Thoughts on potential upgrade?

[CTho9305]

Going from:
Athlon 700
Asus K7V
Geforce2 GTS
256mb PC100

Planning to upgrade to:
XP 2100+
Asus A7N8X ("New Version, now support AMD Barton 400Mhz" Retail)
MSI G4Ti4200-TD (8870-040) GF4 TI4200 128MB 128bit TV-OUT DVI VGA Card Retail
512MB (probably PC2700 - 2x256MB for dual channel)

for about $370, all from newegg.

Comments/suggestions?

 

[Malladine]

Looks nice to me. You'll like the performance increase...oh yes

 

[PrinceXizor]

1. Processor - Can't beat the prices on the XP2100+ right now, though you may want to wait to see how the new 3200+ affects prices.
2. Motherboard - A popular mb, no personal experience. Seems right if you want 400MHz FSB upgrade path.
3. VideoCard - The Ti4200 is a very popular card. Well worth the $125, especially if you O/C. I wish ATI would get the 9200 Pro out so we can see how it stacks up....oh well.
4. Memory - Rock bottom memory prices, what can you say. Wish I'd had the money, Corsair had some 512MB PC2700 sticks for $55 last week. Ah well.

Looks good! Can't wait to build my new computer (a little more costly since I have to come up with EVERYTHING from scrach including monitor).

P-X

 

[microAmp]

Probably the only thing I would change is the video card, something a bit better. But for the price not bad at all, it's your money not mine.

 

[PrinceXizor]

Originally posted by: motoamd
Probably the only thing I would change is the video card, something a bit better. But for the price not bad at all, it's your money not mine.

Yes, if you are willing to spend a little more money to future proof your system (like you did with your motherboard) I'd get the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro. It will cost you about $180, but its more powerful than the Ti4200 AND its DX9 compatable, so games over the next few years (even those NOT DX9) that make use of pixel shading in any decent ammount will not bog down your card. Not to mention better streamlining in Z-occlusion, texture compression, AA/AF. This will ensure that your card lasts you a long time b/n upgrades (as it appears that is what you do).

My $.02.

P-X

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor

Originally posted by: motoamd
Probably the only thing I would change is the video card, something a bit better. But for the price not bad at all, it's your money not mine.

Yes, if you are willing to spend a little more money to future proof your system (like you did with your motherboard) I'd get the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro. It will cost you about $180, but its more powerful than the Ti4200 AND its DX9 compatable, so games over the next few years (even those NOT DX9) that make use of pixel shading in any decent ammount will not bog down your card. Not to mention better streamlining in Z-occlusion, texture compression, AA/AF. This will ensure that your card lasts you a long time b/n upgrades (as it appears that is what you do).

My $.02.

P-X

There is no point to getting a new card for DX9 compatibility, ALL the current DX9 cards will not be able to push a DX9 at acceptable speeds. So that point is really moot. Consider all cards out now to be DX8.1.

 

[PrinceXizor]

Originally posted by: Acanthus

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor

Originally posted by: motoamd
Probably the only thing I would change is the video card, something a bit better. But for the price not bad at all, it's your money not mine.

Yes, if you are willing to spend a little more money to future proof your system (like you did with your motherboard) I'd get the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro. It will cost you about $180, but its more powerful than the Ti4200 AND its DX9 compatable, so games over the next few years (even those NOT DX9) that make use of pixel shading in any decent ammount will not bog down your card. Not to mention better streamlining in Z-occlusion, texture compression, AA/AF. This will ensure that your card lasts you a long time b/n upgrades (as it appears that is what you do).

My $.02.

P-X

There is no point to getting a new card for DX9 compatibility, ALL the current DX9 cards will not be able to push a DX9 at acceptable speeds. So that point is really moot. Consider all cards out now to be DX8.1.

That's the general consensus, but no one knows, because there ARE no DX9 compatable games (maybe a few I'm not aware of). Everyone thought Doom3 would wreak havoc on all current vid cards and it had acceptable frame rates, even from today's mid-range cards (yes I"m aware that was alpha software). Also, my mention of DX9 was only one of MANY reasons to consider spending a little extra on a video card that might be kept for a long time. My point is that a DX9 compatable card will have a microarchitecture more suited for newer games (the difference in old generation cards vs. current generation cards in SplinterCell is a prime example) and things like a more advanced pixel shader engine (i.e. PS2.0+) which will give you the maximum longevity for your card and compatability with future games until the next time an upgrade is made.

P-X

 

[Actaeon]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor

Originally posted by: Acanthus

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor

Originally posted by: motoamd
Probably the only thing I would change is the video card, something a bit better. But for the price not bad at all, it's your money not mine.

Yes, if you are willing to spend a little more money to future proof your system (like you did with your motherboard) I'd get the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro. It will cost you about $180, but its more powerful than the Ti4200 AND its DX9 compatable, so games over the next few years (even those NOT DX9) that make use of pixel shading in any decent ammount will not bog down your card. Not to mention better streamlining in Z-occlusion, texture compression, AA/AF. This will ensure that your card lasts you a long time b/n upgrades (as it appears that is what you do).

My $.02.

P-X

There is no point to getting a new card for DX9 compatibility, ALL the current DX9 cards will not be able to push a DX9 at acceptable speeds. So that point is really moot. Consider all cards out now to be DX8.1.

That's the general consensus, but no one knows, because there ARE no DX9 compatable games (maybe a few I'm not aware of). Everyone thought Doom3 would wreak havoc on all current vid cards and it had acceptable frame rates, even from today's mid-range cards (yes I"m aware that was alpha software). Also, my mention of DX9 was only one of MANY reasons to consider spending a little extra on a video card that might be kept for a long time. My point is that a DX9 compatable card will have a microarchitecture more suited for newer games (the difference in old generation cards vs. current generation cards in SplinterCell is a prime example) and things like a more advanced pixel shader engine (i.e. PS2.0+) which will give you the maximum longevity for your card and compatability with future games until the next time an upgrade is made.

P-X

I'm going to have to agree with Xizor. I would opt for a 9500 Pro or a 9600 Pro. DX9 compatibility, and due the fact it runs noticeably quicker than the Ti4200 makes spending the extra $50 or so worth it. It might last you that extra generation before upgrading again.

 

[bgeh]

looks good, but i agree with motoamd and i suggest a better video card

 

[mooojojojo]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor

3. VideoCard - The Ti4200 is a very popular card. Well worth the $125, especially if you O/C. I wish ATI would get the 9200 Pro out so we can see how it stacks up....oh well.

isn't the 9200pro just a rebadged 9000pro? I think this was menioned in one of the articles here on AT. if so it wouldn't be any competition to the Ti4200. right?

 

[chin311]

Looks good to me, youll notice a nice increase , hmm, I would probably get a 9500 pro instead of the ti4200, but both will be plenty fast. hmmm, if you plan to go 400fsb, won't you need faster DDR, since pc2700 is only 333? jus a thought if you dont wanna have to upgrade that again. XP2100+ will be nice, if you have the extra, maybe go XP2500+, they are relatively cheap, and have 333fsb at least. just some thoughts. but def. nice either way you go

 

[Budmantom]

Ok, I'll be the one with a different opinion.

The choice for the Ti4200 is great, perhaps you can find one for about $100. The difference you will see, going from a 700 and a gf2 to a 2100 and a gf4 will be incredible. Keep it that way for six months to a year then go out and get a 9700/pro by then hopefully they will be around $100/150.

Nice rig and great bang for the buck!!!

Tom

 

[PrinceXizor]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Ok, I'll be the one with a different opinion.

The choice for the Ti4200 is great, perhaps you can find one for about $100. The difference you will see, going from a 700 and a gf2 to a 2100 and a gf4 will be incredible. Keep it that way for six months to a year then go out and get a 9700/pro by then hopefully they will be around $100/150.

Nice rig and great bang for the buck!!!

Tom

I'd like to know where you can get a Ti4200 with 128MB of memory for $100. The lowest I've seen is ~ $125.

As far as the 9200 Pro, That could be true, but I thought ATI was FINALLY making its a low-end part a derivative of another core with the 9200 Pro. I could be mistaken. The 9100 Pro was defineitley just a DX8 rebadge of the 8500 cores.

P-X

 

[microAmp]

The cheapest I could find using PriceGrabber was $111 from a brand I never heard of and a company with 1 star. IIRC, NewEgg had it for $117. Of course you might find a deal using a MIR that'll get it cheap....

 

[Budmantom]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Ok, I'll be the one with a different opinion.

The choice for the Ti4200 is great, perhaps you can find one for about $100. The difference you will see, going from a 700 and a gf2 to a 2100 and a gf4 will be incredible. Keep it that way for six months to a year then go out and get a 9700/pro by then hopefully they will be around $100/150.

Nice rig and great bang for the buck!!!

Tom

I'd like to know where you can get a Ti4200 with 128MB of memory for $100. The lowest I've seen is ~ $125.

As far as the 9200 Pro, That could be true, but I thought ATI was FINALLY making its a low-end part a derivative of another core with the 9200 Pro. I could be mistaken. The 9100 Pro was defineitley just a DX8 rebadge of the 8500 cores.

P-X

There are a few ways to do it, if you check the hot deals forum I see them there now and then. The more interesting way would be to find the one for $111 and go to Staples, they can get just about anything (special order) then ask them to pricematch it, then apply the 20off 100 coupon.