me use more ships, with higher quality textures in EAW, and will also run newer games.

Any advice? I'd appreciate it!

DeepThought

3dot14 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2004, 03:15:54 pm »

how much are you looking to spend?

digi · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2004, 04:39:20 pm »

The choice you have is certainly between ATI and nVidia. Of course it does depend on what you want to pay for a new card but both of these offer cards at all price ranges. I've always used nVidia based cards but theres plenty of guys on this forum who will tell you to go for ATI cards, and to be honest the ATI cards are good. nVida aren't lagging though and apart from some major noise problems on the FX5800 model have some great cards out now.

But if your budget isn't unlimited (and who's is??) then try the mid ranged cards.

Try this VGA charts III from tomshardware. This should be very helpful to you.

Dash Jones · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2004, 06:45:58 pm »

Ati drivers STILL stink after all these years. For SFC...go Nvidia. At least in my opinion. The Ati DOES run games nicely...when you don't hit bugs in their drivers (which for me seems like every other driver release...they say that it's only because I get newer games...BUT I have had the problems with the older games...AND...what the heck would I want a top of the line card if not to actually PLAY the newer games). On the otherhand, I've been lucky with Nvidia cards and never had one refuse to play a game yet...(crosses fingers).

DeepThought · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2004, 08:04:45 pm »

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Which ind (ATI Raedon or nVidia) would act "less buggy" with SFC3? I bought the game a while ago but never got into it....

Pestalence · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2004, 09:06:55 pm »

NVidia with the latest drivers would be my first suggestion... however it is up to you... the community would argue all day ATI vs Nvidia, so my best suggestion is to go to a comp store and look at systems with both cards and make a choice off that..

now which card has given less problems with SFC 3.. that would be NVidia FX cards.. the best being the FX 5900XT, th e lowest would be the FX 5200.. don't get any vid card with less than 64MB vid memory... this is just for future games you may get.. and even then, that is starting to be considered the low end of graphics cards now...

RingWraith 413 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2004, 08:57:33 am »

2 good cards out right now would be ATI 9600 Pro and the nVidia FX 5700. And they can be had under $150 US. Or you could get a 9800 Non-Pro or a FX 5900 Non-Ultra for just over $200 US. All of these have 128 mb of ram onboard.Depends on your monetary situation. I personally wouldn't go lower than the 5700 or 9600.

DIF_Wraith 413

kziti kat · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2004, 09:16:44 am »

I have used both NVidia and ATI products. My latest card is an ATI 9600XT. My previous card was an NVidia Geforce2 ultra.

My advice:

1. Get something that is DX9 compatible. This means NVIdia 5200 and newer or ATI 9500 or newer.
I wouldn't buy one just because they say it is DX9 compatible though, because the 5200 ultra and 9500 even though they are DX9 compatible don't play DX9 games at acceptable frame rates.

2. A mid-ranged priced NVidia 5600 ultra or ATI 9600XT will cost from $135 - $160. Either of them should run DX9 games at acceptable frame rates.

3. NVidia is known to have better drivers - EXCEPT when it comes to certain aspects of DX9 (shaders for example), which their cards do not process very well. Their visual quality compared to ATI is lacking.

4. I have the latest catalyst 3.10 drivers for ATI installed and haven't had any problems with any game I play.

I settled on the 9600XT because:

1. The visual quality issue over NVidia.

2. The card can be significantly overclocked without additional cooling.

I recommend the ATI 9600XT.

Primus2003 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2004, 08:23:18 am »

I have also used ATI and Nvidia in the past. The computer I got in 1999 had an ati that ran like a dream and still does. (I sold it to my sister so she would let me know in no uncertain terms if there was a problem LOL). When i got one through some strings atttached funding, I got it from IBM (never again for me). It burned out within a couple of years the nvidia card IBM used. Through a recent settlement, because IBM sold me a computer so riddled with technical problems I got my money back (hallelujah) In any event love the new ati card, 9600 pro 128 megs. I would go with ati given my experieinces but nothing less then the 9600 pro so that way you are direct x 9 compatible already or you risk outdatining yourself before you begin in my opinion.

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