ATI or NVIDIA

NorgeNorge Sidney, Ohio
edited June 2003 in Hardware
Well if you visited the old Icrontic video forums before they got hacked you prolly know that I have had problems running 3D games. I've tried Battlefield 1942, GTA3, and Neverwinter Nights. I have an ATI Saphire Radeon 9500 Atlantis 128 MB and the games I try either crash to desktop, restart the computer, or freeze the computer completely. I've tried so many combinations of drivers it isn't funny and nothing works. I even tried my friends Radeon 9500 and the problems were still there. The only thing I can think of to do is try another type of video card. I had an ATI card in my old computer but it didn't work right so I had to take it back for a NVIDIA GeForce. The NVIDIA card worked fine and I've never had a problem with it. In a little bit I am going to test it in this computer. Anyhoo I am thinking about selling my Radeon 9500 on Ebay (nothing wrong with it aside from the fact it doesn't work on my system) and buying a NVIDIA. I guess my question is about NVIDIA cards. What is a good card to go with from NVIDIA. I don't keep track of them as much as I do ATI so I thought I'd ask around first. I'd like to keep the new card within the price range of $150-250. I have an AGP 8x port so I'd like to go with that and I'd prefer a semi quiet one. I've heard that some of the GeForce FX cards are kinda loud. Anyhoo if anyone could give me some suggestions that'd be great.

Norge

Comments

  • EnisadaEnisada Edmonton Member
    edited June 2003
    Hey I was having a problem with my friends vid card a Radeon 9800Pro. It kept crashing too. But later after testing the RAM in his system I found that it was just a faulty stick of RAM. I suggest you try testing your RAM running memtest86. I would test that before you jump into buying a new card.
  • ElbowhiteElbowhite Croatia
    edited June 2003
    Same thing I was going to tell. Check that RAM and test with with the MEm test. IF you are going to buy a new card go for the Gainward Geforce FX because they have a diffrent solution of cooling that others (nvidia orginal)
  • NorgeNorge Sidney, Ohio
    edited June 2003
    I've tried it with one, two, and three sticks of RAM and that didn't help but I've never tested each one alone in the first slot. I'll give that a try before I get a new card. It's worth a shot. Anyhoo ya suggest the Gainward GeForce FX eh? What is the Gainward for? I've never heard of one of those. Is that kinda like an Atlantis Radeon? Made by another company but powered by NVIDIA? Just wondering. Also is the cooling solution on the Gainward pretty quiet? I've read that some of the newer GeForce FX cards are kinda loud. Of course the articles I read were from the first versions of the GeForce FX.

    Oh yeah and what is memtest?

    Norge
  • -Ben-Ben
    edited June 2003
    Yes all of nvidas chips and boards are supplied by other suppliers they dont actually mass produce any of their boards

    i think its only the 5800 that has the dustbuster on it :D
  • EnisadaEnisada Edmonton Member
    edited June 2003
    Memtest86 is a dos based program that tests your memory for you. It lists any errors it gets make from the sticks of ram. Whenever I have problems with memory I run this tool. If it is the memory I usually can tell the reatil place that I got some errors in memtest and they RMA straight away.

    You can find the program here.

    www.memtest86.com/
  • SonorousSonorous F@H Fanatic US Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Maybe windows is the problem. When ever I have hardware issuses, I format and reinstall windows. Sure it is cumbersome and annoying, but it works.

    If you do decide to buy a new card, go for the 9700 pro, or the 9800 pro. I have the 9800 pro, and I love it.
  • EnisadaEnisada Edmonton Member
    edited June 2003
    Yeah that might be an idea as well. I say try that memtest and go from there. I would also have to recommend a 9800Pro. But if you don't get any errors on memtest then if you are in the mood do a re-install. If you still got problems then I'm going to have assume it is a hardward capatibilty problem. Give Nvidia a try. Drop us a line and tell us how everything goes...
  • NorgeNorge Sidney, Ohio
    edited June 2003
    Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will have to give that memtest a try. I do not want to reformat my hard drive. A lot of people tell me that and I never understand why. You lose all of your information and have to start from scratch each time. You may fix one thing but cause another. I trust you that it works but I'd rather not take that approach. Yes, a 9700 or 9800 would be nice but it is not in my price range. As posted above I'd like to keep it close to $150-250. I'd also like to go NVIDIA since I've never had luck with ATI cards.

    Norge
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited June 2003
    I think that nVidia is a great video card
  • MattMatt
    edited June 2003
    ya but every nvidia iv ever owned iv ether killed/fried or sent it back because i dont like it. now i own a hacked 9700pro and a 7500 and i havent killed or sent it back, and im thinking of replacing my geforce2 MX with the ATI 9600pro.
    I use to be a nvidia person but I saw the light and changed.

    iv HAD
    every geforce mx
    geforce4 ti4200
    geforce4 ti4400 i killed my 4400 doing a vmod (i didnt RMA it)
  • EnisadaEnisada Edmonton Member
    edited June 2003
    I've been a ATI fan boy through and through...
  • ElbowhiteElbowhite Croatia
    edited June 2003
    For me Ati 4ever prom my old Rage. But in this case I would suggest the Nvidia.
    Norge - Gainward is a card manufacturer and they produce cards based on the nvidia chips. I can say that Gain is pretty the best one that produces the nvidia based cards. They, not like the other companies, produce there own coolins solutions. So, if you wanna a nvidia card go for Gainward because they have the /best/quiet cooling, they can be o/ced highly and it's my favorite in nvidia.
    Cheers!
  • MattMatt
    edited June 2003
    i feel the same ATI forever
  • dNA3DdNA3D Brunei
    edited June 2003
    Remember those days when everyone was anti-ATi and pro-nVidia??

    Why can't these two top video card companies get their letter casings right?? Were there problems with the Shift key when they submitted their names for public trading??
  • ElbowhiteElbowhite Croatia
    edited June 2003
    Originally posted by dNA3D
    Remember those days when everyone was anti-ATi and pro-nVidia??

    Yeah, I remember those days. When I firstly bought a ATi card everyone looked at my WTf do you need that for beacuse everyone was on Riva TNT and cards like that.

    Why can't these two top video card companies get their letter casings right?? Were there problems with the Shift key when they submitted their names for public trading??

    That's the only thinh that I hate with them. I don't know what's the big deal with these names. ati, Ati, ATi... same thing, if they called anyhow it would upgrade their card anyway.
  • KeelhaulKeelhaul Göttingen, Germany
    edited June 2003
    Originally posted by Enisada
    I've been a ATI fan boy through and through...

    Means you've already been their fanboy during their shitty OEM supplier days?
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