Need suggestions on video and sound cards

T

Tipycol

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Joined

Aug 20, 2002

• Dec 11, 2002

• #1

My friend's interested in upgrading his Gateway, and told me he wants to get a new video card and sound card (I think right now his stuff's onboard). His budget is $130 but he wants to play the games out now and wants good sound, so I was thinking a Radeon 8500 LE 64MB (if he can expand his budget it'll be the 128MB one) and a Sound Blaster Audigy 5.1. Anyone have a different suggestion to this?


Thanks

Tipycol

 

cullam3n

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Apr 25, 2002

Location

San Antonio, TX

• Dec 11, 2002

• #2

Don't waste your money on an Audigy. I suggest starting with a 5.1 Live, get a nice video card (radeon 8500 seem like a nice choice), and then if you have any money left, up the sound card.

-PC

 

J

Johnny Knoxville

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May 29, 2002

• Dec 11, 2002

• #3

don't waste your money on creative, for that price a hercules game theatre XP or turtle beach santa cruz is far better

 

funnyperson1

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Jun 16, 2001

• Dec 11, 2002

• #4

get, an 8500/LE and a Santa Cruz

 

Evilsizer

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Jun 6, 2002

• Dec 11, 2002

• #5

i say go for the Hercules Fortissmo III 7.1 is around $45 oem and 70-85 retail. For the video get a gf4 ti4200 64mb

 

Last edited: Dec 11, 2002

F

flapperhead

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Apr 27, 2002

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wash dc area

• Dec 11, 2002

• #6

get a 5.1 for about 30 bucks. spend the other on a gf3 ti500 or a radeon 9000 pro

 

J

Johnny Knoxville

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May 29, 2002

• Dec 11, 2002

• #7

flapperhead said:

get a 5.1 for about 30 bucks. spend the other on a gf3 ti500 or a radeon 9000 pro

Click to expand...

radeon 9000 SUX, i would rather go for the gf3 ti500 (or ati 8500le)

 

D

Durin

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Sweden(Göteborg)

• Dec 11, 2002

• #8

If he doesnt have good speakers, dont get anything more expensive than a SB 5.1. Spend the money on th gf-card instead....

I'd prolly go with the 8500

 

CSaddict

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Jun 19, 2001

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CT, USA

• Dec 11, 2002

• #9

I like my Santa Cruz better than my SB live plat 5.1. Just an opinion.

 

D

Durin

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Sweden(Göteborg)

• Dec 11, 2002

• #10

How much is a Santa Cruz?
I've never seen one in the swedish shops.
Are they any good?

 

Kaswyn

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Dec 3, 2002

Location

Portland

• Dec 11, 2002

• #11

Yeah, good video card is better than good sound card. As long as the sound card isn't all crappy with static, he'll get by. He'll notice the graphics more than the sound.

 

OP

T

Tipycol

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Joined

Aug 20, 2002

• Dec 12, 2002

• Thread Starter
• #12

K thanks guys. I don't know much about sound, but I figured the Audigy be about $60. Since Sound Blaster Live 5.1 is only $34 at newegg, guess that'll be the way to go. And the 8500 LE is $94 there (although it is the Powered by ATI, I'm trying to find a MADE by ATI that's that cheap ). Now I gotta find him some ram. He increased the budget to $200, but now wants 512MB of sdram (if only he just said $200, then I would've gotten him a 9500 PRO ). And I think he needs it separate (2x256MB). Anyone know any good deals on that?