beginner's question: newegg.com product?

[adrihalut]

Hello.

I'm looking to upgrade my old (second) computer, mobo, cpu...

my question regards two leadtek 32mb videocards that newegg.com is offering. newegg quote:

1- "Special of the Week, Great Deal!LEADTEK GEFORCE2 MX200 32MB AGP with TV OUT- OEM"
2- "VGA LEADTEK|GF2 MX400 32M W/TV/OEM"

$49, $50 respectively.

what confused me is that (priced pretty much the same) if the MX200 is the special of the week than its got to be a better product than the MX400 (or else they are overstocked?) i thought Geforce MX400 was faster, later... and it sounds like both have tv-out and are in most respects identical.

so which is the better product?

Thanks. Ilan.

 

[Torghn]

The MX400 is a better deal, though not the best price. You can get a 64MB mx400 for around $50 shipped. Just check our pricegrabber.

 

[AnAndAustin]

Give VERY serious thought to paying a little extra for a MUCH more capable GF2TI, GF4MX420, GF4MX440 or best of all Rad9000. These cost from about $60 and are much faster and better than any GF2MX. If you have to go with a GF2MX then the MX400 is a fair deal faster, MX200 was insulting and unecessary when it was first released but now it really is abysmal. Do yoursself a big favour and spend that little bit more. Just for thoroughness, what do you use the PC for and what else is in the PC (CPU, RAM etc).

 

[adrihalut]

thanks for the replies guys.

this is for my second computer. my first is for (attempts on) 3d, photoshop etc. its a dual athlon 1600mp.

this computer is an old pentium 233mhz 64mb ram which i am upgrading. got a soyo motherboard, athlon thunderbird 1.4 gig processor and 256 mb of pc2100 DDR ram from a guy on ebay (used- $150). now i guess i need a PSU (enermax 300 Watt- $40), heatsink and fan ($13) two NIC's ($20) and now the videocard.

this computer is for internet (i want to keep the first machine clean of all the incoming crap) and probably some photoshop. i'm thinking that approaching the $300 is more than i was planning (i can spend the money but does it make sense?)

i saw the radeon 9000 that you recommend for $67. is the ATI RADEON 7500 LE 64MB SDR W/ TV OUT (OEM) ($46) nearly as good? (i see the sdram/DDR difference)

thanks again. ilan.

PS. Torghn- I'm with you on the signature 100%

 

[AnAndAustin]

Well an Athlon 1.4ghz is enough to really eek out a nice perf advantage from GF4TI cards, although if gaming isn't a huge priority Rad8500 or Rad9000 cards are more than enough. If you don't plan to game the Rad7500 is more than enough offering perf about 50% faster than GF2MX but really enhancing image quality, TVout, dual display and DVD playback (much like the GF4MX420 cards). The Rad7500 like the GF2/GF4MX are based around technology from 2 years ago, Rad9000 and esp Rad9000PRO and Rad8500/8500LE are based upon much mroe recent technology which is most useful for 3D so may not be worth the extra cost for your own usage. I'd rec paying the extra $20 for Rad9000, but if light gaming is all you want then Rad7500 is still MUCH better than GF2MX. Do consider Rad8500/8500LE cards which are better for almost everything over the Rad9000PRO (std Rad9000 is about 20% slower in 3D but the Rad9000 should o/c well).

 

[adrihalut]

ordered this baby from newegg.com

ATI OEM RADEON 9000 Atlantis 64mb DDR DVI/CRT/TV out, BULK

and its all because of you!

thanks a lot. ilan.

 

[gregor7777]

You have chosen......wisely.

 

[alkemyst]

Radeon 9000 is a good choice, don't let others bad mouth it...you got a good value there...sure the 9700 is faster, but *a lot* more expensive.

Most of these things are overkill anyways, half the games out there (perhaps 90% of them if you take them all) don't need the CPU nor Video power most have.

More people spend a fortune on a video card yet still have a lame keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, etc....the sum of the parts definitely adds up.

Enjoy!

Chris