r9500np or ti4200?

[neilm]

Looking some advice please..

I haven't starting building my computer yet (but going to very soon), though I would like to be sure in having a right choice graphics card.

The options are Albatron Ti4200 or the Radeon 9500np. I would get the Radeon without a shadow of a doubt as it is now hackable/overclockable to 9700pro standards, but there are problems with artifacts and so on.

My setup would probably be something like Gigabyte sis655, P4 2.4b, Dual-DDR memory..

What would be the best option, wait but definitely get the 9500np when you have all other parts of the sytsem or don't get it as it is too risky as the albatron ti4200 is good enough?

This is my first time building a computer btw

Cheers.

 

[bsr]

9500 !!!!!!!

 

[Creig]

9500 Non-Pro. Even without the Soft9700 it's faster than a Ti4200 and you can enable AA without the huge performance hit the Ti would suffer.

 

[majewski9]

9500 non pro and see what u can do as far as hacking it.

 

[neilm]

Thanks again, I think you have me convinced

I read someone bashing the ati here before, saying it wasn't as stable as nvidia products (drivers crashing systems and so on).. I'm sure you all heard that before, but hopefully it isn't as bad as what he's making out.

 

[hdeck]

i have been debating about these 2 as well. i'm thinking of going with the albatron ti4280 from googlegear.

 

[zephyrprime]

The 9500 np is pretty overclockable too. Some have gotten 100 mhz gains with stock cooling.

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: Creig
9500 Non-Pro. Even without the Soft9700 it's faster than a Ti4200 and you can enable AA without the huge performance hit the Ti would suffer.

Do you have a link to benchmarks? I thought stock 9500 128mb non-pro was slower than ti4200 128mb

 

[human2k]

9500 is considerably slower than 4200, by atleast 10%. DO a search for 9500 on the forums and you'll find a linky to the a review on the Saphire 9500 NP 128mb. I just placed an order for mines...hopefully it'll do 9700 speeds . If you not ill exchange for PRo version or 4200.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I like my TI4200 .... however currently ... I'd be tempted to got a 9500, but probably end up with a TI4200

 

[Upham]

i wouldnt but that gigabyte motherboard though. I have had two of there top selling boards in the past and they both gave me all sorts of problems. i would go asus all the way.

 

[neilm]

Alright if there isn't much in it, I may as well go for the r9500np and try the software mod.. hopefully it works. But to buy a ti4200 now when the gfFX is almost ready for release may seem a waste of money. But is that true about stability issues with ati drivers?

 

[j@cko]

But is that true about stability issues with ati drivers?

no

 

[Creig]

I did some rechecking and FreshPrince is correct. The Ti4200 is slightly faster than the 9500 in most benches. BUT, as I stated you can click on AA without hitting a performance roadblock. I was getting 10,600 3DMarks with a 1.83GHz T-Bred/stock 9500 which is a respectable score. With the Soft9700 mod and overclocking the card to 325/300 I got 13,600 3Dmarks. Now I have a new power supply and replaced the heatsink/fan on the 9500 with a Koolance waterblock and will continue my overclocking adventure. I'm hoping to hit mid 14,000s when all is said and done. And for a $160 video card and $70 processor that's quite a value in my mind.