Which Video Card to get?

[dmw16]

Im currently deciding on which video card I want to buy. While I would love to get a GeForce GTS or something, I need to save my money because Im off to college next year. So I have narrowed it down to 3 choices: 32meg DDR Radeon, 32meg Prophet II MX, or the 32meg Annihilator2 MX. I can get all three cards for under $120 because I work at Best Buy. I play Falcon 4.0, Deus Ex, and Counter-Strike as my primary games. So if anyone has any thoughts on this, I would really appreciate it.
thanks,
-doug

 

[DaveB3D]

Well my first question would be what CPU do you have?


Now everyone is going to say I'm biased for saying this, but don't bother. Let me just present a few thoughts on maybe considering the V4.

Deus Ex uses the UT engine and so Glide support is there.
Falcon 4 is known for playing better on 3dfx cards (if I recall correctly it has something to do with texture management) and you get FSAA to clean it up.
Don't play Counter-strike myself, so can't really comment on that.

Also, with that in mind you'll actually find fill-rate limited cases with the V4 coming out on top when you enable the performance features in the tools.

If you insist on going with one of those boards though, I wouldn't suggest the Annihilator2. The Prophet 2 is decent. Not a lot of experiance with the Radeon myself, but I don't like how they screwed up the 16-bit on it so badly. (bad 16-bit performance, terrible quality).

Note my new signature.

 

[8008S]

And what is so wrong w/ the MX cards?

 

[Noriaki]

Don't get the Radeon, espeically if you use Win2k
I had one for 2 weeks, it f**ked up Rune (UT engine) so I'd not be too sure on UT or Deus Ex with it...

I'd personally go for the Hercules because they up the memory clock to eek out a little more performance.

 

[DaveB3D]

I don't think anyone ever said there was something "wrong" with the MX. I've got one myself...

 

[Deeko]

I'd vote for the Radeon.

 

[HellRaven]

Radeon would beat both MX cards easily in most games because of the DDR memory. I would definately go for the Radeon. The only worry to have is if you play in Win2k you MAY have problems.

 

[LXi]

Radeon DDR for $150, what more can you ask for?

 

[Noriaki]

<< Radeon DDR for $150, what more can you ask for? >>

Driver support. The Radeon is the best performance for the dollar, but without driver support I woudln't want twice the speed of a GF2 Ultra.

 

[LXi]

Driver support? I think you're thinking Diamond Multimedia. Today's ATI has excellent driver support.

 

[Dulanic]

ATi has HORRID driver support, look at 16bit color and Win2K.. 2 examples right there.

 

[DaveB3D]

ATI must have REALLY low margins on that thing.

 

[LXi]

<<ATi has HORRID driver support>>

Why would anyone run 16bit when you only lose maximum of 3fps by going to 32bit?

ATI is working on W2k drivers as we speak, the special purpose beta drivers are already out, it greatly increased the Win2K performance, I expect the final to be out very soon with a strong showing.

 

[DaveB3D]

I don't think the 16-bit is drivers, I think they just did a really poor hardware implementation. If you look at their 16-bit performance, it too is very poor. I mean in theory, it should be 2x the 32-bit score.

 

[LXi]

<<I think they just did a really poor hardware implementation>>

You got the wrong idea buddy, its actually excellent 32bit implementation, thanks to the use of hyperZ.

 

[DaveB3D]

No, I don't have it wrong. HyperZ makes up for about 30% of bandwidth. So you should have about a 20% hit then. There is no such thing as having an implementation that is great to reduce the hit. It always costs 2x the ammount if you have a good 16-bit implementation.

 

[Impact55]

Will a V5 5500 fit in an Enlight 7237 case?

 

[LXi]

You still cant deny that made excellent approach to 32bit, it is to ATI's belives, not mine, that the future will be 32bit based, and thats why they're leaning toward that direction.

 

[SuperGroove]

Impact55,

It fits in mine Maybe 2 or 3 inches away from the Hard drive.


Dude,

As for which videocard to get, the ATI will give you good image quality, and the GeForce2 will give you speed. I don't think I'll ever touch a Nvidia card after what my SDR GeForce put me through!

Paul

 

[DaveB3D]

I'd need to see your case. I imagine it would. It isn't much bigger than the GTS. Maybe an inch - inch and 1/2 longer. That is all.

 

[LXi]

I have the Enlight 7232(same dimensions as 7237), Im certain the V5 5500 will fit in just fine.

 

[RagingGuardian]

You know DaveB3D really annoys me with his 3DFx bias. The Radeon's 16bit performance may be quite bad but then again it still beats the V5 in 16bit. I said it before and I'll say it again, the Radeon is faster than the V5 in about all color depths and resolutions.

I know he'll lash back with his &quot;tweaks&quot; and games with the UT engine but Glide is dead and I can tweak my Radeon as much as anyone can tweak a V5.

If there is one thing that the V5 may beat the Radeon at, it has to be Win2000 support. The 16 bit artifacting argument is stupid. Why play in 16bit when you jave the option to play in 32bit with a minimal amount of frames lost?

 

[DaveB3D]

Read my signature.. go by that. I don't want or care to hear it.

 

[Noriaki]

I agree the 16bit argument is pointless in the days of GF2 Ultras and Radeons who wants 16bit.



<< I'm going to be sooooo busy trying to see everyone in my family...it'll >>

I don't think so...try telling that to my TV-Wonder. I'm using their Win2k &quot;drivers&quot; if they can be called that...more like &quot;program that will add TV-Wonder to your device manager&quot;, &quot;Drivers&quot; to me implies some functionality...

What I want is:
Win2k NON-BETA, as I said I've seen what ATi calls beta...to me they should be paying me to use these drivers.
And in Win98SE in Rune no objects had any textures. Models were skinless..yay..

 

[DaveB3D]

Actually, when you use 4x FSAA 16-bit is *almost* identical to 32-bit on the V5, and EXTREMELY close to that on the GTS. Dunno about Radeon.. haven't done enough with it. I don't think I play any game in 32-bit right now, on any system. I use the V5 mostly, but if I'm on the Ultra with 4x FSAA I don't use 32-bit either.