Don't laugh, I'm finally going to upgrade from my x850

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
A

Arkitech

Diamond Member
Apr 13, 2000
8,356
4
76
Since my budget is only $100 (give or take a few bucks) I realize that I'm limited, but I'm hoping I can find a card that will let me play games like Command and Conquer 3 and Supreme Commander at a decent resolution. I just recently purchased a Sharp 32gp1u and I would be happy if I can play games at 1600x1200 or a slightly lower resolution. I'm using a somewhat older rig x2 4600 w/2 gig 5300 (replacing an ancient xp 2600). Finally I need a card that can do decent HD playback, I'm assuming most cards in the last couple of years can do this. Any suggestions?
 
C

customcoms

Senior member
Dec 31, 2004
325
0
0
If you can A) afford it, and B)its available, I would say you would be better off spending the money on an ATI HD3850 ($180 in stock at newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ion=HD3850%5C&x=0&y=0). It FAR outclasses anything below it.

Else, if your stuck at $100, your basically looking at an ATI HD2600XT: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814103038 or an Nvidia 8600GT: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814141062. For SupCom, the 8600GT is faster: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3023&p=5

Bear in mind, the extra $80 for the HD3850 will net you a card that is over three times faster in certain cases, regularly 2 times faster, and is well worth the money if gaming at 1600x1200. Also, your cpu might be a limit for those games.


P.S-I just upgraded to my GTS in August, been using my 6600GT for 2 years. Right now I'm on my 6600GT because my 8800GT step up won't be here till tomorrow.
 
J

JustaGeek

Platinum Member
Jan 27, 2007
2,827
0
71
Keep in mind that you need a PCIe slot 1.1 for the PCIe 2.0 card to work.

PCIe 1.0a might not be compatible!
 
Termie

Termie

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
7,949
48
91
www.techbuyersguru.com
Honestly, the x850 is a pretty good card - depending slightly on which one you have. I don't think there's much around the $100 pricepoint that would be significantly faster. The 2600xt would be the only card that makes sense, but you should just save a while and step up to a significantly faster card. The 3850 is best, at $180, and the x1950 is available for about $135 in 256mb form (or about the same after rebate for the 512mb version). Spending $100 won't get you a card to play your games at high res.
 
N

Nathelion

Senior member
Jan 30, 2006
697
1
0
I'm running SupCom at 1024x768 on all lowest settings with a Club-3D X1650XT. I don't know how much faster that is compared to the x850 (if at all), but you won't be getting a card that can run SupCom at medium settings for $100. Honestly, I'd be more concerned with the CPU since you seem to have an older system?
 
D

Demoth

Senior member
Apr 1, 2005
228
0
0
Hold your card and save your pennies. Once you have $150, then we can talk...
 
N

nonameo

Diamond Member
Mar 13, 2006
5,902
2
76
If you're willing to buy used you could pick up a 7900 GS or GT, a X1950 pro/GT
 
AzN

AzN

Banned
Nov 26, 2001
4,112
2
0
Try to find a 1900xt for $100. Some people are selling these around this price. I saw one on ebay going for $110 after shipping.
 
Xcobra

Xcobra

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2004
3,675
423
126
hey, no worries, I still have my X800XL (no laughing!) lol...im just waiting for NVidia's offerings next year...
 
Rottie

Rottie

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2002
4,795
2
81
I had X850 for a year to X1950 3 months ago I was hoping for huge performance but I don't see much I don't know if HD 3850 will give you more performance.
 
T

tuteja1986

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2005
3,676
0
0
Supreme commander needs Quad core CPU to run smooth , gpu only helps slightly. I suggest you play better games like :
Company of heores
The Witcher
Crysis
COD 4
UT2007
Quake War ET
Hellgate london
Orange box
Escape from butcher bay
 
taltamir

taltamir

Lifer
Mar 21, 2004
13,576
6
76
Originally posted by: JustaGeek
Keep in mind that you need a PCIe slot 1.1 for the PCIe 2.0 card to work.

PCIe 1.0a might not be compatible!
Click to expand...

I have been telling people that and then someone came along and said it works on certain 1.0... and the reason those 1.0 mobos don't work is because they are all using the same iffy via chipset. Not because its 1.0.

I don't know how right that person is though...
 
D

DJCrunkMix

Member
Apr 29, 2006
116
0
0
Hey...

If you're keen to getting a used one, I can sell you my x1900xt for 100$. Its 512 MB and overclocks good. I have played plenty of C&C3 and runs impeccably at 1920x1200. I am probably going to upgrade to GTX if I can sell my x1900xt.

Let me know, I can post it on ebay for a short time and we can coordinate the bidding. PM me.

(Sorry for posting an offer on regular forums)

- Neil
 
C

CP5670

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2004
5,660
762
126
Both of those games are RTSs and rather CPU dependent, although with a video card that old you may be more limited there. C&C3 for one performs similarly on most cards at the X1900XT level or above (and is capped at 30fps anyway).
 
S

s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
9,427
16
81
Don't even consider any of the last-gen cards people are suggesting. They won't do squat for HD.

It's pretty much 2600XT or nothing (i.e. up the budget).
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
Originally posted by: CP5670
Both of those games are RTSs and rather CPU dependent, although with a video card that old you may be more limited there.
Click to expand...

In fact only 1 of those games is CPU dependent.

Supreme Commander CPU scaling
vs.
C&C 3 CPU scaling
X2 4600+ will hardly bottleneck C&C3

C&C 3 GPU scaling
Supreme Commander GPU scaling

Something like 8600GTS or X1900XT will provide a significant boost over X850 series. However, you might want to save for HD3850 series.

For that sized resolution you're gonna need a 512MB card
Click to expand...

Very few games (i.e. World in Conflict, Company of Heroes and Crysis) actually benefit from 512+mb of ram at 1600x1200. For the abovementioned games an 8800GTS 320mb will provide playable gameplay at 1920x1080 as neither is memory limited.

In fact, you should recheck your benchmarks because at 1600x1200 8800GTS 320mb easily keeps up with HD2900XT and even outperforms it - Benches

The limiting component today at 1600x1200 is generally GPU performance. By the time most games require 512mb at this rez to play smoothly, no GPU today will be fast enough.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom