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~$90 for a BFG 5900NU, worth it or not?

E

erevly

Member
I've seen some people ask what video card to get, and talk about ATI > Nvidia for upcoming (DX9) games. But, if I only had $90 - $100 to spend, would the 9600 Pro (the best radeon I can with my money, except for looking for people selling theirs) be better than a 5900 Ultra in any of todays current games? I don't really play HL2/Doom3 or anything, just some CS/Q2/Q3. I just want good performance, and I've bought two *really* crappy cards (9200SE, FX5200 - numbers that would imply some sort of quality, one might think) thinking I could even break 60fps in Q2, and can't. I don't care about the brand, just the performance.

Any suggestions are welcome.
 
yes very much worth it, $90 is good for a card that powerful DX9 or not

anyway there is a hack for HL2 that makes 5900's run FP16 in DX9, looks almost the same in most circumstances and has a nice speed boost.

thats a good price, for a good DX8/OpenGL card

can easily be clocked/ flashed to 5900u or even 5950
 
Hmm. Something is wrong if you can't break 60fps in Q2 with FX5200. I got more than 60fps in Q3 with GF2MX and Duron 700 years back at 1028x768. GF2 should get over 100fps in CS/Q2/Q3. FX5900 would be complete overkill for these games.
 
Well if you wanna play older games then yea get the 5900, but even the 9600 pro completely obliterates the fx5950ultra in dx9 mode, and is still faster in dx8 mode in half life 2. And many future games will be based on hl2 and dx9.
 
Nothing is wrong, the reason you can't break 60fps in Quake 2 is that it's an OpenGL game, and by default, Win XP limits the refresh rate uder OpenGL to 60Hz, and you are playing with VSync on, which limits FPS to the refresh rate (in this case 60Hz).
If you want more thna 60fps, then turn off ysnyc or up your refresh rate useing a program such as ReForce.

But $90 for a 5900 is a steal.
 
Originally posted by: dguy6789
Well if you wanna play older games then yea get the 5900, but even the 9600 pro completely obliterates the fx5950ultra in dx9 mode, and is still faster in dx8 mode in half life 2. And many future games will be based on hl2 and dx9.
Click to expand...

I can't even believe how BAD this advice is. Apparently unknown to dguy, there have been games published other than DX9 games.

So your choice is this:
You can play whichever of the 10 or so DX9 games that are out better in DX9 on 9600 Pro, and all the other games much worse than a 5900NU. The 9600Pro is a VERY feeble card compared to a 5900NU.

I currently have TWO DX9* games a 9600Pro could play better in DX9. Unfortunately, a 9600Pro is such a crippled, feeble weak tit card, I would not be able to play these two games in DX9 with a 9600Pro anyway, because I like to actually use modern settings with some AA/AF.
*HL2 and Far Cry

Let's take a look at dguy's 9600Pro advice:
http://www.anandtech.com/video...oc.aspx?i=2281&p=4
Dude! 63 whole fps at 10X7 0X0X! On a faster 9600(XT)! There is the awesome DX9 performance dguy promises you, 60fps at 10X7 no AA, no AF.

Look down the page though at the DX8 performance, the 5900XT (slower than a NU) at 89fps at the same setting. Willikers. You could actually turn on some AA and get rid of the stair step ize jags you'd have at 10X7.

Now what was I saying about there being other games out there besides the handful of DX9 games you need a much more powerful card to run anyway?

UT2004 10X7 4X8X
D'oh. 5900=69fps Lowly 9600Pro =44fps

COD 10X7 4X8X
D'oh. 5900=39fps 9600Pro= 26fps

Doom3 10X7 4X8X
D'oh. 5900=27fps 9600Pro=11fps

FarCry 10X7 4X4X
Draw 5900=14 9600Pro =15 Even at no AA/AF 20 vs 22, pretty sad. (a DX9 game BTW)

FS2004
Fx5900= 22fps 9600Pro= 18fps

Joint Ops 10X7 4X4X
FX5900=19fps 9600Pro= will not run due to drivers

BFVietNam 10X7 4X8X
FX5900=28fps 9600Pro= 22fps

[DTM Racing 10X7 0X 8X]http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041004/vga_charts-13.html
FX5900=41fps 9600Pro=38fps

Hmmm. The 9600Pro wins 1/8 benchmarks in these 8 games that came out in 2004. It gets stomped bad on half the games.

If you want to tell people there are more games coming out with DX9 engines and a 9700> ATI card is a better buy for those games, I have no problem with it dguy.

It should be against the law to advise anyone to buy a 9600Pro over a 5900. The 9600Pro is too feeble to play DX9, and gets owned in DX8/OGL.

Heed my words erevly: the 5900 owns all 9600s.
 
Originally posted by: Rollo
Originally posted by: dguy6789
Well if you wanna play older games then yea get the 5900, but even the 9600 pro completely obliterates the fx5950ultra in dx9 mode, and is still faster in dx8 mode in half life 2. And many future games will be based on hl2 and dx9.
Click to expand...

I can't even believe how BAD this advice is. Apparently unknown to dguy, there have been games published other than DX9 games.

So your choice is this:
You can play whichever of the 10 or so DX9 games that are out better in DX9 on 9600 Pro, and all the other games much worse than a 5900NU. The 9600Pro is a VERY feeble card compared to a 5900NU.

I currently have TWO DX9* games a 9600Pro could play better in DX9. Unfortunately, a 9600Pro is such a crippled, feeble weak tit card, I would not be able to play these two games in DX9 with a 9600Pro anyway, because I like to actually use modern settings with some AA/AF.
*HL2 and Far Cry

Let's take a look at dguy's 9600Pro advice:
http://www.anandtech.com/video...oc.aspx?i=2281&p=4
Dude! 63 whole fps at 10X7 0X0X! On a faster 9600(XT)! There is the awesome DX9 performance dguy promises you, 60fps at 10X7 no AA, no AF.

Look down the page though at the DX8 performance, the 5900XT (slower than a NU) at 89fps at the same setting. Willikers. You could actually turn on some AA and get rid of the stair step ize jags you'd have at 10X7.

Now what was I saying about there being other games out there besides the handful of DX9 games you need a much more powerful card to run anyway?

UT2004 10X7 4X8X
D'oh. 5900=69fps Lowly 9600Pro =44fps

COD 10X7 4X8X
D'oh. 5900=39fps 9600Pro= 26fps

Doom3 10X7 4X8X
D'oh. 5900=27fps 9600Pro=11fps

FarCry 10X7 4X4X
Draw 5900=14 9600Pro =15 Even at no AA/AF 20 vs 22, pretty sad. (a DX9 game BTW)

FS2004
Fx5900= 22fps 9600Pro= 18fps

Joint Ops 10X7 4X4X
FX5900=19fps 9600Pro= will not run due to drivers

BFVietNam 10X7 4X8X
FX5900=28fps 9600Pro= 22fps

[DTM Racing 10X7 0X 8X]http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041004/vga_charts-13.html
FX5900=41fps 9600Pro=38fps

Hmmm. The 9600Pro wins 1/8 benchmarks in these 8 games that came out in 2004. It gets stomped bad on half the games.

If you want to tell people there are more games coming out with DX9 engines and a 9700> ATI card is a better buy for those games, I have no problem with it dguy.

It should be against the law to advise anyone to buy a 9600Pro over a 5900. The 9600Pro is too feeble to play DX9, and gets owned in DX8/OGL.

Heed my words erevly: the 5900 owns all 9600s.
Click to expand...



I said dx9. Read my post. I said if you play older games(ie, older dx, or opengl) then get the 5900. Opengl is on the way out, and dx9 is the FUTURE, and the 9600s are faster then the card listed above in, guess what, DX9, again DX9, just in case you didnt catch it, DX9. I NEVER said anything about the 9600 pro being faster in anything else.
 
Originally posted by: dguy6789
I said dx9. Read my post. I said if you play older games(ie, older dx, or opengl) then get the 5900. Opengl is on the way out, and dx9 is the FUTURE, and the 9600s are faster then the card listed above in, guess what, DX9, again DX9, just in case you didnt catch it, DX9. I NEVER said anything about the 9600 pro being faster in anything else.
Click to expand...


I read your post dguy, and I can't see recommending a 9600Pro for DX9. It doesn't have enough power to offer an enjoyable gaming experience in DX9.

OpenGL is no more "on the way out" than it's ever been- many first person shooters will be based on the Doom3 engine, just as many were based on the Q1/Q2/Q3 engine.

DX9 may well be part of the "future" as you say, but a a crippled 4 pipe, 1 tmu per card from last year isn't.

Your advice was negligent.

I wish you a Merry Christmas nonetheless!
 
I myself consider 60fps and above very playable. Besides doom 3 and quake 4, what new games are being made for opengl anymore? All I have seen are dx9 this, and dx9 that. Perhaps i should have said a 9600 is a better halflife 2 card, instead of dx9 in general my bad. 90 bucks for a 5900nu is a good deal though.

Merry xmas to you too.
 
Originally posted by: dguy6789
I myself consider 60fps and above very playable. Besides doom 3 and quake 4, what new games are being made for opengl anymore? All I have seen are dx9 this, and dx9 that. Perhaps i should have said a 9600 is a better halflife 2 card, instead of dx9 in general my bad. 90 bucks for a 5900nu is a good deal though.

Merry xmas to you too.
Click to expand...

The problem is the 60 fps is at 10X7 with no AA and no AF. That is a pretty low grade picture by today's standards.

The question in HL2 becomes DX9 on one at 10X7 0X0X, or DX8 on either with some AA/AF? I'd sacifice the shinier water and metal for not having straight lines look like staircases personally.


 
any fool can see the 5900 is worth it DX9 or not,

like i said if u really want the shiny water n pipes in HL2, (if u play it that is) get that FP16 hack
farcry realy isnt too much a dx9 game of sorts im surei heard the water effects were ps 1 grade.

the 9600 doesnt make much sense really

ud be a fool to pass that 5900 up, i like both ATi and Nvidia, will probs go ATi next round (less something wicked pie exits the nvida camp) but i know a deal when i see one and that my friend is a flippin robbery
 
Originally posted by: dguy6789
Well if you wanna play older games then yea get the 5900, but even the 9600 pro completely obliterates the fx5950ultra in dx9 mode, and is still faster in dx8 mode in half life 2. And many future games will be based on hl2 and dx9.
Click to expand...
This is crap. At worst, a 5900U will be on par with a 9600 Pro.

Having gone from a 9600XT ($170) to a 5900XT ($186), go with the 5900U.
 
Look at anandtech's hl2 benchies for dx9 mode hl2, and you will see performance. But the fact is, with a 9600 based card, going from none to 16x anisotropic filtering has less then 5fps impact most of the time. AA is another story though.
 
well the guy selling apparently had an interested buyer on the hardforums, so now that I have my funds all pooled, hopefully that thing falls through, and I can pick up a good card for cheap ^_^

thanks for all the advice. I know that 5900U card is good, and opengl will be used (all the major id game engines use opengl, and too many games have followed), but I've been out of the loop too long, and after buying a crippled motherboard (Epox EP-8RDA3I) for christmas, I won't make the mistake of not researching beforehand.

merry christmas 😀
 
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