Video Card Opinion

[Elcs]

Ive very loosely followed the Video card market since my grandfather bought me a GeForce4 Ti440 while he was in America in November 2002.

The time may not be the most appropriate but with getting my T'Bred stable at ~2.2ghz, my old faithful is struggling with X2 without any fancy features and Im looking into replacing it.

This caught my eye just now. According to other FX5900 prices, this seems strangley low.

Oddly enough, my favourite UK vendors dont supply 9700NP/P's and unfortunately although Id love to, I cant spend £300 on a Graphics Card. £150 is pretty much my limit. This card has to last me a while as well.... which makes the decision harder.

If necessary, I can post links to some of my trusted UK suppliers and you can point out useful items to me but any advice I'll follow up on personally. No hurry although that may just be a 1 week deal or something which I may want to capitalise on.

 

[BoomAM]

Sapphire ATI Radeon 9600XT 256MB DDR TV-Out/DVI & Half Life 2 Bundle - Retail (GX-040-SP) £121.91

Or an extra £17 will buy you;
Sapphire ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB DDR TV-Out/DVI - Retail (GX-017-SP) £167

OverClockers UK

Both better than the 5900. The 9600XT will probably be about level in most situations to the 5900, but its PS/VS performance will blow the 5900 out of the water. The 9800pro is better than both. By a large margin. And is an Excellent OCer as well.

Also try.
Overclock

Those are the best UK stores IMO, but i have 20-30 others listed. Although most of them specialise in Cooling products.

 

[McArra]

That's a nice 5900XT. You should be able to overclock it near Ultra speeds if no more.

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: McArra
That's a nice 5900XT. You should be able to overclock it near Ultra speeds if no more.

Unless im missing something; Its just a 5900. Not an XT.
Whatever model it is though, the two Radeons will be more futureproof, simply because of their beter PS/VS performance. And before you try and label, im no fanATIc, its just that ATIs current gen are better than nVidias current gen.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: BoomAM

Originally posted by: McArra
That's a nice 5900XT. You should be able to overclock it near Ultra speeds if no more.

Unless im missing something; Its just a 5900. Not an XT.
Whatever model it is though, the two Radeons will be more futureproof, simply because of their beter PS/VS performance. And before you try and label, im no fanATIc, its just that ATIs current gen are better than nVidias current gen.

You are missing "2.8ns memory" in the title .
And yes, I would choose the 9700/9800 series before any 5900, but 5900 is much better than 9600XT for almost everything and in DX9 they are quite similar.

 

[Keysplayr]

Dont pay attention to Boom. He seems to be on some kind of narcotic today.(No offense Boom ) He is right about the 9800pro being faster, but rarely ever is the 9600XT comparable to a 5900XT/SE/nu. In DX9 apps the 9600XT can give a 5900 a run for its money and in PS 2.0 which are no where near in mainstream use today. In every other conceivable situation, a 5900 slaughters any flavor of 9600 even when overclocked to the max and 5900 at stock speeds.

If you can grab a 9800pro for the same price, definately do it. If not, go for a 5900.

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
Dont pay attention to Boom. He seems to be on some kind of narcotic today.(No offense Boom )

???

This is my 3rd post today. And AFAIK, i havnt been narcotic. Or are you being sarcastic, and im just too tierd to realise it?

He is right about the 9800pro being faster, but rarely ever is the 9600XT comparable to a 5900XT/SE/nu. In DX9 apps the 9600XT can give a 5900 a run for its money and in PS 2.0 which are no where near in mainstream use today. In every other conceivable situation, a 5900 slaughters any flavor of 9600 even when overclocked to the max and 5900 at stock speeds.

From what ive seen on benchmarks, even a 9600pro can beat the 5900Ultra. In true DX9 Apps. For DX8 apps, the 5900 is faster though.

If you can grab a 9800pro for the same price, definately do it. If not, go for a 5900.

Not bad advice. But saving up that extra £17 is really worth it. You will thank yourself in a years time when that 9800pro is still pumping out decent framerates, while the 5900 chokes and splutters with DX9 apps.

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: BoomAM

Sapphire ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB DDR TV-Out/DVI - Retail (GX-017-SP) £167

Those are the best UK stores IMO, but i have 20-30 others listed. Although most of them specialise in Cooling products.

I was at university so I couldnt access all my links. Went to the first 2 I remembered before posting and moving to my next lecture. When I last looked, the cheapest 9800 was over £200 so prices have reached an acceptable level now.

I paid about £170 at the time (including taxes) for the Ti4400 import. £170 for nearly top of the line is pretty good I think.

 

[BoomAM]

That 9800pro from OCUK is going to be the best price/performance card from anywhere at the moment. If you can spare the extra £17, then go for it.

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: BoomAM
That 9800pro from OCUK is going to be the best price/performance card from anywhere at the moment. If you can spare the extra £17, then go for it.

Yeah, it looks it. Going to check my bank balance and really decide what I want to do. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Pete]

Originally posted by: BoomAM

From what ive seen on benchmarks, even a 9600pro can beat the 5900Ultra. In true DX9 Apps. For DX8 apps, the 5900 is faster though.

Actually, it seems a 9600P/XT is about the same speed as a 5900 in DX9 apps. So if a 5900 is about the same price as a 9600P/XT, just get the 5900 for the much faster <=DX8 and AA/AF speed.

 

[VIAN]

That is a 5900 XT. This card is faster then the 9600 XT. Only a 9700 and up can rival it.