Help, need video card recommendation for $100~$160 range

[sulu17]

Hi guys,

Just thought I would ask what would be best card at this price range. I want a good card with good display(2D). I play games but I am not going to count every frame. Also I want a future proof card as well.

I have 2 system that I need buy video card for. They both have MSI geforce2 MX right now.

I have been looking at ATI 9000, but it seems slower than 8500LE / 128MB. I also looked at Geforce4 TI4200.

Which of the 3 would be best?

system1:
P4 1.8 @ 2.6
ASUS P4B266
2 x 256MB PC2400 DDR
40GB HDD
audigy


system2:
EPOX 8K3A+
1600+ @ 1800 MHZ
2 X 256MB PC2700
40Gb HDD
sb live


Please help me!

 

[fwtong]

From what I know, the Geforce 4 ti4200 128mb is the top performer of the three. In the hot deals forum, do a search for 4200 because there's a place that's selling it for $154 shipped. If you're not looking to overclock, then any brand should be fine. But if you are looking to overclock, I'm sure other people can suggest some brands.

 

[SupermanCK]

2nd for ti4200...or you can wait a couple of weeks...everything should be come down a bit since ati's new king is coming to town

 

[AnAndAustin]

Hi! Both are very nice high powered system and you really would be best going for any 4200-128MB. Even the cheapest 4200-128MB using the 'slowest' 4.0ns RAM o/c to around 300/550 and therefore outperform GF4TI4400 (275/550). 4200-64MB cards do use the faster 3.6ns RAm as standard and as such reach 300/620 speeds, but the 64MB is already becoming limiting and a 4200-128MB at 300/550 is still faster, esp in the longer term. If you can find a 4200-128MB using the faster 3.6ns then this will o/c to about 300/620 and give perf VERY near to GF4TI4600! It is very difficult to find the ns RAM used as neither manu nor retailer usually specify it, but this is by FAR the most influential factor when it comes to o/c'ing, manu, RAM HS and fancy HSF designs do VERY little.

If you want a 4200-128MB guaranteed to use faster RAM and therefore come with higher default clocks AND o/c faster then there are currently 2 options out there. They use the longer board design from the 4400/4600 cards and also fast 3.3ns BGA RAM. These cards are 'Asus 4200 Deluxe' and the 'Suma 4200 Special Edition'. They sport 260/550 default clocks (250/444 is usual) but o/c to 300/640 (Asus) and 300/700 (Suma).

There are 3 other options which are about $50 cheaper, but the 4200-128MB is by far the better choice. The first option is a GF3TI200, when o/c'ed it gets to within 10% of GF3TI500 perf (still slower than 4200) but is let down by relatively poor '2D image quality' and single RAMDAC. The second option is Rad9000/9000pro, but since this is inferior to the Rad8500LE/8500 options it makes VERY little sense going for one. So the third choice is Rad8500LE/8500, the 8500LE is about 10% slower than the full Rad8500, these cards are easily on par with the GF3TI500 and sport better '2D image quality', TVout and dual monitor support BUT are very lacking when it comes to AA. Another thing to watch out for on Radeon cards is that both oem (vs retail) and non-ATI ('powered' as opposed to 'built by ATI') use cheaper RAM, lower clocks, o/c poorer and often sacrifice features, build or image quality. So if you go Radeon, be sure to get a true ATI card unless you get a HUGE bargain. The 4200 cards are by far the best all-rounders and certainly have the best longevity. They have better 3D perf, AA, TVout (than GF3), dual monitor support and '2D image quality' (about on par with ATI Rad8500).

Whatever card you go for, be sure to get 128MB RAM on it. In short I am unbiased and in the know, and 4200-128MB is certainly the way to go. Don't be worried about manu for GF4TI cards as it makes very little diff, Gainward and Leadtek are often considered slightly better for '2D' image quality, but unless you can run above 1280x1024x32 at a decent refresh rate the diffs will be unnoticable. So go for RAM type, features and then budle with manu being low down on the list.

 

[sulu17]

Thanks for such detailed response!

I had similar thoughts as well. I already do have gefroce3 Ti200, but I am disturbed by it's 2d performance. It's in my wife P4 1.8 system with winxp and I can often see icon redraw.

Is geforece 4 ti4200 better with 2D?

Also how much performance difference is there between 8500le 128mb and 4200 128mb?

 

[AnAndAustin]

If you don't care for AA or Aniso quality then an ATI Rad8500-128MB is actually pretty close to a 4200-128MB (when 4200 is at default clocks). For under $100 the Rad8500 and Rad8500LE are very good cards.

All GF4TI cards have 2D easily equal to Rad8500, which is very near Matrox quality, certainly unnoticable to the vast majority of users, they are all VERY good now. Unsure what precisely you mean by 'icon redraw', but GF4TI cards are easily up there with Rad8500, the only way to go better is to sacrifice a lot of money and 3D speed and go Parhelia.

 

[AnAndAustin]

Here's 3 great links showing gfx cards:

GotApex GF4TI vs GF4MX vs GF3TI vs GF2TI vs Rad8500 vs Rad7500

Tech-Report gfx card roundup (shows Rad9000pro)

TomsHW VGA Chart (loads of gfx cards)