Video Card

I sent an e-mail to a computer store near me and said that I was interested in a "Sapphire ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card, 128 MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP"

He responded with:
" If you want to play games, I'm not sure why you want a tv tuner card
(this allows you to hook up a tv to your computer). Maybe we could suggest
just a nice 256 meg video card".

He then gave me this site and I said I should browse through the cards and he also recommended,

www.tigerdirect.com...

What is a 256 meg card? What is he trying to sell me?



[edit on 22-12-2004 by maynardsthirdeye]

The one you have picked out is pretty damn good. Sapphire makes really good cards, and the 9800Pro is still really good right now, and can play most new games pretty well. You dont need 256mb, I think its just overkill. 128mb is enough for most games. Newegg has it for 209$.

Im not sure where that guy got the TV Tuner part from.

[edit on 22-12-2004 by dreamlandmafia]

I have an ATI Radeon 9800 pro 256 mb's and it ROCKS! I have a rather nice desktop, so that helps, but this is the best card I have ever owned. I can run Halo: combat evolved at highest settings, res and all, without the first hint of stutter. For those that dont know, that is a game that doesnt run well on PC since it was designed for Xbox. Memory hog! Painkiller also runs on highest (insane) settings. If your looking for a new card and your system can handl it, I highly reccommend it. One thing to note though. You must have a 350 watt power supply to operate this card. A P5 connector from the power supply hooks directly into it.

It might have to do with that TV-out thing.

Originally posted by maynardsthirdeye
It might have to do with that TV-out thing.

If he thought that then that guy is a dumbass. A TV Tuner is TV-In, coaxial. TV-Out is just SVideo that can be plugged into a VCR to display on a TV, or Out to a camcorder or something.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
I have an ATI Radeon 9800 pro 256 mb's and it ROCKS! I have a rather nice desktop, so that helps, but this is the best card I have ever owned. I can run Halo: combat evolved at highest settings, res and all, without the first hint of stutter.

I got a 128MB Radeon 9700 Pro... and I play Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 perfectly. Dreamland was right when saying that 128 is acceptable. 256 WOULD be nice to have, though. I play at a res of 1280x1024 on a 18" flat-panel LCD.

w00t

[STAY COOL)
-prophetmike

Originally posted by prophetmike
I play at a res of 1280x1024 on a 18" flat-panel LCD.

Lucky you!

Thats my next upgrade. I still have a crt monitor. Its nice though. 19" Dell model. Big, but bulky

I know zilch about video cards, and I don't really use the PC for big graphics games.

SO i was just wondering if anyone could tell me how good my current card is in case I decide I need to play Half Life or something oneday. It's a "SAPPHIRE RADEON 9200 ATLANTIS"....er, I assume, according to the Display drivers and whatnot.

Well, cheers in advance!

Originally posted by chebob
I know zilch about video cards, and I don't really use the PC for big graphics games.

SO i was just wondering if anyone could tell me how good my current card is in case I decide I need to play Half Life or something oneday. It's a "SAPPHIRE RADEON 9200 ATLANTIS"....er, I assume, according to the Display drivers and whatnot.

Well, cheers in advance!

You would be able to play the original Half Life no prob. Im not so sure about the newest iteration. You can upgrade to a 9700 @ 256 mb's for about 60-80 bucks. Try :

www.pricewatch.com

Excellent site. You wont be playing to many of the newest games out there with your current card, but that really doesnt matter. There are MANY really good older games that will run fine on your card, providing you have sufficient CPU speeds and memory. If you like FPS's, try the Medal of Honor series. It should run on you card with a little tweeking in the options menu of the game.

It COULD play it, just depends if you wanna be able to play it well. Thats HL2.

For most new games nowadays, your gonna need a new card, atleast a 9600Pro or so.

[edit on 23-12-2004 by dreamlandmafia]

Originally posted by dreamlandmafia
It COULD play it, just depends if you wanna be able to play it well. Thats HL2.

By that you mean at 20 fps with no specular lighting and all shadows turned off. Oh, and no decals, and sky quality is low.

Thats not a game, Thats a BETA!

[edit on 12/23/04 by Kidfinger]

I wish I wasn't, but I am someone who hates playing an earlier incarnation of a game knowing there's a flashier, nicer looking one out there.

Seems I'll have to stump up some cash for a new card then, lol

A 9200 meets the minimum requirements, which means it could play it. Just not very well. I have onboard 32mb, and the demo played, very lagging and slow, but played.

Originally posted by chebob
I wish I wasn't, but I am someone who hates playing an earlier incarnation of a game knowing there's a flashier, nicer looking one out there.

Seems I'll have to stump up some cash for a new card then, lol

I finished the original Halflife for the umteenth time about 3 weeks ago. Still one of the best games out there The graphics arnt as noticible if its a great game. Thats why I suggested the MoH series. Great games and the graphics are pretty good also. Its like the difference between the first playstion 2 games and the last batch (Burn out three, MGS Snake eater, Ace combat 5)