Which Video Card for my PC should I get?

[buttasuperb]

I just updated some stuff on my computer and was thinking of getting a better video card too. I'm looking to spend around $100, what do you recommend?

Thanks.

[GameGuru]

Well, for the most bang for the buck you would have to go for the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro 128MB. You can find them online for around $130.

[maxlords]

Which is better right now? ATI or NVidia? I have a GeForce 2 right now, and I asked for a new card for Xmas, was thinking maybe a 256 Meg card, but I'm probably not going to get more than about $150 for it if I get money for it. I want to get the most bang for my buck as well, and be able to run Deus Ex 2 silky smooth

[GameGuru]

The GeForce FX does beat the ATI Radeons in DirectX 8 games so if you don't plan to play new games it is a good choice. If you want to play DirectX 9 games I would go with an ATI now if you want to upgrade. Personally I am gonna stick with my GeForce 4 Ti4200 for probably another 6 months and then see if nVidia takes the lead again. If not, I will go ATI.

[zektor]

I am personally a Nvidia fan myself. They are just good cards. Reliable, fast, and seem to work with everything...even all of the strange emulators I throw at it. I used to love ATI, having purchased the very first "All-In-Wonder" card released. After that I had a few problems with them however. I purchased a new card about 2 years ago (can't remember the model, but it was $500) and when I brought it home a loose broken resistor fell out of the box! I went back to Comp USA and exchanged it for another, but asked the cashier if I could open it there first. Luckily I did that because another resistor fell out of this box! I swapped it 3 times before I got one that was not broken. The problem was the packaging....where the card was laying it was pretty easy to break it possibly by stacking the boxes in shipping. EIther way, I haven't purchased another ATI card since.

[Punisher5555]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

[buttasuperb]

lemme hear some more opinions people.

thanks.

[buttasuperb]

lemme hear some more opinions people.

thanks.

[Raedon]

Dude.. save up $100 more and get an ATI 9800np.. but if you HAVE to only spend $100 I would get an ATI 9600 np.. BB had them on sale for that 4 hours for $80 bucks. Your at a bad time to be looking for under $100 video cards.

Look on Ebay for one of the following:

9800np, any of the 9600 pro cards.

9700pro (good luck but never know)

If you are using a gf4ti4200 or something around that quality you are at the top of the under 100 cards.

I want you to look at the current trailer for DOOM III.. http://www.doom3.com (trailer button there)
This demo is running on a ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.. the 9800 Non-pro can easily be clocked to pro speeds and higher.. and the cards are selling for $200 (will be $150 by the start of 2004)


Nothing Nvidia has under $300 can do this. Forget Nvidia cards for the next year. None of the current cards support DirectX9 and do not have the video quality of the current gen ATI cards.

[Raedon]

Dude.. save up $100 more and get an ATI 9800np.. but if you HAVE to only spend $100 I would get an ATI 9600 np.. BB had them on sale for that 4 hours for $80 bucks. Your at a bad time to be looking for under $100 video cards.

Look on Ebay for one of the following:

9800np, any of the 9600 pro cards.

9700pro (good luck but never know)

If you are using a gf4ti4200 or something around that quality you are at the top of the under 100 cards.

I want you to look at the current trailer for DOOM III.. http://www.doom3.com (trailer button there)
This demo is running on a ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.. the 9800 Non-pro can easily be clocked to pro speeds and higher.. and the cards are selling for $200 (will be $150 by the start of 2004)


Nothing Nvidia has under $300 can do this. Forget Nvidia cards for the next year. None of the current cards support DirectX9 and do not have the video quality of the current gen ATI cards.

[kai123]

Right now a Ati card is the way to go. Half-life 2 is the current benchmark for obvious reasons. An Ati card will give you the most bang for your buck. Nvidia has tried to release driver updates just to compete with Ati. They have failed in that regard. http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/index.html They have some good info there.

[kai123]

Right now a Ati card is the way to go. Half-life 2 is the current benchmark for obvious reasons. An Ati card will give you the most bang for your buck. Nvidia has tried to release driver updates just to compete with Ati. They have failed in that regard. http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/index.html They have some good info there.

[Raedon]

Which is better right now? ATI or NVidia? I have a GeForce 2 right now, and I asked for a new card for Xmas, was thinking maybe a 256 Meg card, but I'm probably not going to get more than about $150 for it if I get money for it. I want to get the most bang for my buck as well, and be able to run Deus Ex 2 silky smooth

the best card out now (and for the next 6 months at least) is the Radeon 9800 series of cards (NOT the 9800SE) You can get a 9800 non-pro for $200 right now but if you wait until after xmas you will be able to get a pro for around that. The 9800 XT 256meg is the top card atm, but it is only slightly faster then the Pro.

The difference in the 9800np and pro is clock speed and memory speed only. It is quite easy to overclock a current np card faster then the 9800pro.

if price is no object is the 9800 XT 256meg which is over $400.


I have a 9800 non-pro that is clocked at 414/620 and I can play that old leaked DOOM III alpha at 1024x768 with 2xaa and 4xaf over 40 fps.. And that is the old Alpha from 2002.. I'm sure the DOOM III engine is far more optimized by now.

Stay away from all nvidia cards right now, they don't support all the functions of DirectX 9, not even their top dog card.

[Raedon]

Which is better right now? ATI or NVidia? I have a GeForce 2 right now, and I asked for a new card for Xmas, was thinking maybe a 256 Meg card, but I'm probably not going to get more than about $150 for it if I get money for it. I want to get the most bang for my buck as well, and be able to run Deus Ex 2 silky smooth

the best card out now (and for the next 6 months at least) is the Radeon 9800 series of cards (NOT the 9800SE) You can get a 9800 non-pro for $200 right now but if you wait until after xmas you will be able to get a pro for around that. The 9800 XT 256meg is the top card atm, but it is only slightly faster then the Pro.

The difference in the 9800np and pro is clock speed and memory speed only. It is quite easy to overclock a current np card faster then the 9800pro.

if price is no object is the 9800 XT 256meg which is over $400.


I have a 9800 non-pro that is clocked at 414/620 and I can play that old leaked DOOM III alpha at 1024x768 with 2xaa and 4xaf over 40 fps.. And that is the old Alpha from 2002.. I'm sure the DOOM III engine is far more optimized by now.

Stay away from all nvidia cards right now, they don't support all the functions of DirectX 9, not even their top dog card.

[hu6800]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

ive seen that card too .. so you think its worth the bux?
i was thinking about picking that up.

[hu6800]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

ive seen that card too .. so you think its worth the bux?
i was thinking about picking that up.

[Raedon]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

ive seen that card too .. so you think its worth the bux?
i was thinking about picking that up.

The 9600 pro smokes that card. If you have a gf4ti4200 you have the same power with a few added functions you will never use (who needs high end shaders when the game is moving 5 frames per second.)

[Raedon]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

ive seen that card too .. so you think its worth the bux?
i was thinking about picking that up.

The 9600 pro smokes that card. If you have a gf4ti4200 you have the same power with a few added functions you will never use (who needs high end shaders when the game is moving 5 frames per second.)

[bensenvill]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

ive seen that card too .. so you think its worth the bux?
i was thinking about picking that up.

I am also a nvidia man. I just recently bought a new card. If you do get one, I stongly suggest the FX 5600 over the 5200. The simple answer to what the difference is is that the 5200 is the equivalent of the older MX series (its a little more stripped down). A 5600 will give you alot more bang for your buck (and there is very little pricedifference right now)

~Tj

[bensenvill]

I got the Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 ULTRA at Wal-Mart for less than $150.
It has good clock speed at 325Mhz and has 128Mb. It is at the low end of the new DX9 boards but I am not rich enough to afford the others.

I have been able to play everything so far with no problems.

P.S. It comes with Splinter Cell.

ive seen that card too .. so you think its worth the bux?
i was thinking about picking that up.

I am also a nvidia man. I just recently bought a new card. If you do get one, I stongly suggest the FX 5600 over the 5200. The simple answer to what the difference is is that the 5200 is the equivalent of the older MX series (its a little more stripped down). A 5600 will give you alot more bang for your buck (and there is very little pricedifference right now)

~Tj