Help Picking a Video Card

GarnetCompy · 08-28-2005, 08:19 PM

I need help choosing a Video card for my current build.

What it needs to do:

1) Support Dual monitors.
2) Have lots of power : This computer is a Powerful one.
3) Nothing else: Yeah, no funky add-ons no TV-out. I can buy a seperate card for that.

Stuff it's plugged into:

Powersupply: http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=26450
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130487

Budget: Anything below 150 dollars

Any Suggestions?

**UncleMacro** · 08-28-2005, 09:20 PM

If you're not interested in SLI at any point in the future then this Radeon X800 is the best deal around at $150. It will beat a 6600GT in almost all circumstances. It has a TV output (not a tuner) but even inexpensive video cards have TV outputs these days so you save nothing by getting rid of it.

GarnetCompy · 08-29-2005, 01:22 PM

Oooh...I like the looks of that one, and yes, I am mostly not interested in SLI. As far as I have heard, Its pretty buggy. The price is good on that Radeon, too.

Any other suggestions?

EDIT: Is it possible to change that DVI female connector to one that supports the CRT-type (I think its called VGA?) with an adapter so I can have two CRT's?

ebackhus · 08-29-2005, 01:25 PM

If you want something that will last you then I suggest a 6600GT. They have SM3.0 which may not be in use much now, but will be later.

stanthecaddy22 · 08-29-2005, 03:18 PM

yes you can change the dvi plug to a vga plug with an adapter that probably comes with the card. if not it is $3.00 here

ebackhus · 08-29-2005, 04:41 PM

I can get those things for $.79.

GarnetCompy · 08-30-2005, 11:39 AM

Update:

Well, go Figure, the very next day, Newegg takes the product off its virtual shelves. I'll need another recommendation for a good PCI express card...

**UncleMacro** · 08-30-2005, 06:02 PM

They still have this X800 but you have to order immediately because the rebate expires tomorrow. $150 for a 12 pipe board with that memory bandwidth is a heck of a good deal. That's probably why they disappear so fast. The more common configuration of X800 has 256MB.

GarnetCompy · 09-01-2005, 09:57 AM

Woah! My post died! okay here's a repost:

I asked about pixel pipelines, but now I read that other thread, and now I know.

Also, I noticed that that that videocard unclemacro pointed out has less memory than the more common version...Good? Bad?

ebackhus · 09-01-2005, 12:34 PM

Right now a 128MB card will last you a while. 256+ are just gimmicky cards and don't add any performance.

Compumaniac12 · 09-01-2005, 02:36 PM

i beg to differ about the 256 cards, i map for bf2, and when i open maps or textures(200mb of images) i need the extra memory, i bought a 256 card so i could lower my agp aperture so i had more ram. if you can get more ram later then 128 will do.

ebackhus · 09-01-2005, 04:36 PM

That's for BF2. Not everyone plays it, or even wants to.

**UncleMacro** · 09-01-2005, 06:18 PM

When you're buying a video card the best thing to get is a card which is well balanced. It should have the right combination of pixel shaders, vertex shaders, memory bandwidth, and amount of RAM. It's easy to buy unbalanced cards which are strong in one area and weak in others.

For example, GeForce 6600s often come with 256MB. That's a four pixel pipe card with tons of RAM. The extra RAM rarely helps it because it doesn't have sufficient drawing speed to display models which require that much video RAM. Every now and then it runs quicker than a 128MB GeForce 6600 but most of the time their speeds are the same. Then there are some real abominations like GeForce 6200s which come with 512MB. Those cards are basically a marketing scam to fool people who don't know any better.

In the $150 range the most balanced cards have 128MB. Getting a 256MB card in that price range means slowing down the shader speed which you always need to add extra RAM from which you'll rarely benefit. If you're looking at $200 and up then it starts to make sense to get 256MB to help you in future games although it doesn't help you in most current games.

ebackhus · 09-01-2005, 07:39 PM

In addition, you can set your AGP arpeture to 512MB and it won't affect your available RAM. At least, not right away. That RAM is set aside for the card to use if its own frame buffer (onboard RAM) is maxed out. On the plus side, it helps if you're working with something that uses large textures. On the downside, it's very slow since it's going over the system bus. Even as a graphics designer I still feel content with my 128MB of VRAM.

GarnetCompy · 09-02-2005, 09:35 AM

Wow...Thanks! Now I think I know What to look for.

GarnetCompy · 09-02-2005, 12:04 PM

Okay, I took your guys' advice and I came up with this one:

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814170072

Lots of good features, balenced, and the right price.

ebackhus · 09-02-2005, 12:54 PM

An excellent choice. You have my blessings.

08-28-2005, 08:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
GarnetCompy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 317 OS: Windows XP Pro / DOS 6.2 / Xandros Triboot My System	Help Picking a Video Card I need help choosing a Video card for my current build. What it needs to do: 1) Support Dual monitors. 2) Have lots of power : This computer is a Powerful one. 3) Nothing else: Yeah, no funky add-ons no TV-out. I can buy a seperate card for that. Stuff it's plugged into: Powersupply: http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=26450 Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130487 Budget: Anything below 150 dollars Any Suggestions? __________________ Go, Speed Racer, Go!! "Celerons are genuine Intels, just they are made of celery." - Ebackus, 12/29/05

08-29-2005, 01:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
GarnetCompy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 317 OS: Windows XP Pro / DOS 6.2 / Xandros Triboot My System	Oooh...I like the looks of that one, and yes, I am mostly not interested in SLI. As far as I have heard, Its pretty buggy. The price is good on that Radeon, too. Any other suggestions? EDIT: Is it possible to change that DVI female connector to one that supports the CRT-type (I think its called VGA?) with an adapter so I can have two CRT's? __________________ Go, Speed Racer, Go!! "Celerons are genuine Intels, just they are made of celery." - Ebackus, 12/29/05 Last edited by GarnetCompy; 08-29-2005 at 01:28 PM.

08-29-2005, 01:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,255 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	If you want something that will last you then I suggest a 6600GT. They have SM3.0 which may not be in use much now, but will be later. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

08-29-2005, 04:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,255 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	I can get those things for $.79. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

08-30-2005, 11:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
GarnetCompy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 317 OS: Windows XP Pro / DOS 6.2 / Xandros Triboot My System	Update: Well, go Figure, the very next day, Newegg takes the product off its virtual shelves. I'll need another recommendation for a good PCI express card... __________________ Go, Speed Racer, Go!! "Celerons are genuine Intels, just they are made of celery." - Ebackus, 12/29/05

08-28-2005, 09:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
UncleMacro TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,133 OS: Vista SP1 My System	If you're not interested in SLI at any point in the future then this Radeon X800 is the best deal around at $150. It will beat a 6600GT in almost all circumstances. It has a TV output (not a tuner) but even inexpensive video cards have TV outputs these days so you save nothing by getting rid of it.

08-29-2005, 03:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
stanthecaddy22 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 38 OS: WinXP, Linux	yes you can change the dvi plug to a vga plug with an adapter that probably comes with the card. if not it is $3.00 here

08-30-2005, 06:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
UncleMacro TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,133 OS: Vista SP1 My System	They still have this X800 but you have to order immediately because the rebate expires tomorrow. $150 for a 12 pipe board with that memory bandwidth is a heck of a good deal. That's probably why they disappear so fast. The more common configuration of X800 has 256MB.

09-01-2005, 09:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
GarnetCompy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 317 OS: Windows XP Pro / DOS 6.2 / Xandros Triboot My System	Woah! My post died! okay here's a repost: I asked about pixel pipelines, but now I read that other thread, and now I know. Also, I noticed that that that videocard unclemacro pointed out has less memory than the more common version...Good? Bad? __________________ Go, Speed Racer, Go!! "Celerons are genuine Intels, just they are made of celery." - Ebackus, 12/29/05

09-01-2005, 12:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,255 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Right now a 128MB card will last you a while. 256+ are just gimmicky cards and don't add any performance. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

09-01-2005, 02:36 PM	#11 (permalink)
Compumaniac12 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 209 OS: XP home sp1	i beg to differ about the 256 cards, i map for bf2, and when i open maps or textures(200mb of images) i need the extra memory, i bought a 256 card so i could lower my agp aperture so i had more ram. if you can get more ram later then 128 will do.

09-01-2005, 04:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,255 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	That's for BF2. Not everyone plays it, or even wants to. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

09-01-2005, 06:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
UncleMacro TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,133 OS: Vista SP1 My System	When you're buying a video card the best thing to get is a card which is well balanced. It should have the right combination of pixel shaders, vertex shaders, memory bandwidth, and amount of RAM. It's easy to buy unbalanced cards which are strong in one area and weak in others. For example, GeForce 6600s often come with 256MB. That's a four pixel pipe card with tons of RAM. The extra RAM rarely helps it because it doesn't have sufficient drawing speed to display models which require that much video RAM. Every now and then it runs quicker than a 128MB GeForce 6600 but most of the time their speeds are the same. Then there are some real abominations like GeForce 6200s which come with 512MB. Those cards are basically a marketing scam to fool people who don't know any better. In the $150 range the most balanced cards have 128MB. Getting a 256MB card in that price range means slowing down the shader speed which you always need to add extra RAM from which you'll rarely benefit. If you're looking at $200 and up then it starts to make sense to get 256MB to help you in future games although it doesn't help you in most current games.

09-01-2005, 07:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,255 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	In addition, you can set your AGP arpeture to 512MB and it won't affect your available RAM. At least, not right away. That RAM is set aside for the card to use if its own frame buffer (onboard RAM) is maxed out. On the plus side, it helps if you're working with something that uses large textures. On the downside, it's very slow since it's going over the system bus. Even as a graphics designer I still feel content with my 128MB of VRAM. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

09-02-2005, 09:35 AM	#15 (permalink)
GarnetCompy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 317 OS: Windows XP Pro / DOS 6.2 / Xandros Triboot My System	Wow...Thanks! Now I think I know What to look for. __________________ Go, Speed Racer, Go!! "Celerons are genuine Intels, just they are made of celery." - Ebackus, 12/29/05

09-02-2005, 12:04 PM	#16 (permalink)
GarnetCompy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 317 OS: Windows XP Pro / DOS 6.2 / Xandros Triboot My System	Okay, I took your guys' advice and I came up with this one: http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814170072 Lots of good features, balenced, and the right price. __________________ Go, Speed Racer, Go!! "Celerons are genuine Intels, just they are made of celery." - Ebackus, 12/29/05

09-02-2005, 12:54 PM	#17 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,255 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	An excellent choice. You have my blessings. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.