Ghraphics Card Question

NefariousKoel · 08-10-07, 12:05 AM

The 7300LE uses the 128MB on the graphics board but it will also share part of the system RAM to add extra to it. Since you only have 1GB of RAM in your system and the graphics card is also using 254MB of that, it leaves little for the actual game while it's running. Since you're using Windows Vista (DX10), it'll be even more pronounced because Vista is such a RAM hog.

Not to mention the 7300 isn't a speedy gfx card. I'd recommend getting a bigger vid card or, at least, doubling your RAM.

AkbarGulag · 08-10-07, 12:59 AM

There is a setting in most MOBO bios's... Its called 'AGP Aperture'....(not sure what it is called on PCI-e slots, but im sure they have one) this controls how much on board ram the card can utilize. Most boards can set this as low as 64meg. May be of help for you for now.

I run a P4 2.8gig single core, 1gig ram, and an old Raedeon 9800XT. With most things ticked and all sliders up I run 25fps... very playable. (yes volumetric fog is 'ON', yes high res textures is 'ON')

IrischKapitan · 08-10-07, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NefariousKoel

The 7300LE uses the 128MB on the graphics board but it will also share part of the system RAM to add extra to it. Since you only have 1GB of RAM in your system and the graphics card is also using 254MB of that, it leaves little for the actual game while it's running. Since you're using Windows Vista (DX10), it'll be even more pronounced because Vista is such a RAM hog.

Not to mention the 7300 isn't a speedy gfx card. I'd recommend getting a bigger vid card or, at least, doubling your RAM.

I'd already figured that, plus I'm planning to upgrade my ram by 1gig and (see first post), I think I'll buy a GF7950GT (plus vista capaple), card as it offers the best comprimise between performance and value ($200 of tigerdirect, about €145 plus 1 gig of Corsair DDR2 ram for under €180!

)

The GF8800 is a bit out of my price range plus its a power hungry and air hungry card which requires more upgrading..... Maybe next time....

Thanks for all the useful info!!!

NefariousKoel · 08-10-07, 03:22 PM

Sure thing!

I've been quite happy with my XFX 7900GS that I upgraded to months ago. You'll be more than fine with that 7950

GnarPow · 08-10-07, 05:31 PM

8800 For The Win! Hands down. Get the 640mb and dont waste money on any other 8 series unless its a GTX or Ultra

And for a little input: Me and my friend did a test the other day to see how the 8 series stacked up to the 7 series. We used Half Life: Lost Coast video test as our base and maxed out the settings. He had a E6600 and SLI OCd 7900GS's. I have a E6400 and a 640 OCd 8800GTS.

We turned the settings up and let the test run. Even with my crappier processor I destroyed him in the test. I got 108fps as a average and he got around 50 something. So for everyone who recommends 7 series. Just stop it, they arent worth it. They are already outdated because they cant play any of the newer games in DX10 and they dont post #s even close to the 8 series.

You might think your saving money now, but your wasting it in the long run.

Also no one even look at anything less than a 8800. THe other 8 series are crap.

My 2 cents

NefariousKoel · 08-10-07, 05:45 PM

Well, sure, a 7 series won't support DX10 but some of us don't have $350+ to sink into a video card much less sink any money into one of the sh!tty low-end 8 series cards. Thanks!

SilentOtto · 09-09-07, 08:25 PM

In a few select places in the world, like the USA, northern Europe, and such, $350 or 300€ may be a small sum of money (for some) to spend in a graphics card. In southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy) 300€ is more than half the legally minimum monthly salary. And let's not get started about eastern Europe, or the really really poor countries in our earth.

BTW back in topic I am thinking on a 7950gt for my upgrade, I've found one at 170€, passive cooler (my 3 last graphic cards all had cooler troubles, one died from that so I hate ventilators!) and I still think its crazy spending that much on a card. The cheapest 8800 here is around 270€, up to >500€. I find those numbers, for a component of a toy almost obscene.

I wish OPEN GL was more widely used for games, like IL2 Sturmovik, so we wouldnt have to worry about a single company decisions so as when to upgrade. Open standards and freedom, vs. pure business interests. I have a windows computer just to play games, and I hate needing XP just for that purpose. I hope to have some years before vista-only games show up, that's a train I dont want to take.

I too have my right to a nightly forum rant don't I?

sniperdoc · 09-13-07, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GnarPow

8800 For The Win! Hands down. Get the 640mb and dont waste money on any other 8 series unless its a GTX or Ultra

And for a little input: Me and my friend did a test the other day to see how the 8 series stacked up to the 7 series. We used Half Life: Lost Coast video test as our base and maxed out the settings. He had a E6600 and SLI OCd 7900GS's. I have a E6400 and a 640 OCd 8800GTS.

We turned the settings up and let the test run. Even with my crappier processor I destroyed him in the test. I got 108fps as a average and he got around 50 something. So for everyone who recommends 7 series. Just stop it, they arent worth it. They are already outdated because they cant play any of the newer games in DX10 and they dont post #s even close to the 8 series.

You might think your saving money now, but your wasting it in the long run.

Also no one even look at anything less than a 8800. THe other 8 series are crap.

My 2 cents

I must agree with this response. Wait a bit longer, save up the cash, and get an 8800 series card. It doesn't have to be the huge 8800GTX, but I highly recommend spending the money to at least get the 640MB version of the GTS...

By purchasing a 7000 series PCI-X card, you're wasting money in the long run. If you have an AGP based motherboard, I can only say that you really should invest in either a 650i or 680i SLI type board...

AGP still works very well for most of the games that everyone here seems to play (the old school crowd). But if there's any desire to play the next-gen games like Farcry 2, Crysis, etc... at DX10 levels, I highly recommend, can't stress the highly part, a card =>8800GTS 640MB.

By purchasing older hardware you'll have to upgrade sooner and thereby spend more money. I make it a habit of purchasing top of the line hardware, that way it'll last at LEAST 3 -4 years before becoming semi-obscolete. I was stuck in AGP until about a year ago, when I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to the system specs you see below.

Given that I have an SLI based motherboard, will mean that in the future, I'll at least be able to put another 8800GTX in my system and go SLI with a bit of a performance increase without having to purchase a major card... but I'm sure there'll be better technology out by then anyways. I won't go SLI until Vista sorts out their SLI driver issues or unless Crysis and Farcry 2 really need it.

longam · 09-13-07, 11:12 AM

Pfft, I stopped the upgrade game years ago when I calculated the amount of money I was sinking into hardware every year. I try to space it out over 4 years now sometime more depending on the trend. DX10 and 64bit is still struggling to make a place in the market.

Still running the P4 w/7800gs on AGP with NP at all, spill some cash into it now and then for little extras, but I can wait 1 or 2 years until the $500 cards are $150.00 and the dual core mobo’s are in the bargain bin.

sniperdoc · 09-13-07, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longam

Pfft, I stopped the upgrade game years ago when I calculated the amount of money I was sinking into hardware every year. I try to space it out over 4 years now sometime more depending on the trend. DX10 and 64bit is still struggling to make a place in the market.

Still running the P4 w/7800gs on AGP with NP at all, spill some cash into it now and then for little extras, but I can wait 1 or 2 years until the $500 cards are $150.00 and the dual core mobo’s are in the bargain bin.

:hmm: All depends on what type of games you enjoy and at was gfx options you can handle said games...

I have the 7800GS in my personal server (was my old system) and it definitely "extended" the AGP bus' life. But, it was definitely time to do the upgrade if I expected to see any of the newer games' eyecandy.

Is DX10 struggling to get a foothold... sure. Will it become a standard... no doubt about it.

Although, it's great to see people coding DX10 for XP...

It took most countries more than 3 years to adopt XP from Windows 2000 or 98. I imagine that's how long it'll take to make the switch with Vista before it becomes a mainstream O.S. Same with Office 2007... it's so new and the new .docx, .xlsx, etc formats are so non-mainstream it'll take forever for that to take effect... Some of my staff are still using Office 2000 SR-1 on their Dell L150's

08-10-07, 12:05 AM	#1
NefariousKoel Ace of the Deep Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: No-good Missouri scum Posts: 1,223 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	The 7300LE uses the 128MB on the graphics board but it will also share part of the system RAM to add extra to it. Since you only have 1GB of RAM in your system and the graphics card is also using 254MB of that, it leaves little for the actual game while it's running. Since you're using Windows Vista (DX10), it'll be even more pronounced because Vista is such a RAM hog. Not to mention the 7300 isn't a speedy gfx card. I'd recommend getting a bigger vid card or, at least, doubling your RAM. __________________ "When Gary told me he had found Jesus, I thought, Yahoo! We're rich! But it turned out to be something different." - Jack Handey

08-10-07, 12:59 AM	#2
AkbarGulag Samurai Navy Join Date: May 2007 Location: cfgdatsimZOMGddstgasns Posts: 571 Downloads: 21 Uploads: 1	There is a setting in most MOBO bios's... Its called 'AGP Aperture'....(not sure what it is called on PCI-e slots, but im sure they have one) this controls how much on board ram the card can utilize. Most boards can set this as low as 64meg. May be of help for you for now. I run a P4 2.8gig single core, 1gig ram, and an old Raedeon 9800XT. With most things ticked and all sliders up I run 25fps... very playable. (yes volumetric fog is 'ON', yes high res textures is 'ON') __________________ "6 days into his patrol, the first enemy ship was spotted... a trawler... ...It was at this point, Captain AkbarGulag realised how green his crew was..."

08-10-07, 03:22 PM	#4
NefariousKoel Ace of the Deep Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: No-good Missouri scum Posts: 1,223 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Sure thing! I've been quite happy with my XFX 7900GS that I upgraded to months ago. You'll be more than fine with that 7950 __________________ "When Gary told me he had found Jesus, I thought, Yahoo! We're rich! But it turned out to be something different." - Jack Handey

08-10-07, 05:31 PM	#5
GnarPow Gunner Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 96 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	8800 For The Win! Hands down. Get the 640mb and dont waste money on any other 8 series unless its a GTX or Ultra And for a little input: Me and my friend did a test the other day to see how the 8 series stacked up to the 7 series. We used Half Life: Lost Coast video test as our base and maxed out the settings. He had a E6600 and SLI OCd 7900GS's. I have a E6400 and a 640 OCd 8800GTS. We turned the settings up and let the test run. Even with my crappier processor I destroyed him in the test. I got 108fps as a average and he got around 50 something. So for everyone who recommends 7 series. Just stop it, they arent worth it. They are already outdated because they cant play any of the newer games in DX10 and they dont post #s even close to the 8 series. You might think your saving money now, but your wasting it in the long run. Also no one even look at anything less than a 8800. THe other 8 series are crap. My 2 cents __________________ Core 2 Duo 6400 2.13 GHZ EVGA 640MB 8800 GTS Superclocked 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 (667) 20" LCD Monitor

08-10-07, 05:45 PM	#6
NefariousKoel Ace of the Deep Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: No-good Missouri scum Posts: 1,223 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Well, sure, a 7 series won't support DX10 but some of us don't have $350+ to sink into a video card much less sink any money into one of the sh!tty low-end 8 series cards. Thanks! __________________ "When Gary told me he had found Jesus, I thought, Yahoo! We're rich! But it turned out to be something different." - Jack Handey

09-09-07, 08:25 PM	#7
SilentOtto Engineer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: BF79 Posts: 209 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	In a few select places in the world, like the USA, northern Europe, and such, $350 or 300€ may be a small sum of money (for some) to spend in a graphics card. In southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy) 300€ is more than half the legally minimum monthly salary. And let's not get started about eastern Europe, or the really really poor countries in our earth. BTW back in topic I am thinking on a 7950gt for my upgrade, I've found one at 170€, passive cooler (my 3 last graphic cards all had cooler troubles, one died from that so I hate ventilators!) and I still think its crazy spending that much on a card. The cheapest 8800 here is around 270€, up to >500€. I find those numbers, for a component of a toy almost obscene. I wish OPEN GL was more widely used for games, like IL2 Sturmovik, so we wouldnt have to worry about a single company decisions so as when to upgrade. Open standards and freedom, vs. pure business interests. I have a windows computer just to play games, and I hate needing XP just for that purpose. I hope to have some years before vista-only games show up, that's a train I dont want to take. I too have my right to a nightly forum rant don't I?

09-13-07, 11:12 AM	#9
longam Admiral Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,014 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	Pfft, I stopped the upgrade game years ago when I calculated the amount of money I was sinking into hardware every year. I try to space it out over 4 years now sometime more depending on the trend. DX10 and 64bit is still struggling to make a place in the market. Still running the P4 w/7800gs on AGP with NP at all, spill some cash into it now and then for little extras, but I can wait 1 or 2 years until the $500 cards are $150.00 and the dual core mobo’s are in the bargain bin.