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GeForce 3 or FX5200?

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  • 02-05-2007 1:34pm
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭


    I'm building a PC for my cousin soon, in my inventory I have a 64MB GeForce3 Ti 500 and a 128MB GeForce FX 5200. But I'm not sure which one to use. He wants to use it with as many games as possible (he'll upgrade it in future). I never thought highly of the 5200 and would consider the GF3 to be a better card but would I be wrong? I know it's not capable of Vista Aero but that's not a problem here, XP is going on this machine.

    Which one do I use?


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    #2
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    Neither are really suitable for modern games older ones will run okay both cards are essentially Direct-X 8 class cards despite the DX9 tag of the FX series.

    Both those cards are AGP based I assume and AGP as an interface is on the decline being replaced by PCI-Express you wouldn't be doing him a favour by putting an AGP board into this new computer if you can help it.

    On paper the GF3 TI 500 is slightly better than the FX5200 but they are probably close to each other in terms of performance so I'd go with the FX5200 as it has more RAM.


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    #3
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭5uspect


    If you're going down the AGP route and if he wants to upgrade it in the future then he should consider something like the 7600GT (or possibly the 7600GS). Also make sure your power supply can deliver around 300W to have enough juice to run it.


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    #4
    uberpixie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭uberpixie


    8T8 wrote:
    On paper the GF3 TI 500 is slightly better than the FX5200 but they are probably close to each other in terms of performance so I'd go with the FX5200 as it has more RAM.

    The onlt other thing in the FX5200 would be more support for the more modern pixel shaders, ie. DX9 vs DX8 with the GF3.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Well he really just wanted something that I could make using excess parts and I had an Athlon XP 3200+ and an Abit AN7 motherboard lying about, he's only 14 so it's not like he has a lot of money, lol. But he does intend to get the 7600GS in time, I was mostly curious which one would be better to use in the meantime. Maybe I'll just use the FX considering the (albeit flakey) SM 2.0 support and the extra video RAM.


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    #6
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    uberpixie wrote:
    The onlt other thing in the FX5200 would be more support for the more modern pixel shaders, ie. DX9 vs DX8 with the GF3.

    The FX series where poor at Direct-X 9 to begin with and the FX5200 doesn't have the power to actually process such shaders effectively which is why it really is more of a DX8 card.
    Karsini wrote:
    Well he really just wanted something that I could make using excess parts and I had an Athlon XP 3200+ and an Abit AN7 motherboard lying about, he's only 14 so it's not like he has a lot of money, lol. But he does intend to get the 7600GS in time, I was mostly curious which one would be better to use in the meantime. Maybe I'll just use the FX considering the (albeit flakey) SM 2.0 support and the extra video RAM.

    I understand, an AGP 7600GS or 7600GT sounds like a good buy later on I would not really go any higher if such hardware is available as it will be wasted with the CPU in place.


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    #7
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭5uspect


    I'd go with the 7600GT over the GS tho, not much more money a lot more performance.


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    #8
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/over2003/index.html#p22

    You can use that to see the performance differences between the Fx5200 and Geforce 3, and alot of other older cards too. The Fx5200 would be a better choice, it's better in most modern games that it can actually run, and in older games the difference isn't so huge as to definitely say the Geforce 3 is worth it.

    Thing is though that an Fx5200 has a resale value of about 25-30 euro even on adverts, the Geforce 3 would be hard to sell for anything really. So you could use the Geforce 3 and sell the Fx5200, put it a little way towards a new card.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    8T8 wrote:
    The FX series where poor at Direct-X 9 to begin with and the FX5200 doesn't have the power to actually process such shaders effectively which is why it really is more of a DX8 card.
    I'd agree with that. In work I have a test PC running Vista with an FX5200. When Aero is enabled, especially with transparency, the graphics performance is terrible. However I once had a 256MB FX5500 and that was fine with Aero (despite the 5500 being more or less an overclocked 5200).


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    #10
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    If its possible to find a x800gt/gto/xt/le/xl then he would bne a in a much ebtter possisition to play newer games.


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