need help in picking a video card.

[lostinms]

Well I am going to get a good hefty sum back from my income tax. I want to get a new puter but my wife won't let me so we comprimised. I have been needing a new video card and I have been checking out the prices. What would you get Voodoo 4500, 5000,another V3, Geforce, Or Geforce 2?
I know 3dfx has gone bye bye but I am still a fan and their cards are just about compatible with every computer.

System specs
AMD K6-3 400mhz
GA-5AX ver 4 (has Allidan V chipset for those who don'w know)
196 meg of ram
voodoo3 2k PCI ver I do have AGP just hadn't used it.
ASL soundcard ISA ver
USR 56k modem ISA
Linsys 10/100 NIC
17" Maxtech monitor
HP 8250 CDRW
Samsung 32x cdrom
4 gig harddrive and a 2 gig Harddrive
Win 98 SE

also I was thinking of getting a new monitor too my current one is gettin Dim. I was thinking of getting another 17" or a 19" one suggestions here would be welcome too.

Thanx to all that reply.

 

[Guest]

I'd go with a Geforce 1. Anything better will just be bottlenecked by the CPU. I'd stay away from voodoos because of 3dfx's buyout. As for monitor...pick up any brand name 19"...its worth the extra money over a 17", trust me =)

 

[Guest]

true, faster than GeForce1 will have CPU as a bottleneck, but a better upgrade will last longer. I've recently (ish) bought an Asus V770 GTS Pure 64mb (260+vat from www.dabs.com). Old cards were Matrox Mystique 4mb plus 2x Voodoo2 8mb. Ran Quake2 silky, but chugged along on Q3.

My system is a Celeron 500MHz, Asus P2B, 128mb PC100 SDRAM.

Quake3 runs very very smooth all settings on max @ 1024x768. It's even still pretty smooth at 1600x1200! I kid ye not. When you notice the processor lag is with bots - that starts to make things a bit choppy, especially at 1600x1200 :O)

In the future, upgrade to a Duron (for example) and you'll have a roasting system.


HTH (whatever you decide)


<font color=blue>Moots</font color=blue>

 

[Guest]

...as for a monitor. I've got a Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 900u - a wonderful monitor. Switching from a fuzzy 15" to this crisp 19" has changed my life (er well, almost). Unfortunately, I think they've stopped making it :O(

I can recommend Iiyama monitors, I've just built a system with a 17" VM 410 - totally cracking monitor, I was well impressed with it. If you're in the UK www.cclcomputers.co.uk has good prices on Iiyama (delivery not included) or try www.dabs.com (free delivery)

The stuff I look for in a monitor:
* non-captive cable, plus BNC inputs (costs more, but this generally indicates a better quality monitor),

* aperture grille type (I don't notice the two little wires going across the screen anymore, the quality is worth it over shadow mask technology),

* Diamondtron-type flat screen (it really is a good tube).

* Built-in USB hubs are nice, maybe not essential tho

* I spend as much as I can afford on a monitor as I'll be staring at it for a few years to come and a quality one makes a big difference.

A m8 of mine just has his 22" Iiyama tube go boom - they turned up next day and replaced it - standard Vision care warranty (i.e. didn't pay for extra warranty).


HTH


<font color=blue>Moots</font color=blue>

 

[Guest]

Don't listen to those guys, they are smok'in crack! Get an NVidia GeForce 2 GTS, 32mb DDR card or better like the Pro or Ultra versions. It is true that your CPU will be the bottleneck, buy if you upgrade your CPU in the next 6 months or whenever, do you then what you video card to be the bottleneck again. I don't think the GeForce SDR or DDR are bad, but the GTS 2 is much faster, and can be had for about $200.00 or less now. Buy something that will last a little longer than your CPU will, cause you will upgrade it at sometime anyway.

 

[phsstpok]

Some socket 7 mobos don't like the original Geforce but that is mostly due to weak power supplies. www.geforcefaq.com recommends a PSU that can provide 20A on the 3.3 line if you have an ATX PSU. I don't know with an AT PSU.

The Geforce 2 MX (non-OEM) performs on par with a Geforce SDR and without the power high requirements.

The Geforce 2 GTS performs much better but I don't know the power requirements of that card.

The voodoo5, from what I hear, performs well (between a Geforce and a Geforce 2 GTS) but costs a lot more and there's the 3dfx buyout. There aren't any power problems with this card (that I am aware of).

My recommendation for that class of machine is the cheap Geforce 2 MX. However, read about Geforce cards and Socket 7 mobos, in general, at www.geforcefaq.com before you buy.



<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 02/01/01 04:27 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[rcf84]

WEll try the ATi radeon 32mb ddr. Well it has an onboard dvd decoder. go buy a 5x dvd ($50) to go with it. DVD movies on your 19in monitor. It will be more fun then a plain geforce2 mx.Try the radeon.

First person to get a topic banned. ABIT BP6 Lives FOREVER!!!

 

[Tempus]

Its really a question of short-term solution, Geforce1, or longer-term solution, Geforce2MX SDR, or long-term, Geforce GTS 32MB DDR. <b>WARNING: BUYING THE LAST CARD RECOMMENDED WILL HAVE A SOMEWHAT HAMPERED PERFORMANCE DUE TO CPU LIMITATIONS.</b> As for a monitor, I don't often recommend anything from Compaq, but I love their monitors. A sweet 19" MV940 is a beautiful looking monitor with a crisp picture and the depth of a 17" monitor! The only turn off is its $500-$450 price tag, so I doubt your wife will let you get it...

- "That's no moon, it's Rambus!"

 

[dhlucke]

Get the KDS 19" trinitron for about 430 with shipping. I've bought 2, and they are awesome.

 

[Tempus]

I can't buy a trinitron. No matter how much I try to ignore them, I can't stand those god damn damper wires. I still can't understand what the people were thinking when they designed it. Lines accross the middle of the sceen. Jeepers give me a break.

- "That's no moon, it's Rambus!"

 

[Ncogneto]

for a video card a gforce mx.......any of the others though nice might not work with your motherboard do to power issues.

Take the money you saved and get a k6-3+450 while you still can. Your board supports it and can easily clock to 550 probably 600. This will help the bottle neck you will have by cpu limitations. Monitors are more a matter of personal preference but the samsung offerings are pretty nice.

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!

 

[Guest]

They pissed me off too but after awhile they only erked me.

 

[Guest]

okay? how does that make sense for him to buy a good graphics card BEFORE he gets a better processor? Card prices (especially the Ultra) will just keep dropping, and he will be able to sell an older card for about the same amount he got it (they arent dropping as fast anymore).... In my opinion you should buy an ATI Rage 128 32MB... its a good solid card, I'm running it on my PIII450 and can run any 3d game out there (that I've tried

QUake3,
Unreal,
Serious Sam,
etc,

-AMD's are not for the faint of heart... Intels? those are for newbies )-

 

[Bilbo_B]

Stay away from the voodoos. Buy the Geforce2 (a GTS will not be that much more expensive).
True, it will be hampered by your processor but believe me, my friend, sooner or later you're gonna upgrade that CPU and you'll be glad you already have a nice card.
And yes, DVDs look great on a 19 inch monitor. I got my TV card several months ago and I've forgotten the last time I turned my TV on! ^_^

 

[rcf84]

yes, dxkj your right. My good friend go for the Rage128 + 19in monitor

First person to get a topic banned. ABIT BP6 Lives FOREVER!!!