Which do you perfer?

[Pressure]

I'm getting really close to buying my new computer. All I need now is to decide wether to get a 128 MB or 256 MB graphics card. Which do you think would be best for a new computer? Also what is the difference between Windows XP Home and XP Professional, which one should I get?

 

[thehunter1320]

basically, between home and prof., features that nobody needs unless ur on a ten person network, thats why they call it pro. and u don't need 256 MB vid. card yet, cause NO GAME(not even hl2) uses the extra memory. hope that helped

 

[simmo]

thats pretty obvious...XP Pro is WAY better than Home...and as said above 256mb is pointless....so 128

 

[TrueWeltall]

Doom 3 with everything max uses 80 megs of ram for video so i dont see why you would need 256mb, its slow memory imo.

 

[dawdler]

Linux using 2gb video/ram memory combined?

 

[Pagy]

if you don't know the difference bwetween xp home and pro, then chances are you won't need pro.

And the 256 card is worth getting as long as you have oodles of cash and do not cut corners on other componants. Otherwise get the 128 and a better cpu for example

 

[oMarKs]

well win2k pro is more stable than just win2k so at a guess i would say it has better stability.

 

[Pol]

well win2k pro is more stable than just win2k so at a guess i would say it has better stability.

no, xp is actually very stable, after using both xp pro and 2k, xp is much nicer + crashes less

 

[Pressure]

No what I think he was trying to say is the XP Prof might be more stable then XP Home not that Win2k is more stable.

Thanks for the help. I should have enough money to get my new comp in a week or two. I'm excited because it'll be the first computer I've ever bought and it'll actually be good for gaming.

Also is it worth waiting for the 9800XT Pro 128 MB or should I just get the 9800 Pro 128 MB?

 

[SidewinderX]

ein pro is nopt worth the extra money it costs

 

[Washuu]

pro's truely only benefits, is the networking... which i actually utilize in my house.. 4 computers, runs really well on, and easy with network.
i dont know about windows xp home and pro, that pro is more stable, havent heard about that.. i do have two friends with home, that crash alot, but i think thats because one has a.... *ehhk* an e-machine...
and the other friend just has a low end motherboard... thats not working to well..

 

[Pressure]

E-machines aren't ranking up there as the best computers...heh. I should be getting my paycheck on Spetember 10th and I might buy my computer that day or on the next day.

*EDIT: Should I get an Abit IC7 I875PE Mobo or the Asus P4P800 I865PE Mobo?

 

[Tyl3n0L]

They are both VERY good.. but i prefer Asus, i'm going to have this one with my Intel 3Ghz 800FSB next week .. But, if you have extra money, buy the Asus P4C-800

 

[Tr0n]

Yea asus good.But if you want the fastest intel mobo go with msi neo.Also get the 256 mb version in my opinion.

 

[crabcakes66]

Originally posted by Tr0n
Yea asus good.But if you want the fastest intel mobo go with msi neo.Also get the 256 mb version in my opinion.

Msi sucks......The new abit max3 is a much better mobo.

And there is no point in a 256meg vid card for current games....its nothing but clever marketing..that fools people like you

 

[Hudson]

dont give in to the bigger numbers

 

[Tr0n]

Originally posted by crabcakes66
Msi sucks......The new abit max3 is a much better mobo.

And there is no point in a 256meg vid card for current games....its nothing but clever marketing..that fools people like you

Uh Oh MR.Crabby on the defensive.Well I will admit the 256 thing is kinda bogus but msi is good.Even they don't put as much as features that abit or asus puts on theres....but MSI Neo is the fastest Intel mobo.So if you want speed and a cool looking motherboard go with Msi neh yea what type of person am I if it fools me???A fool???I'm heartbroken crabs

 

[crabcakes66]

Originally posted by Tr0n
Uh Oh MR.Crabby on the defensive.Well I will admit the 256 thing is kinda bogus but msi is good.Even they don't put as much as features that abit or asus puts on theres....but MSI Neo is the fastest Intel mobo.So if you want speed and a cool looking motherboard go with Msi neh yea what type of person am I if it fools me???A fool???I'm heartbroken crabs

let me guess...you read that at tomshardware........


so that makes you all knowing

 

[Tr0n]

Yes I am all knowing so bow before me and I will spare your life!!!MWHAHAHAHA!!!!

 

[crabcakes66]

Originally posted by Tr0n
Yes I am all knowing so bow before me and I will spare your life!!!MWHAHAHAHA!!!!

/me bows down and shines massta's boots

 

[Tr0n]

Yes yes...but back on topic.....it's all personal prefrence in my opinion because most motherboards now'n days pretty much have about the same speed and features.So if you think the blue motherboard looks better than the green motherboard but the green is a little faster.Go with blue if you like it more.

 

[Pressure]

This is what I'm thinking about getting:

Asus or Abit Mobo
P4 3.0 GHz 800 FSB
1024 MB RAM PC3200 (400 Mhz)
60 Giga HD
Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB
XP Home
Sound Blaster Audigy 5.1

Does that sound good or should I change something?

 

[Tr0n]

Perfect, but go with Corsair Duel DDR 400(2x512)

 

[Pressure]

It is DDR 400, not sure about Corsair let me check.

Yea, its Corsair.

 

[Tr0n]

Alrighty you got a perfecto machino.

 

[Pressure]

Yay... I cant wait :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

 

[Curator]

Pressure, your system is good but may I make some suggestions?

Get rid of the P4 3.0 and get a P4 2.4C. Next get some DDR450 (PC3700) ram. With that you can overclock to 3.0 GHz at 1000 fsb easily and for less, assuming you know how or are open to overclocking. You could even get some DDR500 (PC4000) and overclock to 3.2 or higher. The 2.4C are extremely good overclockers and only run for about $170. A couple guys managed to get it all the way up to 4.0 GHz.

As for a Video card and OS to get, stay with that 128 meg 9800. The 256 meg cards are a waste of money. If you can get XP Pro. Even if you won't use the extra features it's always good to have them just in case you may need them down the line.

 

[supangr]

I don't know where the guys saying 256MB won't be used by HL2 get their info but this is from the valve only info thread:


From EVIL

Hy Gabe, (I can call you gabe right?)

Some rumors are going on about the video card on the dell machine (the one
that ran the e3 tech demo) featured the Ati radeon 9800 pro 256mb version
Is this true, and does the 256 mb version has an advantage in Half-Life²
over the 128 mb version?

---

And does Half-Life² uses a SOF2 kind of damage system?

thnx for your time Gabe

Bye

==================================================

=====

The way Source is designed, hardware manufacturers can update materials to take advantage of new hardware as it comes out by shipping updates (probably via Steam). So if they come out with a 512 MB card or double the number of instructions possible in a pixel or vertex shader, then customers who have
that card can be updated to take advantage of that.

Specifically to answer your question, I think the cards were actually 128 MB cards but we do take advantage of 256MB cards. If I'm remembering right, we froze the hardware for the demo before ATI had sent us the 256 MB cards.

No, HL-2 doesn't have a SOF-2 style damage system.

Gabe

 

[crabcakes66]

Originally posted by supangr
I don't know where the guys saying 256MB won't be used by HL2 get their info but this is from the valve only info thread:


From EVIL

Hy Gabe, (I can call you gabe right?)

Some rumors are going on about the video card on the dell machine (the one
that ran the e3 tech demo) featured the Ati radeon 9800 pro 256mb version
Is this true, and does the 256 mb version has an advantage in Half-Life²
over the 128 mb version?

---

And does Half-Life² uses a SOF2 kind of damage system?

thnx for your time Gabe

Bye

==================================================

=====

The way Source is designed, hardware manufacturers can update materials to take advantage of new hardware as it comes out by shipping updates (probably via Steam). So if they come out with a 512 MB card or double the number of instructions possible in a pixel or vertex shader, then customers who have
that card can be updated to take advantage of that.

Specifically to answer your question, I think the cards were actually 128 MB cards but we do take advantage of 256MB cards. If I'm remembering right, we froze the hardware for the demo before ATI had sent us the 256 MB cards.

No, HL-2 doesn't have a SOF-2 style damage system.

Gabe

I still highly doubt you will see more than a few FPS in max resolutions........

not worth the money.

 

[Pressure]

Whats the difference between the 9800 Pro 128 and the 9800 128?

 

[Steven Q Urkle]

obviously you should get the 256 and pro if you can afford it.

 

[Pressure]

Does anyone know the difference?

 

[NYHoustonman]

Only core and memory speeds, and while the 9800 can often easily be overclocked to pro speeds, I went with the 9800 pro as I have given up overclocking.

 

[Curator]

Basically what NYHoustonman said. You can even flash the bios with that of the Pro version's bios and it will become a pro.

 

[NYHoustonman]

Well, you could, but there's reall no point. The only instance where you would want to do that is with the right kind of 9500 np, where 4 of the pipelines are disabled, and can be enabled by the new BIOS...As it is, only clock speeds are different. And, as to the topic, it depends what kind of graphics card. A 9800 Pro 128>>>>>>>>FX5600 256. The sweet spot for price vs. performance right now for both companies is the 9800 np and the 5900 128, both of which can be had for less than $250.