GeForce: FX5200 128MB Ultra \ 5600 256MB regular or 5600 128MB Ultra?

[Hyperlite26]

Hi, Looking into possibly getting a new video card. These three are within the price range I will want to spend but which one is the best for the buck?

Would the 5200 256MB perform better and give better fps over the 5200 128MB Ultra? Or would the 128 Ultra ($107) be better even though the other card is double it w 256MB?

Or should I just go w\ the 5600 128 Ultra? It seems that the "Ultra" cards have a good size jump up in memory bandwidth over the non-ultras. I can get the 5600 Ultra for $123 shipped and the 256MB 5200 for like $109 shipped.

The 5600 Ultra looks like the way to go but I'd just like to hear some of your opinions that have used one or the other or seen both perhaps.

Thx a ton!

 

[modedepe]

Uh...all of those cards suck. First off the 5200 is a HORRIBLE card. It's going to give you freaking gf4 mx440 performance. If you really must get one, get the ultra. The one with 256mb ram is a complete waste, the extra ram isn't going to give it any boost at all.

The 5600 is also a bad card, it will get spanked by a ti4200. As for the ultra version for $123, would this happen to be a gainward card? I have not seen a real fx5600 ultra for that price. However, I have seen a gainward for that price, which said "ultra" but in reality this card is not an ultra.

My advice to you would be to get the fx5600 ultra if it really is an ultra and can be had for $123. If it's actually a non ultra though, you'd be better off getting a ti4200.

 

[rickn]

go for the 5600ultra revision 2 with 400mhz core clock, then overclok the hell out of it. they are very overclockable, and pretty darn fast

 

[Dack76]

5600 Ultra REV. 2 But it is a lot more expensive then those cards.

 

[modedepe]

Yeah, fx5600 ultra rev 2 would be a much nicer performing, but first of all I'm guessing that's more than he wants to spend. And second of all, at that range in the market there are better options from ati.

 

[Hyperlite26]

Hmm, interesting. Let's see to answer some of your q's. It's a Inno3d card. I went to pricewatch.com & clk the vid cards, 5600 card and it's the 1st one that comes up in the list. Im glad I asked though... I thought those were nvidia's latest and fastest cards. Guess not eh? So maybe a Ti 4200 128MB would be better than the 5600 Ultra? The ti 4200 128MB is $101 & its a Inno3d too.

One last thing, I have a PNY Gef 3 64mb card right now and Im getting pretty good fps. 85-125 range, but its a 4x card and I have a 8x capable mobo now but didnt upgrade the card at the time. So that's why im kinda looking to get a 8x card but overall im happy with what im getting now but thought a 8x card might open her up and it'd be worth spending $100-120 on a new card? If i do go 8x what can I expect to gain in fps by doing so? Mobo's a 8inxp w\ a 2.53 with a gig of RAM spreading the love.lol

Any new thoughts & recommendations now?

Thx agn!

p.s. I DO NOT want a Radeon, nor would even consider one. Just a fyi statement lol

 

[modedepe]

I really don't think that one for $123 is an ultra..I went to the sellers website and nowhere does it actually say it's an ultra. And don't trust pricewatch, they have a bunch of those non-ultra gainwards thrown in on that page. I think going with a ti4200 is a better choice. As far as agp 8x, there is no reason to upgrade to a new card for that reason only. The performance gain is nearly nothing, maybe 1%.