Author Topic: Vid Card???? (Read 6565 times)

TriP^K][L^ · « **on:** January 28, 2006, 09:06:45 PM »

K i am upgrading my computer...doing a budget/slightly future proof build...

So far I have:

-2x 512mb mushkin PC3200 ram
-DFI nForce4 Infinity mobo (socket 939 so i can swap in an AMD x2 4800 this summer

)
-AMD 64 3200+ socket 939

Just curious if anyone has any suggestions on a cheaper (under 120 or so) vid card. Right now some of the cheaper geforce 6600s are looking good.....and it looks like later on I can add some good active cooling and overclock them to GTS speeds.

Punk_FAS · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2006, 09:52:11 PM »

If you don't mind taking chances with a refurbished card, Newegg has this one for $121 shipped.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814142052R

I have this card, and it commonly Unlocks/Overclocks to X850XT speeds, mine does/did. Probably the best bang/buck card out there afaik.

Keep in mind that Nvidia based cards play iD games (Quake, Doom, etc.) a lot better generally than ATI cards. This should be more than enough for Q2 and most any current game as well though, at least at moderate graphic levels.

TriP^K][L^ · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2006, 10:07:32 PM »

awesome, thanks for the input.

Also, do nVidia cards do better than ATI in any way when using the nForce 4 chipset?

Or not? I would think nvidia would want ATI cards to work just as well to encourage mobo chipset sales/

applejacks · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2006, 11:22:06 PM »

ive not really seen any thing either way about if an nvidia card on a nf4 mobo or ati. but who knows

you coudl save yourself some money on the x2 4800. Its not worth the extra money over a x2 4400+ The prices are coming down. But you can easliy push a 4400+ past 4800 speeds. the 4400+ is fast enough as is. I had one last year and was able to push it pretty close to 3.0ghz

just save your money on a processor and get a 7800series video card

they are awesome. I had a 7800gtx that card was sweeet.

but if your really doing a budget system save your money and get a x2 3800:) they can clock pretty high on air alone

Punk_FAS · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2006, 12:33:08 AM »

Could also look into an AMD Opteron 165. It's a dual-core 1.8 GHz CPU, 1MB of L2 cache per CPU core too (this enhances performance by a good bit). Has double the L2 cache than most of the other dual-core CPU's, except the really expensive ones. These commonly Overclock to 2.6 GHz+ on air, and since you're getting a DFI board, you're set for that. The Opteron is identical to the regular dual-cores (for the most part, certainly not lesser than any of the others), just "binned" as better performing parts, thus badged an Opteron (server-ready CPU's).

I think they run $260-$300, vary a lot, for the OEM unit, you'd have to buy a fan for it. It's the chip I currently use. I "think" www.monarchcomputer.com has some good CPU + Motherboard bundles. You get a copy of Half-Life 2, and some other little nick-nacks as well, and the prices are about as low as they get, usually anyway. From time to time they increase the prices a bit. Definitely worth checking out though.

or check AnandTech Hot Deals Forum. And search for Opteron, and they should have some links to some low prices for them. Can find other cheap stuff there too, GL =)

TriP^K][L^ · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2006, 04:32:51 PM »

Thanks for the input guys but I already have my mobo/cpu/ram setup.

I bought a combo from monarchcomputers. I won't make the dual core switch until this summer.....I think the singlecore 3200+ will be fine for me right now...

Also I see MANY 3200+ running at 2.7 ghz with air cooling....which is pretty impressive. 700mhz jump.

Gorgut · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2006, 04:52:37 PM »

Does that board have PCI-E? One of my PCs has an Radion x700 pro. Seems to work nice and is cheep. Only a coupple games I can't crank the settings on. Has 256mb DDR3 on it. Isnt SLI but you wont really find a worthwhile SLI card for that price range.

Gorgut

TriP^K][L^ · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2006, 07:58:25 PM »

yeah I have a pci-express x16....and I'm not looking for an SLI setup...1 vid card is plenty for me.

How much did the x700 cost you?

Gorgut · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2006, 11:08:45 PM »

$200 but it was like a year ago when pci-e first hit the shelfs. should be $100? $150?? dont see why it would be any more new since you can get the x1200 series sli ready for not much more then I origonaly paid for the x700

Gorgut

Gorgut · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2006, 11:16:31 PM »

www.pricewatch.com - found it for $136.75 shipped. Thats for the ATI version, not the cheeper Power Color(128mb insted of 256).

http://www.buyxg.com/store/item.asp?key=VC-139-104 <-link to site, this company is rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Gorgut

Gorgut · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2006, 02:23:32 AM »

You may wan't to get that video card soon....It appears that Rambus, chip designer for GDDR2/GDDR3 DRAM commonly used in graphics cards and DDR/DDR2 DRAM incorperated into most PCs, is beginning to "win" lawsuits against many major manufactures. Aperantly they feel that several manufactures have violated its "intellectual property". Several companys have lawsuits pending such as Hynix Semiconductor, Taiwan's Nanya Technology, Infineon Technologies, Inotera Memories due to their producing of DDR2 DRAM. In addition Infineon, Hynix and Micron have lawsuits pending due to the production of standard DDR DRAM. Also, the worlds largest memory manufacturer, Samsung, has agreed to pay royaltys to Rambus on DDR DRAM production.

If the claims to royaltys uphold in the court system for DDR2 DRAM, Rambus will be entitled to even more money for GDDR2/GDDR3 DRAM production. This will incluide several additional major manufacturers making Rambus entitled to billions of dollars in royaltys and licensing fees. Not sure what brand of memory ATI uses or if any of this will effect some video card and/or ram prices but several facts still remain. Listed companys have invested billions of dollars on production facilities, employees and design teams for such products as well as possible payment for royaltys and licensing to Rambus. Weather or not this translates to higher shelf prices is all speculation at this point but with Samsung agreeing to pay huge dough, the outlook for many of the lawsuites does not look good for the defending companys.

Gorgut

Information from several articles, mainly from the following:
"Rambus files new memory suit"
By Michael Kanellos
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: January 25, 2005, 5:31 PM PST

It just occured to me that last month was january 2006, not 2005

guess this article i read is old

Punk_FAS · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2006, 10:37:52 AM »

Here's a GeForce 6600GT PCI-e for $99 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150098

[BTF]adam · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2006, 04:54:12 PM »

yep.. ive got a suggestion.. get what ive got.. its amazing.. - http://digilander.libero.it/F1Land/3dfxarchive/images/prod/v32kagp.jpg .. ahahaha.. but seriously, if your thinking of a temp suggestion.. grab yourself a voodoo3.. they ROCK

its what ive got in right now lol

TriP^K][L^ · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2006, 12:47:23 AM »

Quote from: Punk_FAS on February 03, 2006, 10:37:52 AM

Here's a GeForce 6600GT PCI-e for $99 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150098

Thanks! That's exactly what I'm looking for in terms of price/performance!

Lemonzest · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2006, 07:15:04 AM »

ATI cards are just fine in a nVidia motherboard, infact its the perfect combination (read all the faults with Geforce 6800's on nForce 3's for example)

i take the infinity is a PCIe Board, so go get a ATI x800/850 series card, there quite cheap now on places such as overclockers.co.uk and ebuyer.com

Lemonzest

Author Topic: Vid Card???? (Read 6565 times)

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