Geforce 256 replacer!!

[thornc]

Hello All...

I currently have a Geforce 256 SDR running on my rig ( P3-650@910(866 in the summer! ), 815EP, 256MB RAM),
I'm thinking of upgrading this video card. What would be a good replacement... that doesn't take all of my money!!

Also please note that I live in Europe, and here I can't get the prices that most of you get in the US...

 

[JServ]

I have a similiar configuration, and right now i'm looking into getting a geforce 3 ti200. I'm looking at gainwards offerings which has consistently been known to overclock to ti500 speeds (or very close).

Another option would be to wait for the new line of geforce cards coming out on February 4 (supposedly). I'm not sure if that's true though.

 

[vss1980]

Most cost effective upgrade would be a Geforce2 card (not MX). Hell, even a Geforce DDR card will give you a noticeable speed boost. But with the prices of standard Geforce2's now low (mainly because of the 'Ti' cards and that there are nvidia's new releases soon) it is a good price/performance ratio.

Of course you can go higher like a Geforce3.

As for the new cards, it looks like there will be a new chip that slots in a bit above the Geforce2 speed level (probably more expensive than GF2 cards also), and a new chip which is faster than the Geforce3 (definitely more expensive than GF3 cards).

 

[Jeff7]

If you have good refs, or are willing to pay first to an established trader, you might be able to get a good board cheaper on the FS/T forums. I don't know much about international shipping though.

 

[thornc]

The problem is getting my hanfs on a cheap board....

To ship from the US to Europe, besides the price of shipping there's also custom taxes and
payment problems....

They charge a lot to transfer money from here to the US... more than a card would cost.....

Does any of you know where I can find an European trader than will sell me a Geforce2 cheap??

 

[vss1980]

thornc, if you are thinking of buying from another country, the USA is probably not the cheapest option.

You may well find that looking for a large retailer in another country like Germany, Spain, or France may have a good deal and carry a lower shipping cost.

 

[thornc]

Yap vss1980, but the problem is finding one......

Besides a few well known stores in the uk, I don't seem to be able to find others in the rest of Europe...

Do you know anyone??

 

[JameyF]

I'm in the same boat...Is there a nice card out there with DVI support and TV out for around $100?

 

[sash1]

Hey thornc,

Just a suggestion, you might want to post something on FS/FT saying you want a GF2 in Europe, you might have better luck that way, as it seems you're having a hard time finding a good one around where you live.

Just IMO. Hope this helps,

~Aunix

 

[vss1980]

thornc, one option you have is to actually check with the graphics card makers as to who sells their stuff in certain countries.

This is usually called 'Where to buy' (or a rough translation) on the makers webpage. For example, this hercules page shows all of their known official retailers of hercules products in spain (closest I could get to portugal).
Gigabyte for example also has the same at their site (remembr your looking for resellers/retailers, not distributors).

 

[thornc]

Yap, vss1980 I've tried that also! Many times with different companies....

Usally the list is outdated, or the reseller won't sell you outside their region!!

AunixP35... already posted there got no answers!!!

 

[ZzB]

I've always found eBuyer to be a decent UK vendor and they sell the MSI Ti200 for around 150-160 GBP. Check www.ebuyer.com

 

[nemesismk2]

If your only willing to spend <100 then a good video card providing you have a 1ghz+ CPU would be a Kyro 2, you can now get them quite cheaply and they will blow away your Geforce without any problems at all, videologic have just released a 64mb Kyro 2 which is the same price as their old 32mb version and much cheaper than the Hercules version!

I do agree that getting a Geforce2 MX would be a bad idea because at 800x600+ the Geforce 256 would be abit faster!

 

[thornc]

As I stated in the first post I only have a P3-650@866 (safely)!!

I don't think I will much changing from a geforce 256 to either or MX or a kyro2!

Altough I can get my hands on a 64MB Hercules kyro2 for around USD$80 (OEM version)!
And I think, have to confirm yet, that I can get a Chaintech Geforce2TI 32MB for around USD$130!

Either way it seems that both nvidia, ati and videologic are comming out with new cards... I'll to wait and
see....

The problem is that even with the new cards, I can't get the old ones cheaper around here because no one
keeps them in stock! They just order them as they need!

 

[vss1980]

I cant believe that there aren't any PC magazines around where you are. Surely there are and they carry adverts to a few retailers.

Alternatively go to ZDnet Portugal (your location) and see if they list any online retailers (cant really understand anything other than Italian and some Spanish so I couldn't find anything).

 

[thornc]

OK, vss1980
time for a Portuguese market lesson... taken from zdnet.pt/coshopper!

Creative Geforce2 MX200 AGP 32Mb -> ?96.77 = USD$86
ATI Radeon DDR 64MB ViVo Retail -> ?283.82 = USD$252

As for online retailers, check these prices: The rightmost ones at the newegg prices!!

ASUS V7700TI/T64 / GF2 TI 64MB -> ? 244,41 = USD$217 <- ne= USD$143.00
ASUS V7700 GE-FORCE 2 64MB GTS -> ?278,70 = USD$248
HERCULES PROPHET 4500 64MB KYRO II -> ?109,10 = USD$97 <- ne=$77.00
CardExpert GEFORCE 2 TI 450 64MB DDR TV OUT -> ?264,40 = USD$235!! <- ne=$109.00

Nice the prices over here, aren't they!!

As for advertisement on magazines.... they're a joke! The prices are the same or worse...
And magazines aren't woth the paper they're printed on (taking out a few regular ones!).

 

[vss1980]

OK, with the magic of babelfish I have found place:

Shop Contender No.1

They carry loads of different graphics cards.

 

[thornc]

I know that one... I don't know if it's still like it was 1.5 years ago, but last time I contact them
the person who answered me both in email and phone didn't had a clue of what was on their
price list... very common!

I saw some interesting stuff in the list anyway, I'll try contacting them again and see! But I'll
be crossing my fingers!

Thanks for your preserverence vss1980...