Results 1 to 30 of 92

Thread: Which Graphics Card?

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. 08-21-2006, 17:29 #1
    Master_Thief
    Master_Thief is offline
    Member Member Master_Thief's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    U.K.
    Posts
    133



    Default Which Graphics Card?

    I'm planning on upgrading my 3 year old pc (Evesham 2600si with 2.6ghz pentium 4, 1 gm RAM, 256 mb radeon 9600, 120gb hard drive, MSI 865pe neo 2 g motherboard). I've already doubled the ram from 512mb to 1gb and i'm looking to get a new graphics card. Problem is I just can't decide what to get. I have an agp slot so that immediately limits my options, and I don't want to spend more than about £120 so all of the new Nvidia cards are out of my reach. I'm seriously considering either a Radeon x850 pro or an x1600 pro. The x850 sounds a lot more powerful but it doesn't support pixel shader 3.0 or HDR. Are these actually necassary nowadays? I'm also not sure about cooling. I've been used to a passively cooled heatsink so I don't want anything too noisy. I quite like the look of the large fans that exhaust air out the back. Do these make much difference or are the ordinary fans ok? I'm also not sure about which company to buy from. Connect 3d seem good but I don;t like the look of the fan on the x1600, gecube are cool but their x1600 doesn't have a vga slot, HIS have good fans but I only really want to buy from www.lowestonweb.com or amazon (as I trust them) and neither of these stock them, sapphire look alright...So many decisions...
    "If she were a president, she'd be called Baberaham Lincoln" - Garth (Wayne's World 1)

    Check out my mods and maps for Thief Deadly Shadows and TES IV Oblivion at http://dashboard.filefront.com/MasterThief.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  2. 08-21-2006, 18:24 #2
    DukeofSerbia
    DukeofSerbia is offline
    It was a trap, after all. Member DukeofSerbia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Sombor, Serbia (one day again Kingdom)
    Posts
    1,001
    Hall of Fame 2006
    Total Awards: 1



    Thumbs up Radeon X1600pro

    HIS and Sapphire are the closest ATI's partners. They don't offer nVidia graphic cards.

    If you want model Radeon X1600pro with passive cooling try to find Gigabyte or ASUS models. See this http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/...ProductID=2212 But it's Gigabyte's PCI-Express model. I don't know if they had AGP version.

    And as I know X1600pro models have price around 100$.
    Watching
    EURO 2008 & Mobile Suit Gundam 00

    Waiting for: Wimbledon 2008.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  3. 08-22-2006, 09:19 #3
    Master_Thief
    Master_Thief is offline
    Member Member Master_Thief's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    U.K.
    Posts
    133



    Default Re: Which Graphics Card?

    Cheers for the help Duke of Serbia. I had a look at the Gigabyte range. Turns out they don't have an agp x1600 but they do have a nice set of x800's. However trying to find a decent place to purchase them is hard and I still want to stick with the websites i'm used to (though i'm tempted by overclockers.co.uk). I was quite impressed by the passive cooling on the Gigabyte cards, but I imagine that very effective air cooling is required to keep such a powerful card cool and i'm not sure i've got that. If anyone knows which is the better card - x1600 or x850, then I would greatly appreciate the help. I'm hedging by bets on the x1600 as it has shader model 3.0 and HDR, and its newer, but i'm still not entirely sure.
    "If she were a president, she'd be called Baberaham Lincoln" - Garth (Wayne's World 1)

    Check out my mods and maps for Thief Deadly Shadows and TES IV Oblivion at http://dashboard.filefront.com/MasterThief.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  4. 08-22-2006, 17:53 #4
    DukeofSerbia
    DukeofSerbia is offline
    It was a trap, after all. Member DukeofSerbia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Sombor, Serbia (one day again Kingdom)
    Posts
    1,001
    Hall of Fame 2006
    Total Awards: 1



    Default Radeon 1600Pro and X850

    Master_Thief,

    This is Serbian forum of largest and the most popular computer magazine "World of Computer" - Ranking of graphics cards.

    According to them X850XT PE, X800XT PE, X850XT, X800XT and X800Pro are all faster than X1600Pro. Only X800GT is slower than X1600Pro.

    But I will buy rather X1600Pro (which I will done soon). This card has SM 3.0 and HDR and it's newer product. Remeber how ATI has always problems with drivers and newer models are always priority. And newer cards has better AF and AA quality and performancies.

    I think that I saw Sapphire model of Radeon X1600Pro. Look here - http://www.sapphiretech.com/uk/produ...cts.php?pcat=3 and here http://www.sapphiretech.com/uk/produ...gpid=133&grp=2
    Watching
    EURO 2008 & Mobile Suit Gundam 00

    Waiting for: Wimbledon 2008.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  5. 08-22-2006, 18:11 #5
    Master_Thief
    Master_Thief is offline
    Member Member Master_Thief's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    U.K.
    Posts
    133



    Default Re: Which Graphics Card?

    Yeah, I think you're right. The x850 pro definately has more power, but the x1600 is far newer and will benefit from driver upgrades. I think that sm 3.0 is becoming more and more essential, as is HDR. I did consider the Sapphire card until amazon sold out, so I think i'll go for the connect3d one which is available from www.lowestonweb.com. The x1600 is also about £13 cheaper (not sure how much that is in Euros) which is a big plus point, especially since i'll only be using it for about a year before I head off to university. As long as it plays Oblivion and MTW 2 then i'm happy. Cheers for all the help
    "If she were a president, she'd be called Baberaham Lincoln" - Garth (Wayne's World 1)

    Check out my mods and maps for Thief Deadly Shadows and TES IV Oblivion at http://dashboard.filefront.com/MasterThief.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  6. 08-22-2006, 18:22 #6
    DukeofSerbia
    DukeofSerbia is offline
    It was a trap, after all. Member DukeofSerbia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Sombor, Serbia (one day again Kingdom)
    Posts
    1,001
    Hall of Fame 2006
    Total Awards: 1



    Default Connect 3D

    Connect 3D is ok. I found what you think - http://www.lowestonweb.com/Products/...4-046D23B82C0E

    The price is £99.98 inc VAT. This card has 512MB which is mostly useless and that's why this model has this price (in Serbia Radeon X1600Pro models have price cca 110 euros and in USA some 100$).

    Unfortunatelly HIS doesn't have AGP model of X1600Pro. http://www.hisdigital.com/html/iceq_promo.htm
    Watching
    EURO 2008 & Mobile Suit Gundam 00

    Waiting for: Wimbledon 2008.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules

Single Sign On provided by vBSSO