Video Card for WH 40k:Dawn of War

[Doogle_McJohnson]

I need a new card so that i can play Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War i cureently have a ATI Radeon 7000 and would like to get one for as cheap as possible basically. But my main question is how does one tell if a graphics card has "Hardware Transform and Lighting"?

 

[ShortyNumber45]

usually you can instantly know it, the specs of a video card is usually written on the box. the cheapest you can get w/ T&L support would be the geforce FX 5200 or Radeon 9200.

 

[GeneticWeapon]

We need to know if you have an AGP slot or not.

 

[Doogle_McJohnson]

thanks both of you I am looking at a Radeon 9550 and just wanted to make sure and sorry about the format Fopa

 

[lakedude]

usually you can instantly know it, the specs of a video card is usually written on the box. the cheapest you can get w/ T&L support would be the geforce FX 5200 or Radeon 9200.

This is not true. HW T&L was in the Ti 4200 and perhaps even earlier cards. I remember this because the Ti 4200 was the first card I owned that could complete all the sceens in 3dMark (2001). The Nature test required hardware transform and lighting.

Of course I'm not suggesting a Ti 4200 for this application.

 

[lakedude]

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NVIDIA_Corporation

The GeForce Era

Not content to sit back, the fall of 1999 saw the release of the GeForce 256 (NV10), most notably bringing on-board transformation and lighting. The GF256 ran at 120 MHz and was also implemented with advanced video acceleration, motion compensation, hardware sub picture alpha-blending, and had four-pixel pipelines. When combined with DDR memory support, NVIDIA's technology was the hands down performance leader.

Hardware T&L is hardly anything new. I'm guessing you can not purchase a new card today that does not have hardware T&L.

 

[GeneticWeapon]

The original GeForce was the first card to support T&L.

 

[ShortyNumber45]

This is not true. HW T&L was in the Ti 4200 and perhaps even earlier cards. I remember this because the Ti 4200 was the first card I owned that could complete all the sceens in 3dMark (2001). The Nature test required hardware transform and lighting.

I know that. All geforce starting from 2Ti(or even from GTS) and above has T&L support except for those which has an MX extension.

 

[lakedude]

This is not true. HW T&L was in the Ti 4200 and perhaps even earlier cards. I remember this because the Ti 4200 was the first card I owned that could complete all the sceens in 3dMark (2001). The Nature test required hardware transform and lighting.

I know that. All geforce starting from 2Ti(or even from GTS) and above has T&L support except for those which has an MX extension.Sorry, it did not seem as if you knew that from your post:

usually you can instantly know it, the specs of a video card is usually written on the box. the cheapest you can get w/ T&L support would be the geforce FX 5200 or Radeon 9200.

BTW do we know if the OP has AGP or PCI-e yet? I'm guessing AGP.

 

[lakedude]

please specify budget

 

[ShortyNumber45]

I'm just preferring him what's available today, do you think you could still find those Ti's until now? I believe they've been phased out about 2 year ago.

 

[lakedude]

My point is hardware T&L is irrelevent. Did some research for you, from the game website:

Minimum System Requirements:
Windows® 98/2000/XP/ME • DirectX 9.0b (included on disc),

1.4 GHz Intel Pentium III or AMD Athlon XP processor • 256 MB RAM • 2 GB free hard drive space • 4x CD-ROM drive

• DirectX 9.0b compatible AGP video card with Hardware Transform and Lighting and 32MB of Video RAM.

DirectX 9.0b compatible 16-bit sound card • Keyboard • Mouse.

Recommended Spec:
2.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent,

512 MB System RAM (required for 8-player multiplayer games).

nVidia GeForce 3 or ATI Radeon 8500 or equivalent with 64 MB of Video RAM.

This information is misleading because the GeForce 3 and Radeon 8500 are only DX8 parts.

Last time I checked the current DX version was 9c so 9b is pretty close to up to date, meaning for the game to look right a fairly new card is in order. It seems that the game will limp along on lesser cards.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

I need a new card so that i can play Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War i cureently have a ATI Radeon 7000 and would like to get one for as cheap as possible basically.

So assuming you aren't upgrading the whole rig AGP.

But my main question is how does one tell if a graphics card has "Hardware Transform and Lighting"?

This might help;

http://www.rojakpot.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=88&pgno=0

Radeon 7500 (aka original Radeon) and above ; and the Geforces like GW mentioned.


While this test has cards a little different from the ones you're considering, it should give you an idea of performance (R9550 is under the X600XT , R9200 is near the X300SE);

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/2004-27gpu2_30.html

 

[lakedude]

thanks both of you I am looking at a Radeon 9550 and just wanted to make sure and sorry about the format Fopa

Wow this is an interesting subject. You can find 9550's dirt cheap like this one for only $38 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814166003



The 4 pipe cards seem to fill the market all the way up to the $100 level when the x700 and 6600 make the scene.


This card is a really bad deal as it is almost the same as the one above except this one is way more expensive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814103165

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Why bother posting one that's much more expensive but same basic performance?

The R9550 for under $50 ($38 after rebate) is a good deal, the one you linked to makes no sense at over twice the price, even if it is a 128bit R9550 versus the 64bit.

 

[Zoron]

The original Radeon is actually the Radeon 7200... I know, cause I had one when they were first released.



The 7500 was a slightly higher-clocked version of the 7200.

 

[pauldh]

The original Radeon was the Radeon 32MB DDR and 64MB DDR. Yes, the 7200 later came out as the same spec, meaning rebranded name of the original. They are equal, But technically, the original Radeon was not know as the 7200; that name came much later. I had two of the 32MB DDR, but got them at near GF2MX price. But you are right, the 7500 is better. Although a rare mistake, it shows even the GrapeApe is human.

 

[Doogle_McJohnson]

well, wow that was a whole lot more information than i set out to get, but i guess that's what i get for asking a question. Thanks........and i already orderd the $38 after rebate card just so you all know.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

D'oh, Typo!

Oh well, same idea.

I shoulda just followed my own link.

 

[lakedude]

Why bother posting one that's much more expensive but same basic performance?

The R9550 for under $50 ($38 after rebate) is a good deal, the one you linked to makes no sense at over twice the price, even if it is a 128bit R9550 versus the 64bit.

You get it! The point is that one is a good deal and the other is not. There are a bunch of cards in that price range and the point was that some are much better deals than others. If you were going to send the kind of money it would take to get the second card you would be far better off with a 6600 or a x700.

Doogle_McJohnson

Nice purchase, you can't go wrong for 38 bucks.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Yeah I didn't get the second one, the first one good, but the second, might as well just post the GF6600 anyways.

Anywhoo, I kinda get where you were going with it now, but the original post looked a little weird in the way you were trying to say not worth the minor difference.

 

[pauldh]

Oh, so confusing. :?

Hey, you will soon be at 10K.