Graphics Card Upgrade Advice Wanted

calhob_ie

Hi,

Not sure if this is the correct thread but I'll give it a bash.

Looking to upgrade my graphics card at the min and could do with a bit of advice. As Im not really tech minded. I've currently got a Geforce 3 Ti 200 and want to go up a bit to get more decent performance with the latest games ie Unreal 3 etc.

If you want to know I've got an Atholon XP 1700, 512mb of 400mhz DDR ram and an ABit KD-7 Motherboard. Oh and the whole lot runs XP Prof.

Just looking for a bit of general advice really, is it worth upgrading the graphics card or should i get a new motherboard and faster pro as well?

Im looking to spen about 200 at the mo.

Cheers

Chris

SirLemonhead

I have a pentium 1.3gighz and I upgraded the Geforce 2 in that to a Radeon 9700 and there was a big improvement. Your CPU is quite a bit faster than that so I guess you'd be fine if you just upgraded the videocard.

The Radeon 9600 pro cards are really nice and you can get those for under €200 and then possibly save up for a better CPU for later?

vibe666

i'd go for the radeon 9600 if i were you.

your cpu is fine (just about) for now, and there's some decent memory there too, so you're set.

128mb radeon would do you grand, but unless you've got a "19 monitor or better don't bother with a 256mb one as you won't see the benefits without a big enough monitor to be able to use the higher resolutions.

SirLemonhead

You could buy an AMD XP 2500+ Barton in the future. Those can be got for a little under €100 now I believe.

The 128 meg Radeon 9600 is the best card to go for

OfflerCrocGod

Well the new Nvidia 5900 XT is somewhere around that price I think and it has finally caught up with the 9600 XT and is doing well in many benchmarks againts it, it seems like it's actually better then the 9600 XT. If I were you I'd get a new CPU you have fast RAM and a really slow CPU, the 2500+ as mentioned above would be perfect, it's around €88 on komplett. Your MB would support these extra speeds too so you may see huge returns on a small investment:D.

Woden

i can't find any benchmarks for this new 5900 XT, i must admit i thought you had it all mixed up or where taking the piss when i read that. where does this XT version fit in with the 5900, 5900 ultra and the 5950 ultra scheme.

anywho i don't think he has a poor cpu i think he'll see a much better benefit from upgrading the graphics card then the cpu. if i had that €200 to spend on a graphics card i'd take a close look at the benchmarks and choose between a 9600XT and a 5700Ultra or try to find someone selling a radeon 9700 pro (second hand if necessary)

oh and an important point don't upgrade your graphics card now for game thats not going to be out for another 6 months time or whatever it is. you'll get a better graphics card then for the same price now. once you have no problems with any current games (and i doubt you do with that setup) then i'd worry bout upgrading

data

calhob_ie

Cheers Lads,

All the help is much appreciated. I'll prob follow advice and push the processor up a bit and try and get hold of 9600 Pro. I know what you mean about not upgrading totally for the likes of HL2 etc. When they do come out and people get a good idea of the spec required to get a good game then I'll think about going the whole hog. Lot of people get a bit obsessed making sure they've got all the latest bledding edge gear but as long as it does the job Im not one of them.

Oh as another point I was reading an article in a magazine (Pc Gamer?) about the Hercules All in Wonder 9? (Cant remem off hand) that was actually a restricted 9800 and by using a softmod you could unlock it and thereby have a 9800 for half the price.Only works on some cards though not all. Anybody hear anything bout that?

Cheers

Chris

BadCharlie

The 9800 Se card that can be moded to a 9800pro if your lucky.

OfflerCrocGod

I dont take the piss about this kinda stuff, here is a review of the 5900 XT it dominates the 9600 XT in many a benchmark and trashes the 9700 Ultra, also a free game comes with it. By the way you will see large benefits from changing to a 2500+, your FSB speed will go from 133Mhz to the full 200Mhz which both your RAM and MB can support, get the newer CPU and benchmark it againts your old one *especially* in memory benchmarks the diffrence should be large.

calhob_ie

Right boys,

On your good advice I just purchased the Athlon XP 2800+ from Komplett at €110.Should get it tom all going well. Heading out the office for lunch now so If anybodys interested I'll keep you updated. I'll prob get a new mid range card as well and I should be cooking with gas for the forseeable future. Looks like the 9700Pro's the best bet cost/bang wise.

I'll keep you updated. Oh if anybody wants my old Athlon XP 1700 and fan combo gratis, presuming the new ones ok, as a thanks then give me a shout.

Cheers

Chris

Woden

Yeah if you can get your hands on a 9700pro you'll be sorted thats a nice combo with your new processor.

Just wondering did you check whether you mb can support a 166mhz FSB processor?

Crocgod took a look at that review, apologies for implying you may have been taking the piss. It seems the 5900XT is a cut down 5900, i think the card they reviewed the 5900SE which is the same has a more accurate name.

The card seems to own the 9600XT is nearly everything i think i'd have to reconsider what i'd buy as a mid-range graphics card at this point. Any idea when they'll be widely available?

OfflerCrocGod

In Europe not for this X-Mas:D, I'd say next year early, but wait for reviews of the XGI Gfx before getting anything they should be very cheap cards along with S3s new cards - there should be plenty of mid-range competition next year, a good thing:D, cheaper cards for one. I wasn't taking the piss Nvidia were I mean 5900 'XT' - I'm cracking up laughing:rolleyes:.

By the way calhob_ie I would have gone for the cheaper 2500+ you could have OCed it to a 2800+ easy enough, I suppose OCing may not be something you would be comfortable with?. Also I think your MB does support 166Mhz FSB by the small amount of details you gave about it, but it's best you ckeck that up fully or tell us the full MB name.

calhob_ie

According to the ABIT website the KD7 does indeed support 333Mhz processors. Got delivered this morning but I didn't have to time to install it as I had to go to work.
As for the overclocking thats not really something I'd be up to, my knowledge on the tech sides a bit limited. Knowing my luck id fry the processor and be left with a rather attractive beige plastic doorstopper.

I'll pop it in tonight and let you know.

Cheers

Chris

Woden

Originally posted by OfflerCrocGod
In Europe not for this X-Mas:D, I'd say next year early, but wait for reviews of the XGI Gfx before getting anything they should be very cheap cards along with S3s new cards - there should be plenty of mid-range competition next year, a good thing:D, cheaper cards for one. I wasn't taking the piss Nvidia were I mean 5900 'XT' - I'm cracking up laughing:rolleyes:.

ah i'm alright for the moment (data takes the time to boast about his 9800pro) yeah that XT was what i thought was funny i would have thought it high end when seeing that so i think the manufacturers SE naming is much fairer

as someone mentioned on the comments section of that website its like amd crippling a 3200+ and calling it the 3200+ EE

calhob_ie i was a noob overclocker till a month or so ago its not too hard tbh and abit boards are good for overclocking. if you had an nf7 i'd say you get a 3200+ out of it no problem but i don't know if your motherboard could support 200mhz FSB. you should still be able to get a nice overclock out of it though if you wanted.

what cooling do you have is it just the standard comes with the chip stuff?

calhob_ie

Got a coolmaster fan the same time as the chip, thought id better up the cooling since I presume the 2800 runs a lot hotter than the 1700. Cant remem the fan model but its rated up to the 2800.

Cheers

Chris

Gyck

I've just finished building two identical p4 systems but one has a 9800pro and the other a 9600pro. After running a few benchmarks I've got about a 20% difference in 3d performance (a pretty crude figure since I haven't run too many benchmarks) .

I'm not saying that the 9600pro isn't good, but for the extra euros spent on the 9800pro I'm seeing a very big difference in performance.

Oh, the 9600pro is one of the Sapphires with a heatpipe, completely silent.

Woden

well you can get a 9800pro for about 120euro dearer then an XT which i think is a good price for the performance difference.

calhob_ie if you fancy getting a new cooler this cooler master one comes recommended for price/quality

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?action=info&sku=120134&p=&t=1622&l=3&AvdID=1&CatID=28&GrpID=5&cks=PRL

Woden

crocgod

theres a leadtek 5900 LX on overclockers. its clocked at 400/700. Basically though its a 5900 XT/SE if anyone is looking for one now.

there only about €230 + delivery and are meant to overclock well.

i'd recommend this as a mid range card to anyone at the moment

calhob_ie

Right lads, Popped the new processor in last night, no probs. However when I turn the thing on It seems to start up no prob. All the fans spin up,hard drive access etc but the monitor doesn't come on.

I whipped the new one out and put the old one back in and same problem. Its got me a bit snookered to be honest.

Anybody got any ideas?

Cheers

Chris

whosurpaddy

Originally posted by calhob_ie
Right lads, Popped the new processor in last night, no probs. However when I turn the thing on It seems to start up no prob. All the fans spin up,hard drive access etc but the monitor doesn't come on.

I whipped the new one out and put the old one back in and same problem. Its got me a bit snookered to be honest.

Anybody got any ideas?

Cheers

Chris

ive been having the same prob with a new system put together from parts meself. take a look here
i havent sorted my problem, but it will give you an idea of where to start. also id be interested to hear if you get yours sorted.

Originally posted by calhob_ie
if anybody wants my old Athlon XP 1700 and fan combo gratis, presuming the new ones ok, as a thanks then give me a shout.

if you were serious about this id happily give an xp1700 a good home (once you get your prob sorted of course)

Woden

you have an abit board?

try holding down insert on boot up and see if you can boot up in safe mode with a low clock frequency. i think it was mentioned in that article. this is what i have to do when i overclock to much and same thing monitor doesn't turn on. oh and pull the power cord out of the back for a few minutes before you do it.

otherwise you could have a dude cpu

calhob_ie

Yeah, ABIT KD-7 Raid.

I'll try holding insert, very strange problem. It also does exactly the same thing when I put the 1700 back in. I installed the chip carefully, no bent pins problems etc.

Its a poser allright.

Cheers

Chris

Woden

if it does the same thing when you put the 1700 back in i'd say then that it may not be the chip.

calhob_ie

True true, worked fine before I took it to bits though. Im dropping it into a pc repair place tom aft so they can run diagnostics on the mb to see if thats knacked.

I'll try stripping it all out tonight and running it bare bones see if I can get it to start that way. I'll also try stripping out all the memory see if mb gives me the beep,

Im beginning to hate pc's should have just stuck with me Xbox.

Cheers

Chris

whosurpaddy

just at a guess(dont know this particular board) is your fsb controlled by a jumper or in the bios. if its a jumper u may need to change it to accomodate the higher chip.

calhob_ie

Wazza jumper on the board?

Ach I though you just stuck it in and away you went. Not the most technically minded person in the world.

Even so though, Wouldn't it work again when I replace the old chip?

Cheers

Chris

whosurpaddy

this is true. probly not the cause so.

Sir Random

Are there any beeps from the mobo? did you attach a speaker?
Did you reset the CMOS?
Is the cpu fan connected to it's own slot on the mobo?

You could try reseating the gfx card, it may have moved when you were swapping cpus.

SirLemonhead

I'd give a reset of the CMOS a go. Should be a jumper on the board to do that. Look in the motherboard manual for how to do it.

astrofool

U are going to HAVE to update the bios before putting a 2500+ in. The kd7 was released before that processor was avialable (max was 2200+ at the time), so it needs an update to support the barton/thoroughbred B die's.

Abit boards can often get confused when switching to processors it can't run with. Try this: unplug the board COMPLETELY, take out the battery, (it's vertically mounted on this board so easy to do), put the 1700+ back in and it should be picked up. Get over to www.abit.com.tw and get the latest bios for the kd7 (dn i think), and then put the 2500+ in.

ALWAYS put the latest bios onto any board before upgrading the chip.

Mutant_Fruit

I'd just like point out that Nvidia have been known to cheat in benchmarks. The benchmark programs generally rate the cards higher than the real world performance they generally give.

Check out here and here .

Considaring that, i wouldn't recommend an Nvidia card over a Radeon. Also check this