Sweet Spot for video card?

Chaotic · 03-11-2005, 03:09 PM

K well I posted awhile ago some fucked up screens where I had hardcore distortion. Diagnosis was video card overheating.

So, I took the side off, cleaned the entire fucking thing with qtips, moved the sorrounding pci card shit as far away from vid card as possible, and parked a fan next to it.

It ran trouble free for about a month, now I cant have the computer on for more then 10min without it taking a shit on me, whether im stressing it or not.

So, time for a new card. The way I look at it, I was planning to upgrade this computer real soon anyway. So, I'm going to buy a vid card that I will put in my next computer, so I can use this comp for now.

The question is, what card? I'm running an ATI 9700 Pro now, obviously I want something significantly better. I'm goaling for top of the line, money isn't an issue. Yet, I dont want to pay 500$ more for the 3.6ghz over the 3.5 ghz if you know what I mean.

I have no loyalty to ATI or NVidia, i've had both fuck up on me, so i'm just looking for the best bang for my buck. Thanks~

Phoenix · 03-11-2005, 03:38 PM

I would go with 6800GTs in SLI.

Eomer · 03-12-2005, 08:49 AM

Problem is, you current computer is AGP, while your next one should be PCI Express. You won't be able to move your card from one to the other, if you buy one that will work in your current computer. And you'd be really handicapping yourself if you bought an AGP card and then had to, a few months down the road, buy a new AGP motherboard.

You could just buy a 6600GT with AGP, use that for a year or 9 months, then do the whole computer all at once. The performance of that is a fair amount better than a 9800 Pro in most situations, and they go for I think 180-220, so it wouldn't be a huge loss if you only used it for awhile.

Otherwise you should just upgrade your computer now, but problem with that is dual core CPU's from Intel and AMD are coming out sometime soon, and I am not sure if they will be compatible with older mobo's, so you upgrade path for that may be somewhat limited as well. I think AMD is claiming they will be, Intel for sure is not.

Chaotic · 03-12-2005, 01:14 PM

Thats the kind of info I need.

I totally forgot about the PCI express, thats what stopped me from doing this a month ago.

I just sold 3 computers, and have used this one for forever - so I am out of the loop as far as new technology with comps goes. I guess i'll use the laptop until I have the cash to build a new comp.

Kaxmax · 03-12-2005, 01:18 PM

If you need a fix till you buy something new, the 6600 GT AGP is great. I just got one recently for $180 off Newegg, and have been incredibly pleased with it. Best bang for the buck in graphics card right now, imo.

Eomer · 03-15-2005, 02:14 PM

Looks like you needn't wait for dual core chipsets/mobos and CPU's. From reading this Anandtech article they won't be worth waiting for at all: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...oc.aspx?i=2377

Multi-core might be the future, but it seems initially they will simply be more expensive for the same or perhaps even less performance. So if you were to upgrade now, your motherboard would be just fine for a couple years so long as it had pci express, just might want to get a mid to low end A64 now, then in a year get a mid-range one for a fair sized speed bump.

03-11-2005, 03:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Chaotic You are not damn right Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 2,255	Sweet Spot for video card? K well I posted awhile ago some fucked up screens where I had hardcore distortion. Diagnosis was video card overheating. So, I took the side off, cleaned the entire fucking thing with qtips, moved the sorrounding pci card shit as far away from vid card as possible, and parked a fan next to it. It ran trouble free for about a month, now I cant have the computer on for more then 10min without it taking a shit on me, whether im stressing it or not. So, time for a new card. The way I look at it, I was planning to upgrade this computer real soon anyway. So, I'm going to buy a vid card that I will put in my next computer, so I can use this comp for now. The question is, what card? I'm running an ATI 9700 Pro now, obviously I want something significantly better. I'm goaling for top of the line, money isn't an issue. Yet, I dont want to pay 500$ more for the 3.6ghz over the 3.5 ghz if you know what I mean. I have no loyalty to ATI or NVidia, i've had both fuck up on me, so i'm just looking for the best bang for my buck. Thanks~ __________________ Join FoH in eRepublik - Japan - Chaotic1 - PM for assistance Heroes of Newerth: Chaotic1 Steamid: Thinkrevolutionx Pitiless - Orc Death Knight - Magtheridon (WoW) Rhllor - Orc Warlock - Rivendare (WoW) Panic - Lesser Giant Dread Knight - Flamehammer (Vanguard) retired Visvires - Dark Elf Shadow Knight - Drinal (Everquest) retired

03-12-2005, 01:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Chaotic You are not damn right Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 2,255	Thats the kind of info I need. I totally forgot about the PCI express, thats what stopped me from doing this a month ago. I just sold 3 computers, and have used this one for forever - so I am out of the loop as far as new technology with comps goes. I guess i'll use the laptop until I have the cash to build a new comp. __________________ Join FoH in eRepublik - Japan - Chaotic1 - PM for assistance Heroes of Newerth: Chaotic1 Steamid: Thinkrevolutionx Pitiless - Orc Death Knight - Magtheridon (WoW) Rhllor - Orc Warlock - Rivendare (WoW) Panic - Lesser Giant Dread Knight - Flamehammer (Vanguard) retired Visvires - Dark Elf Shadow Knight - Drinal (Everquest) retired

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03-12-2005, 08:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,546 +65 Internets	Problem is, you current computer is AGP, while your next one should be PCI Express. You won't be able to move your card from one to the other, if you buy one that will work in your current computer. And you'd be really handicapping yourself if you bought an AGP card and then had to, a few months down the road, buy a new AGP motherboard. You could just buy a 6600GT with AGP, use that for a year or 9 months, then do the whole computer all at once. The performance of that is a fair amount better than a 9800 Pro in most situations, and they go for I think 180-220, so it wouldn't be a huge loss if you only used it for awhile. Otherwise you should just upgrade your computer now, but problem with that is dual core CPU's from Intel and AMD are coming out sometime soon, and I am not sure if they will be compatible with older mobo's, so you upgrade path for that may be somewhat limited as well. I think AMD is claiming they will be, Intel for sure is not.

03-12-2005, 01:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Kaxmax Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,131 +1 Internets	If you need a fix till you buy something new, the 6600 GT AGP is great. I just got one recently for $180 off Newegg, and have been incredibly pleased with it. Best bang for the buck in graphics card right now, imo.

03-15-2005, 02:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,546 +65 Internets	Looks like you needn't wait for dual core chipsets/mobos and CPU's. From reading this Anandtech article they won't be worth waiting for at all: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...oc.aspx?i=2377 Multi-core might be the future, but it seems initially they will simply be more expensive for the same or perhaps even less performance. So if you were to upgrade now, your motherboard would be just fine for a couple years so long as it had pci express, just might want to get a mid to low end A64 now, then in a year get a mid-range one for a fair sized speed bump.