should i get a redeon 8500???

[erichui]

ok, i am currently having the following systems:
AMD althon 1ghz (200FSB)
KT133 motherboard
512mb PC 150 memory
Geforce2 pro

main games i play is basically counter strike and also diablo2 (well i might play some other games but not as much as these 2)
my geforce 2 is giving me pretty smooth frames for couter strike, but someitmes i get slow frames with diablo2 at 800X600 (image quality all at the best quality settingS)

i am now considering to get a ATI radeon 8500, i dont mind that its slower than the fastest nvidia geforce 3 ti 500 as long as it gives me good performance and also i would like good image quality.

lastly, sometimes i would use my computer to watch some DVD movies, not a lot that its going to be my decision, but the better image quality (if it is for the ati) and less cpu usage would be good.

i also now got a spare 17inch monitor (bought a 19inch 3months ago) that i might want to use toghether for dual monitor which would be good if i get the ati card since it offers dual monitor support.
so what do u guys think??

i dont want to spend too much money on the geforce 3 ti500 and i am not willing to buy it, and this grahic card i buy will last me for a year at least.
and also i am happy to keep my geforce 2, however bvecuaes i lives in australia but i buy some of my hardware (like video card) overseas(i buy it in hong kong) , it could be hard to have a chance to get a card when i wanted to when i go back to australia (i am now in hong kong for a month).

also, are the drivers for ati radeon 8500 pretty much stable?? i dont like crashes in games a lot , anyone give me some comment about this card
thanks alot, i know its a long message

 

[tlemmon]

The drivers aren't what they should be yet. I would avoid it. I returned mine. Check out the forums at www.rage3d.com and read up on all the problems before you buy.


-t

 

[epod]

The latest driver release, I believe from 2 weeks ago, fixed a lot of issues. I haven't had my video crap out on me at all and I'm very very pleased with it. Especially the Image Quality. The DVD quality is also superb.

With all that in mind, and the latest drivers, plus built in Dual Support, I'd go for it.

 

[AGodspeed]

I recently compared the 8500 and Ti500 in games like CS, Max Payne, UT, etc., and I can say that both the Ti500 and 8500 are impressive image quality wise and speed wise. Unfortunately, the 8500 indeed has problems running UT effectively (certainly slower than Ti500, and the image quality wasn't as sharp for some reason). In Max Payne too, the 8500's image wasn't good at all compared to the Ti500.

As a result, I decided to roam around the web to see if I could find any reasons for these issues. Sure enough, Anand himself mentions in a few of his articles (here and here) that the 8500 still has issues with UT and Max Payne. Even though a recent driver update supposedly helped alleviate the Max Payne issue (even though I could still notice an image quality issue with the latest 8500 drivers), ATi still hasn't hasn't addressed the UT issue.

However, CS played very well on the 8500, and perhaps better than the Ti500 in some situations. To tell you the truth, I didn't notice much of a speed difference between my VT GeF3 and the Radeon 8500, so I would suggest you think about getting a Ti 200 or regular GeF3 (Regular GeF3 ~ $235, Ti200 ~ $175, 8500 ~$250)*.

* Prices from pricewatch.com

 

[Sleater]

Neither the Geforce3 nor the Radeon8500 will help you much in Diablo2. It was designed with Voodoo cards in mind...and I'm sure you don't want to buy a voodoo5 (not even sure you could find one).

For the other things you're looking for:

DVD playback
Dual Monitor

ATI is the superior solution over NVidia

IMO, the driver issues are over-rated. The vast majority of games and apps should run fine.

If I had to choose between Geforce3 and Radeon8500 I'd choose Radeon.

However, like you, I have a Geforce2 which is suitable for me right now. I'm waiting for the next generation of cards before I upgrade.

 

[AA0]

I have yet to find a game that won't work with my 8500 and I've been downloading demos and playing all my older games. Klingon Academy runs great with everything on, gonna start getting screen shots from that game again.