best performance for price?

trelum · Sep 22, 2004, 07:12 AM

Well i had just got myself an ATI Radeon 9600XT and it wasn't compatible with my system at all. I had way too many crashes, wihout even playing games..
(See this thread)
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/windows-xp-radeon-display-drivers/56561-radeon-9600xt-256mb-crashing-please-help.html

I paid around $150 for the card, including shipping.
Today i sold the card for about $175.
I guess that can compensate for the time I wasted trying to make it work.

So I want to take this money and use it to buy a good old trusty nVidia card, which hopefully will work and last me a while.

My question is simply this:
What cards perform the best at this approximate price range?
Anyone perhaps have a link to performance comparisons or the like?

I don't need insane performance, just something that is going to last me for a while if I'm going to spend the money.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Wiredzero · Sep 22, 2004, 04:40 PM

Nvidia 5700LE is around that pricerange if you're lookin' on Newegg in the right spots. (more or less anyway) That'd be my suggestion.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...143-017&depa=0

Like anything, if ya want real performance, you're gonna end up payin' for it.

Of course, to be fair, for about 50$ more, you could get a 9800 Pro or an nVidia 5900XT which is better.

NVidia 5900XT:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...125-128&depa=1

ATi Radeon 9800 Pro:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...102-286&DEPA=1

Shinjikun · Sep 22, 2004, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trelum

Well i had just got myself an ATI Radeon 9600XT and it wasn't compatible with my system at all. I had way too many crashes, wihout even playing games..
(See this thread)
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/showthread.php?t=56561

I paid around $150 for the card, including shipping.
Today i sold the card for about $175.
I guess that can compensate for the time I wasted trying to make it work.

So I want to take this money and use it to buy a good old trusty nVidia card, which hopefully will work and last me a while.

My question is simply this:
What cards perform the best at this approximate price range?
Anyone perhaps have a link to performance comparisons or the like?

I don't need insane performance, just something that is going to last me for a while if I'm going to spend the money.

Thanks in advance for your help!

For the price I'd get a 9800 Pro. For the money that's the best card you can get; I don't think there is anything comparable from nVidia for that price.

Wiredzero · Sep 22, 2004, 04:49 PM

The 5900 XT's close, depending on how you tweak the card.

mike2h · Sep 22, 2004, 04:49 PM

shinjikun is correct. if you want nvidia(my preference too) you can pickup 5900/128 mem for under $200. that would be your best buy.
check pricewatch out.

trelum · Sep 22, 2004, 05:42 PM

thanks for your replies

i would think about a 9800 pro but i'm afraid of having the same problems that i had with the 9600XT, i don't want to deal with that again, i'm lucky i even got compensated for it. would that be a worry?

also what are trusted/quality manufacturers for nVidia cards?
and for ATI cards?

i know that the least expensive ones are usually cheapo brands, right?

oh and something else i just thought of..
what are the advantages to having a 128MB 256 bit card as opposed to the 256MB 128 bit card? i assume each has their advantages? i just don't know what they are lol.

thanks again for your replies.

Vampyromaniac · Sep 22, 2004, 06:09 PM

If it were me, I'd wait a little while for the 6600GT's to come out, they look pretty good, and MSRP is $200

trelum · Sep 22, 2004, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vampyromaniac

If it were me, I'd wait a little while for the 6600GT's to come out, they look pretty good, and MSRP is $200

looking at reviews, it seems like that is a really nice card! i want it! lol
when does it come out though? i searched pricewatch.com and found 1 for $209 including shipping. but it was pci express and 'sparkle' brand? never heard of that one. but are they all pci express? for that matter, what exactly is pci express? i've heard a little about it but not enough to understand what it is. but wouldn't i have to have a board that supports that?

Vampyromaniac · Sep 22, 2004, 06:58 PM

Not sure when it's coming

I think there will be AGP versions too. You would need a new mobo for PCI-E.

trelum · Sep 22, 2004, 07:00 PM

oh i actually just found a review that says it is compatible from both from what i understood from it. but i think there may be some quality loss. i'm not sure. anybody know anything?

Sep 22, 2004, 07:12 AM	#1
trelum DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 29 Rep Power: 0	best performance for price? Well i had just got myself an ATI Radeon 9600XT and it wasn't compatible with my system at all. I had way too many crashes, wihout even playing games.. (See this thread) http://www.hardwareheaven.com/windows-xp-radeon-display-drivers/56561-radeon-9600xt-256mb-crashing-please-help.html I paid around $150 for the card, including shipping. Today i sold the card for about $175. I guess that can compensate for the time I wasted trying to make it work. So I want to take this money and use it to buy a good old trusty nVidia card, which hopefully will work and last me a while. My question is simply this: What cards perform the best at this approximate price range? Anyone perhaps have a link to performance comparisons or the like? I don't need insane performance, just something that is going to last me for a while if I'm going to spend the money. Thanks in advance for your help! __________________ MSI K8T-Neo FISR2 A64 3200+ @ 200MHz FSB (no o/c) Kingston HyperX 512MB PC-3200 MSI Geforce 4 MX4000 !! Ha 1 Seagate 80GB "Barracuda" HD 1 Western Digital 40GB HD Thermaltake Silent Purepower 480W PSU +5V/40A +3.3V/30A +12V/18A Last edited by trelum; Sep 22, 2004 at 07:20 AM.

Sep 22, 2004, 04:40 PM	#2
Wiredzero HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The other side of the screen. Posts: 156 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Nvidia 5700LE is around that pricerange if you're lookin' on Newegg in the right spots. (more or less anyway) That'd be my suggestion. http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...143-017&depa=0 Like anything, if ya want real performance, you're gonna end up payin' for it. Of course, to be fair, for about 50$ more, you could get a 9800 Pro or an nVidia 5900XT which is better. NVidia 5900XT: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...125-128&depa=1 ATi Radeon 9800 Pro: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...102-286&DEPA=1 __________________ Last edited by Wiredzero; Sep 22, 2004 at 04:49 PM.

Sep 22, 2004, 04:49 PM	#4
Wiredzero HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The other side of the screen. Posts: 156 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	The 5900 XT's close, depending on how you tweak the card. __________________

Sep 22, 2004, 04:49 PM	#5
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	shinjikun is correct. if you want nvidia(my preference too) you can pickup 5900/128 mem for under $200. that would be your best buy. check pricewatch out. __________________

Sep 22, 2004, 05:42 PM	Thread Starter #6
trelum DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 29 Rep Power: 0	thanks for your replies i would think about a 9800 pro but i'm afraid of having the same problems that i had with the 9600XT, i don't want to deal with that again, i'm lucky i even got compensated for it. would that be a worry? also what are trusted/quality manufacturers for nVidia cards? and for ATI cards? i know that the least expensive ones are usually cheapo brands, right? oh and something else i just thought of.. what are the advantages to having a 128MB 256 bit card as opposed to the 256MB 128 bit card? i assume each has their advantages? i just don't know what they are lol. thanks again for your replies. __________________ MSI K8T-Neo FISR2 A64 3200+ @ 200MHz FSB (no o/c) Kingston HyperX 512MB PC-3200 MSI Geforce 4 MX4000 !! Ha 1 Seagate 80GB "Barracuda" HD 1 Western Digital 40GB HD Thermaltake Silent Purepower 480W PSU +5V/40A +3.3V/30A +12V/18A Last edited by trelum; Sep 22, 2004 at 05:50 PM.

Sep 22, 2004, 06:09 PM	#7
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	If it were me, I'd wait a little while for the 6600GT's to come out, they look pretty good, and MSRP is $200 __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Sep 22, 2004, 06:58 PM	#9
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Not sure when it's coming I think there will be AGP versions too. You would need a new mobo for PCI-E. __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Sep 22, 2004, 07:00 PM	Thread Starter #10
trelum DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 29 Rep Power: 0	oh i actually just found a review that says it is compatible from both from what i understood from it. but i think there may be some quality loss. i'm not sure. anybody know anything? __________________ MSI K8T-Neo FISR2 A64 3200+ @ 200MHz FSB (no o/c) Kingston HyperX 512MB PC-3200 MSI Geforce 4 MX4000 !! Ha 1 Seagate 80GB "Barracuda" HD 1 Western Digital 40GB HD Thermaltake Silent Purepower 480W PSU +5V/40A +3.3V/30A +12V/18A