Is waiting for the NV35 Value Card worth it?

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I'm going to be ordering all the parts for my new system within the next 3 to 4 weeks and my biggest questions lies in the video card as I have decided upon everything else.

I can spend upto $300 for a video card bringing my total system cost to $1000. I was considering the 9700 non pro but I decided to either go for the 9700 Pro or possibly an NV35 card. I want this card to serve me through Doom 3 fairly well also.

I don't really want to hear about driver issues, support, etc. All I want is the card which gives the best performance for $300 or under.

Also, is there any word about ATI price cuts? I haven't seen any Radeon 9800 NON PRO cards either, will there be any?

 

[ElFenix]

no one knows how much the nv35 "value" card will perform. i haven't even seen the non pro 9800 for sale anywhere but dell.

whats weird is i can get ATI card locally at fry's or best buy or compusa for less than i can get at googlegear or newegg

 

[Schadenfroh]

sad day when a "value" card is $300:Q

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
sad day when a "value" card is $300:Q

Very sad.

Although consider the 9500 pro a good deal for 170.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: bjc112

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
sad day when a "value" card is $300:Q

Very sad.

Although consider the 9500 pro a good deal for 170.

Yes, it is a very good deal, but I want a card that performs slightly better so I can keep it for a few years through Doom 3 and the games following it for about 2 years from now.

 

[leochen]

I think the 9700 pro is the best choice, at least now

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: leochen
I think the 9700 pro is the best choice, at least now

Yup, I agree wtih that too but I'm looking ahead in the future because I'm going to be keeping this for atleast 2 years in which I highly doubt DX10 will come out within those 10 years so I think I'll be fine. Anyone have something to say against this?

 

[ultimatebob]

Well, Doom 3 isn't out yet. You probably still have a few months to wait for the "Ti 4200" version of the NV35.

 

[SexyK]

I'd at least wait and see what the price point and performance will be for the 128MB version of NV35. That info should be available in 3-4 weeks.

 

[squidman]

Ya, FX series are such poo. Competition between ATI and nVidia makes nVidia spit out half-baked crap, and ATI to add some improvements to its chipets. I remember when AMD was the first to hit 1ghz...boy, did they start spitting out different cpu after that!!! Just when people got "top-of-the-line" 1.1, 1.2 was out 3 days later. Was fools played back then...and now its happening again.

 

[abaez]

Originally posted by: squidman
Ya, FX series are such poo. Competition between ATI and nVidia makes nVidia spit out half-baked crap, and ATI to add some improvements to its chipets. I remember when AMD was the first to hit 1ghz...boy, did they start spitting out different cpu after that!!! Just when people got "top-of-the-line" 1.1, 1.2 was out 3 days later. Was fools played back then...and now its happening again.

Have you even read the reviews of the nv35 vs the 9800? Different reviews have different results but the nv35 is not "poo"

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Yes, it is a very good deal, but I want a card that performs slightly better so I can keep it for a few years through Doom 3 and the games following it for about 2 years from now.

Good freaking luck. I don't think any card coming out this summer will run the new 2006 games all that well. It'd be like running Doom 3 with a GF2.

 

[PliotronX]

Top of the line cards have trouble keeping up after a year let alone two years. "Value" cards are out of the question

Here's what I would do because you have a few months before Doom 3 hits. Get a Radeon 9500 or 9600 which will play anything thrown at it for about $150 and save some cash on top of the saved money for a $200~250+ card when D3 is released because there will be even better hardware coming.

 

[dguy6789]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Good freaking luck. I don't think any card coming out this summer will run the new 2006 games all that well. It'd be like running Doom 3 with a GF2.

that is perfectly possible, it has been stated that it will be playable on a 1ghz cpu and a gf2mx200. I dfont know what settings, but im guessing 640X480X16 with lowest everything. In fact, i will test out doom 3 alpha on my old gf2.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind playing at lower resolutiosn because by then hopefully games will have higher detail allowing even 800x600 to look nice.

 

[Davegod]

i run a GF3ti200 and it runs nearly everything fine, i bought it Nov '01, 18 months ago and it wasnt exactly a top line card then. ok UT2003 isnt exactly good performance, but Unreal2 was fine (shame about the game itself :disgust: ), Raven Shield is fine, even GTA Vice City is fine at max drawdistance, 1024x768x32 with 2xAA 2xAniso. Granted I overclock quite heavily but a top line card now should be able to run games 2 years on - of course expecting to be able to do them all at 1024+ with AA/Aniso on is pretty silly. But, there are exceptions like the occasional surge in requirments from new engines, like was seen with UT2003 and will be seeing again with Doom3.

back to topic, i'd wait until closer to doom3 time if you can, before making graphics card upgrade, the entire industry seems to be expecting big things to happen in terms of hardware sales, so things might get interesting.

 

[Atlantean]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: bjc112

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
sad day when a "value" card is $300:Q

Very sad.

Although consider the 9500 pro a good deal for 170.

Yes, it is a very good deal, but I want a card that performs slightly better so I can keep it for a few years through Doom 3 and the games following it for about 2 years from now.

correct me if I am wrong, but you can change some of the settings on the 9500 pro to make it a 9700 pro, had a link once but don't want to look for it, I am sure someone will post it if you ask.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Atlantean[/icorrect me if I am wrong, but you can change some of the settings on the 9500 pro to make it a 9700 pro, had a link once but don't want to look for it, I am sure someone will post it if you ask.

Well, that would involve OCing it, and personally I don't OC at all, neither does my dad who pays for all this. OCing is out of the quesiton, so I'm looking for stock speeds here.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: Atlanteanicorrect me if I am wrong, but you can change some of the settings on the 9500 pro to make it a 9700 pro, had a link once but don't want to look for it, I am sure someone will post it if you ask.

Well, that would involve OCing it, and personally I don't OC at all, neither does my dad who pays for all this. OCing is out of the quesiton, so I'm looking for stock speeds here.

Actually, This requires a resistor mod and a BIOS(for the vidcard) update. Not necesarily overclocking. Oc'ing might actually be safer.

 

[Krk3561]

Originally posted by: GonzoDaGr8

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: Atlanteanicorrect me if I am wrong, but you can change some of the settings on the 9500 pro to make it a 9700 pro, had a link once but don't want to look for it, I am sure someone will post it if you ask.

Well, that would involve OCing it, and personally I don't OC at all, neither does my dad who pays for all this. OCing is out of the quesiton, so I'm looking for stock speeds here.

Actually, This requires a resistor mod and a BIOS(for the vidcard) update. Not necesarily overclocking. Oc'ing might actually be safer.

The 9500 (non-pro) can mod to a 9700 (non-pro) with out a resistor mod. There are modified drivers that will do the same thing and theres no danger involved.

<------- 1 4|\/| 1337

 

[Mavrick007]

Originally posted by: Krk3561

Originally posted by: GonzoDaGr8

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: Atlanteanicorrect me if I am wrong, but you can change some of the settings on the 9500 pro to make it a 9700 pro, had a link once but don't want to look for it, I am sure someone will post it if you ask.

Well, that would involve OCing it, and personally I don't OC at all, neither does my dad who pays for all this. OCing is out of the quesiton, so I'm looking for stock speeds here.

Actually, This requires a resistor mod and a BIOS(for the vidcard) update. Not necesarily overclocking. Oc'ing might actually be safer.

The 9500 (non-pro) can mod to a 9700 (non-pro) with out a resistor mod. There are modified drivers that will do the same thing and theres no danger involved.

<------- 1 4|\/| 1337

The 9500 (non pro) "with ram in the L configuration" (the old 9500 on the old pcb, the red card, not the black one with the ram in the straight line), can either do a softmod or a hardmod where you actually have to solder to get you to a faster card, such as a 9700/pro.

Lots of modding, but the softmod is the safest and doesn't void your warranty.


The thing is, if you want a card now, don't wait til tomorrow cause there will always be something better out just around the corner for the same or cheaper.
The nv35 might be worth it, when we actually see it, but don't worry, ati will have something out around the corner.. although I don't know if we will see the r400 until 2004 (so I've heard).

 

[Goi]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
sad day when a "value" card is $300:Q

Well, its not really a "value" card. Its just labelled that way, its a value High-End card, if that'a not already an oxymoron

The Value cards are the 5200/5200 Ultra, which replace the GF4MX series.

 

[tyipengr]

I think the best advice for you is to run whatever video card you have now if you can and wait until the game you wanna play, Doom3 or whatever, and buy the best card for the money then. Not the most fun option but the best option if you think about it.