Will a new video card make that big of difference?

[CokeLite]

I am running a 2.4 with 512 RAM and Geforce FX5200 128 MB. I currently am getting FPS of about 30 in ravenshield. Will a 9600 ATI make a very big difference?

 

[pat_thetic]

Yes, very much so, I would wait till the 9600 XT though.

 

[jat]

for hl2? yes it would, nvidia have screwed about with its latest and not so greatest...it will work fine but i bet u will be running it with directx 8 on instead of 9 to get some fps and if u got the money wait til the games gonna be released, then in the same week buy the card.
I believe the nv30 chip sucks at all directx9 games but this is to be seen, it only sucks in doom3 and hl2 (doom3 they have to turn down precision to 16 bit where on ati its on 32bit to get some fps back).

and if u happen to see a radoen 9500pro about, get that one instead, it is better than the 9600 pro, only difference is the 9500pro costs too much to manufacter so they made a toned down version of it after a few months, but the 9600 pro still kicks butt.

To decide i think u should check out the benchmarks....but dont forget uve already spent some dough on ur 5200...

 

[Hudson]

i have a MX 420 and i get more then 30FPs in raven shield....

 

[CokeLite]

I probibly have it on a higher Resolution than you also....