vid card for $75-$150 budget

[batboy]

Got this email from a buddy (see below). I'm sort of out of the loop with vid cards (my GF3 64 meg is still doing fine). Thinking about recommending ATI 8500LE 64MB DDR ($75), ATI 9000 Pro 128MB ($105), MSI GF4 Ti4200 64MB ($131), or if he really wants to blow his budget, GF4 Ti4400 128MB (around $200 or so). I was mainly quoting newegg.com prices. Any thoughts or comments?

What would you have in terms of recommendations for a gaming video card in the price range of $75-150. Just got a game that evidently does not support a matrox Millenium G200. I updated with the latest drivers. It is a problem that will be faced again and again. Looking for least trouble, good driver support in price range not neccessarily the best in performance money no object, if you follow. Win 98 SE, 500Mghz, 128MB ram. Thanks.

 

[Kid Payne]

Check out this list. I bought 2 video cards from them and everything went well.
http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/sub...t_id=290&sid=6U075SQC56EX8JL3094LTAR06NR13A7F

 

[john240sx]

most of the people here will reccomend the TI4200, i agree. for the money it's the best card on the market.

if your friend is willing to spend up to $150 then i would look at the 128MB GF4TI4200's, upcoming games are going to need that much ram when using the highest settings.

 

[maxima88]

Get the MSI GF4 TI4200. It's the best right now for up to $150.

 

[batboy]

After doing some checking around, think I'm going to also recommend the MSI GF4 Ti4200 128MB DDR for $160 at newegg.com (including shipping) as an option, although this does strain the budget a little.

But... will this vid card work on an older mobo? Isn't there something about different voltages? Or can this vid card use both voltages. He is planning on upgrading his computer this winter, but would like for it to work in the older machine for a while until he gets the new one built. I think his current mobo only supports AGP 2X, but I know the 4X cards are backwards compatible in that regard. I looked at the MSI webpage, but I see no mention of the voltage issue.

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/vga/vga_detail.asp?model=G4Ti4200-TD

 

[SpyderMatrix]

i agree but get a abit or a gainward card they have great support

 

[batboy]

Hey, the Abit Siluro GeForce 4 Ti4200 128 meg DDR looks sweet and is only a couple bucks more than the MSI Ti4200 128 meg card. But will it work in an older mobo?

 

[Kid Payne]

After doing some checking around, think I'm going to also recommend the MSI GF4 Ti4200 128MB DDR for $160 at newegg.com (including shipping) as an option, although this does strain the budget a little.

Man, that's a good price on that card. I doubt a better deal can be found at that price with a good company.

 

[Pfieffdog]

Go with the ti4200. Great card.

-Pfieff

 

[advanR]

yes the 4200 is the best for the money. but what about less? an 8500 for $100 will perform about 5% less. what the hell is with that? Try for a 128 card. Also i strongly urge him to make a cpu upgrade. Depending on his motherboard he can buy a radeon 8500 for $100 and a tualatin celeron 1.1 for $50. It should work with a little fiddling. now overclock and you have 1600 easy and a kickass video card. thats most likely 8000 something 3dmarks. instead of 4000-5000.

 

[TerroH8er]

if he's going to keep the processor, I think he shouldn't get anything more than a GeForce3 Ti200. I just ordered one (my old card died and im waiting for NV30 or else i'd get a rad9700) for $69 at www.essencompu.com . apparently the price has gone up to $79 since I bought it last night

 

[TUK101]

if he's going to keep the processor, I think he shouldn't get anything more than a GeForce3 Ti200.
I agree with this reply. That PIII 500 just isnt going to make use of even a TI200 let alone a Geforce 4 card. For the 70 bucks for the TI200 and having around 70 bucks left, he should take that leftover money and upgrade his cpu to at least a 1 gig Tualatin cpu if possible.

 

[Cisco Kid]

if he's going to keep the processor, I think he shouldn't get anything more than a GeForce3 Ti200.
I agree with this reply. That PIII 500 just isnt going to make use of even a TI200 let alone a Geforce 4 card. For the 70 bucks for the TI200 and having around 70 bucks left, he should take that leftover money and upgrade his cpu to at least a 1 gig Tualatin cpu if possible.

I agree with the 2 above responses but I would get an 8500LE card and a cpu

cisco kid

 

[Samoyed]

He might have a BX board. If so it wont have the wattage to run a 8500 or 4200. Better check with the board manufacturer. My Gigabyte BX could not even run the GF1 ddr. PC of shi*! that it was and still is running an S3 virge for my wife's word processing.

I agree with the GF3 TI 200 64 meg for now If the board can run it. Then get a cheap MB/cpu combo from pricewatch for 120 and a GF 3 TI 64 meg. total price= 190.

Might also be a good idea to just spend 35 bucks on a GF2 MX 440 since his current Matrox 200 sucks in the worst way. Later he can upgrade his entire rig.

 

[Doofie27cp2]

STAY AWAY FROM THE 9000 pro. heard nothing but bad things bout that card...... Get the 8500LE instead

 

[advanR]

bx doesnt support 8500 or 4200? i dont believe that. maybe, but i doubt it.

 

[s[H]sIkuA]

Yeah ..Bx board don't support it

I am currently using one and it s*x to death

Why no one recommend Albatron 4200 Turbo??Too expensive ?? How much ??

 

[funnyperson1]

a 500mhz cpu isnt going to pull its wieght nowadays anyway, i would suggest your friend get an ECS K7S5A and an Athlon XP1600+ for around a 100$ and spend the rest on a Geforce3 Ti200....its going a little overbudget (like 20$) but in the end his system will be kickass

 

[PLtNmHeLiX]

Does anyone have a link to the Geforce 4 ti4200 that are overclock to ti4600 speeds right from the box?

 

[batboy]

He is planning on upgrading his computer this winter, but would like for it to work in the older machine for a while until he gets the new one built.

Thanks for all the advice and comments. Yes he knows the system is wimpy. He's planning on a major mobo and CPU upgrade later this winter, but wants a decent vid card to hold him over until then. I think he's waiting for the CPU price drops for the holidays, but he wants to play his games until then.

Ok, we are scratching the Radeon 9000 Pro off the list. I still think the GF4 Ti4200 128MB would be a great card for him, especially once he gets his new system and migrates the card to the new computer. Obviously, he's not one to upgrade a lot (unlike me), so he wants his components to have some longevity.

Ok, I know the P-4 systems require vid cards that only use 1.5v and looks like his old mobo has a 3.3v AGP slot. I know the new 8X AGP cards use 0.8v and will NOT work. Will the Abit or MSI Ti4200 use either 3.3v (2X) or 1.5v (4X) AGP slots? The Abit website says their Ti4200 is rated 2X/4X, does this mean it'll work in older mobos too? If so, does it automatic sense which voltage it uses or what? This is confusing. Anyone have a good link that might explain it?