Graphics Card Upgrade for gaming

lisag · 02-09-2005, 10:11 AM

I am thinking of upgrading the AGP card in my main PC in about a month's time to maximise gaming performance. I currently have a Radeon 9800 pro 128mb (sapphire with HSI aftermarket cooler).

I want to spend about £150 and was thinking of something in the Nvidia 6800 range.

Would I get significant improvement by this upgrade (is it worth it?) if so which specific card would give me the best gaming performance (128mb, 256mb, GT, LE plain, Ultra)?

fanx
lisa

snow-munki · 02-09-2005, 10:17 AM

something like a 6800 GT or AT X800 XT last time i looked both around the £200 mark.

however not sure on how much better it wil lbe for you, depends how you play your games really ( what res and what detail, AA etc )

I still got my 9800 Pro but don't have the cash to upgrade atm

lisag · 02-09-2005, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the reply, I play on a 19" monitor which is 1280 x 1024, I would love all the detail turned up high, but GTA SA really struggled, had to turn everything low and run it at 800 x 600

lisa

meansizzler · 02-09-2005, 10:23 AM

Hey Lisa, I recommend getting the Ati X800XL, it's good value for money at just under £200, and has the ful 16 pipelines, but does not cost as much as the XT version, it's the best mid range-high performance card, go for the Sapphire Version though, I wanted to get want a month or so back but the place i went to never stocked them...

Link

since you got an 9800 in this machine and a 6600Gt in the other, no point in getting anything lower than a 6800, would not justify the cost, so spend the extra cash and get the x800xl.., i'm kinda regretting spending £130 on my X700 Pro and then another £30 on a Zalman cooler for it, considering I had a 9600Xt before...

Performance wise you should be able to run it at 1280*1024 no trouble with all the settigns up on high, I usully run my X700 Pro at 4*AA, 4* AF, on all the newer titles and have the other settings on High and get no trouble at 1024*768, so the X800xl should pretty much run all the newer titles to the max...

snow-munki · 02-09-2005, 10:26 AM

what CPU have you got, as on my 9800 pro i'm pretty sure i can play GTA just fine on 1280 * 1024 res...

i've only got an athlon xp 2100 @ 2.3ghz

meansizzler · 02-09-2005, 10:29 AM

Hey Lisa, your Luck Day, X800XT by Asus for under £200 at overclockers, go grab one now before there gone...it the first card on the page..

LINK

Available This Week Only for just £159.95 +VAT.

lisag · 02-09-2005, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snow-munki

what CPU have you got, as on my 9800 pro i'm pretty sure i can play GTA just fine on 1280 * 1024 res...

i've only got an athlon xp 2100 @ 2.3ghz

Huh? That's not fair - I have a P4 2.66 and 1gb DDR333 Ram, wonder what I am doing wrong?

Thanks meansizzler, will check out those links.

lisa

meansizzler · 02-09-2005, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisag

Huh? That's not fair - I have a P4 2.66 and 1gb DDR333 Ram, wonder what I am doing wrong?

lisa

Hmm..I would of thought even my 9600XT would cope with that game..

snow-munki · 02-09-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisag

Huh? That's not fair - I have a P4 2.66 and 1gb DDR333 Ram, wonder what I am doing wrong?

Thanks meansizzler, will check out those links.

lisa

hmmm it could be the detail level set. I'll try it tonight and report back. does your system run fine normally ?

might be worth downloading and trying 3d mark 2001 / 2003 / 2005 and seeing what score you are getting, and compare it with others.

maybe your system just needs a bit of a spring clean

lisag · 02-09-2005, 12:01 PM

Ok, I'll do some maintenance and run some benchmarks at the weekend, maybe I could compare them to yours - see if there is something amiss.... thanks
lisa

lisag · 02-09-2005, 8:25 PM

Well these are my 3D Mark 03 results after some defragging...

This is with a P4 2.66 ghz, 1GB DDR333 and a Radeon 9800 pro 128mb AGP8x, sound ok, or is somthing horribly wrong?

lisa

snow-munki · 02-09-2005, 9:44 PM

haven't ran mine in ages but i got 6560

not sure how the p4's compare to the athlon's but bare in mind my cpu is over 2 years old now.

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=2900539

have you got your gfx card running on high AA / AF or other bits and bobs like that ??

lisag · 03-09-2005, 7:56 AM

Hmm, thats a bit worrying, our CPU scores are very similar but your other scores are way higher than mine with the same card! I have the lastest drivers and everything left at the default settings, and recommendations on what I should change?

lisa

KoThreads · 03-09-2005, 8:57 AM

Lisag

Something must be up as I play GTA SA with the settings wacked up with hardly any judder at all.

3200 Athlon (o'cd)
Asus A7N8X Deluxe
1GB DDR400 Corsair
6600GT (coolbits tweak)
twin 120gb SATA
19" Acer TFT @ 1280 x 1024 75hz

Nothing really flash for these days.

Cable Monkey · 03-09-2005, 9:30 AM

Lisag, your scores are consistent with a 9800SE. Where did your card come from? Also, your P4 speed (2.66) amd memory suggests you have the older 533 fsb P4. I had a 2.4 that struggled with the CPU requirements for some modern games causing poor perfomance. I fear a 6800GT or X800XL or XT will be seriously bottlenecked by your CPU and your best option would be to confirm if your 9800pro is genuine and look at a major upgrade or limit yourself to a 6600GT. Still a very good card.

meansizzler · 03-09-2005, 10:35 AM

Lisa you can try dropping the resolution in the game to 1024*768 and see if that makes a difference, I don't think even my CPU would cope with the latest games at 1280*1024 with all the settings on high..and I have a P4 2.8GHZ with Hyper Threading...what's the max speed your mobo will take, maybe it's time to consider a CPU upgrade, but i wouldn't get anything less than a 3.2GHZ P4, as it would not justify the cost.., also if you have a 478 chipset then your pretty much in out of luck, as 478 Cpu's are hard to come by, you might be able to fin a 3.2GHZ one for aroun £160..

KoThreads · 03-09-2005, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snow-munki

i've only got an athlon xp 2100 @ 2.3ghz

What cooler are you using to crank a 2100 to 2.3? And what temp under load?

lisag · 03-09-2005, 11:17 AM

You are right - I just did some hard gaming and quickly switched back to desktop, and the cpu had been maxed out - and yes it is a 478 socket - hmmm

lisa

meansizzler · 03-09-2005, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisag

You are right - I just did some hard gaming and quickly switched back to desktop, and the cpu had been maxed out - and yes it is a 478 socket - hmmm

lisa

Hmm...when playing far cry on max settings my CPU is around 70% whilst recording two tv shows at the same time, hey Lisa in a month or so I want to get a new mobo so you can have my P4 2.8GHZ it has Hyperthreading and 800MHZ FSB, just make sure your motheard supports all that, it is the socket 478 version....

lisag · 03-09-2005, 12:02 PM

Ok, yes I might be interested in an upgrade for a second hand CPU, but I have nearly got the fastest my mobo supports here so not worth spending £150+ for a few more mhz... give me first refusal though!

lisa

meansizzler · 03-09-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisag

Ok, yes I might be interested in an upgrade for a second hand CPU, but I have nearly got the fastest my mobo supports here so not worth spending £150+ for a few more mhz... give me first refusal though!

lisa

OK, looks like your board won't take my CPU, make there is a bioss upgrade...i'll check for you...

meansizzler · 03-09-2005, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meansizzler

OK, looks like your board won't take my CPU, make there is a bioss upgrade...i'll check for you...

HAHA, funny only two bios updates, Gigabyte really does suck when it comes to updates, I stay well clear of them anyay, if you want a M/B get it from Intel or Asus, guess the only real option for you is to get a new mobo, eg. motherboard/cpu/ram

I recommend an Intel Pentium D 2.8GHZ (2*2.8GHZ cores), and Asus MATX 945G Motherboard and 1GB Adata DDR 667 RAM, Sapphire X800GT

CPU - £180
M/B - £85
RAM - £65
Graphics Card - £90

so £420 on a new Mobo, but at least you have the upgrade potential for a few years, and the Asus board is pretty much top of the line for it's class, it includes the Intel HD Audio chipset..

lisag · 03-09-2005, 12:39 PM

Yeah - I wish!

Just been browsing the online 3d mark results and people seem to get a significant increase in performance by going to the Geforce 6800 series with the same CPU as mine, so still might consider that.

I got significantly better results on my HTPC with 3d mark 03, that is with an Athlon XP2700+, 1GB DDR333 and the 6600GT.

Now is not the time for a massive re-build, I will wait until I can comfortably afford 4ghz, I might keep my eye on ebay for a second hand 3.06ghz CPU though...

lisa

snow-munki · 03-09-2005, 12:41 PM

haven't read all the updatyes but lisa,

overclockers are doing an x800 xt pe for £190 which i believe is VERY good value for money if you are going to upgrade.

I'm using a zalman flower btw, temps are find at under 50 on load. think mine is at 200 * 11.5 if memory serves me right.

haven't had time last couple of months to bother too much about it though

rdhir · 03-09-2005, 1:16 PM

Have you had a look here for comparative benchmarks. Generally its the GPU which is the determinant for gaming performance, with MODERN games. The older ones become more CPU bound because they try and do less with the GPU.

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/gra...ga_charts.html

Also an X800 is supposed to run quite a bit better than a 9800.

Would check out the SE vs Pro thing. Bit puzzled about your CPU though a 2.66GHz P4 ought to be good enough.The other possibility is that your P4 is too hot. P4's have technology to throttle back the speed automatically if they get too hot. Read about this on Tom's Hardware when they found some P4 machines had really strange benchmarks, but this was a long time ago when P4 (Northwood - which ever was the original one) came out. The technology is still there though.

You could try a benchmark test for say a short period from cold, then leave the machine for four, five hours and see if you got a different result.

Cheers

Rajiv

lisag · 03-09-2005, 1:37 PM

OK, thanks for all the input.

I have one of those funky Lian Li brushed steel cases, with a temp monitor in a 3.5" bay at the front

The CPU temp always seems to stay in low 40's, sometimes peaking at around 45 degrees, so that should be ok, shouldn't it?

In a months time I complete an OU degree that has taken 6 long years, and my reward to myself is this upgrade to maximise my enjoyment of the extra gaming I will be able to fit in to the no more studying free time

So, prices may drop a little in the next month, maybe. And I have seen a 256mb 6800GT for just under £200. I have always had Nvidia cards before I bought this 9800 pro, specifically to play Half Life 2 (had a ti4200 before, very old) and am less than impressed with it... HL2 looked good, but it looks better on my HTPC with the 6600GT.

Are you all convinced that the X800XT PE for £190 is a better buy than a 6800GT at the same price?

lisa

EDIT: rdhir - yes I have been looking at toms hardware benchmarks, but it seems that at around this price the cards are pretty interchangeable depending on settings etc... It is MODERN games that I want to be playing...

meansizzler · 03-09-2005, 1:50 PM

Go for the X800Xt it is a better deal...., only wish i would of bought one, and yes you get better performance out of the 6600Gt than the 9800 cause it is a faster card..

snow-munki · 03-09-2005, 2:02 PM

this one here btw:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/X800_Series.html

big thread on it on the ocuk forums:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...php?t=17463987

seems a very good buy, better than the 6800GT yet it is cheaper. would go for one myself but about to buy a house instead

rdhir · 04-09-2005, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisag

OK, thanks for all the input.

I have one of those funky Lian Li brushed steel cases, with a temp monitor in a 3.5" bay at the front

The CPU temp always seems to stay in low 40's, sometimes peaking at around 45 degrees, so that should be ok, shouldn't it?

lisa

Are you sure that it's reading CPU temperature and not case temperature?

Anyway it sounds like a graphics card upgrade is yout best bet, wouldn't have thought a CPU change would make a lot of difference. Sorry by MODERN I just mean HL2/Doom3 and beyond, as these two mark a generation change in game engines, and the number of game engines will keep reducing, promise I wasn't trying to be patronising, just guilty of being too brief in response.

Cheers

Rajiv

lisag · 04-09-2005, 6:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdhir

Are you sure that it's reading CPU temperature and not case temperature?

Anyway it sounds like a graphics card upgrade is yout best bet, wouldn't have thought a CPU change would make a lot of difference. Sorry by MODERN I just mean HL2/Doom3 and beyond, as these two mark a generation change in game engines, and the number of game engines will keep reducing, promise I wasn't trying to be patronising, just guilty of being too brief in response.

Cheers

Rajiv

No worries - I didn't take offence, I appreciate your help/input.
Just put my 9800 pro up for sale on ebay, they seem to be fetching fairly reasonable prices, and bundled it in with a couple of old games I had lying around. I have a spare FX5200 to use to finish my degree - then go proper shopping for my new AGP toy when the final assignment has left the building!