Which graphics card? Need your input!

[Frocer]

I recently upgraded my computer, but I am still running my good old voodoo2. I was so determined to buy a GeForce 3 until I read some of the posts on Radeon II. The TruForm technology sure sounds tempting, if it's as good as it sounds. So now I don't know what I should do, should I buy a decent card like Radeon or a GF2MX, and wait for the Radeon II (what's the official release date? anyone know?). Or should I just get the GeForce3? I really don't want to get the GF3 and it would be outdated right away... Some people mentioned the TruForm technology is actually a DX8 feature which the GF3 should have, and could be enabled through a driver update, what is the possibility on that?

If you think I should wait for the Radeon II, which card should I get? the GF2MX? Radeon? Kyro II? What's the pro and con of each?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Guest]

What did you upgrade your comp to? Depending on how speedy it is you should get a graphics card to match.
Personnally, I am waiting until Radeon II and Kyro III come out; then Kyro will have a T&L engine, and Radeon will have Truform.
Yes, while "Truform" is really just ATI's name for a DX8 feature, the key is that Radeon II is designed to do this *in hardware* If you've read the Truform reviews on anandtech.com, etc, you can see how computationally intense it is. For a card to do the same through driver programming would severely impact performance. UNLESS if a "fully DX8 compliant card" like GF3 <i>has to have</i> this higher-order implementation automatically. That's a good question there, anyone know?
Check this out:
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1473" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1473</A>
Maybe pick up a Radeon LE if you HAVE TO for the time being and then get another card later?

Good luck

 

[HolyGrenade]

What Graphics card do you currently have?

I've got an AMD Athlon 650 running a GeForce 256DDR. That seems to be getting me by perfectly in current games. I'll wait for nv30 to be released, before I upgrade. I'm not gonna get the first generation cutting edge tech like the GeForce 3 and Radeon 2. They're first gen programmable shader cards. I made that mistake with my Geforce. It was the first T&L card. But, i dont regret it. I've had the card since the day it was born, I pre-ordered it before release. I think keeping the card for so long justifies the £220 I spent.

According to noko, the Radoen 2 is due for a July/August release. I think the nv30 is due for a Q4 or 2002 Q1 release. We're look at November or December or January at the latest. If you want something NOW, get the GF3, you won't regret it. If you can wait for a couple of months, You probably be able to get the GF3 for cheaper or you can go for the Radeon 2.

Wait a bit longer, i.e. till the end of the year, you'll have a choice to get the nv30. But the thing is, there will always be a new graphics card and a price drop of current ones just around the corner. You can't always wait for the next one, and you can't always kick your self because the next one has more features than yours.

My advice, target one card that does what you want, close your eyes and pull the trigger. [-peep-], If I said the trigger bit in a US school, I'd be expelled. [-peep-], if I said [-peep-] in a US school i'd be fined $550 and suspended. oops, if I said....


<font color=red>"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and dispair!"</font color=red>

 

[Guest]

Recently I just purchased a Radeon VIVO 64mn DDR. Couldn't be more happier with it. What are your system specs? I was set on getting the Prophet 4500, but,with my limited CPU speed (700mhz Duron). I was advised to either upgrade my puter or wait on the 4500 until the bugs are out and for it to have T&L. So, my Radeon will work for a while. Too much thought and waiting went into buying my first vid card, so, I believe I am gonna wait a while to purchase another!! LOL

Good luck on what you buy.,

 

[Frocer]

Hey guys, thanks for the response. I upgraded my computer to an Athlon 1.33 Ghz 266 FSB, Asus A7M266 motherboard, and 256MB of Crucial DDR Ram. I really just want a video card that will handle current games well, but what I thought was, if I buy a GF3, then it should last me until me next upgrade. Kindda like my Voodoo2, which is my current video card and I have been using it for 4 years. The thing worrys me is, if TruForm become an extremely popular feature and all game developers start to implement that into their games, and GF3 does not support it, I will have to purchase another video card to get the juicy effects.

So now, I am basically debating if I should gamble how long the GF3 will last. If I don't get a GF3, I will probably go for the Creative Annihilator 2 Ultra, which is around $185, half the price of GF3, and then get a Radeon II later on. Has anyone come across the benchmark or Radeon II? Is it even close to the GF3? I seriously doubt that TruForm will not affect the performance, because it's a much much bigger task than FSAA, and we all know how much performance we lose with AA turn on. If it can really done everything in hardware, I would afraid the GPU would melt from overheating, hehehe.

Well, you guys get the idea, I have a pretty fast system but only a voodoo2 card. I am ready to buy a new video card but cannot decide which on to get. What do you guys think I should do? Gamble and go for the GF3? or get the GF2 Ultra and wait for the Radeon 2?

 

[Guest]

why not buy a kyro 2 ?
it will do marvellous things with your current system
and it's cheap...

you could upgrade in 1 year time to a better card without loosing too much money... (110 us$) in 1 year time even nvidia will offer us better than geforce 3 without asking more than 150 us$ !

forget about nvidia you could buy a radeon 3/kyro 3,4 or whatever then ... (stay way from nvidia this is a evil company that is getting to big for all of us !!!)

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by powervr2 on 06/08/01 03:00 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[noko]

Kyro2 on your machine would be pretty cool. Cost is low so you can decide latter if you want to upgrade or when the prices come down on the GF3 or Radeon2 (which it will) it would virtually pay for itself. If you get a Radeon get either the Radeon LE (Great bang for the buck) and wait to decide which power card GF3 Ultra? or Radeon 2 Maxx? when you really need it or go with the new Radeon SE card with 200/200(400DDR) configuration which are overclockable speed demons and wait about a year or two before you upgrade. Just some options that you can have. The best thing about TruForm is it is technology that you can use today and on current games and not technology that you have to wait for way into the future.

Well to eat your <b>C kie</b> and have it too, gotta get <b>Rade n II</b>

 

[Frocer]

Thanks guys for your suggestion. However, for the Kyro 2, it's around $150 right? I saw the Creative Annihiliator 2 Ultra for $185 on the web, which uses GeForce 2 GTS chipset. Comparing these two, which one is a better choice? I am leaning toward GF2 GTS because it's pretty much as good as a GF3 in current games, and will probably last a little longer.

 

[noko]

GF2's are speed demons in games so you shouldn't be dissappointed there. Let us know how it turns out. If you got the money then a GF3 might be pretty cool. You can get a Kyro2 for $112 at Newegg.com by the way.

Well to eat your <b>C kie</b> and have it too, gotta get <b>Rade n II</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by noko on 06/08/01 09:14 PM.</EM></FONT></P>