Graphics card updating

Well due to some upgrades in graphics cards I was thinking about a graphics card update. I have roughly $170.00 -$220.00 to spend on a card and I currently have a GeForce 4 Ti4200 and was thinking about upgrading to a card that to me looks better, but I'm not an expert in computer hardware, but this is what I thought of upgrading to... GeForce 4 FX5700

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1064607240983&skuId=6041384&type=product


I figured I'd ask somebody who knows what they are dealing with before making a purchase. Thanks

Kurith

[RCglider]

ATI 9600 Pro is better than the FX 5700 , especially when you turn up the eye candy. They are priced well under $200.

Here is a Powercolor 9700 Pro at http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=48&manufactory=1419&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1
for $219. It's retail boxed.
You won't find anything else that can touch it at that price. I've purchased three of these cards and so far have worked just fine. The FX 5700 can't even be compared to a 9700 Pro; they are not in the same class. Also, Best Buy prices for most computer hardware tend to be overpriced. IMO, get it from Newegg or some other reputable online store.

BEWARE of OEM "BULK" video cards. They usually come with slower ram and may be returns by other customers.

P.S. The last time I bought one of those Powercolor 9700 Pro's was sometime before Thanksgiving for $250 so it's a good price at $219.

Well all my money is in best buy gift cards

I really appreciate your help

With your money, I'd go with a 9600pro or XT. It's got good DX9 support and the XT rivals the 9800pro in clock speeds, but for much less.

I may be asking a stupid question... I checked out the 9600 XT and it looks good, but if at all better how much better is it than the Ti4200 GeForce 4? I don't want to purchase virtually the same card.

Kurith

the Ti4200 is only DX 8.1 and the 9600XT is DX 9. Also, the clock speeds on the 9600XT are MUCH higher.

The 9600XT's OpenGL's support is 2.0, but the FX5700 is 1.4. Also, the 9600XT's clock speeds are higher.

AND they're about the same price. No brainer Hopefully

My Radeon 9700 looks something like this, except it has a cool gloosy red fan. Makes me wonder if it's efficient, but it sure does look neato. Oh, and I broke off one of the heat sinks.

Thanks Dakana and glider you've been a good help. With that info I'm headin to out to check one out next week when the post xmas hype is down.


Thanks again guys
Cheers

[smithpa68]

Kurith, if you can find a 9800 non pro that is a great card too. A couple of my friends have them and love them. Beats my Ti 4400 easily. Make sure you don't get a 9800 SE (special edition) they are NOT the same thing and much slower.

A 9800 non-pro is getting hard to find but a pretty good cost/performance ratio.

Originally posted by CapriccioSCOURG
My Radeon 9700 looks something like this, except it has a cool gloosy red fan. Makes me wonder if it's efficient, but it sure does look neato. Oh, and I broke off one of the heat sinks.

(his image)

Whoa whoa - what do you mean - broke off one of the heatsinks?

Mine came with like little memory heatsinks attached or something. One of them broke off as I took it out of the box. We were going to stick it back on, but then we used it to pry something open. Oh well, the card still works fine.

I just got a 9600XT, but I have yet to use it. I won't have the chance until I get back to school in about 2 weeks. It'll definitely be better than my GeForce2 Integrated GPU.

-Bagginses

[Jim0322]

Kurith,

Look over this article - http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1910&p=6

It compares several cards including the 5700 U, the 9600 XT and the GF 4200. I just took a quick look at it and there are big frame rate improvements when you use anti-aliasing and ansiotropic filtering when you compare the 4200 to the 5700U/9600XT but the increase is much less when you use no AA/AF.

Another review - 9600 XT
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1904&p=1

Jim

Thanks guys, I went bold and bought it and it runs better than my Ti4200 as expected and It is well worth the buy,

BTW whats that site you go to that tells you your bf1942 running efficiency it scans your pc and gives you a # like 600% or something

Search_for_the_Windows_XP_Game_Advisor,__or,_wait_for_Blade_to_just_post_a_link.

-Bagginses