Help me end the debate

SinfulWeeper

Diamond Member
Sep 2, 2000
4,567
11
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Here is the scoop. I have a friend that does not play any DX9 games... in fact the newest game he plays uses DX7.something. Anyway he has a GF4 4600 which OC's like a mofo (I did the overclocking, he does not know how to do such a thing).

Yesterday he said he needs to upgrade his video card as he is not happy with the performance it gives him. I really think nothing of it till he tells me he thinks he will be much happier with a FX5200 (non-ultra). I tell him do not do that, the FX5200 will be much slower than your ti4600. It goes in one ear and out the other. His reasoning being that the numbering scheme NVidia always used was the higher the number, the faster the card. I told him not in the case of the FX's. But he insists that I am wrong and am jealous that his overall computer is better than mine, and by adding in this card, he will really swamp me.

In a way I think I should let him spend that $125 (we live in Alaska, shipping UPS/Fedex is expensive) and prove to him he is wrong. But being a friend, I do not want him to spend that $ needlessly and end up with something worse. Perhaps you all can clarify this for him :D.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
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The Ti4600 is WORLDS better than the 5200. The 5200 MIGHT score higher on 3dmark03 only because it supports DX9. If a card doesn't support a feature 3dmark gives it a huge score decrease.So the only advantage t the 5200 is that it supports DX9, but it is sooooooo slow it doesn't matter.

Also the Ti4600 i BELIEVE has a 128bit memory bus, the 5200NU has like a 64. A while back me and a couple of guys ran some tests and my old Geforce2ti (64mb DDR) beat the 5200's, the 9100's, 9200's, 5600's and matched the 9600SE/NU.

Also if he still doesn't believe you tell him to look at Nvidias site and compare the memory bandwidth between the 2 cards, the 4600 will crush it there. Also look at clock speeds.

If he STILL doesn't believe you tell him to look at how the 4600 utterly curshes the 5200. Link

If he still wants to get a new Video card and he wants that beloved 5200 call him a moron. (also when he orders make sure he keeps an eye out, i heard Jetway keeps spies on the lookout ;) )

If he wants to upgrade right now advise him to get a 5900XT or a 9800Pro or even wait for the 6600GT.

-Kevin
 

Sonic587

Golden Member
May 11, 2004
1,146
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0
Send your friend here. Have him look at this thread.

The 5200 doesn't even stand a chance against a 4600. It compares to a Geforce 2 in many cases. It is a utte r waste of money. Better start looking atleast at a 5700 Ultra if you want to come close to the SAME performance.

I agree with gamingphreek, a 5900XT/9800PRO/upcoming 6600GT will provide a great upgrade.
 

Marsumane

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2004
1,171
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Actually the 5200 comes with either a 64bit bus or a 128bit bus. The thing is that the card is still (in either flavor) much slower than a 4600. The only game it actually competes with it, is on doom 3. All the FX cards seemed to do better on that game then they did on older titles, and the GF4's did much worse than normal. Still though, the 4600 is fasater and with it overclocked, its quite the killer card on any dx7 game. If he wants an upgrade, he would be looking at a 9700 or above. Anything lower wouldnt be worth all the extra money for the little bit of upgrade (or downgrade in the case of the 5200) that ud get.

If he uses the argument that you are just jealous, just ask why we would lie and also suggest the fact that he explains why you are suggesting an even better card for his system, which would make yours look even worse.
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
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alienbabeltech.com
if all he is playing is DX 7 games he probably won't notice the difference . . . let him buy the card and have him give you his old one. ;)

:D

show him this thread.

a "real" upgrade would be a 9700pro . . . someday he may get a new game.
:roll:
 

SinfulWeeper

Diamond Member
Sep 2, 2000
4,567
11
81
Such :evil: responces to the possible outcome of his older video card...............
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but it is tempting :D

Both of us have P4's, his is faster and OC's more, he has SATA RAID while I am on ATA/100 RAID... but my video is only a ti4400 (OC's slightly higher then a ti4600 @ stock speed)... his ti4600 OC's to 415/1000 solidly stable. I never seen another card that can do that, and I OC a lot of them (albiet only five ti4600's)
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
Yes there is no way as the memory on a Ti4600 is too slow in nanoseconds. What is it like 3.9 or something. There is no way it can. It is theoretically and physically impossible.

Also if you have the AGP on PCI bus it isn't going to run that much slower. 16x i think might have been a joke, however it will be very noticable. Should have a performance decrease anywhere from 33-66% depending on what your doing.

-Kevin
 

Acanthus

Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
19,915
2
76
ostif.org
Originally posted by: SinfulWeeper
Such :evil: responces to the possible outcome of his older video card...............
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but it is tempting :D

Both of us have P4's, his is faster and OC's more, he has SATA RAID while I am on ATA/100 RAID... but my video is only a ti4400 (OC's slightly higher then a ti4600 @ stock speed)... his ti4600 OC's to 415/1000 solidly stable. I never seen another card that can do that, and I OC a lot of them (albiet only five ti4600's)

Unless hes running raptors in his raid array, you guys should be almost exactly the same real throughput on your raid... Both of you are limited by video cards in new games so the faster cpu will only give him a small perf increase over you, and Ti4400 to Ti4600 is only about a 10% increase in games at the same settings.

What im trying to say is... youre not far behind him... so dont worry about it.

About his FX5200, let him get it, then see who is right when he benches :p
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
32,098
32,645
146
.But he insists that I am wrong and am jealous that his overall computer is better than mine, and by adding in this card, he will really swamp me.
What is this kid, 8? He'll think more clearly after mommy puts him down for a nap with his favorite woobie. Tell him to buy the 5200, ignorance is it's own punishment.
 

jim1976

Platinum Member
Aug 7, 2003
2,704
6
81
LOL. Ignorance is bliss.. Let him buy it and laugh your ass off,when he experiences the mighty upgrade
You've done your duty as a friend and on top of that he accused you of being jealous...
So? :evil: :p
 

Mareg

Member
Jul 24, 2004
170
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0
Originally posted by: SinfulWeeper
I stand corrected. His core is @ 415, but his memory is @ 810. Not sure how I typed 1000 :confused:


Still, 810(mem). Must be the temps in Alaska. Did you put the computer in a window with the side open to the outside ? Argh, nevermind I'm silly...
 

reallyscrued

Platinum Member
Jul 28, 2004
2,618
5
81
Must be the temps in Alaska.

haha,i dunno why but that just made me laugh.

For 150 i think u could pull off a 9700pro or FX5700 regular, but i tend to stray away from the FX series with all the image issues. (remember the 5800ultra?) 5700 is not in the original line so im guessing its probably immune to nvidia's earlier issues.

For 125, hes best off sticking to his GF4, i swear the GF4 and the 9700 both were cards way before their time.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
0
81
How long has it been since you posted, Nvidia isn't having any image quality issues. They haven't been for some time now too.

-Kevin
 

reallyscrued

Platinum Member
Jul 28, 2004
2,618
5
81
5700 is not in the original line so im guessing its probably immune to nvidia's earlier issues.

i made a point of saying that. but what i meantt to say was that fx5200 is older and to make image quality better than it originaly was in the new drivers they probably sacrificed some frames. just making a point.