WTB new graphics card...help

[Windwalka1]

well i want one that will run daoc smoothly... 2 accnts + fraps

preferrably not too expensive:england:

and err yah! thankies!

 

[Chronictank]

how expensive is not too expensive
you dont actually need a particularly powrful gfx card to run 2x daoc just shed loads of ram because you can just /clientsleep minimised the 2nd account

 

[Boni]

how expensive is not too expensive
you dont actually need a particularly powrful gfx card to run 2x daoc just shed loads of ram because you can just /clientsleep minimised the 2nd account

Indeed, I used to run 2 accounts with a GF4 with no problems at all, could sprint+stick. 2 TOA clients, in the same resolution and the desktop also set to that resolution helps the application switch go very fast.

Other than that its just a case of finding the card that you think offers the best value for cash, if your on a tight budget then ATI cards tend to offer better specs for the cash, but I personaly prefer nVidia as the drivers and manufacturing process is a bit better, though im sure many will disagree

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/graphics/charts.html

Is a good benchmarking sight, just pick whatever you can afford, any of the cards tested there can run 2xdaoc and other stuff, as Mr Chronictank rightly says its more a matter of RAM, 1GB is enough a little more would be ideal.

 

[Windwalka1]

im willing to spend, im just sayin i dont want one that is way above the standard price, i have enuff to afford a real top end one, but well i want to be able to spend it on beer and hookers too so please leave me some spare...lol

GeForce 7100 GS any good? well looking at it, probably happy to go bout £150 (if thats reasonable?)...you getting the feeling i have no clue here? good

 

[Windwalka1]

GeForce 7900 GS 256MB DDR3 PCI-E DVI

£129 + postage

any good?

or are there better for cheaper... just looking for a variety of opinions

 

[Boni]

I Opted for a 7900GT (not GS), and am very happy with it, for a balance of price/performance/bias toward nvidia it works for me. Check out novatech.com for decent prices.

 

[Gibs]

You need ram more than a gfx card if you wanna run 2 accts and fraps smooth.
Get 2 gig in there and youll see a massive improvement, i went for 3 gig and i reckon i could run 4 daoc clients nps if it would let me.
And im only on a geforce 6800.

 

[Windwalka1]

GT is one up or one down from GS?

i have 3.5gig ram and 2 HD's but my gfx card is so rediculously old i figured it was time to buy a new one...i dont even know what its called..i just know its rubbish and well with the rest of my comp being..."very good" apparently, getting such crap graphics and still a weird frame rate sumtimes was....QQable

and well ive looked and the geforce 6800...more expensive than the geforce 7900gs ...whats goin on there?

 

[Darzil]

I think sometimes you'll see 6800's as more expensive cos the site's haven't updated their prices. Also, there are some Gainward 6800's out there with passive cooling, no fan to make a noise, so command a premium.

GT is one up from GS, I believe.

Darzil

 

[Windwalka1]

ty, ill be lookin around, and will revive this post when i know more

although i could be getting given an ati 8900...again this means nothing but the number sounds nice.

tis goood?

 

[Boni]

GT is one up or one down from GS?

and well ive looked and the geforce 6800...more expensive than the geforce 7900gs ...whats goin on there?

Im not 100% sure to be honest. Benchmarking tests seem to vary greatly, I saw many reports of the GT being faster than GS and also a few people who had the odd problem with GS, so I opted for GT. Its possibly todo with their new manufacturing process, maybe its cheaper to make the new cards than the old ones.. Certainly it looks like the prices of 7900s have dropped 20quid or more in the last few weeks.

 

[Windwalka1]

anyone know if the 8900 is good enuff? i think thats what its called anyway.. tis red and well thats all i can find out atm cos thats all i been told

 

[Flimgoblin]

Given you've got an old graphics card what slot have you got on the motherboard?

Most of the new cards tend to be PCI-express, you can get some fairly powerful ones on AGP but it's getting phased out..

can get an nvidia 7600 GS for 105+p&p if you're stuck on AGP.

I'm pretty sure PCI-express cards are cheaper for the same amount of power but you might have the price of replacing your motherboard...

 

[Windwalka1]

im gettin a new motherboard too, that currently has an ati 8900 card in..but well im not sure if im being given the card too

 

[St.Anger]

Ati's brand new x1950xtx is pretty cheap for a high end card (around €400) and makes sure you won't need to upgrade very soon. DirectX 10 games wont be around for quite some time, so. If you got the cash, this might be what you want.

 

[Saggy]

7900GTO is easily the best bang for the buck (costs ~250€, exactly the same card as GTX but underclocked -> can be clocked to match GTX -> can be overclocked just as well as GTX).

 

[Ingafgrinn Macabre]

7900GTO is easily the best bang for the buck (costs ~250€, exactly the same card as GTX but underclocked -> can be clocked to match GTX -> can be overclocked just as well as GTX).

you gotta be kiddin' me...

 

[Saggy]

you gotta be kiddin' me...

<- Click the Mr Cool

 

[Ingafgrinn Macabre]

<- Click the Mr Cool

What I ment was that I wouldn't qualify any card of 250 or over as "best bang for buck", infact, the cards I buy are usually not over €150 and still this 2yo card I got in here (which was a previous series model even then) still runs about everything I throw at it...
(got a GeForce FX 5700 /TD)

 

[Saggy]

What I ment was that I wouldn't qualify any card of 250 or over as "best bang for buck", infact, the cards I buy are usually not over €150 and still this 2yo card I got in here (which was a previous series model even then) still runs about everything I throw at it...
(got a GeForce FX 5700 /TD)

Once you put price limits you turn the "best bang for buck" into the "best item for me" - the best bang for buck with gfx-cards is where the quality+speed meets the price, not where quality+speed meets your wallet and your preference. Of course you can have several areas for like "best bang for buck @ <100€, <200€ etc" but I was speaking in general.

What would you consider the best bang for buck gfx-card btw? Your current card would be totally useless for me and my current one is barely enough (7950GT).

 

[Yeke]

Been looking at cards of late, thinking of ordering a x1900 256mb for £170 dont think you can beat that for value and performance tbh.
x1800 series cards are going for some nice prices also and are good cards.

As for nvida cards I havn't a clue

 

[Saggy]

Been looking at cards of late, thinking of ordering a x1900 256mb for £170 dont think you can beat that for value and performance tbh.
x1800 series cards are going for some nice prices also and are good cards.

As for nvida cards I havn't a clue

250€ equals for £170 and 7900GTO costs about that (7900GTO being faster than x1900xt 256mb).

 

[Whisperess]

The 7950 GX2 works quite well.

 

[Yeke]

250€ equals for £170 and 7900GTO costs about that (7900GTO being faster than x1900xt 256mb).

As I said havn't a clue on nvida cards last one I owned was a 64mb gf2 iirc.

The whole gfx card thing confuses me nowadays hence why I use ati cards I guess as they seem too be easier too understand what your getting (for me at least)

Also €'s suck for the same reason

 

[Joor]

x1900xt 256 mb..IS faster than 7900 GTO stock. And its cheaper..also dont forget ATI have better quality at high resolution with AAx6 16AF.

 

[Boni]

x1900xt 256 mb..IS faster than 7900 GTO stock. And its cheaper..also dont forget ATI have better quality at high resolution with AAx6 16AF.

Though I dont doubt that the x1900xt is a great card, each has its advantages in different situations. If you where to look at other benchmarks around for newer games or ones that have more load or increased the resolution or didnt blur everything as much you might find the opposite is as true. Not saying either is better, just that each has its advantages, neither is clearly the best in all circumstances.

as an example, heres a 256mb 7900 beating a 512mb 1900 in Oblivion,

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/graphics/charts.html?modelx=33&model1=548&model2=520&chart=210

to me this is somethign that actually matters, my old 1 gig Athlon and GF4 could play half life Now if you overclocked the GF then you can see where Saggy is comming from.

 

[Joor]

The 1900xt is cheaper and its not a problem to overclock it either
Here is high resolution in OB

 

[Ormorof]

so where would the best place to get these cards be? (looking to replace my aging radion 9800 pro 128mb )

 

[Boni]

The 1900xt is cheaper and its not a problem to overclock it either
Here is high resolution in OB

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/graphics/charts.html?modelx=33&model1=548&model2=520&chart=211

funnily enough, it appears toms hardware give a completely different story for their oblivion benchmark, with again the 256 7900 beating the 512 1900xt (here ive listed their benchmark which rougly corrisponds to the same settings you posted). I personaly trust toms hardware being pretty much the definitve benchmarking sight around atm.

The point about overclocking is that a LOT of overclocking is possible with the GT, so if you compare these benchmarks and consider overclocking you should adjust the GT upwards slightly as it can be clocked higher.

 

[Boni]

so where would the best place to get these cards be? (looking to replace my aging radion 9800 pro 128mb )

I buy all my stuff from novatech.co.uk , they havent let me down on delivery or sold me any faulty stuff yet, prices are hard to beat...