• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Card decisions..

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

slaya

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2004
Location
NY
Hey, I am thinking of buying a new video card, probably a 9800 Pro, but not sure yet. The only resolution I play my games are at 1024x786, no higher since I have a 17" monitor and don't like 60hz refresh rate, but I would like to run my games at high settings. I play Far Cry, CS Source, maybe Doom 3 when I get the money, and HL2 soon also. Would a 9800 Pro (maybe 256mb ram) be enough to handle these games at my settings? or would I need something like a 6800GT, I kind of wanted to go for something a little cheaper.

Thanks, SlaYa
 
slaya said:
Hey, I am thinking of buying a new video card, probably a 9800 Pro, but not sure yet. The only resolution I play my games are at 1024x786, no higher since I have a 17" monitor and don't like 60hz refresh rate, but I would like to run my games at high settings. I play Far Cry, CS Source, maybe Doom 3 when I get the money, and HL2 soon also. Would a 9800 Pro (maybe 256mb ram) be enough to handle these games at my settings? or would I need something like a 6800GT, I kind of wanted to go for something a little cheaper.

Thanks, SlaYa

at those resolutions i really havent noticed much of a diffrence between my 6800gt or either my 9800pro or 9800aiw. havent played much of the hl2 early build i have cause its so bare and boring and dont have cs source.

i have heard that the 6800s are playing farcry and doom3 better than the 9800pro or even x800pro but i think the majority of those tests and benchs were done at higher res.

you might want to look into a 6800nu if your looking for something a little cheaper ive heard alot of people exhaulting even the 6800nu over a 9800pro course i dont know how well the nonultra/non gt will play on hl2 engine.

hopefully someone who had cs source and a 9800pro and 6800gt can chime in with their results as id like to see how they stack up against one another in real world at 1024x 768 res
 
5900 won't do dx9 in hl2 or cs:s. it will default to 8.1.

you can force dx9 on the FX series of cards, but the performance hit it takes makes it unplayable. a 9800pro in dx9 will still beat a 5900 running dx8.1 in hl2 and cs:s.

**edit** here's a link chowdy posted in the HL2 benchmark thread. it compares mid range cards in CS:S.

http://firingsquad.com/hardware/counter-strike_source_midrange/
 
My 6800NU plays CS source fine, as well as kicking anus in Doom 3 and farcry. It seems to play much smoother than my 9800XT although I never got to try the XT on doom3. For under $300 its a great card. The 9800pro OTOH is a super deal at around $150-175, and should play everything fairly well.
 
Ok, thanks guys I guess I will get the 9800 Pro, this MX card i'm on now won't evan play Far Cry i'm DIENG!!!

Any suggestions on weather to get 256mb or not?
 
for that chipset, the 9800 pro, I don't really think the extra $$$ is worth it for an extra 128mb. The 9800's do a great job w/ 128mb, anyway.

So, unless it's less than a $50 difference for the 256mb vs. 128mb option, go 128mb.

If you were getting a modern chipset, x800/6800 or above, then definitely go for 256mb.
 
Back