best sub $100 gfx card

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
i'm looking between the gainward gf2 ti450 golden sample and the radeon 7500, they're both ~85 at newegg... also is the MX440 but i figure thats just a POS regardless of what the board maker does to it. i don't want tons of performance because i already have a ti200 at 220/470 in my main gaming rig, this is for my secondary one (yes, i play games on two computers at once, or i surf on the main one since it has a much better monitor and is easier to read). vga voltage isn't a concern because i'm at 1024x768.

just about anything is an upgrade from the gf256 at 120/200 thats in there.
 

Gog

Senior member
Feb 1, 2002
351
0
0
SIS is coming out with a line up of videocards, here is a preview of one of them.

Whats impressive about this card is that it outperforms the Gforce 4mx 440 (actually performs close to a Geforce 3ti200), and from what I've heard its pricing is supposed to be below $100. If I were in your shows I'd hold of for a month maybe and see how things pan out with this card. Worst comes to worse, if the SIS has driver problems or what not, go for the Geforce 4 mx 440, and by then prices for it should have gone down.
 

nortexoid

Diamond Member
May 1, 2000
4,096
0
0
sh1t, that review just came out yesterday...

what's up w/ the single benchmark, even if it just a preview?

better keep my eye posted on ocworkbench for the full review.
 

jcmkk

Golden Member
Jun 22, 2001
1,159
0
0
The GeForce 4 MX440 actually beats the GeForce 2 of whatever model in every benchmark except Aquanox. Here see for your self. If I were you, I'd add $10 or $20 to the $100 and get another GeForce 3 Ti 200 or a Radeon 8500 LE. If you got a Radeon 8500LE, then it might perform better than your GeForce 3 in the games that you play, and you could switch it into your main computer.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
holy crap the mx440 is pretty good!


just started thinking about getting the gts-v and overclocking it...


i'm also pretty commited to this parhelia thing if it pans out, so whatever it is might get replaced in 6 months, another reason a low, low price is attractive.
 

Athlon4all

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2001
5,416
0
76
Yes ElFenix, regardless of what people say, with current pricing, the MX 440 is definately competetive with the competition. I would however, have to unless you plan on using nView, give the nod to the R7500. It in most cases I've seen (anand didn't benchmark it in the GF4 Ti/MX review thought), it is usually on par with the GF2 Ti and in the NV25/NV17 review, the GF2 Ti which is usually more or less on par with the R7500, The main reason that I say no to the MX440 is that the GF2 Ti and the R7500 are more future proof. What holds the GF4 MX is it's 2 pixel pipelines, if you look at Anand's review of the GF4 Ti and the GF4 MX, the GF4 MX 440 does indeed top the GF2 Ti in games based on older engine's (ie Q3A, RTCW), but in the very new UPT2K2 and Serious Sam: TSE, the MX 440 falls behind the GF2 Ti by as much as 50%, and only in Serious Sam does the MX 460 get much closer.
 

Cygni

Member
May 12, 2001
178
0
0
For me, there are 3 options:

Save lots of money for later and pick up the GTS-V... $46
Save some money for later and get the Radeon 7500... $86
Save no money for later (aka, keep bumping it up to the "new" box) and get a Radeon 8500LE or a GF3Ti200... $125

Personally, i would get the 8500LE or GF3Ti200 now. Sure they may cost the extra chunk over the 7500, but why spend $86 on a card that doesnt support the new trick effects? Sure, you can argue that they may never really be supported (like T&L, Cube Mapping, T-Buffer) but still, for me it would be worth it.
 

Gog

Senior member
Feb 1, 2002
351
0
0
Suprised no one is mentioning the card from SIS, because it should be coming out real soon, and when its out its performance will beat that of the Geforce 4mx, ATi Radeon 7500, and will most likely be on par with the Geforce 3 ti 200.

Plus, it beats the Geforce 4mx and the Radeon 7500 card because it is going to be a Directx 8.1 card.

Last but not least it is going to retail at under $100.

Hopefully it will perform on all the other benchmarks as well as it performed on 3Dmark2001.
 

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
18
81
i just bought a pny gf4 mx440 for $80. now everyone says it has no head room for future games. I am thinking, its nearly as fast as a ti200 and in a bunch of things its faster. its only slower in like that 2002 unreal benchmark and some other future game simulators. my solution, when those games come out, i'll just buy a new card since well i'm sure there will be a good card for around $80 again.
 

techwanabe

Diamond Member
May 24, 2000
3,145
0
0
The GeForce 3 Ti-200 is all ready going for as low as $110 on Pricewatch.com!

After the full line of GeForce 4 cards have been out a while, I should imagine you can get a GeForce 3 Ti-200 for under you $100 price barrier... that would be your best bet! Certainly the best price/performer combo!
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0


<< The GeForce 3 Ti-200 is all ready going for as low as $110 on Pricewatch.com!

After the full line of GeForce 4 cards have been out a while, I should imagine you can get a GeForce 3 Ti-200 for under you $100 price barrier... that would be your best bet! Certainly the best price/performer combo!
>>



that's what i would do as well. the Ti200 overclocked has MORE THAN ENOUGH balls for today's games, without a doubt !!! I love my overclocked Ti200... runs fabulous!!
 

prontospyder

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,262
0
0
I recently got the Gainward geForce4 MX440 card for $95 from newegg...decent 2D and 3D. One of the main reasons why I got it is that it only has a heatsink (no noise :)). Only game I'm looking foward to is Warcraft III and this card should handle it with no problems.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
noise isn't much of a problem since i've got an 80mm 5000 rpm delta sitting on my main rig, though i am thinking about making a very quiet new system, so the 440mx is probably a good candidate for that.