New GFX Card

[wyrd_fish]

I'm looking for a new GFX card

i want either a 9800SE or a 9600XT in around the £100-£150 price range

any surjestions/hints welcome

 

[TheJkWhoSaysNi]

Do not get any SE cards, they are the dumbed down version of the cards.

 

[Yaka]

but cant they be flashed ot 9800 pro or somat?

 

[wyrd_fish]

this i am aware of, thats why the 9800SE isn't £300

but cant they be flashed ot 9800 pro or somat?

yes... if your luck a 9800SE can become a 9800pro, with some tinkering

 

[Ch3tan]

From what I read you have more chance of getting a standard 9800 flashed to a pro than a 9800 SE.

 

[ManDevil]

But if you do go for an SE, get the Hercules one as that seems to be the one with the highest chance of the softmod working.

Mine did

 

[Jonty]

Hi wyrd_fish

I'm currently running a 9600XT and I'm very impressed with it indeed (save, perharps, for the drivers). I believe the retail 128Mb model (with a HL2 voucher) comes in around ~£110-120, and the 256Mb model for around ~£130-140.

Alternatively, the nVidia GeForce FX 5700 Ultra and 5900 FX/SE usually outperform the XT in all tests, save the odd DX9 benchmark where they are more equal. You may also be interested in the PixelView 5900 non-Ultra, which MicroDirect are currently selling for the very low price of £125 (usually £160-200+ for a 5900 non-Ultra).

Kind Regards

 

[wyrd_fish]

hummm... interesting, although i don't want an nVidia, had one before want to try an ATI now...

prolly go for the 9600XT

 

[Yaka]

one other thing, why the heck are there no ati cards with dual dvi outputs?

got a rad 9500pro atm, but am pondering if i should go for a dual dvi geforce card as i need one.

 

[TheJkWhoSaysNi]

You can probably get a converter cable to convert a analog output to a DVI one. My 9800 came with a coverter to convert DVI to analog so I can use 2 CRT monitors.

 

[Jonty]

Hi wyrd_fish

Personally I wouldn't just go with ATI just for the sake of doing so. I've recently had the pleasure of running the 9600XT and it is undoubtedly a great card, and the Half-Life 2 bundle is rather lucrative. That said, the 5900 non-Ultra would outperform the 9600XT hands down, even the 5700 Ultra has the edge in most benchmarks. Add to that nVidia's driver stability and the price and you have a pretty attractive package.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever card you purchase.

As for dual-DVI outputs, Yaka, I don't really know why more manufacturers don't include them. Perhaps it is just down to the cost of producing a board which varies from the reference design, and the cost of including an adapter for those without DVI capabilities. I can check for you, but I believe Gainward produce some cards with dual-DVI.

Kind Regards

 

[Yaka]

ta mate, only need dual dvi cards is that i got 2 sgi 1600sw screens, both using pci based signal converters that convert signals from OpenLDI to dvi, not sure if it would work with a dvi to vga port converter.

atm im on a 9500pro im very happy with it and dont really wana part with my cash for what would be a non peromance upgrade, few fps ratings in some games dont turn me head no more, but i defo want 2 monitors running side by side. so i guess i may have to "upgrade" :/

 

[-=[U.D]=- Raverbaby]

Feel free to call me stupid cos im new to a lot of this but what is the point in running two monitors? what do you gain in doing so?

 

[Yaka]

Feel free to call me stupid cos im new to a lot of this but what is the point in running two monitors? what do you gain in doing so?

i used to think like that, and i know some peeps prefer one screen but i had 2 screen up until recently sg1600sw+ a hitachi 174 which belong to my brother but i ended up keeping for a few months while he sold of his pc and got a new one. didnt realise how much i enjoyed having 2 screens until he took his hitachi screen back.

i watch a lot films and like to chat to peeps on irc and or browse while i watch some times.

 

[Custodian]

Feel free to call me stupid cos im new to a lot of this but what is the point in running two monitors? what do you gain in doing so?

Two monitors can be a great boon. I have used them for work, when coding or documenting, and it is so much easier to have 2 things up in full screen, one on each monitor, instead of tabbing between them on a single monitor. If you ever run more than one application at once, even IRC and a forum browser, imagine how much easier it is if each one has it's own monitor to run full screen on.

I have never used 2 at home, space and cost never justified for the benefit, but if I ever did more than just surf chat and play I would consider it.
(I have a laptop for work that sits next to this PC when I use it, so keep them seperate that way).

 

[MrBlack]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/ and http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?...p=&t=278&l=2&AvdID=1&CatID=24&GrpID=1&cks=PRL

are worth a look. (novatech won't let me paste a direct link.)

Both sell FX5900 (Non-Ultras) for £170ish.

Given their comparitive standing in the recent Pabst chart-a-thon (http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/20031229/vga-charts-09.html - Halo bechmarks since only DX9 ones are worth considering at the moment.) then they seem like a solid bargain.

You could, of course, wait until the new card tech arrives from both nVidia and ATi in March, at which point all of the prices of the older stuff will nose dive (a bit).