M2TW: suitable nVidia video card

[Shahed]

Great. Thanks a lot. Shutting down straight away.

[BlackAxe3001]

For surfing/checking email you should be fine. It doesn't draw that much power idling. I just wouldn't play any games on that 350w.

[Skott]

A 7600GT card will run the game on high settings @ 1280x1024. So if you can try to get at least a 7600 series card but you dont need anything more than a 7600 series just for M2TW.


My M2TW Rig:

Intel E6400 Proc
P5W DH mobo
2Gb PC6400C4 Corsair RAM
7600GT KO Video card
BenQ 1655 DvD Burner
X-Fi XtremeMusic Sound Card
Seagate 7200.10 250GB Hard Drive
19" CRT Monitor @ 1280x1024


This setup runs M2TW smooth as silk.

[Orda Khan]

This setup runs M2TW smooth as silk.

Hardly surprising

......Orda

[PaulTa]

Well there sure are other things to take into consideration. If you put the 7600 in a PC with only a gig of RAM and a 2.4 gig processor, then it probably wouldn't run "as smooth as silk".

[Satyr]

Also realize that at this point, running Windows XP you really can't use any thing over 2gigs of RAM. Windows Vista in 64 bit mode, which is how it should be installed, will access huge amounts of RAM, but XP is severely crippled in this regard.

[Skott]

I was merely showing my rig as an example. The OP is getting a E6400 system and the only thing he was lacking compared to what I have (other than the video card) is the RAM. Yes, a extra GB of RAM can mkae big differences in some games but again I was showing him an example with a 7600GT KO card. Any plain 7600GT can be overclocked up to a KO so he could match my card in performance if he got one and overclocked it.

[BlackAxe3001]

Thats assuming he knows how to overclock and even wants to overclock.

[Skott]

True that but overclocking a video card is pretty easy to do if he so desires.

[sapi]

Sinan, a few points.

1. If you're running at a decent resolution (1280x1024 or over) running with more than 4x aa is a pointless waste of resources

2. The jump from 8x to 16x af is minimal

3. So you're fine with that card if you're even slightly realistic

4. Get a better PSU (500W minimum)

5. Don't overclock your gfx card - a waste of time imo when you could have just turned the settings down a little.

EDIT:

Also realize that at this point, running Windows XP you really can't use any thing over 2gigs of RAM. Windows Vista in 64 bit mode, which is how it should be installed, will access huge amounts of RAM, but XP is severely crippled in this regard.

Anything over 2gb is a waste anyway (and xp can address more than you think if you trim the pagefile, which is rarely used once you have a decent amount of ram)

[BlackAxe3001]

4xAA and 4x/8xAF is perfect anything over that isn't noticeable really anyway.

Overclocking has it's benefits. I get nearly double the fps with my card overclocked. There are a lot of variables though when it comes to overlocking though.

Yeah the 7600 is probably sufficient, but if you were looking for the best of the best for $250 the x1950xt is probably the way to go.

Yeah get at least a 500w, but check the amps!!! You can buy some 450w with more amps than some 500w ones have. Just make sure to check the amps.

[Barry Fitzgerald]

Much misinformation here...sorry guys!

The 7600GS is a very light card on power...very. Around 28watts peak...that is low....even the GT isnt heavy....less than the 6600 GT.

You wont need a 500watt psu...makers may say min 400 watt as a guideline..but that is a very rough figure indeed..and takes into account poor quality PSU's...which have a higher rating and low efficiency...

Unless you are running an ultra juicy cpu..aka a high GHz dual core Pentium D....then you wont have any issues..

[BlackAxe3001]

No misinformation. He still only has a 350w and how do you know its not a crappy psu? Regardless, he was wanting a better high end card anyway, which will require a new bigger wattage power supply.

[sapi]

Get a 500W PSU MINIMUM

And i seriously doubt that 28W peak figure....even teh new core 2 cpus peak at 135W and that's an old gfx card so i suspect you mean 280W...

[BlackAxe3001]

I looked it up. 7600GS peaks out at like 27.4 watts. So yeah 28w. I doubted it too. The 7600GT is like 38 or something.

Here is the link.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/vid...r-noise_6.html

Regardless, get a 500w minimum. It doesn't hurt to have extra for future upgrades.

[sapi]

:o

I stand corrected (but that seems very, very low....)

[BlackAxe3001]

I thought the same thing... Oh well I guess. I need to get one of those kill-a-watt things and do some testing on my own stuff.

[Barry Fitzgerald]

Lol!

Glasket only provided some of the info..but an estimate using the info I have..and a normal setup..soundcard..a few usb devices, 2 DVD drives etc etc....using a 7600GS

Is around 295 watts...max everything full on ramped to the max...

So....depends on the PSU..if it is decent it will cope no problems.

A higher end card could warrant a better psu..though 500 is likely overkill unless a dual card set up is on the cards.

Honestly guys I know my stuff well....

Remember while watts seem to go up..they go down too..the new Core 2 and AM2 Athlons are significantly lower on power than some previous ones. Same for graphics cards...when the Nm process goes down...so does the power consumption.

You need to look at more than just a big number..500 watts sounds good, and it is always advised to have a bit spare..but not all 500 watt PSU's are equal....

For example an Antec 380 watt PSU delivers more efficient stable power than a non name china 450 watt jobbie

[glasket]

Thanks for all your help.
My budget for the card would be US$200 but I am located in Australia.
I am not 100% sure if the company making the computer for me has other cards aprat from nvidia and I cant ask them now as they are closed for new year.

So I guess for my US$200 budget what would be the best graphics card i could get from
1. nVidia
2. other makes (if the computer builders have it).

[sapi]

@barry, i understand that but it's always good to future proof with a good, name-brand 500w psu.

@glasket, check out www.staticice.com.au - it's a godsend for custom builders.

Expect to pay a huge premium for gear over here though - it's just the facts of life unfortunately.

[PaulTa]

Glasket-

I'm fairly certain that either BFG tech or eVga services Aus. If not, then XFX.

Either one, go with the 7900GS if you're on a 200 USD equivolent budget. Bang for your buck, it's the best card available (I don't want to go into diminishing rate of return right now, so let's just take me as an authority on the subject since I was previously in your same case).

[sapi]

@paulta, i wasn't talking about manufacturer (which matters little, despite what you read) but rather place of purchase - there's a variation of hundreds of dollars over here and using a price comparison engine like staticie allows you to get the best deal.

@glasket, depending on where you are, MSY and Umart are great companies to buy though.

[PaulTa]

Ahh, my apologies. I didn't understand.

On a lighter note, I would love to discuss your comment about manufacturer's not mattering on another thread. I beg to differ.

[sapi]

I've got to stop making flippant comments like that, you know :P

Yes, it does matter, but, imo, at the low/mid range you've got more important things to worry about. Just grap a card with a decent warranty and with some decent bundled games and begone

[PaulTa]

I'll let it slide.

[Shahed]

Hey errr... so should I use this card right now ? is it safe ? or should I just wait till I upgrade the PSU ? I don't have to play games, actually a few days would do me, and my skillZZZZZZ good.

[BlackAxe3001]

IMO if you just surf and check e-mail and don't do anything that requires 3D(games) then you should be fine. If it was my computer I would be surfing and checking email and daily stuff like that but I wouldn't game on it.

Others may say different, that my opinion.

[Shahed]

Last night before I read this advice I was playing on everything maxed out... laggily along happily. There was no problem, I think this 350W PSU can handle this card but I'm not going to push it.

Also I'm now considering a system upgrade.

Not too sure if I should spend a 1500 bucks on another PC. I'd probably be better off using the money for a week off at some chic resort in Morrocco or Tunisia instead. And what about a trek in Northern Spain, costs like 1000 bucks for a week. Better still I could go to Dubai for a (HOT) week with that !!! Hard to justify.

But I love..... M2:TW... ahh the agony is unbearable.

[PaulTa]

Well you might not even see results immediately... If you work with an underpowered system, you might be happily playing along when your mobo fries, or your graphics card gives out and you get a blue screen out of nowhere.

I think it's best to wait for the power supply before you start with the 3d apps again, bud. Otherwise, you'd be playing russian rulette with your computer components.

My comp. worked just fine underpowered for a few months actually... It wasn't until one morning that everything started screwing up in succession. I'd wait.

[Shahed]

Ok.