GeForce4 TI4600, R9500Pro or R9700 Gold

[Malladine]

I'm aware of the comparative performance of these cards (non-o'c'd) so I suppose i'm looking for an answer to (or more likely just an opinion on) the following question: is there (or will there be) a difference in compatibility between Nvidia and ATI as it pertains to gaming (or is that all just fanboy hype)?

 

[Budmantom]

Compatibility goes to Nvidea and longevity goes to Ati.

 

[Keysplayr]

I have the 9500 pro and a Ti4600. Cost per bang is much lower on the 9500pro which is a good thing.
When I bought these cards, they cost me:
9500pro Built by ATI 219.00
PNY GeForce4Ti4600 279.00

The Ti4600 has more horsepower with normal setting than the 9500pro
but when you turn on the eye candy (AA and AF) the Ti4600 loses ground quickly
and the 9500pro just churns along happily.

Hope this helps you decide.

Keys

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Compatibility goes to Nvidea and longevity goes to Ati.

You are definately right there Budmantom. I agree totally.

 

[Malladine]

Good info guys, thanks. Anyone else have experience with any/all (especially anyone who has actually used more than one of them) of these cards?

 

[EdipisReks]

my Radeon 9700 Gold is great. i immediately flashed it with a retail Pro bios and its been chugging along fine since.

 

[chizow]

My view:

-Ti4600 = Overclocked Ti4200 with faster RAM and a beefier PCB. Not worth the extra money over a Ti4200.
-9500pro = A choked and neutered 9700. Its full-blown R300 core is screaming to stretch its legs, but it can't.
-9700gold = Full blown, un-neutered 9700pro with slower RAM. Performance differences will scale identically with clockspeed.

Go with the 9700gold.

Chiz

Edit: as for drivers, other than the ridiculous fact that the Catalyst 1-in-4's still aren't in a single UDA, all of my residual issues with my 9700pro have been solved. Only took 4 months of driver revisions, but hey, everything works fine now. :beer:

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: EdipisReks
my Radeon 9700 Gold is great. i immediately flashed it with a retail Pro bios and its been chugging along fine since.

Stupid question, how do you flash the bios?
I have a 9700tx.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: Budmantom

Originally posted by: EdipisReks
my Radeon 9700 Gold is great. i immediately flashed it with a retail Pro bios and its been chugging along fine since.

Stupid question, how do you flash the bios?
I have a 9700tx.

do you have a dell?

 

[Budmantom]

Yeah

 

[EdipisReks]

i don't think that the TX is gonna work with a 9700 Pro bios, but here are the bios flashing steps. make a bootable floppy. put the bios flash program and the bios on the floppy. boot the computer from the floppy and run the bios flash program. easy as cake.

 

[Budmantom]

Is this the "hack" that unlocks the card so it can be overclocked?