Video Card-Best Bang for Buck

[Malatesta]

Alright here's my system as it stands right now:

AMD Athlon 1.2
768 MB Ram
Geforce 2 MX

I'm thinking the best thing I can do right now to be able to play HL2 on some medium settings is to up my video card. I don't have too much to spend, and from reviews and tests I've seen online, it looks like the Geforce 4 TI series performs way better than many of the cheaper cards on the market right now. And, they go for about 50 bucks on eBay.

Now, I've been out of the video card loop for a while, but I've noticed that more people are using ATI cards in thier systems now. Is there an ATI card that would perform better than one Geforce TI series for about the same used price on eBay? If not, what do you think, the Geforce 4 TI 4600 seems like a pretty solid card, even being two years old.

 

[WaryWolf]

i don't think you can beat that, at $50 that's an amazing find. i'd say go for it, i think the equivalent would be a 9500(pro) and they sell for more i think.

 

[Malatesta]

Sweet, that's what I'll go with then. There are a couple of 9500s around for a teeny bit pricier, but I think it'll be easy to nab a TI 4600 quicker. Thanks! :E

 

[Malatesta]

Alright, let me make sure about this here...I just read that the Geforce 4 TIs are DirectX 8 cards...the FX series is 9. A high end Geforce 4 TI is still going to be better than a low end Geforce FX, right?

 

[greatapoc]

Alright, let me make sure about this here...I just read that the Geforce 4 TIs are DirectX 8 cards...the FX series is 9. A high end Geforce 4 TI is still going to be better than a low end Geforce FX, right?

In DirectX 8 applications, yes.

 

[colson]

Does anyone know what the 128mb GeForce FX5200 is worth(thats the video card I have) and if you know about these things, is it any good?

Thx

 

[Sin]

Alright, let me make sure about this here...I just read that the Geforce 4 TIs are DirectX 8 cards...the FX series is 9. A high end Geforce 4 TI is still going to be better than a low end Geforce FX, right?

Yes no worries man, and another thing to help you in your purchaseing, HL2 supports all the way down to DirectX 7.0 :E so that means you will be cool to run at YOUR prefered settings ( medium) and hey, if you over clock it you might be able to kick it up a knotch or two in some cases :thumbs:

 

[Trinityxero]

Does anyone know what the 128mb GeForce FX5200 is worth(thats the video card I have) and if you know about these things, is it any good?

Thx

I have a genuine intel 2.0 ghz / 256BM RAM/ FX5200 w/ 128 and dual 40GB harddrives i forgot howmuch the FX5200 is i think its like 80 - 120$ i could be wrong...

my FX has run evreything from "The Dig to farcry and Uru:ages beyond myst to DOOM3" (low settings with slowdowns) but i still have fun (due the to fact i have very little RAM )

i think its my CPU that floats it all or its the fact i have a very stable system that dousent freeze (only the apps freeze time ta time)

ppl say the FX5200 sucks a big one but i think its a good card for its price... the choise is yours... id just grab a 9800pro for 150$

 

[Malatesta]

Well I purchased the TI 4600. Half-Life 2 here I come.

 

[Malfunction]

Well I purchased the TI 4600. Half-Life 2 here I come.

Just a headsup, don't expect to run everything on insane settings with magestic graphics. Not with that card and CPU.

 

[Malatesta]

Yes I know. The goal of this purchase to be able to run HL at playable speeds at medium settings. Plus I might even be able to swap the CPU out with the AthlonXP 2000+ in my roommates computer. I doubt he'd even notice.

 

[Ti133700N]

That card is pretty good. The TI serie is probably the best line in therm of compatibility. You won't have any troubles with the drivers or any glitches in games. And it will run HL2 just good. Personnaly I don't see a good difference in visual quality between DX8 and DX9 in HL2. You will still have bump mapping and Normal mapping effects. Plus, like you said, it will perform better than the lower DX9 cards (like the FX5200) for a lower price.

Good choice

 

[Kramer318]

GeForce FX 5200 are running 39.99 after rebate. Not bad

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=674963&Sku=P450-8602

 

[Kramer318]

Update:

XFX GeForce FX 5200 / 128MB DDR $19.99 after rebate! Wow!

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=674963&sku=p450-8602