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View Full Version : I need a new video card

Syxx_Killer
12-28-07, 07:13 PM
Well, it looks like I am going to need a new video card soon. The fan on my current card quit working. I haven't checked it, but I know it can't be working because it couldn't have magically stopped making noise. My current card will be three years old in March 2008. It is an Abit Radeon RX700-Pro (256MB, PCI-Exp. x16). The fan started making noise about a year and a half ago. It was a ticking type sound - probably the bearings or something. Anywho, a couple days ago it went totally quiet. I didn't think it could have somehow magically fixed itself, so it must have quit altogether. When playing Oblivion, I can play for about 15 minutes before one of three things may happen (well, what happened so far):

1. Computer freezes completely
2. Computer seems to freeze, but eventually starts working again a moment later. It is the VPU Recover kicking in because it said it stopped responding. I gives me the option to send ATI an error report or not. I'm using ATI Catalyst 7.2 drivers.
3. Computer appears to freeze and then maybe bring up the VPU Recover, but then screen goes blank. My monitor (Samsung LCD - native resolution is 1280x1024) shows the Analog/Digital box in top left corner. It is as if the computer is off and the monitor is left on. I reset the computer and all is well again.

My case is an MGE Viper case. It has a 120mm fan in front, one in the rear, and an 80mm fan on the side. The two 120s are pointed to blow air into the case. The 80 used to blow air into the case, but I turned it around to blow air out of the case. This helped cool it down a few more degrees. Anywho, I bring that up because the 80mm, when blowing air right into the case would be pointed directly at the video card. I haven't felt like switching the 80mm around again to see how that would help the video card. The card is old and I was wondering what you guys thought about a new video card. I built my computer in March of 2005, so it is nearing 3 years old already (Where does the time go?). Here are my specs:

AMD Athlon 64 3500+
Abit Fatal1ty AN8 nForce4 mobo
1GB (2x512) Crucial Ballistix PC-3200 RAM
Aforementioned Abit Radeon RX700-Pro video card
Fortron Blue Storm 500W ATX 12V V2.0 PSU

With those specs, would my computer handle a new video card well? My budget right now is probably $200 max. I don't really need something super powerful since I don't play that many games, but I would like something that could hold its own for the foreseeable future. If any of that hardware could bottleneck the performance of a new video card, what would you recommend for the computer? At this point I just want a new video card, don't need much of anything else. I am looking at an nVidia card this time. These are the ones I was thinking of:

SAPPHIRE 100215L Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR4 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail (I know it's $250, but I thought I would throw it in the mix. I'd like to stay as close to $200 as possible, though.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102713

BFG Tech BFGE86512GTOC2FE GeForce 8600GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814143116 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143116)

PNY VCG86GTS5XWB GeForce 8600GTS 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814133206 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133206)

EVGA 512-P2-N773-AR GeForce 8600GTS 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130286 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130286)

MSI NX8600GTS-T2D512EZ HD GeForce 8600GTS 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814127309 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127309)

The last one is fanless. What are your thoughts on fanless? I kind of like the idea of no moving parts or a fan to go bad again, but will the card fry itself? Could I leave my 80mm turned to expel air from the computer or would I have to turn it to blow air on the card?

What would I have to do to go from a Radeon card to an nVidia? I know I have to uninstall the Radeon drivers. I also have Driver Cleaner I can run after using the Radeon driver uninstall utility. Is that all I would have to do?

What other cards would you recommend? I can run Oblivion now on my Radeon in 1280x1024 rather comfortably on large textures. Shadows, specular distance, and viewing distance is maxed. Grass, objects, trees, and people are about halfway. I was running water at High but went back to Normal because I felt that it really wasn't worth the extra 1-2 FPS loss. Shadows on grass is also turned off. I am using the LowPolyAlt Grass mod. That's why I can run Oblivion so well and it still look great. Any new card will be a major improvement to my current one.

Some of the reviews say the 3870 runs really hot. How hot is too hot with these things? One review says it idles at 62 and at load it runs at 85. I assume that's celsius, and if it is that is blistering hot. Also, with these cards, is my PSU up to the job? It has the 6-pin PCI-Ex connector. I made sure it had one when I built it three years ago, but the card I currently have didn't need the power connector so I never used it. Also, these cards say they are PCI-Express 2.0. I don't have 2.0. Will they still work? The 3850 specs say it supprts DirectX 10.1. The 3870 specs page doesn't list it. Does it support DirectX 10.1 as well? I run Windows XP Pro with SP2, so it's probably a moot point anyway.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to try and cover all my bases. Thanks in advance for any help!
Tchocky
12-28-07, 07:21 PM
I hear that in terms of bang-for-buck, a 8800GT is the one to buy.

*waits for more knowledgeable types to post*
SUBMAN1
12-28-07, 07:43 PM
*waits for more knowledgeable types to post*Man, I'm still waiting for one of those to post in this forum, and its been how many years? :D :p

-S

PS. My two cents - if you look hard enough, you will find both the ATI 3870 and the NVidia 8800 GT for prices around $200 to $225. I wouldn't go with anything less than either of those two as a minimum.

PPS. The cheap route - buy a $5 fan.
Syxx_Killer
12-28-07, 07:51 PM
I'm kind of wondering, do I really even need something like a 3870 or 8800GT if my processor or something else would bottleneck it? I would like something like a 3870 or 8800GT, don't get me wrong, but if I can't use them to their full is it worth it? I would like a new card because this one is so old, but what would be a realistic addition to my system? I am not going to be upgrading anything else anything soon, short of a new system because it just would not be worth it. I want to new video card to run the games I got now better, and possibly pick up a new one here or there. I don't like FPS type games, so I am probably getting it really for Oblivion and SH4 (oh, and SH3). :lol:
XabbaRus
12-28-07, 07:55 PM
I'm in the same boat. I want top upgrade my GFX card so that I can play IL-2 1946 maxed out and be ready for Battle of Britain SOW and play FSX. Apart from that I am not into FPS games and those sims I just mentioned are going to last me a long time, it's not like the flight sim market is chucking out new games with new graphics every 6 months like FPS games.

Oh and I only have a 300W PSU this will have to be uprated of course but to what rating?
SUBMAN1
12-28-07, 08:01 PM
I'm in the same boat. I want top upgrade my GFX card so that I can play IL-2 1946 maxed out and be ready for Battle of Britain SOW and play FSX. Apart from that I am not into FPS games and those sims I just mentioned are going to last me a long time, it's not like the flight sim market is chucking out new games with new graphics every 6 months like FPS games.

Oh and I only have a 300W PSU this will have to be uprated of course but to what rating?Man, it doesn't matter what slow card you buy, 300 Watts won't cut it anymore. Think 450 to 500 min.

-S
SUBMAN1
12-28-07, 08:05 PM
I'm kind of wondering, do I really even need something like a 3870 or 8800GT if my processor or something else would bottleneck it? I would like something like a 3870 or 8800GT, don't get me wrong, but if I can't use them to their full is it worth it? I would like a new card because this one is so old, but what would be a realistic addition to my system? I am not going to be upgrading anything else anything soon, short of a new system because it just would not be worth it. I want to new video card to run the games I got now better, and possibly pick up a new one here or there. I don't like FPS type games, so I am probably getting it really for Oblivion and SH4 (oh, and SH3). :lol:Well, Oblivion needs it. And not like $200 is a lot for a vid card anyway. That is peanuts. I paid $600 for my x1900 XTX, and these two boards will stomp it.

Todays FPS's are not what you buy the board for anyway. Its tomorrows SHV's. Not only will it play Oblivion well, but it will do tomorrows new high tech sim and you won't need to worry about your vid card for a couple years to a few years.

-S


PS. Don't worry about your CPU. It will be OK for now, and when you get a newer CPU, just move the graphics card to the new box. Not a big deal. Most games are still GPU limited, not CPU limited. The only game I can think of that might want decent CPU power is Crysis due to its CPU based physics engine.
Syxx_Killer
12-28-07, 08:29 PM
Well, Oblivion needs it. And not like $200 is a lot for a vid card anyway. That is peanuts. I paid $600 for my x1900 XTX, and these two boards will stomp it.

Todays FPS's are not what you buy the board for anyway. Its tomorrows SHV's. Not only will it play Oblivion well, but it will do tomorrows new high tech sim and you won't need to worry about your vid card for a couple years to a few years.

-S


PS. Don't worry about your CPU. It will be OK for now, and when you get a newer CPU, just move the graphics card to the new box. Not a big deal. Most games are still GPU limited, not CPU limited. The only game I can think of that might want decent CPU power is Crysis due to its CPU based physics engine.

I'm just cheap, that's all. Back in the day, I paid $214 for my RX700-Pro. :oops: You are very right about future titles, though. I had originally thought along the same lines, but then the thought came upon me - if there is a SHV, will the video card even be able to run it? I was even thinking about the next Elder Scrolls title (said to take place in Skyrim). Thinking that far ahead, though, is probably foolish. I'll probably need a whole new system for that. :dead: Those are the only two game series that really interest me on the computer. On console the only series I really like is Gran Turismo and maybe Grand Theft Auto.
fatty
12-28-07, 08:43 PM
I have an 8600GT 'superclocked' or some such nonsense on the way. It is overclocked to 684mhz and cost me $100 after rebate. It is hardly bleeding edge - and perhaps wasn't even a great card in its day - but I am a poor college student and it was in my price range and offered DirectX10 support if I ever go that route. Just some more fuel to the fire.
SUBMAN1
12-28-07, 08:52 PM
Well, Oblivion needs it. And not like $200 is a lot for a vid card anyway. That is peanuts. I paid $600 for my x1900 XTX, and these two boards will stomp it.

Todays FPS's are not what you buy the board for anyway. Its tomorrows SHV's. Not only will it play Oblivion well, but it will do tomorrows new high tech sim and you won't need to worry about your vid card for a couple years to a few years.

-S


PS. Don't worry about your CPU. It will be OK for now, and when you get a newer CPU, just move the graphics card to the new box. Not a big deal. Most games are still GPU limited, not CPU limited. The only game I can think of that might want decent CPU power is Crysis due to its CPU based physics engine.
I'm just cheap, that's all. Back in the day, I paid $214 for my RX700-Pro. :oops: You are very right about future titles, though. I had originally thought along the same lines, but then the thought came upon me - if there is a SHV, will the video card even be able to run it? I was even thinking about the next Elder Scrolls title (said to take place in Skyrim). Thinking that far ahead, though, is probably foolish. I'll probably need a whole new system for that. :dead: Those are the only two game series that really interest me on the computer. On console the only series I really like is Gran Turismo and maybe Grand Theft Auto.Spend the $200 already so it lasts you as long as your x700. It will play the next Oblivion fine too - thats a given. Its the one ocmponent that you don't wnat to kimp on. When you buy a new CPU, you can still use it, so whats the big deal?

-S
Dimitrius07
12-28-07, 09:57 PM
My two shekels

8600 its not a good model and its not worse the money (IMHO), 8800 its a different story but its expensive.

You don`t want Radeon by any chance?;)
Syxx_Killer
12-28-07, 10:06 PM
Spend the $200 already so it lasts you as long as your x700. It will play the next Oblivion fine too - thats a given. Its the one ocmponent that you don't wnat to kimp on. When you buy a new CPU, you can still use it, so whats the big deal?

-S

I never really thought about moving the video card to a new system before. :oops:

My two shekels

8600 its not a good model and its not worse the money (IMHO), 8800 its a different story but its expensive.

You don`t want Radeon by any chance?;)

Looks like I may be heading the 3870 route. I really didn't consider the Radeons again because of the issues I keep seeing that people have with the drivers. Also, I have been following the SH4 sun bloom issue with Radeons. Seems like they like to display yellow discs instead of a blooming sun. :lol:
CCIP
12-28-07, 10:07 PM
I have an XFX 8600GTS and all I can say is that it's an excellent card and well worth its rather modest ($180) price. :yep: