GeForceFX 5900 non-ultra & Radeon 9800 non-pro & SE questions
A while ago I was replaced my GeForce Ti4200 128mb (overclocked of course) (which cost like $140 back then I think) with a eVGA GeForceFX 5900 128mb non-pro (which cost $250 at the time). $250 was a really good price then as sellers were selling ultra and 256mb versions for llike $350+. I was like hey: according to benchmarks at tomshardware.com Doom III didn't run like a single frame faster with 256mb memory, plus I can just overclock my non-ultra to run as fast as the ultra version. I was actually quite happy with my old Ti4200 but my brother was the one who had originally bought it and he needed it for his comp because it had VIVO.
Okay I don't know why I've told you that. You've just wasted a minute of your life by reading it. Now to the actual issue.
My friend is upgrading his computer. He is using a GeForce4 MX 440, which is basically a DirectX 7 antique. When we play HALO PC on LAN (directX 9 game) it runs fairly fast but looks pretty bad (no shadows\specular stuff, really bland textures\lighting). MXs also can't even run Deus Ex: Invisible War which requires a card with shaders. It is worse than the graphics card in an XBox (which have like DirectX 8 based off of the GeForce 3), so he is finally going to buy a new one.
I buy lots of comp stuff online (I assembled his original computer) so I consult pricewatch.com. I see Radeon 9800 128mb for $149! GeForceFX 5900 128mb is $169. My friend said he wanted to just get the GeForceFX 5900 128mb non-ultra because that's what I have. I tell him I don't like their newer drivers though, which screwed up some games. (WTF^^ with "ForceWare"?)
However.. I look again at Radeons and they're really "SE" versions, and the cheapest Radeon 9800 128mb non-pro on the net appears to be $245.
Radeon 9800 SE: Special Education - ie. slow and retarded
(at least I think from what I've heard?)
so I'm telling him to get the GeForceFX 5900 128mb non-pro, because its only $169 and I have one myself that works (and overclocks) great. Drivers aren't too big of an issue cus you can always run Detonators instead of new Forceware. (note: I've heard the 5700 and 5950 only works with ForceWare and cant accept Detonators, which is bad news because those ppl will have to wait for fixes)
Now my next question is what brand is the best? The cards selling for $170 are all BFG Asylums. Also, wtf is eVGA 5900 128mb "SE"? Is it bad or good? They are selling for $180. I have an eVGA 5900 but its not called SE. My guess is 5900 SE to 5900 is analogous to 9800 SE to 9800.
BTW, does anyone else think the number of different cards available but just two competitors is completely INSANE! Has anyone noticed that there are EIGHT (8!!!) possible variations of a Radeon 9600 you can get? The whole idea of "value" cards is also completely ridiculous. If you can't afford the latest card, buy an older model, not a newer ****tier one. (okay thats my rant)
Anyone want to enlighten me with technical advice feel free
Okay I don't know why I've told you that. You've just wasted a minute of your life by reading it. Now to the actual issue.
My friend is upgrading his computer. He is using a GeForce4 MX 440, which is basically a DirectX 7 antique. When we play HALO PC on LAN (directX 9 game) it runs fairly fast but looks pretty bad (no shadows\specular stuff, really bland textures\lighting). MXs also can't even run Deus Ex: Invisible War which requires a card with shaders. It is worse than the graphics card in an XBox (which have like DirectX 8 based off of the GeForce 3), so he is finally going to buy a new one.
I buy lots of comp stuff online (I assembled his original computer) so I consult pricewatch.com. I see Radeon 9800 128mb for $149! GeForceFX 5900 128mb is $169. My friend said he wanted to just get the GeForceFX 5900 128mb non-ultra because that's what I have. I tell him I don't like their newer drivers though, which screwed up some games. (WTF^^ with "ForceWare"?)
However.. I look again at Radeons and they're really "SE" versions, and the cheapest Radeon 9800 128mb non-pro on the net appears to be $245.
Radeon 9800 SE: Special Education - ie. slow and retarded
(at least I think from what I've heard?)
so I'm telling him to get the GeForceFX 5900 128mb non-pro, because its only $169 and I have one myself that works (and overclocks) great. Drivers aren't too big of an issue cus you can always run Detonators instead of new Forceware. (note: I've heard the 5700 and 5950 only works with ForceWare and cant accept Detonators, which is bad news because those ppl will have to wait for fixes)
Now my next question is what brand is the best? The cards selling for $170 are all BFG Asylums. Also, wtf is eVGA 5900 128mb "SE"? Is it bad or good? They are selling for $180. I have an eVGA 5900 but its not called SE. My guess is 5900 SE to 5900 is analogous to 9800 SE to 9800.
BTW, does anyone else think the number of different cards available but just two competitors is completely INSANE! Has anyone noticed that there are EIGHT (8!!!) possible variations of a Radeon 9600 you can get? The whole idea of "value" cards is also completely ridiculous. If you can't afford the latest card, buy an older model, not a newer ****tier one. (okay thats my rant)
Anyone want to enlighten me with technical advice feel free
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