8600gt 512mb?

[thefretmaster]

i found one of these on the net and wondered if it would be a decent addition to my pc. i am aiming to run shiv at a decent quality. AA and transparant water being a highlight for me.

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?nov-86gt5&P=1
this is the card

would it be worth getting this one (i run xp so direct x 10 is not usable anyway, so just get it for the technology) or should i go for one of theolder 7 series graphics cards (also i cant do sli as i only have one pcie x16)
what could you reccommend in the same kind of price range.

my current rig
p4 3.00 ghz hyper threading
1gig ram (soon to be 3 gig :) )
ati radion x600 256mb (hypermemory, not good?)
x-fi music sound card

edit: i also just found this one http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?sap-950p5&P=1 better or worse, thanks
i think thats all :arrgh!: thanks
tfm

[switch.dota]

While running on windows XP in average resolutions (up to 1200x1000), the 8600, even the top models, even overclocked, are inferior to the 7900GS models under directx 9. That is pretty much a fact. As a sidenote SLi is useless unless you want super-resolutions like 2500x1600.

I strongly advise against buying a 8600 video card. 7900GS (or anything superior in the 7 series) is a video card that can easily outperform the 8600 under DX9. You loose out on DX10 but with Vista still 6-12 months away from being a stable gaming platform it's unlikely you'll NEED DX10 for another year or so. By that time the 8600 will probably be a terrible card (performancewise) anyway.

I suggest a 7900GS, GT or 7950GT. They are excellent perfomers and for the most part excellent overclockers, even with stock gear. They will also be able to run any game reliably (high detail&stuff) for at least another year. By the time a 7900 will show its age, the 8600 would already be obsolete.

Either add some cash and hit the 8800 models (even the low-end 8800) or aim for a 7900 or better from the 7 series. Otherwise you're wasting your money.

Another word of advise: don't go past 2GB in Windows XP. The OS wasn't designed to operate with so much RAM and has problems managing it. Just get 2 GB of RAM, dual channel. Upgrading to Vista shouldn't be an option for any gamer in his right mind.

[thefretmaster]

ok, thanks for that, i have been looking at 7900 cards too, just wondered which would be a better option.
as for ram, again thanks ill keep it in mind
:up: cheers

[Dowly]

I got myself the 8800GTS 320mb to replace my old 7800GTX 512mb and the performance boost was very big. And it only cost me 300€.

[CaptRari]

Dont' waste your money on the 8600 mate, go for the 7900 series. i just upgraded from a 6800 to 7950 GT OC (512 mb) and it's made a incredible difference! FPS shot up from 30 to 55-65fps on SH4.My Comp. specs are P4 3.2 HT, 2 Gigs of ram, 7950 GT OC,OS Window Pro.I'm waiting for next Gen DX 10 cards to come out next year,besides there are no DX 10 games out and Vista needs to be refinded a bit:yep: Save your money until next year:arrgh!:

[thefretmaster]

thanks guys for all your help :up:
i am finding it hard to find pci-e 7 series cards (are they going out of production?) all i cant find is 8 series cards so i think i will save some more and get the 8800gts 320mb seems a much better deal
:up: thanks again

[Subject]

7900GS...8600...8800... don't go past 2GB in Windows XP. The OS wasn't designed to operate with so much RAM and has problems managing it. Just get 2 GB of RAM, dual channel. Upgrading to Vista shouldn't be an option for any gamer in his right mind.Very sound advices :up:
I can confirm 2 GB is "perfect". Went from 1 GB through 1.5 to 2 GB. Really makes a difference, even from 1.5 GB!

Just started playing with SH IV now, and it's not running with same high fps as SH III did. Thinking about upgrading... again :88)

Where do you rate ATI X1950Pro among those cards you mentioned?

[stabiz]

The 8600 is not reccomended, go for the 8800 or high 7-series in stead.

[thefretmaster]

ok, in order to install a 8800gts i will need a new power supply
i have a 375w one at the moment, as far as i know an 8800gts need 400w or above along with a 6pin pci-e power cable. i dont understand the power thingys, specs and that, can anyone reccommend a powersupply to fit my pentium 4 motherboard that would also have everything a 8800 would need?

sorry for not being computer literate enough to work it out for myself :smug:
thanks

[switch.dota]

Where do you rate ATI X1950Pro among those cards you mentioned?
7900GS stock < ATI X1950Pro < 7900GT < 7950GT

Overclocking the 7900GS puts the ATI at the bottom of the list tho.

As a power supply I recomend a branded one of at least 500W - the 8800 is a power hungry thing. I recommend Seasonic or Corsair.

[thefretmaster]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?TT-W0093
how does this look?? thanks again :up: im a bit stupid you see:lol:

[switch.dota]

Totally average, IMO, but this is a field I'm no expert in.

[Canonicus]

You loose out on DX10 but with Vista still 6-12 months away from being a stable gaming platform it's unlikely you'll NEED DX10 for another year or so.
Upgrading to Vista shouldn't be an option for any gamer in his right mind.

Ah...BULLSH*T!

Vista works just fine...RIGHT NOW!(you should see how SH4 looks and runs on MY rig) (Im running dual 8800GTX's in SLI with Vista 32bit...and it ROCKS!....unless you think 150fps is somehow a bad thing)

So take the time and do your homework before applying blanket statements that can't be backed-up with the FACTS!

(More hogwash from Xp users...who seem to be scared of Vista, for some reason.)

BTW...I'm in my..."RIGHT MIND"!

[thefretmaster]

ok! im sure not all xp users hate vista!
anyway, i think i have sorted out what i need to get now :know: so thanks to all of you :rock: you guys rule
tfm

[theluckyone17]

You loose out on DX10 but with Vista still 6-12 months away from being a stable gaming platform it's unlikely you'll NEED DX10 for another year or so.
Upgrading to Vista shouldn't be an option for any gamer in his right mind.
Ah...BULLSH*T!

Vista works just fine...RIGHT NOW!(you should see how SH4 looks and runs on MY rig) (Im running dual 8800GTX's in SLI with Vista 32bit...and it ROCKS!....unless you think 150fps is somehow a bad thing)...
Man, *two* 8800GTX's SLI'd should be able to handle pretty much anything out there right now... and more power to you if you can afford to put a system like that together. I'd say that the majority of folks on this board probably can't, myself included.

As for Vista vs. XP... Vista's alright for gaming. The same hardware will perform better on XP vs. Vista, though. If you'd like references, I should be able to hunt some down for you. Vista needs a bit of "fussing", too... like installing SH4 in a directory outside "Program Files", so I don't have to deal with that annoying "Compatibility Files" redirect any time I mod it. It's not a big deal if you're used to fussing... if you're not, then it's a pain, and you ought to stick with XP.

I'm running an 8600 GTS 256MB right now, on Vista. I'm a special case... due to my job, I managed to snag a copy of Vista for free, and the 8600 for ~$150. It made sense, at the time. I've never been a "power gamer", who has to have everything maxed out graphically, and the 8600 handles everything I throw at it reasonably well... especially for the price.

[Canonicus]

You loose out on DX10 but with Vista still 6-12 months away from being a stable gaming platform it's unlikely you'll NEED DX10 for another year or so.
Upgrading to Vista shouldn't be an option for any gamer in his right mind.
Ah...BULLSH*T!

Vista works just fine...RIGHT NOW!(you should see how SH4 looks and runs on MY rig) (Im running dual 8800GTX's in SLI with Vista 32bit...and it ROCKS!....unless you think 150fps is somehow a bad thing)...
Man, *two* 8800GTX's SLI'd should be able to handle pretty much anything out there right now... and more power to you if you can afford to put a system like that together. I'd say that the majority of folks on this board probably can't, myself included.

Well..If my wife knew how much I blew on my rig....she'd freak!
I actually had to save up for well over 2 years to finally afford it. Well worth the sacrifice, let me telll ya!

Anyway... the mate pissed me off by implying that Vista users were nuts to be
using it right now.. I've found it to be very stable. Now SH4 was and is a little un-stable because of it being a Beta at launch, (patches have helped...alot!) There have been some CTD's...not many at all since v1.3 though.
.
I'm just tired of the same rant from xp users...i mean their going to have to upgrade someday...so better get used to Vista...especially if they intend to play DX10 games coming in the next few years.

Cause without it...their SOL! :yep:

[THE_MASK]

My nephew is 8 and has his own vista computer :up: I still have my xp , pentium 2.4/400fsb , 1 gig ram , crt , X800pro :down:

[longam]

One little pop in here about Vista, it is just like XP when it came out. Some compatibility issues with older programs. Other then that it is stable, and runs SH4 fine on my old rig.