PCI-Express and Which ATI??

Decon · Sep 21, 2004, 06:07 AM

Hiyas,

The new rig is on the drawing boards! Box only, and I'm going PCI-Express. I only build every 3 years so this is a logical move...for me! Looks to be around 1K total.

Question: Should I go X600XT, or X600 Pro 256? The answer would seem obvious...the pro 256. Why doesn't the XT come in 256? The cost just isn't much difference at 175 +/-. Is there a better card than the ATI? ABIT, ASUS, Sapphire, etc?

Thanks for any input

tastyweat · Sep 21, 2004, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decon

Hiyas,

The new rig is on the drawing boards! Box only, and I'm going PCI-Express. I only build every 3 years so this is a logical move...for me! Looks to be around 1K total.

Question: Should I go X600XT, or X600 Pro 256? The answer would seem obvious...the pro 256. Why doesn't the XT come in 256? The cost just isn't much difference at 175 +/-. Is there a better card than the ATI? ABIT, ASUS, Sapphire, etc?

Thanks for any input

The XT is the better choice...

they release cards with 256mb memory as a selling point to drag in the unknowing... for example you can get a Radeon 9200 with 256MB ram... the majority of that ram is just useless... the power of the 9200 GPU that it simply cannot process that amount of textures... so it's a waste of space.

The amount of memory does not effect the performace of a card like an X600 a huge amount... the X600XT has higher clocked core and GPU... thus even with only 128MB ram it will be faster... I'll just get you a comparison chart:

as you can see... the x600xt quite substantially out performs the x600pro

amount ram does not really provide a speed boost to a graphics card... it just allows for larger textures to be held at once.

Son_of_Thunder · Sep 21, 2004, 05:50 PM

very good explaination tastyweat, i found out all of that the hard way when i bought my fx5600xt because it was the cheapest 256mb card i could find...man oh man was i disappointed.

also, decon, you may want to check out the x700 or the x800xt pci-express editions. they both kick the x600's into the dirt.

Customgamer1 · Sep 22, 2004, 01:06 AM

I would wait a few weeks and get a X700 XT that are going to be shipped in a few weeks!!!!

Decon · Sep 22, 2004, 03:59 AM

Great! Thanks for the replies! The X800's are pretty pricey. I am going to wait just a bit and see how things settle out. Will the X700 be less than the X800?

Ok more checking around to do!

Hehehe if anyone's interested I am looking into the ABIT Mobo's Trying to figure out which is the best value. I plan on using On Boad sound. I do guns and engines

RAM dual channel kits OCZ, Mushkin, Curcial...lots to chose from.

RAID or no RAID? I'm a gamer.

Thanks,
Decon

No_Style · Sep 22, 2004, 05:50 AM

X700 XT if the pricing is right, will be the best performance/cost card for PCI-E

Good move on the waiting. No need to jump into these things just yet.

I wouldn't use Onboard sound, I'd go for an Audigy 2, those are quite affordable now. As for the RAID question. If you just game, then no. But if you do a lot of stuff like transferring files... then RAID would be benefitial. I personally will always go for a RAID setup since I use and appreciate's its benefits with file transfers.

Decon · Sep 22, 2004, 06:33 AM

customgamer1: Checked it out! There will be 3 models of the X700. I'm waiting, Thanks

No_Style: Thanks for the reply. Yep, think I'll drop the RAID and use the extra for a WD Raptor 74G (178 @ newegg).

D

Son_of_Thunder · Sep 22, 2004, 05:46 PM

some good affordable ram is Corsair Value Select pc3200 512MB's. get two of them. just because they are value select doesn't mean that they suck. i've seen a few reviews of the value select line and all of the reviewers say that the corsair xms memory barely out performed it.

not bad for 1/3 the price

DeadPooL_X_ · Sep 22, 2004, 09:15 PM

I would say the new X700 XT now

aj1701e · Feb 23, 2005, 02:06 PM

does anybody have an opinion on the video properties of the aiw x600 pro since it has 256mb?? i had a aiw 8500dv with 64mb that did the job, (tv capture,video transfer, etc) and had hoped that the increase in memory (along with a more advanced card) would make the tasks speedier and a little less demanding on my system.

crapman777 · Feb 23, 2005, 04:14 PM

i could be wrong but i dont think ati were going to produce the x700XT, and why bother getting a PCI express card. Better off getting a nVidia 6600GT, i love ATI as much as anyone but honestly, the top 6600GT's outperform even some of the x800's. I aint kidding.

Sep 21, 2004, 06:07 AM	#1
Decon DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 18 Rep Power: 0	PCI-Express and Which ATI?? Hiyas, The new rig is on the drawing boards! Box only, and I'm going PCI-Express. I only build every 3 years so this is a logical move...for me! Looks to be around 1K total. Question: Should I go X600XT, or X600 Pro 256? The answer would seem obvious...the pro 256. Why doesn't the XT come in 256? The cost just isn't much difference at 175 +/-. Is there a better card than the ATI? ABIT, ASUS, Sapphire, etc? Thanks for any input

Sep 21, 2004, 05:50 PM	#3
Son_of_Thunder HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 1,441 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	very good explaination tastyweat, i found out all of that the hard way when i bought my fx5600xt because it was the cheapest 256mb card i could find...man oh man was i disappointed. also, decon, you may want to check out the x700 or the x800xt pci-express editions. they both kick the x600's into the dirt. __________________

Sep 22, 2004, 05:50 AM	#6
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	X700 XT if the pricing is right, will be the best performance/cost card for PCI-E Good move on the waiting. No need to jump into these things just yet. I wouldn't use Onboard sound, I'd go for an Audigy 2, those are quite affordable now. As for the RAID question. If you just game, then no. But if you do a lot of stuff like transferring files... then RAID would be benefitial. I personally will always go for a RAID setup since I use and appreciate's its benefits with file transfers. __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Sep 22, 2004, 05:46 PM	#8
Son_of_Thunder HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 1,441 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	some good affordable ram is Corsair Value Select pc3200 512MB's. get two of them. just because they are value select doesn't mean that they suck. i've seen a few reviews of the value select line and all of the reviewers say that the corsair xms memory barely out performed it. not bad for 1/3 the price __________________

Sep 22, 2004, 09:15 PM	#9
DeadPooL_X_ DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Toronto,Ontario, Canada Posts: 54 Rep Power: 0	I would say the new X700 XT now __________________ "So it Begins" Also check out my songs I have a band called Audible Fury Check it out add me if you are there.

Sep 22, 2004, 01:06 AM	#4
Customgamer1 Fell off the tech wagon Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,273 Rep Power: 74 System Specs	I would wait a few weeks and get a X700 XT that are going to be shipped in a few weeks!!!!

Sep 22, 2004, 03:59 AM	Thread Starter #5
Decon DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 18 Rep Power: 0	Great! Thanks for the replies! The X800's are pretty pricey. I am going to wait just a bit and see how things settle out. Will the X700 be less than the X800? Ok more checking around to do! Hehehe if anyone's interested I am looking into the ABIT Mobo's Trying to figure out which is the best value. I plan on using On Boad sound. I do guns and engines RAM dual channel kits OCZ, Mushkin, Curcial...lots to chose from. RAID or no RAID? I'm a gamer. Thanks, Decon

Sep 22, 2004, 06:33 AM	Thread Starter #7
Decon DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 18 Rep Power: 0	customgamer1: Checked it out! There will be 3 models of the X700. I'm waiting, Thanks No_Style: Thanks for the reply. Yep, think I'll drop the RAID and use the extra for a WD Raptor 74G (178 @ newegg). D

Feb 23, 2005, 02:06 PM	#10
aj1701e DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	does anybody have an opinion on the video properties of the aiw x600 pro since it has 256mb?? i had a aiw 8500dv with 64mb that did the job, (tv capture,video transfer, etc) and had hoped that the increase in memory (along with a more advanced card) would make the tasks speedier and a little less demanding on my system.

Feb 23, 2005, 04:14 PM	#11
crapman777 HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 158 Rep Power: 0	i could be wrong but i dont think ati were going to produce the x700XT, and why bother getting a PCI express card. Better off getting a nVidia 6600GT, i love ATI as much as anyone but honestly, the top 6600GT's outperform even some of the x800's. I aint kidding.