worthy upgrade?

[krazynutz]

I have a Geforce 4600ti 4X AGP card, newly RMA'd from PNY that I'm trying to sell for $140 (after all, it's brand new with a lifetime warranty) and thinking about getting the Radeon 9600 XT card from Asus. Is it a good upgrade choice? Will I see an improvement in performance and not just prettier images in DX9 games?

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>

 

[scottchen]

NOOO, don't get 9600XT, get the 5900 cards, well the good ones are all gone now, see if you could get a 5900 128meg from newegg. Make sure it's not 5900se, make sure frequency's at 400/850. The 5900's 256bit memory bandwidth's going to beat 9600XT easily.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.276G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 252mhz 2.5-3-4-6 -XFX 5900 128meg 450/900 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[krazynutz]

well, I want to keep it under $200 and I've read/heard that the FX cards aren't that great for DX9. Have the new drivers fixed that yet?

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>

 

[scottchen]

Well after reading the latest reviews, the newest driver isn't bad, they couldn't tell any difference. In fact the conclusion was that ATI was better at anti-aliasing, nVidia was better at anistrophic filtering. I got a 5900, and it's working fine in Halo. So I'm not complaining. 5900 could be found under 200US. i got mine for 200 Canadian.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.276G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 252mhz 2.5-3-4-6 -XFX 5900 128meg 450/900 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[krazynutz]

well giddy-up. On pricewatch I can find it for under $200 but I'm not sure about the brands. Which of these brands are trustworthy? EVGA, XFX, BFG, or Albatron? I also found a Chaintech 5700 Ultra. Of those choices, what's my best bet?

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>

 

[krazynutz]

so of all those brands, it doesn't matter who makes it, they'll all perform the same? Same reliablility? I've always liked PNY (lifetime warranties), but I can only get theirs for under $200 with a rebate that ends December 31. I have to sell my card before I can get a new one. Know anybody who'll buy a brand-new 4600ti for $140?

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>

 

[scottchen]

STAY AWAY FROM 5700 cards, they cost too much compare to how much faster 5900's are. Stay away from PNY, that's just my opinion, because their lifetime warrenty isn't lifetime, it's as long as they still manufacture that card. Asus card isn't that great even though they cost a LOT. The XFX I have is decent, Albatron is pretty good, but if you're getting albatron make sure you get the PV version not the EPV version. BFG and Chaintech and Gainward are great, but more expensive than Albatron, XFX, EVGA.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.276G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 252mhz 2.5-3-4-6 -XFX 5900 128meg 450/900 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[krazynutz]

funny, the BFG Asylum is one of the cheaper ones. eVGA seems to be the most. K then, I'll pick up the BFG card then. I think it's $186.

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>

 

[scottchen]

Asus designed their own PCB, but apparently their card has better quality in 2d mode.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.276G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 252mhz 2.5-3-4-6 -XFX 5900 128meg 450/900 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[krazynutz]

thanks guys. that all made everything simple. Hard part is selling my current ti4600.

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>

 

[scottchen]

Yeah, If you went from TI4600 to FX5700/R9600, it almost seems like a downgrade.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.276G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 252mhz 2.5-3-4-6 -XFX 5900 128meg 450/900 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[krazynutz]

lol...good stuff. So is $140 too much to ask for my card? It's brand new. Still have original box, antistatic bag, and reciept to use for RMA purposes.

<font color=blue>Asus P4P800 Deluxe, 2.6C @ 3.25Ghz, Geil Platinum PC4000, Geforce 4600ti, SB Audigy 2, Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120 SATA, Antec TruePower 430.</font color=blue>