upgrade advice needed

GoldBaron

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Aug 18, 2005
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It was inevitable, but my geforce4 ti 4200 has finally met its match. The latest batch of games (Doom III, F.E.A.R., FarCry, etc.) run like a slide show unless squeezed through a tiny 640X480 resolution with virtually all the eye-candy options turned off. The F.E.A.R. demo looks like the original Half-Life on my computer. So here's my question: should I upgrade? My specs right now are:

Pentium 4 3.06ghz 533mhz fsb w/ ht enabled
Intel D845PEBT2 mobo with AGP 4X
1024 mb pc2700 ram
nvidia geforce4 ti 4200-8x, overclocked to 300/564

I've been eyeing a XFX geforce 6800 ($164) and a XFX or leadtek geforce 6800gt ($289-$299). I'd rather not go with an ATI card... I went through several of them when I replaced a voodoo4 way back and finally went with nvidia and never looked back. Thing is, with everything moving to pci-e, and the geforce 7 series out, would I be shooting myself in the foot buying a geforce 6? I don't have the money to build an entirely new computer.. and a new video card is probably a little ways down the road as well.. The 4200 held out a long time (I think I've had it 3 years) and I'm hoping upgrading my video card will hold me out for a couple more years. So... Upgrade the video card, or bite the bullet and hold off on the shiny new games until I can build a new computer? What are your opinions?

(And sorry this got so lengthy!)

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by goldbaron on 10/13/05 04:34 AM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

noncom

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Let's see, for around $250, you can buy a new video card and get around a 400% increase in 3D graphics performance.

Or for $700, you can buy a new video card, top-of-the-line motherboard, CPU and RAM and get around a 500% increase in performance.

Tough call.
 

pickxx

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Your system is good enough to run a 6800GT and be just fine. I woudl get a 6800GT and forget upgrading. Once the 6800GT isn't good enough for you anymore then you will *~*NEED*~* a whole new system upgrade anyway.

__________________________________________
Chaintech VNF3-250/A64 2800+/1GB(512x2) OCZ VX GOLD 2-2-2-5/BFG 6800GT/Thermaltake 420W/WD 200GB/Maxtor 300GB
 

pauldh

Illustrious
You have a P4 3.06GHz and 1GB of RAM; Of course the Ti4200 should go. You don't need a new system for a while still. Throw in a 6600GT, 6800, or 6800GT and you'll be good to go. If you look up any cpu scaling reviews, compare yours to a P4 2.8C. You will be CPU limited is some games, but not to the point of making you regret upgrading the video card.

I know you stated rather clearly that you prefer NV, I just think for the money, <A HREF="http://shop.ati.com/product.asp?sku=2700726" target="_new">this ATI is worth considering</A>. Search around and there are 5% savings codes out there too. It's still below a 6800GT in most games, but is definately a step above a 12-pipe 6800. Anyway, thought I'd through it out there. A 6800 unlocked to 16 pipes would offer great value if you don't mind going that route.

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get an asus p4p800 deluxe, reuse RAM, CPU, and graphics card.

If you want a new graphics card you can get the geforce 6800gt AGP

Otherwise you gotta buy all new stuff ...

I bought the leadtek 6800gt and i had to RMA it. I'll let you know when i get the card back about it.

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=9933" target="_new"> My Rig </A>
 

pauldh

Illustrious
get an asus p4p800 deluxe, reuse RAM, CPU, and graphics card
Why would you say he should buy a new motherboard and keep all the rest when (unless I am missing something like his Ti4200 is AGP 8X compatible :lol: ) all he needs is a video card?


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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Pauldh on 10/13/05 12:20 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Well, the thread starter seems to have faced reality ahead of you. :lol:

There isn't much a ti4200 can't play, but hopefully X800XL drops to your price soon so you can start enjoying games again. ;)


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the card he has now is only running at 4x - when he gets a new motherboard it'll run at 8x. That is why it is slow.

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=9933" target="_new"> My Rig </A>
 

pauldh

Illustrious
AH, the AGP 8X thing. All AGP 8X cards I've seen support 4X/8X. Only problem would be if he had integrated graphics and no AGP slot, which isn't the case as he has a Ti4200.


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pauldh

Illustrious
the card he has now is only running at 4x - when he gets a new motherboard it'll run at 8x. That is why it is slow
UM, No. His Ti4200 is slow because it's an aging video card. His Ti4200 may even be an 8X AGP version. Only difference between 4X and 8X ti4200's was the 4X 128MB versions had slower memory clocks. Lets just say, If he runs a 6800GT in his system at AGP4X and could enable AGP8X, he wouldn't see an improvement in gaming. At best it would equal a few 3dmarks in benchies but not any real world impact. AGP4X vs. 8X isn't an issue performance wise. It's just the newer systems with AGP 8X are faster themselves(cpu/ram) than older AGP4X only systems.


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pauldh

Illustrious
his motherboard is a 4x - that means its a 2x/4x agp. The latest graphics cards are 8x only
Here's the <A HREF="http://www.ati.com/products/radeonx850/radeonx850series/index.html" target="_new">fastest available AGP card- x850xtpe</A>. As you can see it can run in 4X or 8X.

If NV is your thing, <A HREF="http://www.bfgtech.com/6800.html" target="_new">the fastest NV AGP</A> card also works in AGP 2.0 (4X).

While the Cards say AGP 8X, they should state somewhere that they are 4X/8X compatible like in the <A HREF="http://www.xpcgear.com/atix850xtpeagp.html" target="_new">top right of this box</A>.



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noncom

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"his motherboard is a 4x - that means its a 2x/4x agp. The latest graphics cards are 8x only."

This is wrong. Any AGP card on the market today can run in a 4x slot. And the difference in system speed between a 4x and an 8x interface for any current AGP card and any current game is somewhere between small and negligible.
 

GoldBaron

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It can run FarCry at 1024X768... The foliage looks kind of funky rendering in directx 8, but it still manages 20-30 fps.. playable, but not great.
 

GoldBaron

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It's a ti4200 AGP 8X version, it runs just fine in the AGP 2X/4X slot. The only thing I was worried about with a new video card was that they all seem to need a power connection from the power supply, but I recently upgraded from a generic 300 watt psu that came with the computer to an enermax 420 watt, and there's plenty of extra connectors for that..
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Well, you have plenty of power with tha enermax for even a 6800GT, and still a decent cpu/ram. So, have you decided on a video card?



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pauldh

Illustrious
The $180 X800pro vivo from ATI is a decent card. May unlock to 16 pipes too(I never tried this). I know you aren't crazy about refurbs, but this is directly from ATI with a 3 year warranty. Their new cards are only 1 year now right?



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pauldh

Illustrious
So why don't you get one and go for wusy edition of the XTpe!

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Nixum

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I bought one of those refurb X800Pros. The first one I received I had to RMA, but the second one is working great.

Playing BF2 no problems at all and the card is mildy oced and reaching temps of 67C max.

These X800Pros are Non-VIVO, so they can be modded to X800XT PE only through Hard Mod. It will void the beautiful 3 years warranty thou.

<A HREF="http://www.pcunleash.com/bbs/zboard.php?id=MyItemReview&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=26" target="_new">Modding info</A>
 

pauldh

Illustrious
The PCI-e X800 pro I got was a VIVO. The AGP one may not be. I could be wrong, but I thought only the VIVO models would unlock pipes.

I also got a X800XTpe AGP refurb from them; both worked just fine and seemed like new.

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