Need a decent video card to run in XP... that is not flakey

[Cybordolphin]

I have (2) systems running ATI 7000 video cards. Both systems are different motherboards, etc. However... both systems lock the screensaver after about 20 minutes. I have downloaded the latest driver, but still am having the same problem

I am a very big fan of ATI video cards... but now VERY dissapointed.

I need to find a video card that will never give me grief.

What do you suggest. One computer is used for gaming online and off. The other computer is used for internet surfing and work related apps (MSWORD, etc).

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Cybordolphin]

Hmmmmm silence...

So all the new cards are Sh*t.....
I had a feeling that was the case. Guess we are waiting for a good video card to hit the market now that we have the newer motherboards/cpu speeds, etc.?

 

[easystreet]

I switched from ATI to Matrox 550 and havent looked back....no problems but I got it to do graphics stuff not games.

 

[cmdrdredd]

9500/9500Pro for gaming on a budget and I'd go with a 8500 for the non gaming system or even a GF4 of some kind.

 

[chizow]

Voodoo 5 for the non-gaming machine and GF4 Ti4200 on the gaming rig.

Chiz

 

[clicknext]

I've got a Radeon8500LE 128MB. My friend has a 9700Pro. Neither of us have had any video card problems what-so-ever.

 

[kurt454]

Originally posted by: Cybordolphin
I have (2) systems running ATI 7000 video cards. Both systems are different motherboards, etc. However... both systems lock the screensaver after about 20 minutes. I have downloaded the latest driver, but still am having the same problem

I am a very big fan of ATI video cards... but now VERY dissapointed.

I need to find a video card that will never give me grief.

What do you suggest. One computer is used for gaming online and off. The other computer is used for internet surfing and work related apps (MSWORD, etc).

Thanks for any suggestions.

I haven't locked up in a screensaver since my Windows 98 days. What OS are you running? I just built a low end gaming machine for my brother using my old Radeon 64DDR VIVO card. Even when I ran the card under 98SE, I never locked up in a screensaver. His machine runs XP Pro now, and the card does great(for an old R100).

 

[CraigRT]

Personally, if you want to avoid troubles, I'g go with something like a GF4, I know most people love their aTI cards, but NVidia's drivers are so good.. and aside from that, are you even 100% sure this is the video card's fault?

 

[KF]

I've got a computer with an ATI 7000 style video card (PCI, SDR), and it definately does not lock up the screen saver, not in Win98 or XP.

Do you have any other cards in these computers? Move them around to different slots and avoid the one next to the AGP.

Do you maybe have your computers set to go into sleep mode, or other power down mode? Do you have an unusual screen saver? So you run a background task?

 

[Mem]

Personally, if you want to avoid troubles, I'g go with something like a GF4, I know most people love their aTI cards, but NVidia's drivers are so good.. and aside from that, are you even 100% sure this is the video card's fault?

Another vote for a GF4, for drivers and gaming you can`t go wrong with a GF4 card in XP,I`ve yet to have a Nvidia driver problem with XP or any game,it`s really nice just to stick a game in and watch it run all the time,I can`t comment on ATi drivers,I`ll leave that for ATi fans .

 

[Cybordolphin]

Thanks for the comments.

I too have always favored ATI.

As it turns out.... the lockup problems on one system were due to the driver version and the system being overclocked just a nudge too high. Backed it down a bit and upgraded the driver. It made it through a few hours of BURN in Sandra style... but for some reason could not handle the XP fishbowl screensaver (could this be the ultimate video card test!!?? lol) Until I upgraded the driver and slowed down the overclock a bit. All seems well for now.

I am still a bit concerned about the second system (a friends)..... as he has a new Nforce2 motherboard and the AGP was set to run as specs. Still waiting to see if he has upgraded the driver though.

But... the ATI 7000's seem to be a bit too touchy. The overclocks were mild, and the original drivers should have been good as they were supposed to be XP proof.

Anyway.. thanks again. I will try out some of the cards mentioned in the near future.