need help deciding on graphic card to get!!

[matmum]

hi

i have a new pc (p4 2.66ghz.) coming soon and it has got a geforce 4 mx 440 128mg card in it - but after reading around a bit it sounds as tho its one of the worst cards in the range- so i would like to get something a bit better. i was tempted with the geforce4 ti 4200 128mg card - but i wanna make sure that i get something half decent thats not too expensive.

usually what happens when i buy a new graphics card - a new one comes out the next day thats cheaper and with higher specs - has anyone got any ideas.

also i wondered if i have got enough memory 512MB DDR 333 - will i need to get more so the games would run better - as i havent got a clue.

thnx
matt

[nukes]

Windows or Linux? For Windows I would go with an ATI card as they're the best on the market. Go with like a 9500/9700.
for Linux go with NVidia as their drivers are good, and the GL implementation does wonders for games, plus most commercial games (non-open source) only work well with NVidia as they have the best drivers. ATI has linux drivers too, but they're crap.

[implexant]

A GF4 Ti4200 is a great card, however, I'm pleased as punch with my current GF3 Ti200 (overclocked). Albatron makes a great 128MB DDR GF4 Ti4280 card for $119 @ Newegg. Check it out.

Your RAM is fine IMO, 512 is really more than you should ever need. I'm running 512MB and games and everything is as smooth as glass.

-Chris

[Kc2iLq]

Newegg has a refurb Asus V8420 Ti4200 (one of the best 4200's ever made) for $99 which is $45 off the retail price.

-Kc2iLq

[Omardeth]

my vote is the ti 4200 unless you have the money for a ati 9700 or better . here is a link that will back it up .http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic...120/index.html you will see the 9500 benchmarks alittle better than the ti 4200 but not anuff , in my book , to make up for the 9500 being 60 or more dollars in price .

[Creatures]

the geforce card is a very good one! (the MX cards are not very fast and not good for 3D things =) i have a geforec 2 mx =) )

and a lot of games today are created by Nvidia so you have to decide which games you want with better peformance! example: UT2K3

i prefer NVidia! (my opinion)

Creatures

[tony_j15]

I would reccomend you get one that is DX9 compatible. On the low end, you can get a FX5200 for $100. On the higher end, go for an ATI 9500, 9600, or 9700 depending on how much you want to spend.

Well, what sort of games will you be playing? The card you have in it now is about equivalent to a high end GeForce 2 with better antialiasing abilities. It may be enough for a little while. You have plenty of processor to throw behind it while you wait for the next gen nVidia card to come out or for the new model Radeons to drop in price.

I mean, if you play games like Quake III and Counterstrike, and even more advanced ones like Jedi Knight II you'll be all right.

UT 2K3 is likely to be a little pokey on that card, though

[eagle1]

Originally posted by Omardeth
my vote is the ti 4200 unless you have the money for a ati 9700 or better . here is a link that will back it up .http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic...120/index.html you will see the 9500 benchmarks alittle better than the ti 4200 but not anuff , in my book , to make up for the 9500 being 60 or more dollars in price .

Depends if he wants to play his games with a bunch of goodies (i.e. FSAA, Anisotropic Filtering, etc.) turned on or not.
If you have seen the benchmarks ... how can you say :

you will see the 9500 benchmarks alittle better than the ti 4200 but not anuff , in my book , to make up for the 9500 being 60 or more dollars in price .

I think it is worth the extra $$$.. But hey ... everyone is entitled to their own opinion even if it is a little biased.

[Omardeth]

your right i do have a bias a moneny in my pocket bias ... even with the eye candy stuff on the benchmarks show the the ti 4200 still preform hi aunff that it is into a fram rate lvl that your eyes can't see the difference anyway . and even in 1 of the 3 tests shown there the ti 4200 even out did the 9700 and 9800 pro . all i am saying is for the money . the 4200 is the best bet . also most people that turn on all that eye candy miss out on it running around trying not to be killed in the game anyway .