08-30-2006, 09:12 AM
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 Re: Best fitting video card: NVIDIA (which brand?) or ATI (Sapphire)?
Sorry, ? == euro. I guess I've the wrong codepage. Just another question.
What about power consumption? Is the 375 W PSU enough?
Thanks to anyone who wants to help.
"Andrea Sansottera" <andrea.sansottera@nospamplease.gmail.com> wrote in
message news:44f5542b$0$30242$4fafbaef@reader1.news.tin.it ...
> Hi all, I have the following system:
>
> 2 x Pentium III 866 MHz
> 1 GB of RDRAM PC600 with ECC
> 1 x 18.2 GB SCSI hard drive spinning at 10,000 rpm
> 4X (AGP 2.0) slot
> 375W PSU
>
> I'd like to play Guild Wars, watching videos and doing photo editing.
>
> Right now, I have a 3DLabs Oxygen GVX1 video card (nearly $ 1000 dollars
> back in 1999 or 2000). It's an high quality card and offers an excellent
> video quality and color fidelity. Anyway, it's an old card and not
> compliant even with DirectX 8.0.
>
> On the other hand I've a GeForce MX 440 with 64 MB of RAM, Sparkle
> branded. It's noticeably better for games, but has a terrible output
> quality. For example: even the Windows XP colors looks a bit odd compared
> to the output I get with other computer (or the 3DLabs card) and font
> seems out of focus (I don't have antialiasing enabled). I don't know if
> it's by design or if the card is degradated.
>
> Due to the problems with card by Sparkle and the age of the one by 3DLabs,
> I've good reasons to buy a faster video card. Since the processing power
> of the two CPU isn't that impressive (and neither the amount of money in
> my pocket, for that matter) I'm watching to low budget card for the AGP
> market segment.
>
> GeForce 6200A (NV44A) has native support for AGP wich reduces cost (no
> need for AGP-PCIE signals converter) and the memory bus stripped down to
> 64 bit. The amount of memory is 128 MB or 256 MB, usually running at a
> clock speed of 400 MHz. I could get a card with this GPU for:
> - ? 42 by XFX (128 MB, 400 MHz)
> - ? 52 by XFX (256 MB, 400 MHz)
> - ? 57 by Sparkle (256 MB, 400 MHz... but since the card by Sparkle I have
> gives me that problem I simply don't trust the brand)
> - ? 64 by PNY (128 MB, the only card with memory running at 500 MHz, 2 x
> DVI instead of DVI + VGA)
> - ? 67 by PNY (256 MB, but running at only 400 MHz, 2 x DVI instead of DVI
> + VGA)
>
> Other brands are hard to find here in Italy (from sellers I trust). EVGA
> offers a 6200LE card, which has two pixel pipelines instead of four so I
> don't consider it. Since I don't trust Sparkle, I've to choose between XFX
> and PNY. Are they reliable? Which one is better? PNY supports AGP 2.0 as
> stated on their site, XFX doesn't say anything about it: is it obvious? Or
> should I worry the XFX card won't work on AGP 4x (2.0)?
>
> If it's worth, I could spend some extra money, I could get an ATI X1300
> PRO AGP (256 MB) for
> - 89 ? by Sapphire
> It has 128 bit memory bus, faster memory, same number of shaders (but
> probably more efficient) and maybe better video support. The package also
> includes PowerDVD. Since the problem with the NVidia card, I'm attracted
> by the idea of trying an ATI one (I had an old ATI 3D Rage Pro which
> worked great buck in the '90). I can afford the money but... Well... The
> 40 / 20 ? different is noticeable and I want to know if it would be worth
> it. I wasn't unable to find this GPU on AGP boards by other brands...
>
> I think any of these cards (XFX, PNY, Sapphore) would work great for the
> Windows Vista Aero stuff, when it comes out.
>
> What do you suggest? Quality and brand reliability (please don't compare
> quality of this card with the > 150 ? ones :) ) is what matter most.
>
> Moreover, do you think Guild Wars will take advantage of the two CPUs? If
> not maybe the processor would be the bottleneck...
>
> Thanks in advance, Andrea
>  |
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