Need help w/ choice of graphics card

[nathanojgnahc]

I am about to buy a new computer within the next month or so and i was doing some research with most of the GeForce4 cards, but I'm not sure which one to get. I have read mixed reviews that sometimes the GeForce4 Ti4200 w/ 64 MB has higher benchmarks than the Ti4600 w/ 128MB. And the Ti4600 is pretty pricey so i'm considering looking @ the Ti4400's or maybe the Ti4200's. Also i'm considering the Radeon 8500LE 128MB, but i'm not sure which ones are better, i.e. best bang for the buck...so....

http://gamespot.com/gshw/filters/products/review/0,12835,561217,00.html

 

[nja469]

When it comes to bang for the buck I'd avoid the LE, and go straight for the 4200. Same GPU as the 4400 and 4600, just clocked lower. The 64MB versions' RAM runs faster, is generally higher quality and can be OC'ed to run faster. Generally, a decent name-brand 4200 64MB can be OC'ed easily to 4400 speeds and usually 4600 speeds without any trouble. The 128MB versions vary, you might squeeze 4400 speeds out of it, but usually not much more since the RAM isn't rated as high since there is more of it they use cheaper chips. I had an Inno3d ti4200 128 and wasn't impressed at all with it's overclockabilty, and the stock cooler sucked so it overheated often. I sold it for a Chaintech 4200 64MB and am very happy. It runs over 4600 speeds, it's stable and does not overheat. While not all chips are the same, the 64MB versions tend to OC much better than the 128MB versions due to the faster RAM. Right now most games don't even come close to even using the 64MB of RAM, but next-gen games (christmas '03) will most likely start to take advantage of more ram.

"Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one"

 

[tersagun]

Wait a few weeks and then buy a R9500/9700.
believe me it's worth it.

"Don't necessarily listen to tersagun,he's been advocating AMD systems,he thinks Intel sucks ass.."

 

[nja469]

How much are these 9500/9700's gonna cost anyhow? He was looking for best bang for the buck and if these suckers are double or triple a 4200 is it really worth it? Though even if he doesn't get a new 9500 it makes sense to wait for their release since prices of G4 ti's will likely drop a signifant amount.

"Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one"

 

[chuck232]

The MSRP for the R9700 is $399USD. They're guessing the R9500 is for competing against the Ti4200, so about $199-249USD.

:lol: Finally, I get a capitalized title!! WOOT!! :lol:

 

[Earthdog]

Best choice for a Geforce 4 ti 4200 with 128 meg is the Asus V8420 Deluxe. It comes with 3.3 nanosecond ram (same as ti 4400) and has a core clock speed of 275mhz and a memory clock speed of 550mhz. It also comes with the same boared that they use to build the ti4400 and ti 4600. So, unlike the other ti 4200's, the printed circuit board is 8 layers thick instead of 6 layers thick. (Compared to the 64 meg version-- 250mhz core, 500 mhz mem. clock, 6 layers thick.

Asus also supplies all the hardware recommended by nVidia, like the DVI to VGA adaptor that some many manufacturers hold out on.

Its got full video in/ video out capabilities. It also comes with 3D shutter glasses.

For the most part the 64 meg cards are faster, and they will outperform 128 meg cards to a certain point. After that point though, they take a major performance hit compared to their 128 meg cousins because they physically lack the ram.

Point in case: Doom 3 will run 80 meg of just textures. Simple math will tell you that in order to run Doom 3 with a 64 meg card youll have to turn the detail levels way down, as the card simply doesnt have the memory to run the game with detail wide open without taking a serious drop in frame rates. The 128 meg cards can run it full out with no drop in performance.

Asus V8420 DELUXE is the best in the bunch.

If its not broke dont fix it.

 

[chuck232]

Yeah, it does seem pretty good, but 2 things:

1. It's clocked @ 260MHz core
2. The retail ASUS V8420 Pure is retailing at ~$200USD. I'm sure the deluxe would be more, probably $240-250 or so I'd guess. For about that price, you can get Ti4400s.

<i>Pass mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[Earthdog]

Ive read several reviews on this card and they mention 250mhz 260mhz or 275mhz core speeds. Possibly they will come with different core speeds.

On my previous post I was looking at the review when I made my post. My numbers were accurate to the review. Could be that the reviewer was wrong. Still the nembers are better and the card is closer to being a ti 4400 than a ti 4200, only without the heavier price tag.

If its not broke dont fix it.

 

[samwyse]

Wait for this and wait for that..

You'll spend you whole life waiting for a card. Then you'll wait until the price is reasonable. Then you see there's a new card coming and wait until it's out. And then you'll wait for some price drops again.. etc.

Just get a card you can afford now. I just got a MSI Geforce4 4200 128 MB. And I'll be happy with it.

 

[chuck232]

Hey, I was looking to get that card too. How does it overclock? That's what I want to know mainly .

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

 

[samwyse]

I don't know how it overclocks. I'm one of the crazy people who don't overclock

 

[chuck232]

Well come on, just try it out?? Please? Unless you don't want to off course :tongue: .

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>