which card? GeForce FX 5500 OC (256 mb) or GeForce FX 5700..

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

Upgrading from the gforce 4 MX 420, 64 MB that came with built in with my
circa 2003 Dell.

Pretty sure my AGP slot is only 4x, but am not 100% sure. (Easy way to
tell?)

Now we are ready to beef up the video without spending mucho bucks.

Best buy currently has these two models for teh same $150 price:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1077627694761&skuId=6366577&productCategoryId=cat01151&type=product
OR

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1091099665249&skuId=6731815&productCategoryId=cat01151&type=product


Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk?

CPU used mostly for internet related stuff & games, occaisional movie
watching.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

> Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk?

Both junk. At least, neither is worth $150. The 5500 has slow 64-bit
RAM (well, at least some models do, and the info page for the one you
linked to doesn't say, so I wouldn't buy it). And the 5700 LE is pretty
slow as well; it would be a good budget choice for under $100, but it's
way overpriced at $150.

I used to hate buying stuff online, but I've found that you really can't
get a good deal on a video card otherwise (the same is usually true for
RAM). You can get a 5700 (non LE) for about $120 online (make sure
you're getting a 128-bit memory bus), or a 5900XT for about $170. If
the AGP 6600 ever materializes, it would probably be a good choice as well.

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

"bb2004" <beebeFOUR@frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:LFpjd.2827$AL2.879@news01.roc.ny...

" Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk? "


A much better option is an FX5900XT for between $168 and $193 from Newegg.
Use the filter at http://snipurl.com/3rqo .

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

bb2004:

> Pretty sure my AGP slot is only 4x

4X is fine and won't hurt your performance even if you buy an 8X card.

> Now we are ready to beef up the video without spending mucho bucks.
> Best buy currently has these two models for teh same $150 price:
<snipped links to 5700LE and 5500>

> Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk?
>
> CPU used mostly for internet related stuff & games, occaisional movie
> watching.

It's not Nvidia, but for the money the Radeon 9600XT is waaaay faster
for gaming and it's within your $150 range:

POWERCOLOR ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out,
8X AGP, Model "R96E-TC3" -RETAIL $145 shipped

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-288
&depa=1

If you want to stick with Nvidia, spend an extra $25 and buy the
FX5900XT.
--
Mac Cool

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

ok...speaking of memory. Which would be the "minimum" then> 128-bit? 256?
Higher??



"Lachoneus" <lachoneus@nonexistent.net> wrote in message
news:cmm4bg$sh5$1@news.xmission.com...
>> Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk?
>
> Both junk. At least, neither is worth $150. The 5500 has slow 64-bit RAM
> (well, at least some models do, and the info page for the one you linked
> to doesn't say, so I wouldn't buy it). And the 5700 LE is pretty slow as
> well; it would be a good budget choice for under $100, but it's way
> overpriced at $150.
>
> I used to hate buying stuff online, but I've found that you really can't
> get a good deal on a video card otherwise (the same is usually true for
> RAM). You can get a 5700 (non LE) for about $120 online (make sure you're
> getting a 128-bit memory bus), or a 5900XT for about $170. If the AGP
> 6600 ever materializes, it would probably be a good choice as well.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

would prefer to stick with nvidia, if only because they have been good to me
so far. Nothing against ATI per se, but the nVidia card this machine shipped
with has been very stable and no problems.

"Mac Cool" <Mac@2cool.com> wrote in message
news:Xns959AC06BC9C00MacCool@24.25.9.42...
> bb2004:
>
>> Pretty sure my AGP slot is only 4x
>
> 4X is fine and won't hurt your performance even if you buy an 8X card.
>
>> Now we are ready to beef up the video without spending mucho bucks.
>> Best buy currently has these two models for teh same $150 price:
> <snipped links to 5700LE and 5500>
>
>> Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk?
>>
>> CPU used mostly for internet related stuff & games, occaisional movie
>> watching.
>
> It's not Nvidia, but for the money the Radeon 9600XT is waaaay faster
> for gaming and it's within your $150 range:
>
> POWERCOLOR ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out,
> 8X AGP, Model "R96E-TC3" -RETAIL $145 shipped
>
> http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-288
> &depa=1
>
> If you want to stick with Nvidia, spend an extra $25 and buy the
> FX5900XT.
> --
> Mac Cool

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

bb2004 wrote:
> would prefer to stick with nvidia, if only because they have been good to me
> so far. Nothing against ATI per se, but the nVidia card this machine shipped
> with has been very stable and no problems.
>
> "Mac Cool" <Mac@2cool.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns959AC06BC9C00MacCool@24.25.9.42...
>
>>bb2004:
>>
>>
>>>Pretty sure my AGP slot is only 4x
>>
>>4X is fine and won't hurt your performance even if you buy an 8X card.
>>
>>
>>>Now we are ready to beef up the video without spending mucho bucks.
>>>Best buy currently has these two models for teh same $150 price:
>>
>><snipped links to 5700LE and 5500>
>>
>>>Thoughts on each? Prefer one over the other? Both junk?
>>>
>>>CPU used mostly for internet related stuff & games, occaisional movie
>>>watching.
>>
>>It's not Nvidia, but for the money the Radeon 9600XT is waaaay faster
>>for gaming and it's within your $150 range:
>>
>>POWERCOLOR ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out,
>>8X AGP, Model "R96E-TC3" -RETAIL $145 shipped
>>
>>http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-288
>>&depa=1
>>
>>If you want to stick with Nvidia, spend an extra $25 and buy the
>>FX5900XT.
>>--
>>Mac Cool
>
>
>

Newegg also has 5900XT's (and they are far superior to a 9600 or
5500/5700) for around the same price (150 - 180).

Additionally, I'm in the same sort of upgrade situation, but 6600 AGP
boards should be in by the end of November or about, so you might care
to wait a little longer. So far 6600 PCI-E based cards are around
140-155, and GT's being a little higher. So I'm holding off with my
5600 for now and waiting for the 6600 AGP parts to come in.

 

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

bb2004:

> would prefer to stick with nvidia, if only because they have been
> good to me so far. Nothing against ATI per se, but the nVidia card
> this machine shipped with has been very stable and no problems.

Me too, that's why I spent the extra dollars and bought the 5900XT. Nvidia
doesn't have any good options for gaming under $175.
--
Mac Cool

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)

bb2004:

> ok...speaking of memory. Which would be the "minimum" then> 128-bit?
> 256? Higher??

It won't make any difference if you stick to your original choices. None
of those cards can exploit the bandwidth or all that memory.
--
Mac Cool