the 9550 is a total piece of ****
get the 9600pro, theres also a possibility of getting a 9600xt at a decent price, or you could keep your eye on refurbs
Yessir, definitely go 9600 Pro. It's a good card. The base 9600 is a bit too slow to play modern games at decent framerates, and the 9550 is a crippled 9600 (based on the 9600-series architecture, not the 9500 series architecture). A 9600 Pro will compare favorably to an original base Radeon 9500.
well since its a 128-bit card the best you could get would be a crippled 9800pro (since by default they're 256-bit, and the 9800pro 128-bit sucks!!!!) I would get the extra video ram and be on your way
Geeky1University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
edited November 2004
I was talking to Radeon_Man about this last night... would a 9600 Pro be better than a really good DX8.1 card? I mean as far as I know, even the 9600 Pro is pretty much a dog in DX9... would it be better to get something that's really, really fast in DX8.1 (like a Ti4600 or an overclocked 128MB 8500) and run HL2 without all the DX9 eye candy?
I was talking to Radeon_Man about this last night... would a 9600 Pro be better than a really good DX8.1 card? I mean as far as I know, even the 9600 Pro is pretty much a dog in DX9... would it be better to get something that's really, really fast in DX8.1 (like a Ti4600 or an overclocked 128MB 8500) and run HL2 without all the DX9 eye candy?
Just a thought...
the 9600 pro runs hl2 in dx 9 mode max everything on 1024x768 i know that because my buddy has one his lowest fps was like 23
btw dx9 looks a hell of alot better then dx 8 even dx 8.1 looks better then dx 8 :P
I've got an XP @ 2150, 1 gig of ram, and a 9600xt.
I can run with everything @ medium at 1280x1024 (my LCD's native resolution) and get smooth gameplay (40+ fps), or I can use higher settings @ 1024x768 and get equally smooth gameplay (50+ fps). I usually run at the native res. of my LCD, because it looks better.
I was talking to Radeon_Man about this last night... would a 9600 Pro be better than a really good DX8.1 card? I mean as far as I know, even the 9600 Pro is pretty much a dog in DX9... would it be better to get something that's really, really fast in DX8.1 (like a Ti4600 or an overclocked 128MB 8500) and run HL2 without all the DX9 eye candy?
Just a thought...
You may be aware, but HL2 can render in DX8 mode on a DX9 card if you want. My guess is this point would be moot although it is an interesting question, whether a DX8 card has any advantage over a DX9 card in DX8...
9600pros/xts are great and all but the 9700pro and 9500pro are even better. many 9500s can be softmodded into a 9700pro.. not sure about the 9500pros though. a 9600pro shoudl be able to run hl2 great though.
Getting a moddable 9500 will cost about the same as a 9700 pro, or just a bit less, these days. The owners of the moddable cards know what they have.
Of the two 9600 Pro cards you posted, I would choose first one, the Sapphire with BGA RAM. I'm betting the TSOP RAM will be running quite hot - 600 MHz DDR is really violating the limits of TSOP's capabilities, whereas you will have some OCing room with the BGA. (It looks like actual RAM clock is about 444 MHz on the TSOP one, according to one of the reviews).
Furthermore, if you take a look at the card, that Sapphire is basically identical to the Sapphire 9600XT that ryko posted. If I were you, I'd buy the 9600 Pro and take a stab (slowly though) at bringing the core clock up to 500MHz, effectively getting yourself a 9600XT in the process.
Of the two 9600 Pro cards you posted, I would choose first one, the Sapphire with BGA RAM. I'm betting the TSOP RAM will be running quite hot - 600 MHz DDR is really violating the limits of TSOP's capabilities, whereas you will have some OCing room with the BGA. (It looks like actual RAM clock is about 444 MHz on the TSOP one, according to one of the reviews).
Yeah, I saw that too when i was looking at the user reviews. I also visited the ATI page and under the 9600 Pro I saw no mention of a 256MB version, just the 128MB so i think i will pick the 128MB version. I'll probably order today and be playing in a few days! Thanks for all your input guys!
well guys, i landed the ultimate deal for my HL2 needs. If you call the ATI shop and have them place the order, rather than doing it online, you get a 10% discount. After the trade up program (i'm sending them an old S3...pity them) the RETAIL 9600XT will be $102.10. about $20 less than the 9600Pros, and im getting an XT
I saw a refurbed 9800pro 256 bit at newegg the other day for $152 ...I just skimmed over the thread so sorry if there's a reason why you haven't checked into it already.
Ok, my quesion to all of you is, is this a good card for high-end gaming? Again, I want to able to play games like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 at their full settings without much slowdown. My current specs are...
Motherboard: Abit NF7-S
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3200+
RAM: 768MB DDR PC3200
Video Card: Gainward Geforce4 Ti4200 (overclocked to 314/622)
Powersupply: Thermatake 480W
Harddrive: Western Digital 80gig 7200RPM
So, how will the card I was to order handle DOOM3 and Half-Life 2? Thanks in advance, all.
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Geeky1University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
It's not likely to be much faster than the 9600XT actually (according to the benchmarks I've seen anyhow). It's a Radeon 9800 yes, but it's a castrated 9800. It only has a 128 bit memory interface, which halves the memory bandwidth of a normal 9800, and the performance is going to suck by comparison.
If you can find a 256-bit 9800 Pro somewhere, I'd go with that. If not, the next step would probably be a 256-bit 9800 non-Pro. Followed by a Radeon 9700 Pro... I think the regular 9700 had a 256-bit memory interface as well, in which case that would be the 4th choice, followed by a 9600XT...
HL2 is coded to run well on just about everything from DX7 class cards up. It should actually run just fine on your Ti4200. What going to a DX9 card will get you is more eye candy. The Ti4200 may not be able to handle Doom 3 though (I don't really know for sure)...
Just like tony said, The Ti4200 will run Doom3 for crap. It will run HL2 well, but it will be missing the DirectX9 eye-candy. The game is beautiful in DX9 and deserves the right card to show off everything, so if you can swing a DX9 card, I'd really go that way instead.
It's not likely to be much faster than the 9600XT actually (according to the benchmarks I've seen anyhow). It's a Radeon 9800 yes, but it's a castrated 9800. It only has a 128 bit memory interface, which halves the memory bandwidth of a normal 9800, and the performance is going to suck by comparison.
If you can find a 256-bit 9800 Pro somewhere, I'd go with that. If not, the next step would probably be a 256-bit 9800 non-Pro. Followed by a Radeon 9700 Pro... I think the regular 9700 had a 256-bit memory interface as well, in which case that would be the 4th choice, followed by a 9600XT...
HL2 is coded to run well on just about everything from DX7 class cards up. It should actually run just fine on your Ti4200. What going to a DX9 card will get you is more eye candy. The Ti4200 may not be able to handle Doom 3 though (I don't really know for sure)...
is the 9800se128 256 bit the same as the non pro or is it something else? cause I saw some cheaper in the refurbed section but I was hesitant since I didn't know enough about it.
just as a note ...some non-pro cards can be bios flashed to pro versions but there is a risk that it won't be successful or may even damage the card beyond repair.
neither have I thats why I didnt mention it but I think it's worth a try. Looking at the specs I see nothing different or odd and the cheaper version comes with bundled something or other perhaps a few crap games.
My gut reaction is that the SE tag is a title given by powercolor to feature add-ins like bundled stuff just like sapphire has the atlantis with bundles ...thats all I can see from the specs.
one is R98SE-C3G ...it has the game
one is R98SE-C3 ...no game.
both 256 bit according to the newegg comment ...I look a little deeper
Ugh... shopping for a graphics card nowadays is so difficult. Ok, I have a 180 spending limit. Can anyone please reccommend the best graphics card for my price range?
Note: I might be able to part with 200 dollars if neccessary. But again, only if I absolutely have to!
Ugh... shopping for a graphics card nowadays is so difficult. Ok, I have a 180 spending limit. Can anyone please reccommend the best graphics card for my price range?
Note: I might be able to part with 200 dollars if neccessary. But again, only if I absolutely have to!
I wouldn't recommend 128 bit to anyone frankly ...not when you can get 256 bit in the refurbished section for less money and way better performance.
My only recommendation for that kind of money is the 9800pro128/256bit refurbished for $165. I've had three of these cards (new) and I know what even the worst one is capable of (as far as overclocking goes).
I wouldn't recommend 128 bit to anyone frankly ...not when you can get 256 bit in the refurbished section for less money and way better performance.
My only recommendation for that kind of money is the 9800pro128/256bit refurbished for $165. I've had three of these cards (new) and I know what even the worst one is capable of (as far as overclocking goes).
But that card only has 128MB... wouldn't a 256MB version be better? And how is this card better than the Powercolor version I mentioned in my first post?
IMO less mem more bits is faster than more mem less bits.
If you think of water flowing through a pipe ...you can send less water through a large diameter pipe way faster than more water through a small pipe.
128mb 256bits will far outperform 256mb 128bits ...it's that simple.
I don't know enough about hl2 to comment on what 256mb 256bits would do but I would imagine you would get a slight performance increase but the main increase would be in the resolution you play at. I would just think that is out of your budget anyway.
128mb 256bits is the best bang for your buck IMHO.
Hmmm... interesting point. But yeah, a v-card with 256MB 256bits is deffinently out of my range. The cheapest I can find those crackers for are about 250-300 dollars. And those are the cheepo's.0_o
Comments
get the 9600pro, theres also a possibility of getting a 9600xt at a decent price, or you could keep your eye on refurbs
9600Pro 128MB 128-bit BGA
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-301&depa=1
and
9600Pro 256MB 128-bit TSOP
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-407&depa=1
there is only a $4 difference...is it worth it to get the BGA and hope for a large overclock, or go for the 256MB card and be on my way?
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-338&depa=1
Just a thought...
btw dx9 looks a hell of alot better then dx 8 even dx 8.1 looks better then dx 8 :P
I've got an XP @ 2150, 1 gig of ram, and a 9600xt.
I can run with everything @ medium at 1280x1024 (my LCD's native resolution) and get smooth gameplay (40+ fps), or I can use higher settings @ 1024x768 and get equally smooth gameplay (50+ fps). I usually run at the native res. of my LCD, because it looks better.
You may be aware, but HL2 can render in DX8 mode on a DX9 card if you want. My guess is this point would be moot although it is an interesting question, whether a DX8 card has any advantage over a DX9 card in DX8...
I have an XP @ 1743 and 512MB RAM. My LCD also is 1280x1024 native res, so maybe this could be possible...
Look at the tweak options and utilize them (eg -heapsize)
Of the two 9600 Pro cards you posted, I would choose first one, the Sapphire with BGA RAM. I'm betting the TSOP RAM will be running quite hot - 600 MHz DDR is really violating the limits of TSOP's capabilities, whereas you will have some OCing room with the BGA. (It looks like actual RAM clock is about 444 MHz on the TSOP one, according to one of the reviews).
Furthermore, if you take a look at the card, that Sapphire is basically identical to the Sapphire 9600XT that ryko posted. If I were you, I'd buy the 9600 Pro and take a stab (slowly though) at bringing the core clock up to 500MHz, effectively getting yourself a 9600XT in the process.
Yeah, I saw that too when i was looking at the user reviews. I also visited the ATI page and under the 9600 Pro I saw no mention of a 256MB version, just the 128MB so i think i will pick the 128MB version. I'll probably order today and be playing in a few days! Thanks for all your input guys!
k ...here's two for $165 I'll keep looking. You need to check the refurbed section daily cause these things go quick.
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-102-268R&DEPA=99
two more for $165.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-127-127R&DEPA=99
edit\ I just re-read the post and noticed the budget ...but I still think you could make the most out of your dollar in the refurbed section!
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-413&depa=0
Ok, my quesion to all of you is, is this a good card for high-end gaming? Again, I want to able to play games like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 at their full settings without much slowdown. My current specs are...
Motherboard: Abit NF7-S
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3200+
RAM: 768MB DDR PC3200
Video Card: Gainward Geforce4 Ti4200 (overclocked to 314/622)
Powersupply: Thermatake 480W
Harddrive: Western Digital 80gig 7200RPM
So, how will the card I was to order handle DOOM3 and Half-Life 2? Thanks in advance, all.
In a word... no.
It's not likely to be much faster than the 9600XT actually (according to the benchmarks I've seen anyhow). It's a Radeon 9800 yes, but it's a castrated 9800. It only has a 128 bit memory interface, which halves the memory bandwidth of a normal 9800, and the performance is going to suck by comparison.
If you can find a 256-bit 9800 Pro somewhere, I'd go with that. If not, the next step would probably be a 256-bit 9800 non-Pro. Followed by a Radeon 9700 Pro... I think the regular 9700 had a 256-bit memory interface as well, in which case that would be the 4th choice, followed by a 9600XT...
HL2 is coded to run well on just about everything from DX7 class cards up. It should actually run just fine on your Ti4200. What going to a DX9 card will get you is more eye candy. The Ti4200 may not be able to handle Doom 3 though (I don't really know for sure)...
is the 9800se128 256 bit the same as the non pro or is it something else? cause I saw some cheaper in the refurbed section but I was hesitant since I didn't know enough about it.
just as a note ...some non-pro cards can be bios flashed to pro versions but there is a risk that it won't be successful or may even damage the card beyond repair.
ok ...if you consider the se a non-pro and would consider a refurbished card then here are two prospects at 256bit in the @123-$126 range.
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-131-248R&DEPA=99
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-131-236R&DEPA=99
My gut reaction is that the SE tag is a title given by powercolor to feature add-ins like bundled stuff just like sapphire has the atlantis with bundles ...thats all I can see from the specs.
one is R98SE-C3G ...it has the game
one is R98SE-C3 ...no game.
both 256 bit according to the newegg comment ...I look a little deeper
Note: I might be able to part with 200 dollars if neccessary. But again, only if I absolutely have to!
EDIT: What do ya'll think of this http://www.edazz.com/atiradsdramp.html card? It has the 256MB DDR memory with the 256MB memory interface.
My only recommendation for that kind of money is the 9800pro128/256bit refurbished for $165. I've had three of these cards (new) and I know what even the worst one is capable of (as far as overclocking goes).
this card:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-102-268R&DEPA=99
and you should be ready to pwn all teh hl2 noobs
But that card only has 128MB... wouldn't a 256MB version be better? And how is this card better than the Powercolor version I mentioned in my first post?
IMO less mem more bits is faster than more mem less bits.
If you think of water flowing through a pipe ...you can send less water through a large diameter pipe way faster than more water through a small pipe.
128mb 256bits will far outperform 256mb 128bits ...it's that simple.
I don't know enough about hl2 to comment on what 256mb 256bits would do but I would imagine you would get a slight performance increase but the main increase would be in the resolution you play at. I would just think that is out of your budget anyway.
128mb 256bits is the best bang for your buck IMHO.