Video Card Budget

[Lamont Burns]

My budget for card: max of about 120

Meaning I would bump up for right deal/card.

Use will be mainly games. I used to be heavy into DOD, Diablo II(PATCH ANYONE??)...Madden 2004, and all other EA sports games, Thinking of Galaxies, and the like.

Haven't owned a comp for about a year.

Reading alot about dx9 future chips, was thinking of just a ti4200 8x 128 to hold off until better dx9 cards out? I hear the 64mb can be faster? Ti 4600? 9500?

Don't wan't to skyrocket my budget...got tuition payments to make.

advice appreciated.

 

[high]

I have heard the PNY ti4200 64mb is 500mhz Mem speed and the 128mb is like 350, so you do get faster mem. I would probably go the 9500 personally though, but then again, I have a ATI 9200 and it runs everything just stellar, so go figure. Basically any dx8 card (even the low low end ones) will run today's games fine as long as you have the system to back it up

 

[modedepe]

Originally the 64mb ti4200's had faster clock speeds than the 128mb version--513mhz vs 444mhz I believe. If you get a ti4200-8x 128mb though, the memory should be clocked at 513mhz. As was said, a ti4200 should run any of todays games fine. If you want to get a dx9 card though, you shouldn't be looking at anything less than a 9600 pro, which cost about $150.

 

[Blastman]

Connect 9600pro 128MB --- very nice card for $152 ? ?
at Newegg

 

[Lamont Burns]

Thanks for the info all.

 

[DahDee]

Here's a refurb Powercolor 9600 Pro Bravo Edition (clocked at 400/680) for $130 at Newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=N82E16814131223R

Edit: Although it's definitely YMMV, I saw a PNY Ti4600 this week at my local Best Buy on clearance for $139. They also had a 5600 Ultra (the flip chip version!) for $154 after $30 rebate.