Need Video Card Advice

[Amused]

I'm running a P4 2.0 GHz machine right now, and a GF3 Ti500 video card.

I don't want to upgrade the whole machine just yet, but I'm looking for more video card performance. What I'm scared of though is overkill.

At what point will a video card be overkill for this machine? Would a 9800 pro 128 mb card be overkill?

How about this one: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=14-102-304

How about a FX card?

[edit]Well, I guess my question is, at what point in the current line up of video cards does it become processor limited?

Example: The Omaha Beach level of MOH-AA. At 1152x864, all highest settings it gets a little choppy. Is that a video card limitation, or processor?

I know flight sim is very processor limited. How will 2004 run on my machine with a 9800pro? [/edit]

I used to be up on all this stuff, but I've fell behind in the last couple years.

 

[aZnGinji]

Depend how much u want to spend. The 9800 pro scream like hell ....but still expensive with around 300$ and up. I would recommend the 9800 pro better the FX5900.

 

[Sunny129]

yeah what's your price limit? also what kind of games do you play? or for what exactly, if not games, do you need video card performance for?

i'd say the 9800pro is overkill if you don't do much gaming at all. if you want a budget performance card, go w/ the 9600pro. if you're looking for something in between, maybe a 9700pro, or even a 9700np is significantly faster than a 9600pro. but whatever you do, go with ATI, as their cards take much less of a hit in framerates when anti-aliasing and anisotorpic filtering are enabled.

 

[Amused]

I game like crazy and would love to play HL2 when it comes out, even if I have to lower some of the settings.

My favorite games are simulators and FPS'.

I would guess $300-400 would be my absolute limit. If something would get the job done in the 200-300 range, I'd go for that.

What about this deal?

http://www.buyxtremegear.com/ati9800128o.html

 

[Robor]

My advice would be get a Sapphire 9800 (non-pro) and overclock it to pro speeds (or beyond). You'll save about $100 that way. I've got one myself and after some early problems it's one amazing card. I got mine from NewEgg but a quick searched turned up nothing. Maybe they are out of stock at the moment.

 

[Amused]

Well, I guess my question is, at what point in the current line up of video cards does it become processor limited?

Example: The Omaha Beach level of MOH-AA. At 1152x864, all highest settings it gets a little choppy. Is that a video card limitation, or processor?

I know flight sim is very processor limited. How will 2004 run on my machine with a 9800pro?

 

[Jeff7181]

You just can't beat the 9800 non-pro for $250. If that's in your price range, BUY IT. Out of the box it performs almost exactly the same as a 9700 Pro. If that's not fast enough for you, you can flash it with the 9800 Pro BIOS and turn it into a 9800 Pro.

"If the 9800 non-pro performs on par with the 9700 Pro, why not just get the 9700 Pro?"

Because the 9800 series has a few more DX9 features that the 9700 series does not. Not to mention that the 9700 Pro costs more than the 9800 non-pro (last time I checked).

 

[Amused]

What about that OEM deal for a 9800 pro 128 MB for $290?

http://www.buyxtremegear.com/ati9800128o.html

 

[Sunny129]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
You just can't beat the 9800 non-pro for $250. If that's in your price range, BUY IT. Out of the box it performs almost exactly the same as a 9700 Pro. If that's not fast enough for you, you can flash it with the 9800 Pro BIOS and turn it into a 9800 Pro.

"If the 9800 non-pro performs on par with the 9700 Pro, why not just get the 9700 Pro?"

Because the 9800 series has a few more DX9 features that the 9700 series does not. Not to mention that the 9700 Pro costs more than the 9800 non-pro (last time I checked).

i would also go w/ the 9800 non pro. i'm not sure about the sapphire one though...i hear that people are having better luck getting the faster 2.8ns RAM on ATI built cards. as far as that deal goes, keep looking. you can get a 9800np for cheaper than that.

BTW i also play FS2004 (love to fly...or at least pretend) and UT which depend on a significant amount of CPU power. but believe me, making the jump from a GF3 Ti500, or even my GF4 Ti4200, to a 9700pro or a 9800np will be worlds apart. i don't have $400 to drop on a vid card, but $250 certainly sounds reasonable to me for a 9800np. and if we're lucky, the price will come down a bit in the next month or so as ATI releases their 9800FX or whatever it is.