Radeon HD 4830 vs GeForce 9400 GT

Hey all. I bought a new computer finally, and need a graphics card. The built in one is understandbly soft, and I would like smoother running movies and video games.

Here is my system:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc [...] ct=3856269

ProcessorAMD Phenom™ X4
Processor Speed1.8GHz
Cache Memory2MB L2 + 2MB shared L3
System Memory (RAM)4GB
System Memory (RAM) Expandable To8GB

GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce 6150 SE
Video Memory128MB (dedicated); up to 1343MB (allocated by Windows Vista)

Total Expansion Slots1 PCI, 2 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16
Available Expansion Slots1 PCI, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16
(Does that mean its using a PCI-E slot for that graphics card?)

Anyway, I have to be under $100 dollars, and the article at the front page offered the Radeon HD 4830, but I am wondering if it will be a MAJOJR difference between the 9400 GT... which is only 45 dollars right now.

I mostly play The Sims 2 as far as games, but I also like to get a little COunterstrike Source in now and then.

Thanks for the info!

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AMD Sempron 3100+
1280MBS PC3200 RAM
RADEON X800 GTO AGP 256 MB

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A 4830 will totally destroy a 9400. What you really need to know is what the power supply in the case is like. As its a HP i suspect but dont know that its a generic model which may have a weak +12v rail.
The 4830 would need an extra power cable (6pin PCIE connector) to power it.
I dont think the 9400 would but i wouldnt entertain that card anyway.
Depending on the size of your screen i would recomend you get a HD4670, Its a very capable card up to a 19" screen and will handle higher with reduced settings.
So can you look inside the case and let us know what the PSU lists for either the Amps on the +12v rail or the Watts, and also what your screen size/resolution is

Mactronix

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to mactronix

For gaming, the Radeon 4830 compares to a GeForce 9800 GT, which is a big performance differcence. But the games you mention need little graphics poewer, and would run fine on a 9400 GT. For newer games, I'd say you get the HD 4830.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to sanchz

mactronix wrote :

A 4830 will totally destroy a 9400. What you really need to know is what the power supply in the case is like. As its a HP i suspect but dont know that its a generic model which may have a weak +12v rail.
The 4830 would need an extra power cable (6pin PCIE connector) to power it.
I dont think the 9400 would but i wouldnt entertain that card anyway.
Depending on the size of your screen i would recomend you get a HD4670, Its a very capable card up to a 19" screen and will handle higher with reduced settings.
So can you look inside the case and let us know what the PSU lists for either the Amps on the +12v rail or the Watts, and also what your screen size/resolution is

Mactronix

If I have to buy a different power supply for the 4830, than I just simply cannot get it.

I have a 19 inch wide HANNSpree monitor.

My computer model is an HP A6700y if that helps. The website says this:

300 Watt Power Supply
One 24-pin ATX power connector
One 4-pin ATX power connector
One PATA connector
Four SATA connectors
One floppy drive connector
Two 12v fan connectors for CPU fan and PC fan
One 9-pin header for power button, reset button, power LED, and HDD LED
One SPDIF digital audio output header
One front line input connector (interrupts line input on back panel, Vista capable, requires matching front audio jack module)
One 9-pin audio header for headphone-out and microphone-in (yellow, Vista capable, requires matching front audio jack module)
Four USB headers supporting 6 additional USB 2.0 ports or devices
One 1394a header
One Intel high-definition Audio/Modem Link (not used by HP)
One jumper for resetting BIOS settings
One jumper to disable BIOS password checking

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by RMThompson on 03-15-2009 at 03:56:04 PM

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AMD Sempron 3100+
1280MBS PC3200 RAM
RADEON X800 GTO AGP 256 MB
Reply to RMThompson

It dosent have a PCIe power plug, which means no 4830. Get the 4670 instead, its about on par with an 8800GT/9800GT and dosent require a power plug. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] rchInDesc= They are also relatively cheap.

Message edited by spathotan on 03-15-2009 at 04:11:22 PM

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Intel Xeon X3370 @3.6ghz Under Enzotech Extreme-X,EVGA GTX 285 SC, 4GB Mushkin Ascent eVCI @ 1066mhz, Gigabyte P45 UD3P
Reply to spathotan

+1 spathotan.

Reply to coozie7

Exactly, put down the very idea of a 9400gt and slowly back far far away.

Reply to ohiou_grad_06

but do you really need it? sims and CS:S are very light on the graphics card and you don't need a 4830 for them, even though I would recommend getiing something better than a 9400 which a weak version of a weak version of a card.

Reply to z999

I agree with the 4670 recommendation. It is not that much more expensive than the 9400GT and blows it out of the water performance-wise. It doesn't need external power like the 4830 (and some of those require 2 slots) and will run the games you want to play without a problem.

Reply to steckman

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/for [...] eview.html

This one's kind of neat. Cooler than a stock HD 4670 (even though its passively cooled) and uses a tiny bit less power (one less fan running). Just make sure you have room for the heatsink (sticks up on top).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102816

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by jeffredo on 03-15-2009 at 05:58:16 PM

Reply to jeffredo

wait for the 4750 and thats the best for u. its gonna retail at 100

Reply to rescawen

jeffredo wrote :

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/for [...] eview.html

This one's kind of neat. Cooler than a stock HD 4670 (even though its passively cooled) and uses a tiny bit less power (one less fan running). Just make sure you have room for the heatsink (sticks up on top).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102816

Looking at those benches, on hardware cannucks, I have to take back what I said earlier about the 4670 competing with the 88/9800GT. I could have swore they were about even....

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Intel Xeon X3370 @3.6ghz Under Enzotech Extreme-X,EVGA GTX 285 SC, 4GB Mushkin Ascent eVCI @ 1066mhz, Gigabyte P45 UD3P
Reply to spathotan

No, its the 9600 and the 4670. 4830 vs 9800GT =.
To the OP. DONT get the 9400, whatever you do, its more for playing movies than playing actual games. And even then, the 4670 is better for playing movies

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ I went drifting, thru the capitols of tin, where men cant walk and cant freely talk, and sons turn their fathers in
Reply to jaydeejohn

So, still the best thing for me would be the 4670?

------------------------------ * * * *
AMD Sempron 3100+
1280MBS PC3200 RAM
RADEON X800 GTO AGP 256 MB
Reply to RMThompson

OH and ONE more question... will it run 1440x900?

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AMD Sempron 3100+
1280MBS PC3200 RAM
RADEON X800 GTO AGP 256 MB
Reply to RMThompson

Sure - that's a pretty low resolution.

Reply to jeffredo

@ rmthompson; Yes and yes.

Reply to coozie7

The 4670 should be good enough for you (considering budget and power), and you will definitely see a difference.

Reply to boudy

A 9400 is an entry-level card.

I love NVIDIA, but the 4830 would destroy the 9400. At a much higher cost.

9400GT @ $45: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121292
4830 @ $110: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121289

If you read the specs, the 4830 kills, but it's way more expensive.

Reply to raybob95

On that power supply as i thought the 4830 just isnt an option. the 4670 is pretty much made for people in your situation, generic PSU but in need of a graphical upgrade.
No extra power needed and with hardware support for HTPC applications (Movies etc)
It will handle 1440x900 very well, this review is for the 4830 but covers the 4670 and 9400 in the benchmarks as well. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] 830/6.html
Incase you are not aware 1280x1024 is more or less the same as 1440x900

19" 1280 x 1024 86.3 ppi 0.2944 mm 5:4 1.25 MP

19" 1440 x 900 89.4 ppi 0.2842 mm 16:10 1.24 MP

Mactronix

Reply to mactronix

NEW issue:

I need to buy the card at Best Buy, where I have 40$ dollars in Reward Bucks.

Can anyone recommend a card on their website??

Ryan

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AMD Sempron 3100+
1280MBS PC3200 RAM
RADEON X800 GTO AGP 256 MB
Reply to RMThompson

Thats too bad at new egg you could get two cards for what they are charging at Best Buy. As such i really cant recomend you buy from them.

Sorry
Mactronix

Reply to mactronix

Like Mactronix said, you would be better off saving those Reward Bucks for something else and just buying the video card online somewhere like NewEgg.
But as far as video cards at Best Buy, your best options are probably:
3650 for $80: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspag [...] 2650704648
4650 for $130: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspag [...] 8069451494

For comparison, you can get a 4670 for $50 (after $30 rebate) from NewEgg right now: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125244

Reply to steckman

3870 > 4670 > 3850 > 4650 > 3650 > etc...

But 3870/3850 needs quite a bit more power

Reply to BlueScreenDeath

my advise is the radeon 4670 512mb ddr3. do not buy geforce 9400gt/9500gt/9600gt or radeon 3650/3850/3870.

Reply to cryvidia1191

The 9600GT has the same performance as the 4670.

The 3850/3870 are equal and better to the 4670 respectively, but the 38xx series uses up a lot of power that a 300watt PSU can't handle

Message edited by BlueScreenDeath on 03-28-2009 at 06:30:52 PM

Reply to BlueScreenDeath

Buy the card from newegg, they will give you the best deal.

THEN you should use the $40 to get a game to play with your new card .

Reply to boudy

jaydeejohn wrote :

No, its the 9600 and the 4670. 4830 vs 9800GT =.
To the OP. DONT get the 9400, whatever you do, its more for playing movies than playing actual games. And even then, the 4670 is better for playing movies

True i for one use one for world at war and modern warfare and suffer lag

Reply to CHRISTLUBAS

sanchz wrote :

For gaming, the Radeon 4830 compares to a GeForce 9800 GT, which is a big performance differcence. But the games you mention need little graphics poewer, and would run fine on a 9400 GT. For newer games, I'd say you get the HD 4830.

plz dont tell me that 9400 not good.i already buyed it.
comparing 4830 how good is it

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Anonymous

RMThompson wrote :

If I have to buy a different power supply for the 4830, than I just simply cannot get it.

I have a 19 inch wide HANNSpree monitor.

My computer model is an HP A6700y if that helps. The website says this:

300 Watt Power Supply
One 24-pin ATX power connector
One 4-pin ATX power connector
One PATA connector
Four SATA connectors
One floppy drive connector
Two 12v fan connectors for CPU fan and PC fan
One 9-pin header for power button, reset button, power LED, and HDD LED
One SPDIF digital audio output header
One front line input connector (interrupts line input on back panel, Vista capable, requires matching front audio jack module)
One 9-pin audio header for headphone-out and microphone-in (yellow, Vista capable, requires matching front audio jack module)
Four USB headers supporting 6 additional USB 2.0 ports or devices
One 1394a header
One Intel high-definition Audio/Modem Link (not used by HP)
One jumper for resetting BIOS settings
One jumper to disable BIOS password checking

go get a decent psu first before this discussion start.......300watt..are you kidding me? it is barely function on your current system(for phenom quad core 65nm that is a yes.) i dont think any of card on stock can fit your computer plus like mactronix said that prebuild psu may did not actual provide 300watt all time and 12v capacity is way weak.

i'm aware that that someone recommanding 4670. but i dont think that poor psu can make that happen. most important........ non of any card can stuff in a power supply of under 300w...not even 4670 who would need at least 350watt to be function probably. or you may consider change you processor from quad core phenom back to dual core athlon x 2 or sempron x2 to save some power for graphic card since that phenom is a power hogging monster a 4670 will just make it worse. for my oppinion.....go back and save more money to buy a decent psu firse then we continue the discussion.

never buy a prebuild

Anonymous wrote :

plz dont tell me that 9400 not good.i already buyed it.
comparing 4830 how good is it

in most case 9400 cannot run many game even in lowest setting&resolution(ex: quake 4, stalker, left 4 dead, jericho, and even far cry, not to mention heavy demand game like crysis, killzone, fear2, and modern warfare). that is what low end card is. another hand 4830 was consider to be a mid range card that suppose to be for mid range gaming which it will definetely blow 9400 out of this planet or solar system.

i know your pain buddy....pain that you know nothing about computer

i understand it's sucks.

Message edited by cheesesubs on 11-11-2009 at 04:58:09 PM

Reply to cheesesubs

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