Videocard questions.

[Dysprosium]

I've been saving up for a new videocard [Of which, I'm figuring I should get one with Pixel Shading 2.0. It's now or never. ] and I've got a few questions.

- I've been told if I trade in my Geforce MX 440, I can save $50 on the videocard I'm looking at buying. [Geforce FX 5700] Is it a good deal considering the new card is $160? Or should I trade in the MX 440 and buy an extra 256mb of RAM for $60?

- If I went out and paid the full $160 for the FX 5700, could I get it installed as a primary videocard and still keep the MX 440 for more RAM and more power? Can it work that way? :\

- Is the FX 5700 a good pick for it's price? I'm aiming to get a fairly good one, since I won't be updating for a while.

Thanks. [Yes, I'm in Canada. ]

Edit: Think a Geforce 6200 w/ 256mb RAM is good for $170? :|

 

[revl8er]

Here are some links to videocards that I found, hope they help.

Geforce 6600 128mb for $120
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-170-070&DEPA=1

Geforce 6600gt 128mb for $182
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-125-156&DEPA=1

Geforce fx5700LE 256mb for $97
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-145-078&DEPA=1

Geforce 6800 128mb for $270
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-150-068&DEPA=1

Radeon 9800 256mb for $177
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-131-412&DEPA=1

 

[Jakob]

If I went out and paid the full $160 for the FX 5700, could I get it installed as a primary videocard and still keep the MX 440 for more RAM and more power? Can it work that way? :\

No. If one of them is a PCI part then you could use them at the same time for different monitors, but that's about it.
Also, with PCI Express(often mistakenly referred to as PCI-X) or PCI-E for short, people will be able to once again have a viable SLI setup(multiple video cards acting as one), some of the more exotic solutions would even allow 2 different cards to do this.. of course I am teasing you by saying this

 

[sheik124]

Here are some links to videocards that I found, hope they help.

Geforce 6600 128mb for $120
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-170-070&DEPA=1

Geforce 6600gt 128mb for $182
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-125-156&DEPA=1

Geforce fx5700LE 256mb for $97
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-145-078&DEPA=1

Geforce 6800 128mb for $270
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-150-068&DEPA=1

Radeon 9800 256mb for $177
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-131-412&DEPA=1

not trying to insult anyone here or anything, but I really hate it when people clearly ask about an AGP video card and get (in this case 2) card recommendations that WILL NOT work in said user's PC. thats a rather steep price for an FX 5700, I am assuming this is CDN? Depending on what games you are interested in playing, a 5700 might just cut it, if you are a bit more of a gamer, then try something with a bit more punch, like those last two links Gohan posted.

EDIT: and a 6200 won't work in your PC, its a PCI-E card, so you'd have to upgrade your motherboard

 

[Clements]

The upgrade sounds good to me, but I'd also look into ATi cards since you live in Canada (where ATi is based) you may get a better deal.

 

[Dysprosium]

not trying to insult anyone here or anything, but I really hate it when people clearly ask about an AGP video card and get (in this case 2) card recommendations that WILL NOT work in said user's PC. thats a rather steep price for an FX 5700, I am assuming this is CDN? Depending on what games you are interested in playing, a 5700 might just cut it, if you are a bit more of a gamer, then try something with a bit more punch, like those last two links Gohan posted.

EDIT: and a 6200 won't work in your PC, its a PCI-E card, so you'd have to upgrade your motherboard

I'm assuming my motherboard is the "P4-Titan" which is on the box I got with the upgrade I got last year. [Since my PC couldn't handle half the stuff, it didn't turn out too nice. :|] I'm assuming it isn't a PCI-E card anyway, so meh.

The upgrade sounds good to me, but I'd also look into ATi cards since you live in Canada (where ATi is based) you may get a better deal.

Eh? Could you recommend a good ATi card with PS 2.0? I've read in the Dolphin forum that 9200 doesn't have it, but would 9500? I don't exactly want to spring for $250 Canadian. [I'm assuming Newegg has the prices in US?]

If not, I'll go with a FX 5700. I suppose $110 isn't that bad, but I'd have to get the full price of the videocard anyway, I planned on getting an extra 256mb of RAM as well. :\

Thanks.

Edit: Yeah, I went to Nvidia's site last night and I looked into the 6000 series' specs, pretty nice. But I imagine the price would be hell here. $160 for a FX 5700, probably means over 200 for a normal 6600. >< I'll check into it tomorrow, the store is closed now.

 

[sheik124]

Yeah, newegg.com prices are in USD. For an ATI card, probably a Radeon 9500 Pro, it was fast as hell for its time, still is. Doesn't seem like you're that much of a gamer, in that case, the 5700 will be just fine, but if you like playing at max res with all the goodies (AA AF) up, then spring for something like a Radeon 9800 Pro or a GeForce 6600GT AGP

 

[Dysprosium]

Yeah, newegg.com prices are in USD. For an ATI card, probably a Radeon 9500 Pro, it was fast as hell for its time, still is. Doesn't seem like you're that much of a gamer, in that case, the 5700 will be just fine, but if you like playing at max res with all the goodies (AA AF) up, then spring for something like a Radeon 9800 Pro or a GeForce 6600GT AGP

Meh, I don't mind the resolution much. I find I can't see anything nearly as good, the bigger the health icons and whatnot on the screen; the better.

But would a normal 6600 do or a 9800? I can imagine the prices on the GT and Pro would be a nice bit higher. Although.. the 9500 has the power of what I need? I might spring for the 6600GT yet though, depends on the price really. I want a card that's good for this time, and not any in the past; something I won't have to upgrade for a couple years.

Edit: Argh! I keep forgetting about that compatibility issue for my motherboard. Guess I'll go with the most powerful which my motherboard can handle. Oh, yes I am a nice bit of a gamer.

 

[sheik124]

Meh, I don't mind the resolution much. I find I can't see anything nearly as good, the bigger the health icons and whatnot on the screen; the better.

But would a normal 6600 do or a 9800? I can imagine the prices on the GT and Pro would be a nice bit higher. Although.. the 9500 has the power of what I need? I might spring for the 6600GT yet though, depends on the price really. I want a card that's good for this time, and not any in the past; something I won't have to upgrade for a couple years.

Edit: Argh! I keep forgetting about that compatibility issue for my motherboard. Guess I'll go with the most powerful which my motherboard can handle. Oh, yes I am a nice bit of a gamer.

Its not a matter of the most powerful thing your motherboard can handle (6800 Ultras come in AGP and PCI-E, but its just a matter of getting the right card, for example, the 6600GT comes in PCI-E, and was recently released in AGP [what you need] but the AGP cards cost more)
A 9800 or a 6600GT AGP would be good I guess

 

[Dysprosium]

So, I just called the store. Seems the best they have at the moment is a Geforce FX 5700, he said the ATi Radeon's have been sold out for Christmas since a while ago. But meh, 5700 will do me. Might upgrade some time next year or early the year after if I have to.

Geforce FX 5700 /w 128mb RAM - $90 [I'm getting the 256mb RAM one, seems worth it. One of my primary reasons for a new videocard is RAM.]
Geforce FX 5700 /w 256mb RAM - $160 [I can knock off $50 by trading in my MX 440]
Extra 256mb RAM - $60

I'm looking at $170 anyway, seeing as how I'll save $50 off of the RAM, or whichever. I save $50 either way. I think I might go with this, after a couple months of saving.

 

[Eagle]

Must be nice to be able to pay $90 for a video card and then buy another one in a month or two.

 

[sheik124]

So, I just called the store. Seems the best they have at the moment is a Geforce FX 5700, he said the ATi Radeon's have been sold out for Christmas since a while ago. But meh, 5700 will do me. Might upgrade some time next year or early the year after if I have to.

Geforce FX 5700 /w 128mb RAM - $90 [I'm getting the 256mb RAM one, seems worth it. One of my primary reasons for a new videocard is RAM.]
Geforce FX 5700 /w 256mb RAM - $160 [I can knock off $50 by trading in my MX 440]
Extra 256mb RAM - $60

I'm looking at $170 anyway, seeing as how I'll save $50 off of the RAM, or whichever. I save $50 either way. I think I might go with this, after a couple months of saving.

A plain GeForce FX 5700 (like, not ultra) will begin to choke on the GPU end before it can use all that RAM, save the 70 CDN and get the 128 MB version, and buy yourself a stick of RAM for your PC or something

 

[-Shadow-]

Here are some links to videocards that I found, hope they help.

Geforce 6600 128mb for $120
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-170-070&DEPA=1

Geforce 6600gt 128mb for $182
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-125-156&DEPA=1

Geforce fx5700LE 256mb for $97
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-145-078&DEPA=1

Geforce 6800 128mb for $270
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-150-068&DEPA=1

Radeon 9800 256mb for $177
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-131-412&DEPA=1

I wouldn't even include the 9800 as a possible buy if you can get a 6600Gt for just around 15 more Dollars.

 

[sheik124]

I wouldn't even include the 9800 as a possible buy if you can get a 6600Gt for just around 15 more Dollars.

Yet another perfect example of someone who only bothered to read two posts, and went on to CLEARLY recommend a PCI-E card over an AGP card, when its been made clear a couple of times that this guy needs an AGP card.
[/rant]

 

[Dysprosium]

Meh, I've got a good idea now. $170 will get me the videocard [Screw the 256mb version, waste of cash. I'll go 128mb.] and 2x 256mb RAM. So, I'll be getting more RAM out of this deal anyway, more for the same price.

Thanks guys.

 

[-Shadow-]

Yet another perfect example of someone who only bothered to read two posts, and went on to CLEARLY recommend a PCI-E card over an AGP card, when its been made clear a couple of times that this guy needs an AGP card.
[/rant]

But there are AGP 6600GT cards out! They aren't availible, yet. But they will Here's a link to a German shop, availibility is still red... It's a brand-new card, so i can understand you didn't know the existence of the AGP 6600Gt.

Linkeh