Not a good time to buy a video card

[sirantony]

I went to Frys yesterday to look at video cards. They had ATI Radeon 9800, ATI radeon 9700 and FIC radeon 9700. All side by side. All for the same $399. You can't find a Nvidia FX card above a 5600. I can find an FX 5900 on price watch but they are all above $400. Wheres the competition? Nvidia has seriously dropped the ball. I know you can get 9700's cheaper on line but I like having a store I can return things to if I have a problem. Plus I don't like ATI's drivers. Get it together Nvidia.

 

[cleeve]

Alot of online stores have great return policies.

You can get a 9700 non-pro online for about $200...

------------------
Radeon 9500 w/256 bit memory bus @ 367/310
AMD AthlonXP 2000+
3dMark03: 3439

 

[Willamette_sucks]

Drivers are not about personal preference (other than the menu interface), so guess what I have to say to you?

YOU DIE NOW MR. FARGOTMAN!

Seriously, you're one stupid sack of dumbness.

ATIs drivers are currently BETTER, MORE STABLE, and MORE COMPATABLE than nVidia CHEATING POS drivers.

"Every Day is the Right Day." -Pink Floyd

 

[ltj311]

That's like the third time I've noticed you being an ass. I understand he made an ignorant comment but can you intelligently say after one post that he's a "stupid sack of dumbness"?

I know you aren't an ass unless you feel it justified, but you need to let up on the noobs. If it weren't for noob questions I wouldn't know alot of the sh*t I know. And all you do with those comments is run 'em off. That is the epitome of what's wrong with this forum.

Now alot of times it is justified, don't get me wrong. But I don't think him saying he doesn't like Ati drivers necessarily means he thinks they are bad. It's his f'n opinion to not like them right?

--

"<i>I'm seriously you guys.</i>" - Cartman

 

[dhlucke]

I'm getting very sick and tired of reading your bullshit. Get your act together or stop posting in this forum. You act like a complete idiot and I doubt anyone is enjoying it but you.

Grow up or get out.

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<font color=blue>GOD</font color=blue> <font color=red>BLESS</font color=red> <font color=blue>AMERICA</font color=blue>

 

[dhlucke]

I used to dislike ATI as well, but their drivers are pretty good nowadays. You should consider buying a Radeon a good thing.

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<font color=blue>GOD</font color=blue> <font color=red>BLESS</font color=red> <font color=blue>AMERICA</font color=blue>

 

[sargeduck]

I imagine some of the reasons would be with nvidia's high end, which is well, disappointing. Even if the 5800 was still around, no store would want to carry that. The card is embarrising. The 5900, although good, is just too EXSPENSISVE! People walking into staples/ best buy/ fry's are not willing to pay that kind of money. Don't forget, retail chains have to buy the product first, then they sell it, plus some to make a profit. the 5800/5900 would be sitting on the shelves becuase the people who shop at those stores, would not be willing to put up with the price, or the noise. The Radeon cards are cheaper, quiter, offer better performance at the same price, and most importantly, they are SELLING! No retail chain is going to bring in a product that does not sell.

 

[sargeduck]

Oh, and about the drivers?
Since I got my new ATI card, my system has been a lot more stable *read* crashes less, and I have yet to have any issues with compatability. I would seriously think about going with an ATI card.

 

[14Dx]

Yeah, I dont have any problems with my 9500 Pro running catalyst 3.5's. At least none casued from the video card. However windows sucks.

If its not broken, you're not trying hard enough.

 

[CasualCat2001]

The only problem I had with my 9600Pro was a conflict with my mobo which had onboard video. ATI specifically mentions that this could be a problem, and when I ditched that mobo I had no problems at all, driver related or otherwise...

 

[Makaveli]

I've been using the Catalyst 3.5 drivers they are great. I've seen driver issues on both sides. Nvidia drivers are not the gold seal drivers they use to be mmm 30.82! Last good set I've seen. Ati's drivers as of late have caught up and it not are slighty better IMO. Most of the people still claming Nvidia's drivers are far better are just Die hard Nvidia users plain and simple. Some of the noobies need to get with the times, NV's drivers are no longer heads and shoulders over Ati's!

<---A Happy Radeon 9700Pro user!

My Specs
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=16172" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=16172</A>

 

[sirantony]

Alot of people here seem to like ATI. I have just had trouble with every ATI card I've had. That includes the 8500 and 9500. It's not a "personal preferance" issue as someone so colorfully illuded to. I can only compare the stability to the Geforce 3 I replaced it with. As far as "not trying hard enough". Why should I have to go though all kinds of trouble to install a driver. I've done it too many times with ATI cards. I have better things to do with my time. I will give this 9500 non-pro I have another when I redo windows.

 

[GamingGuru]

I myself had problems with ATI 8500 LE when I first bought it, but I think I was an uber nooober when I first got it and I didn't know much about ATI.

Personally I think ATI has improved durastically in the past few months and I am going to give them another shot also. But If they blow it now, the blow it for good.

"War is like food, after eating the same thing several days in a row... it gets boring." - Me

 

[endyen]

I dont know. Sometimes I get a bit nostalgic for the old detonators. They came out so often, and usually did more harm than good. You would run a bunch of benchies and think Yah this is good, then you'd go to this month's fave game and the artifacts would make the thing unplayable, so its back to the old driver. It's been two cards with Ati now, and just none of that fun. Everything has been good (so far) and each new catalyst brings some improvement. Kind of boring, but it does leave more time for here and games. By the way I am a big Nvidia fan, use one of thier chipsets, and if they can give me a better video card for the dollars I have to spend, I will get it.

 

[endyen]

I am going to bet that you tried to install a radeon card on an os that had had detonator drivers on it. Please tell me the truth, as I could win, or loose a few bucks on this.
It is not practicable to change video card manufacturers without doing a clean Windows install. I am sure that had you done this with a Radeon 8500 you would be singing the praises of Ati right now.

 

[sirantony]

I bought a new case which had a new power supply. After putting my Mother board and all the stuff in. I decided to try my 9500 again with the latest drivers. I don't know if it is the power supply or the drivers but it hasn't crashed yet. I have had bad feelings towards ATI for a long time because of bad experiences with thier cards. Maybe that can change now. Fingers crossed.