Graphics cards

[Rainbowlemon]

I'm been saving up for a new graphics card for a while now, because I simply can't stand playing my games, especially PSOBB, on low graphics and low resolution. My budget is about £150 (about 275 USD), and I have found two cards that have caught my interest within my budget, one of them being a 128mb Power Colour Radeon 9800SE all-in-wonder, shown here (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=82746) and the other being a 128mb Radeon 9800 pro, shown here (http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductsList.asp?Name=128mb+ATI+Radeon+9800+pro).

The difference in price is very minimal, and the only true difference that I can see, being inexperienced in these sort of things, is that one must be delivered, and one I can just go and pick up from the shop.

I would just like to know from anyone with any experience in these matters, whether or not the difference in these cards would be significant, and also, if possible, any advice on cooling: whether or not I should buy any extra fans or anything, and if so, which ones would work best.

I would greatly appreciate any input - Thank you in advance http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Deuce]

The All-in-wonder gives you the hook up for TV in and out. Meaning you can watch TV on your computer. I have a 9600 All-in-wonder which supports dual monitors. It is a very good card. I can run Doom 3 in 1280 x 1024 with no lag at all.

[SpikeOtacon]

On 2004-08-19 08:00, Deuce wrote:
The All-in-wonder gives you the hook up for TV in and out. Meaning you can watch TV on your computer. I have a 9600 All-in-wonder which supports dual monitors. It is a very good card. I can run Doom 3 in 1280 x 1024 with no lag at all.



How much RAM and your CPU speed? That's a big factor too. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

The all in wonder is best if you want to do video captures as well as playing good games. I'd go with that one, but that's just me.

[Rainbowlemon]

I have an Athalon XP2400+ (2Ghz running speed) and 512Mb DDR ram. I'm not too bothered about video capture and TV anything, I'm just looking for a gfx card that performs well - i would just like some nicer, smoother and above all, faster graphics http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[HUnewearl_Meira]

Either of those cards should perform quite pleasingly. I've got a Radeon All-In-Wonder 7500, myself, and it's made up the difference on a number of games that my processor doesn't *quite* meet the requirements on (it makes up for a good 150MHz of processor speed on some of the older graphics-intense games). In other words, games that *shouldn't* run smoothly on my computer, do because of that thing. I'm not playing anything incredibly recent, like Final Fantasy XI, but even the PSOBB Open Beta ran rather well.

Also, that 9800 Pro was considered Top-Dawg on the market pretty universally by reviewers, up until the 9800 XT was released, so that thing's got power to spare.

Really, the big difference between the two cards you're talking about is 128 megs of RAM (the extra may not be needed, anyway) and the TV Tuner, which is quite a bit of fun. I'd go with the All-In-Wonder, myself, but that's just because I'm a big fan of the All-In-Wonder, and being able to connect all of my game consoles to my computer, in an absurdly elaborate tangle of wires.

In closing, I'd just like to point out that the 3D graphics accellerator chip on the Radeon series of cards uses the same architecture as the graphics chip in the GameCube (note the "Powered by ATI" sticker on the front of your GCN-- that's a Radeon chip!). Except that the 9800 series is a newer version of the chip, whereas the GameCube uses the 7500 or 8500 version of the chip (I'm not sure which).

In other words... Good choice!

[Rainbowlemon]

On 2004-08-19 08:53, HUnewearl_Meira wrote:
In closing, I'd just like to point out that the 3D graphics accellerator chip on the Radeon series of cards uses the same architecture as the graphics chip in the GameCube (note the "Powered by ATI" sticker on the front of your GCN-- that's a Radeon chip!). Except that the 9800 series is a newer version of the chip, whereas the GameCube uses the 7500 or 8500 version of the chip (I'm not sure which).


Ooo, that made me go all tingly!

How do you mean, one of them has 256mb? They both say they're 128mb...or is there something I've missed?

[Halemar]

get the radeon X800 toxic best out there

[HUnewearl_Meira]

On 2004-08-19 09:35, Antimony wrote:

Ooo, that made me go all tingly!

How do you mean, one of them has 256mb? They both say they're 128mb...or is there something I've missed?



According to the ATI site (http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9800/radeon9800pro/specs.html), the 9800 Pro has 256MB of VRAM.

On the other hand, that may be refering to the 9800 XT.

[Deuce]

Or you can go Nvidea. Get a GeForce 5600 with Hydro-cooling system. 400mhz and 1100mhz clock speed.

[Aredhel]

Just make sure that you have a good processor as well. Don't go out and buy an X800 Radeon Platinum edition for your PIII 500Ghz machine - the card is practically faster than your processor! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

I currently have a 128mb X300 in my P4 3.0 ghz compy. Kinda wish I had a much better vid card, seeing as how my processor gets a little stifled of its potential by such a decent l'il X300. Not saying it's slow, I'm just saying that it's kind of a shame I don't have a Radeon 9800XT to play KotOR with http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Dangerous55]

Ahhh, I just ordered my new comp, here is some stuff:

AMD 3200+ Processor
512 DDR Ram
80 Gig Hard Drive
Geforce 5500 256mb
...and of course other stuff.

Only $1100.

I just hope the internet connection at Alvernia doesnt suck!

[navci]

My 300 PC came with a Radeon 9800, which bro ripped out and gave me this nVidia GeForce 5600.

Damn him. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Para]

On 2004-08-19 12:15, Aredhel wrote:
Just make sure that you have a good processor as well. Don't go out and buy an X800 Radeon Platinum edition for your PIII 500Ghz machine - the card is practically faster than your processor! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

PIII 500GHZ!!! HOLY SHIT!!!


My 300 PC came with a Radeon 9800, which bro ripped out and gave me this nVidia GeForce 5600.

Damn him.

Thats not a bad video card atleast but not as good as the 9800 lol.

Its better than my gf2 >_>

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lol 5600 was nicknamed the dustbuster for its loud fan http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

as for which card is better

if you are interested in Anti aliasing, get a raedon because benchmarks are better overall for ATI cards in the Anti Aliasing department.

If you don't care about Anti Aliasing, a nvidia card would float your boat because they're faster than ATI cards in that department.

Of course you could wait abit longer, with the new generation cards out, old generation cards are dropping in price so becareful when you buy your card.

[HUnewearl_Meira]

On 2004-08-19 15:34, Nites wrote:
(something with a CODE tag)

Note: Code tag = screwed up forum tables.

[Sir_Laguna]

I looked up some benchmarks on Tom's Hardware Guide and found a great article right here (http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20031229/index.html). The article is kind of dated (It was written in Dec. 2003) but it's good for the sake of comparing the two cards you listed.

If the extra TV features don't matter, you should go with the 9800 Pro. In the benchmarks I looked at inside the article I linked to, there's a pretty good gap in frames/second between the 9800 Pro and the 9800 SE in some of the benchmarks, sometimes as large as 30-40 fps.

I've owned a Radeon 9700 Pro (9800's older brother) for nearly two years now, and it's served me extremely well in my Athlon XP 2100+ machine. It runs Doom 3 very nicely on High graphics settings at 1024x768. Given that the 9800 Pro is just a step up from my card, I'm sure you'll be very satisfied should you decide to go with it. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

Meira-- you are right, there is a 256 MB version of both the 9800 Pro and XT, and there is also a 128 MB version of the Pro. The extra dough you have to cough up for 256 MB of VRAM seems to hover around $60 USD.

[klepto]

either card should give you a solid 60 fps in doom3/pso. 9800 pro gives you constant 100 in CS, about a constant 95 in CZ. With the arrival of CS:S, I would expect it to give a little less fps.

I've loved my 9800 pro and never had any sort of FPS problems no matter what game I play.

Keep v-sync on, just set your refresh rate to 75 or higher.

[Rainbowlemon]

Thanks guys, the 9800pro it is! ^_^;

[BrokenHope]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the fact that the SE version of the 9800 pro only has 4 pipelines, which makes it about as powerfull as a 9600 pro, for pure power the 9800 pro will be the best bet unless you don't mind a slower card but with the capture capablity