X1950 Pro AGP for HTPC

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
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Title and summary say it all. I'd love for the card to be as fast as possible (given that I'm on Socket A), but most important is that it be quiet (I don't mind a little fan noise). Anyone know which has the quietest fan?
 

MrWizzard

Platinum Member
Mar 24, 2002
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Get the powercolor one, I got an agp but the PCIX is the same, and it comes with the that aftermarket fan stock see, good price.

Link
 

MrWizzard

Platinum Member
Mar 24, 2002
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Originally posted by: sm8000
Not bad, but there's an Open Box HIS card for $209 there too.

But after the rebate the Powercolor is 189..... and it's new. Does the HIS come with the fan or do you have to buy it?
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
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HIS already has its own fan, I would get the Arctic Cooling separately. I'm interested in it as it has the fastest clock speeds, which I'm thinking I'd need to compensate for my relatively slow CPU (Athlon XP 3200+).
 

CaiNaM

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2000
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doesn't the HIS have the IceQ3 cooler? if so, you'd gain little by replacing the cooler. it's almost as quiet (i can't hear mine 3ft away @ ear level in liquid cooled system), cools well, and exhausts the air out of the back of the case.

the powercolor one @ $189 is a pretty damn good value tho, and you could always overclock it.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
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Originally posted by: CaiNaM
doesn't the HIS have the IceQ3 cooler? if so, you'd gain little by replacing the cooler. it's almost as quiet (i can't hear mine 3ft away @ ear level in liquid cooled system), cools well, and exhausts the air out of the back of the case.

the powercolor one @ $189 is a pretty damn good value tho, and you could always overclock it.

Originally posted by: sm8000
:Q

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/vga2.php?idx=90

Thanks! I may go all-out for the HIS and slap this puppy on it.

Check the link, dude ;)
 

hellokeith

Golden Member
Nov 12, 2004
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The HIS x1950 Pro 256MB AGP that I just got is, to me, silent. I have whisper quiet case fans, and I've only noticed the noise from those case fans since I installed the HIS.
 

CaiNaM

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: sm8000

Check the link, dude ;)

?

i know what the accelero is..

my point was if you're gonna get the HIS, why the hell would you replace this cooler with an X2? you'd gain next to nothing, spend more, and void the warranty.

if you really want an X2, buy the less expensive powercolor which already includes it and overclock it. you save money and you don't void the warranty.



 

GEOrifle

Senior member
Oct 2, 2005
833
15
81
HIS cards loock more efficient because it fan takes out hot air, Powercolor's keepeng air
in.
But are HIS card better then Powercolors?
512 MB HIS cards suppost to be stronger but on NEWEGG it got VERY BAD revievs !!!
Same bad revievs have Sapphire's 512mb card.

You know i'm confused myself, to many defective cards in X1950PRO AGP cards and
i don't know wich one to trust ?
 

CaiNaM

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2000
3,718
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i've had 2 x1950 pro cards (visiontek and HIS) and had no problems with either.

while i am sure that (just like anything else) there will be defective hardwrae, many of the problems are due to old agp systems with crappy power supplies.
 

GEOrifle

Senior member
Oct 2, 2005
833
15
81
Originally posted by: CaiNaM
i've had 2 x1950 pro cards (visiontek and HIS) and had no problems with either.

while i am sure that (just like anything else) there will be defective hardwrae, many of the problems are due to old agp systems with crappy power supplies.

And what kind PSU do you have?
I got CM eXtreme Power 600W with 12v dual rail and 18A on each, Sapphire's forum
declined it.

 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
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Think I may need to reconsider my PSU too? It's currently a Thermaltake 430W unit.
 

CaiNaM

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: GEOrifle
Originally posted by: CaiNaM
i've had 2 x1950 pro cards (visiontek and HIS) and had no problems with either.

while i am sure that (just like anything else) there will be defective hardwrae, many of the problems are due to old agp systems with crappy power supplies.

And what kind PSU do you have?
I got CM eXtreme Power 600W with 12v dual rail and 18A on each, Sapphire's forum
declined it.

550w OCZ, 450w Enermax, and 430w Thermaltake.. the PRO's have run w/o issue in both the Enermax & Thermaltake.

what do you mean by Sapphire's forum declined it?

Originally posted by: sm8000
Think I may need to reconsider my PSU too? It's currently a Thermaltake 430W unit.

you may find it works, depending on the what kind of condition the PSU is in, and what other peripherals you are running.

you're right on the edge of their recommendation (and there's usually a margin of error requirements) so it should work, but obviously if you have multiple hard/optical drives, multiple fans, high overclocks, etc. that could certainly have adverse effects.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
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I do have three optical drives and one hard drive. Given my power-hungry CPU I'll probably migrate this PSU elsewhere and upgrade the system's unit.
 

CaiNaM

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: GEOrifle
CaiNaM they told me CM's eXtreme Power 600W PSU wich has on dual rail with 18A
isn't enough to power up X1950PRO AGP, suppost to be at least 20A on dual rail, or on single more then 30A.

And very usefull recommendations:

http://www.sapphiretech.com/en/forums/showthread.php?t=1005

well, i don't know what to tell you.

the enermax is 430w with 20a +12v
the thermaltake is 480w with 18a +12v
the OCZ is 550w with 26a +12v (running oc'd x1900xt & 400mhz oc on X2 cpu). it's pci-e so i can't run the 1950P on it, but if the xt runs on it... i can't imagine it can't run the x1950pro (and it doesn't have their 'required' 30a on +12v). it also runs 4x hard drives, 2 opticals, liquid cooling pump, and SB card (not to mention several USB devices).

the first 2 listed run an OC HIS and std clock visiontek x1950 w/o issue. they both run oc'd a64 3000+; both have 3 hd (each have 2 running raid), one optical, and little else.

i know from experience a quality power supply is critical to stability in a pc running high end graphics cards, but according to what you're being told, this power supply is not adequate, when in fact i've known it to run dual gpu's requiring much higher min. power.

the one concern when using a power suppy with multiple +12v is how efficient they share max load amps. not sure if there really is a way to determing that, tho....
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
12
81
Why are you trying to get x1950pro to begin with? I dont think that is a best value with Athlon 3200+. esp. in AGP.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
81
Originally posted by: MustangSVT
Why are you trying to get x1950pro to begin with? I dont think that is a best value with Athlon 3200+. esp. in AGP.

Basically striving for as much HD decoding as possible to make up for that CPU.
 

hellokeith

Golden Member
Nov 12, 2004
1,664
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My Enermax Noisetaker 485w was purchased well over a year ago. It runs 3 hard drives, 2 dvd drives, 5 usb peripherals, sound card, motherboard, and my new HIS x1950 256MBG AGP without an issue. This obsession with 1000watt $200 PSU's is unfounded.