Best gaming card for under $100? gf 2 ti ?

[Gringo23]

I am looking to upgrade my current video card. I have about $100 to do it. I do play alot of games.
I am currently looking at the GAINWARD CARDEXPERT GEFORCE2 TITANIUM TV-OUT 64MB DDR for $100.
Is this the best way to go? Thanks

 

[Quetzalboat]

You're right! It's the best choice I think

GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GEFORCE2 Ti450, GOLDEN SAMPLE, TV 64MB W/ TV-OUT DDR 4.5ns - RETAIL GeForce2 Ti450 incorporating GeForce2 Pro breakthrough 3D architecture, in a 2-pipe form, which delivers the full GeForce2 Pro/450, 3D features set at mainstream price points Supports One Monitor, One TV, Does Not support two Monitors Model#: GeForce2 Ti/450 TV O
Special Free FedEx Saver Shipping
PRICE = $104

 

[Rand]

Radeon 7500 or GF2 Ti, both perform very closely... depending on the game either could come on top.
ATi has better 2D, and better DVD, along with a slightly better feature set.
nVidia has better driver support.

Personally, I have Gainward's GF2 Ti/450 in my system right now and am quite pleased with it.

 

[Gringo23]

Thanks alot guys.

Anyone else have any input?

 

[Amber]

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS

 

[Gringo23]

Radeon 7500 or GF2 Ti that is a good question.

I heard that the radeon 7500 may have a better picture is that true? I feel really wierd buying anything that isn't Nvidia. They have been on the top end for so long. I don't really use DVD so that isn't an issue.

What is the best GF2 Ti card? Does brand really make a difference and what about the 64MB vs 32MB I heard that that doesn't make much of a difference.

Thanks for all the input I am getting.

Gringo23

 

[nRollo]

Radeon 7500 has a picture that is a LOT better than a GF2 anything. I had a Radeon VIVO that I sold to get a GF2 Pro, I would not have done it if the VIVO was clocked like the 7500. The 7500 is the better of these two cards by far, a lot more features, better image quality in 2d and 3d.

 

[Gringo23]

Do you guys agree with rollo? Is the Radeon 7500 the obvious better choice? How big of a difference is it? Are there any articles or reviews that compare the two?
Thanks again

 

[nRollo]

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/atiradeon7500/4.html
"* Better than Geforce2 Ultra level Performance" Which is better than GF2 Ti, BTW

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/videocards/article.php/3211_932821__14
"it does compete relatively well against the NVIDIA GeForce2 Ti and Pro cards."

http://www.thetechzone.com/display.asp?i=91&p=6
" the Radeon7500 is a phenomenal value. Best in class output options, extremely versatile multiple display support, and 3D performance in the same ballpark as the Geforce2Pro/Ultra, '


If I didn't have a GF3, a 7500 would be in my box.

 

[bobjunga]

In the avscience.com home theater PC forum, it is generally considered that the even the original Radeon has much better DVD playback quality than any of the GF cards.

--BobG

 

[Innoka]

I don't know why people bother with a GF2 when for 50% more they can get a GF3. It's a false economy. If you really want to save money there is the 32mb GF2 or the Radeon LE.
As for ATI image quality, it seems a lot of undiscriminating people are getting misled by ATI default image setting of high contrast, saturation or LOD bias in whatever application. You can set an nVidia card up like that if you want.

 

[KGB1]

Get a KYRO II card. Hercules Prophet 4500 AGP. its got 32 meg SDRAM, a really sophisticated graphics engine, could be overclocked easily later on. It perform the same as the Radeon (original) geforce 2 MX (all versions) It is slightly slower than the Geforce 2GTS and Ultra. Really great bargain, plays bunch of games. I'm purchasing one (but a PCI version)

 

[Auric]

Where can the PCI version be had?

 

[Mem]

<< I don't know why people bother with a GF2 when for 50% more they can get a GF3. It's a false economy >>



Some of us brought a GF2 as a stop gap for the arrival of GF4 .

 

[nRollo]

"As for ATI image quality, it seems a lot of undiscriminating people are getting misled by ATI default image setting of high contrast, saturation or LOD bias in whatever application. You can set an nVidia card up like that if you want. "
No, you can't. I had a Herc 64MB, Herc 64MB Pro, and a CL 32MB GTS. Not one of them could display as nice in 2d as the 32DDR and 64VIVO I had. These were not cheap cards, they had cheap filters. It is generally acknowledged GF2 2d and texturing is inferior to Radeon.

"I don't know why people bother with a GF2 when for 50% more they can get a GF3."
You're right, a GF3 Ti200 makes more sense than any of these, I was only trying to stay within the limits of the post.

"Get a KYRO II card. Hercules Prophet 4500 AGP. its got 32 meg SDRAM, a really sophisticated graphics engine, could be overclocked easily later on. "
I wouldn't if I were you. It has the least sophisticated graphics engine, is not a good perfomer on T/L games, has issues with more games, and is the oldest tech on the market now.

 

[bobjunga]

<< As for ATI image quality, it seems a lot of undiscriminating people are getting misled by ATI default image setting of high contrast, saturation or LOD bias in whatever application. You can set an nVidia card up like that if you want. >>



I don't think so. The guys on the avscience formum are pretty hard core when it comes to DVD playback quality. I believe them when they say the Radeons are better in this respect. (And there is lots of talk there about adjusting the image settings).

--BobG

 

[PeteJ]

 

[PeteJ]

I wish that somemone would respond to the question of relative merits of various Ti boards. There are some no-name oem boards availabe for a considerable saving if it doesn't make any difference. I have an ATI 64 DDR Vivo that is almost dead after running a while with my 8KHA overclocked to 150x9. Now I have to run at 100x12 and can't get more than 256 colors before the board loses synch. I saw a post title that led me to believe that there is a problem with the radeon boards and mb's with via chipsets. I know my system has mant problems related to video, after overclocking.

 

[KGB1]

Auric

I am in New York and they got a place called J&R.
Their online url is http://www.JandR.com. You can order it there.

 

[bobjunga]

<< I wish that somemone would respond to the question of relative merits of various Ti boards. >>



I assume you mean the GF ti chip sets? like the GF3 ti 200, GF3, and GF3 ti 500?

I think that the current 15-shoot out at this website paints a good picture of the relative abilities of the various popular chips sets. Particulary the rankings of the GF chip sets, but to a lesser extent how the KryoII and Radeon chips sets stack up.

I like the GF3 ti 200. If you get the Hercules version, you can appearently OC to up to the specs of the more expensive models. On either this site or sharkyextreme they had good reviews of serveral GF3 ti 200 boards.

Hercules uses overspec'd RAM, so you can overclock a lot, but is on the expensive side. Otherwise, the chioce of brand seems to be a matter of what brand name you like (trust), and what color PCB goes with you system

OEM versions are the same hardware but do not include some bundled software and sometimes do not include optional cabels that come with retail version. OEM sometimes arrive just wrapped in bubble wrap -- no box at all.

--BobG

 

[Auric]

KGB, I only see the AGP versions of the Kyro II there (Prophet 4500). I have searched all over ze place to no avail and only found it listed in Germany and Australia and those might have been pre-release. Guillemot/Hercules showed it in their original specs but only seem to promote and/or sell the AGP version.

 

[nRollo]

Back away from the Kyro...leave the Kyro on the shelf like other wise consumers are doing in droves...only those taken in by the cult of kyro will tell you they're a good deal..

 

[JBChance]

I like the GF2 Ti for you. I just got one and I think the 2D is pretty good and the 3D is great.

I think you'll find that the Radeon is better on 2D, the Geforce 2 on 3D.

For $100 bucks, that may be your best choice, if you do alot of gaming.

As for the GF 3 Ti series, I really did want one, but I didn't have the extra $50. If you can, though, you might
try to hang on and wait until the GF 4 comes out; the $$ of the GF3 may drop because demand for them is
bound to drop off.

I couldn't wait (my old card died), so I had to buy right away

Anyway, I'm sure the GF 2 will keep you playing games for a little while.

 

[Gringo23]

When is the GF4 coming out?

 

[XBoxLPU]

Kyro 2?