21" monitor or Radeon 9800 Pro

[joker_927]

I'm sitting here wondering which thing I should get.

I found a NICE (trust me, I do my homework) 21" (19.8" vieable) monitor (flat CRT) for $300.

A Radeon 9700 PRO - 9800 PRO (both 128MB verions) can be bought for about the same price as the monitor.

What do you think I should get. Here is what I have now.

17" (16" vieable) Flat CRT monitor. Still going strong.

LeadTek GeForce4 Ti 4400. GETS REALLY HOT! (About to rip the heatsink off and install water cooling unless I buy new card. really)
Thanks

[Urban_Squrill]

Thats a hard call.
I had to make the same choice.But it was a 19''(nice one) or a 9700. I chose the 9700 and it was for like 60 bucks more. I dont know what to tell you. I was going form a g4 mx card. I am no help like usual.

[muno]

I'd get the monitor. It will still perform outstanding after 6months, whereas the r9(7/8)00pro will be outdated.

The ti4400 is still a nice card and does it's job (I'm using ti4200).
If it's extremely hot (as in nvidia told you it's too hot), verify your case cooling.
-M

[joker_927]

the reason that my card is hot is that ambient temps are 85F right now. I'm looking at the thermometer. My case temp is........39C. I have 6 80mm fans in my comp, but the ambient temps makes them kindof useless.

The reason the card is so hot, is that LeadTek did a HORRIBLE job putting the FAT heatsink on. The heatsink looks awsome, but it's not even touching half the ramsinks, and there is like 1/8" on goop between the GPU and heatsink...WAy TO MUCH.

[muno]

There's not a whole lot you can do about ambient temperature (unless you have the power to control weather, you never know )

If the card is still under warranty, you could try RMAing it.
-M

[joker_927]

Maybe I should get both. Set my whole paycheck on fire.

[DPA]

Maybe I should get both. Set my whole paycheck on fire.

BINGO!

[poopeyhed2]

Before you purchase anything, I recommend you reading through JayMan's guide, he has virtually the same card, just a smaller heatsink/fan and his being a TI4200. But basically, it's the same method, his article can be found here

I ordered a Radeon 9600 Pro on Thursday from Monarch Computers and should be getting it today -- I kept with my old monitor It all depends on the person. I'm waiting till Christmas rolls around before getting a bigger monitor.

[JPMiller]

Put some elbow grease into the video card and the plastic towards the monitor...Muno is right on the money...and a bigger monitor will make more of a visual difference in long run.

[joker_927]

Originally posted by DPA



BINGO!

lol, hey it's only two weeks worth of work for a HUGE 21" monitor and a Radeon 9800 Pro. What else could I ask for. Most importantly, HL2 should run like a dream.