Need help upgrading video cards

[Wolfsraider]

Ok first I am looking to upgrade my video cards on 3 computers (all agp slots)

One computer is my main rig the others are for my kids and also d/c computers.(mom wants better video lol)(these are computers that run 24/7, they all run 100% processor load 24/7, they all run distributed computing 24/7)

Main rig
3.2 intel prescott
P4P800E Deluxe
Ati 9700 pro (being rma'd second time, will be sold upon return)
2 36 raptors raided
Audigy 2 ZS
21" monitor CRT

kids rig #1
3.0 Prescott
PT800CE-A
pci card graphics
40 gig hd

Kids rig #2
2.8B intel 533fsb
Epox 4G4a+
Ti 4200 64 mb
80 gig hd

Budget is 500-600 max lower is better 😛

Games they play are the same games I play and I am an avid gamer.
The 9700 pro is nice and plays well.
The 4200 is a great card but is showing its age.
It will be 2 years before I upgrade these again (at least).

Opinions needed

I tried to find some benchmarks that list all the cards but seems like most are only compared to their class.

I don't care if its nvidia or ati but good bang for the buck on theirs is a must.(300-100-100 maybe?)

I thank you for your time.

Mike

 

[Melchior]

Buy a 6800 Ultra or X800XT, should run about 350. Or a 6800GT is definately 300 ish.

Buy a 6600GT and then transfer your 9700 pro to the last comp.

total= 500 ish

 

[Wolfsraider]

I am sorry forgot to say the 9700 will be out of the picture.

it is being rma'd (2nd time) and being sold.

Sorry.

mike

 

[Amplifier]

Which games do you play?

 

[Wolfsraider]

I play
nolf 1 2 and 3
command and conquer generals
Rise of nations
Hl2
ut 2003 and 2004
morrowind
call of duty
mohaa and breakthrough and spear head
battlefield 1942
Igi
il2
farcry
painkiller
riddick
kotor
lots of older games

 

[Spike]

NOLF 3? Is that even out?

I played all those games on a 9600 pro and they ran smoothly at 1024x768. You can find a 9600XT for, what, $100 these days? Personally I would say get a evga or other 6600 GT for your main rig ($180-200) and two 9600 XT's for the other rigs ($100ish). Total cost = $400.

If you want equal footing all around and a decen card get 3 6600GT's for around $600. That will play ANY game now at decent res and settings as well as lots of future games.

-spike

 

[Wolfsraider]

nolf 3= contract jack lol

I buy lots of games

I wanted to give them each a computer that has a much better graophics solution than a ti420064mb and give them the wow factor I had when i placed the 9700 in mine 🙂

1 question would I be able to use the 6600 in linux as well?

and with so many variations can you recommend me "good cards" to choose from?

thank you

Mike

 

[Spike]

Ok, I remember contract jack. I think I played it for a whole 30 min and then got kinda bored, it just wasn't the same cool style as the other two. The 6600GT would do a very good job with the "wow" factor. With all the current games it is aheads of the 9800 pro by usually large margins, especially when you enable AA and AS.

As for good brands... alot of people like eVGA, Gigabyte, BFG, and Leadtek. Most of the brands are decent, I personally love BFG, just make sure to stay away from XFX. They seem to have more problems than most, though I have never tried one myself.

eVGA for $189

That is a link for Newegg and that is definitly your best bet buy (at newegg at least). For that price you can squeak in under that $600 cap and have great cards for all. Make sure you update the drivers to something better than the latest official drivers like the 71.20's or 71.84's for best performance.

As for Linux... I have NO idea. That would be a topic for someone else to answer. Best option would be to google "6600GT Linux" and see what people have to say about that.

Hope that helps!

-spike

 

[Wolfsraider]

Thanks spike

Your help was most appreciated

I will do the search and see what I can find.

Thank you all for your help

I looked at ati and I really didn't see anything in the same price range that was as future proof.

Mike

 

[Amplifier]

You play the same games as me 🙂.

I wouldn't settle for anything less than a 6600gt (for Dad's computer of course). The kids would do just fine on an nvidea 5600 256mb.

210+90+90 = $390. Enough left over incase you decide to go get yourself a 6800gt 🙂.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Get yourself a 6800nu for ~$250. Get your kids 9700pro's for $130ish a piece (eBay).

That's probably your best option as each has great longevity. 9700pro's are awesome cards, so I don't think you should pitch yours just yet. At least put it in one of your kid's machines as they'll benefit GREATLY from it. I would totally avoid the FX line though, as they're sub-par when it comes to comparing them with their radeon counterparts.

With regards for the 6800nu, it'll last a while as well while still giving you the flexibility of graphics options now and in the long run. If you don't think that's enough, clearly the 6800gt is your best choice, but you should benefit from the NU just as well I think.

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Get yourself a 6800nu for ~$250. Get your kids 9700pro's for $130ish a piece (eBay).

That's probably your best option as each has great longevity. 9700pro's are awesome cards, so I don't think you should pitch yours just yet. At least put it in one of your kid's machines as they'll benefit GREATLY from it. I would totally avoid the FX line though, as they're sub-par when it comes to comparing them with their radeon counterparts.

With regards for the 6800nu, it'll last a while as well while still giving you the flexibility of graphics options now and in the long run. If you don't think that's enough, clearly the 6800gt is your best choice, but you should benefit from the NU just as well I think.

The only problem with this is he is planning to sell the 9700. It sounds like he has had some problems as this will be his second RMA and he wants to be rid of it. I agree, don't touch the FX line with a 10-foot pole, those cards are teh suck for gaming.

I also thought at first he should get a better card for his machine but it sounds like he wants the same card for all the machines and the 6600GT fits the bill nicely. ATI does not seem to have a great $200 card that performs as well and is as "future-proof" Lol, future-proof is such an oxymoron with computer parts, especially with vid cards.

9700's are definitly good as well as 9800's but the latter runs too much new and the former would have to be bought off eNasty. 6600 vanillas are not worth it and 6800 nu's are out of the budget. Actually, come to think, if you want to splurge a little you can get a 6800 nu (~$250) and two 6600 GT's for the kiddies (~$200 each). You are looking at $650, but the setups would be awesome, especially if you oc the 6800 a little.

If he was going into the $300 range then ATI becomes alot cooler, it would be the X800XL all the way, above that... well, thats anyones guess as they are all good. I personally love my 6800GT but I would not sneer if someone gave me a X800 pro, XT, etc...

-spike

 

[Wolfsraider]

The 9700 pro runs everything nicely, but it tends to overheat.

I have artifacts all over it. I contribute this to pushing the computers at 100% for the duration.

I have 4 case fans pushing air across everything.

I run the 3.2 @ 3.520 and run 2 instances of dc projects.also run photoshop dreamweaver etc...

temps idle
29-30 mobo
40-41 cpu

loaded
30-31c mobo
44-47 cpu

but the ati card has a metal plate that gets very hot (cant touch and hold it long)
also ati and linux drivers are iffy.(I run win xp pro and ubuntu) Its not that I want to get rid of the ati its still got a warranty on it.

Just dont think it will take the heat.

All computers are loaded with dc even the 2.8 produces artifacts with the 9700pro.

I am not sure where to draw the line for kids graphics, they are used to a ti4200.I have been using that one in the 3.2 and it plays good, rarely see a slow down at 800x600 but 1024x768 is a stretch in some like rise of nations.

max budget is 600,00 though and I an not sure if I could get away with a 6200 for theirs 101 at newegg then I could go higher on mine.Understand I don't want them taking a loss so I get a gain.

I have loved the 9700 pro, we aren't in the old graphics days but I don't want to buy a crippled card either.

in other words I want us all to have a bit of the wow factor lol
I am also buying then new flat screen monitors (crt) so that might change your recomendations.


Mike