Need advice from the pro's: Which Geforce 2 or 4 MX card to get?

[SevenUp]

I have a system (stuck with it for another 6 months) and no AGP slot. I need a PCI card.
PIII 850 Mhz
256 MB Ram
Windows Me

I think I'll get a Geforce card.

There are the Geforce 2 MX cards and the Geforce 4 MX ones. People don't like the G2MX series it seems, so which of these two G4 MXs would you buy? On my system, what resolution and frame rates would I receive in games like Jedi Outcast?

PNY Verto GeForce4 MX 420 64MB DDR PCI Graphics Card
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11101115&m=488&cat=521&scat=522

VisionTek Xtasy GeForce4 MX 420 64MB PCI Graphics Accelerator
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11099088&m=488&cat=521&scat=522

They are the same prize...

Hope you can help me!

 

[butch84]

If i were u, i would stay away from the "MX" lines of vid cards. Pretty much anyone else on the forums will tell you the same. On pricewatch you can get a GF3 ti 200 which is a better purchase in the long run, its about $105 plus shipping. Honestly tho, with your system a GF4 mx might be okay, but it wont have DX8 support (its basically a GF2 on steroids). Either way, dont get a GF2MX.

Hope that kinda helps

 

[Barrei]

you might want to consider geforce2 ti if your on a budget.

 

[butch84]

BTW: do you absolutely need to get a PCI video card?? If so, i wouldn't even bother. You will not be able to get a GF3 or any non mx card in pci form, and the pci bus will be very crippling. If you dont have agp, im not sure if its really worth it. Not to be even more confusing, but if you are determined to go with PCI, you might as well get a GF2 MX because i dont think a GeForce 4mx will like the pci bus very well (might be a waste of cash)


Now im done

 

[Blurry]

Do yourself a favor and spend money on a new cpu and motherboard. If you still have cash left, I suggest you dish it out on a budget graphics card like a Radeon DDR or a Geforce 2 GTS. You will see an instant improvement.

 

[SevenUp]

My current system is a Hewlett Packard. Changing or modifying core parts of the system can often cause big problems with HP systems (at least that's what I heard).

I don't know how to install a new motherboard, and I don't know if I want to spend 200 bucks on a new one.

In Jedi Outcast for example, what should my fps be with 850Mhz/256MBRam/Geforce 4 MX 420 PCI? Really, I could care less if the game doesn't look as good as it can, as long as I can play it non-20-or-below-fps well (unlike with my current card).

The card I have now:
Intel 810 E Int. Graphics performance with intel cards? Last review of it I read: 24 fps in Quake II [two] 1024*768.

 

[butch84]

Honestly, if you are looking to just get playable framerates, almost anything will be better than the onboard video you have now. I would try for a GF2 ti if you can find a pci version, as it will be pretty well suited to your system. Otherwise, the FG4mx would be plenty as well.

Good luck!!

 

[oldfart]

HE DOESN"T HAVE AN AGP SLOT. He cant get a GF3 or even GF2. The HP system is not one to mess with putting in a different mobo either. Get either card. I doubt there is much difference although I prefer VisionTek over PNY.

 

[UnTech]

I've used both the gf2mx 64meg PCI and the gf4mx420 64meg PCI. I have a dedicated server computer with a cheap motherboard in it. I used the gf2mx in it because graphics weren't my main priorority with the comp and I just happened to have the card laying around. Then when the gf4mx PCI came out I bought it out of curiosity. I still do have a few motherboards around with no AGP slots so a good PCI card always comes in handy.

The gf4mx is an improvement. It is the Visiontek and it has noticeably better 2D than the PNY gf2mx. And the graphics look better and it is faster.

If your stuck with PCI only and your onboard graphics suck I would see the gf2mx or gf4mx as an ok solution. I've seen the gf2mx PCI as low 50 dollars and the gf4mx PCI for around 100 dollars.

That Best Buy gf4mx DDR might be a typo. I cant find any information on PNY website about a gf4mx PCI with DDR ram only SDRAM. I went to the local BEST BUY and they only carry one with SDRAM for 99 dollars

 

[Instagib]

I would get a voodoo pci and play nothin but instagib all day long. Hey wait I do that now. Seriously goto for sale or trade and see what kinda deals you can get. I bet you can find a good deal on there if ya look. There is
a lotta good people on there IMHO.