Jump to content

Home

Video Card Help...

PR-0927

By PR-0927
in Yoda’s Swamp

Recommended Posts

PR-0927 Newbie

PR-0927

Posted
Posted

Well, I may be getting a new computer soon, and I was told by my dad to look through the internet and see the prices and what you can get with the computers...well, I looked at Dell and HP. I think Dell Dimension 8400 is better. Now, about the video cards...you can either have the ATI Radeon X300 or the ATI Radeon X800. I chose the ATI Radeon X800. Now, is that a good card? It is certainly better than my current card, the nVidia Riva TNT 2 Pro. I want to know, would Halo or Star Wars: Battlefront work on either of them? I think [star Wars: Battlefront[/i] would for sure. At the bottom of Battlefield: Vietnam, it says ATI Radeon or nVidia GeForce 3 required at least, but everyone knows that less quality graphics cards can work for them as well, once in a while.

 

I really want to know if the ATI Radeon X800 or the ATI Radeon X300 could run either of these games, or if they are even good. Those were the only cards chooseable for the Dell system I listed earlier.

 

With the HP computer, it had a whole bunch of "nVidia Quadro" or something cards. Are those good at all?

 

Thanx.

 

:fett:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PR-0927 Newbie

PR-0927

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sweet, thanx!! The ATI Radeon X300 is the default, man I could live with that, even a nVidia GeForce 3...yes, it is old, but I have been stuck with the nVidia Riva TNT 2 Pro...

 

 

Here are some system specs:

 

I really hope my dad says yes to this computer. I'll show you some details...tell me if they are good:

 

1. Pentium® 4 Processor 530 with HT Technology (3GHz, 800 FSB)

 

2. 512MB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz (2x256M)

 

3. 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)

 

4. Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW Drive

 

5. Productivity Pack including WordPerfect®

 

6. 128MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon™ X800 SE

 

7. Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio

 

8. Dell ® Quietkey ® Keyboard

 

9. Dell™ Optical USB Mouse

 

 

What do you guys think? And, it is only $1,093!! No accessories, we have speakers and a nice monitor. We have Earthlink Broadband too.

 

Oh, and this is a Dell Dimension 8400.

 

:fett:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Treacherous Mercenary Newbie

Treacherous Mercenary

Posted
Posted

The Radeon X300 is the PCI-Express low end card while the Radeon X800 is only AGP from what I tried to research. PCI-Express isn't really worth the money until a couple years I'd say. In the mean time, AGP is here to stay a bit. The Radeon X800 is a great high-end card, so it would serve you well. PCI-Express didn't offer as much performance, but in some cases I heard a little slower, kind of like the AGP 4X, AGP 8X when AGP 8X first came out.

 

As for the nVidia Quadro... Those are workstation cards, so that means it's for professionals that work with 3d graphics, etc (intensive stuff). Hardly worth about $1,000 when I could just go $400-$500 for a card that works for strictly gaming. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
manoman81 Newbie

manoman81

Posted
Posted

Stay away from the PCI express for another year. Why? There isn't anything out there to really take advantage of of them yet and because they're still not 100% stable. It's new technology. Wait til they have it all figured out.

 

Majin, there's a local computer company that you should check out first. Linky I don't know if they will be better for the price and what you want, but give them a shot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alegis Newbie

Alegis

Posted
Posted

when applications use the extra byte. Since this is a very fast computer i recommend you do so, since you'll probably wont have to make any major changes to it for a few years.

 

With such nice system specs i recommend you get an extra 512mb ram to 1 gb ram.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tyrion Newbie

Tyrion

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by Anthony

are the quadros even super-uber powerful?

 

Quadros are actually worse than thier Nvidia counterparts in gaming. They're only meant for workstation use(like TSO said, 3d design programs and the like).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PR-0927 Newbie

PR-0927

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well, I'm glad that the ATI Radeon X800 (PCI Express) is good enough for me!! I don't think I want anymore RAM, well, I do, but, it costs more money, and my parents wouldn't like that.

 

Now, there are these stupid things, like you HAVE to choose Microsoft Office, Dell Jukebox, and a whole bunch of trial crap. There is no "none" option for them, otherwise this computer may be costing less than $1,000. I dunno. At least, I can put no speakers and no monitor.

 

Well, is this price cheap for such a good computer? The price is $1,039. In school, we had to customize our own PC under $2,500, and I barely got under it with a nice AlienWare!! But, I'd never get a gaming computer!! My Dad wants me to use it to learn more about computers, programming, doing work, doing homework, and not just playing games. I told him that I would, but I'd also surf the web, mod, model, and play games, but, at the same time, do the other stuff he told me to.

 

My Dad also is one of those Dads that take a long time in everything. You ask him to fix something, and he says he will, and he does...three months later. Now, I need a way to get my Dad to buy this computer soon, and this exact computer. How do you think I could convince him? I already have some ideas. Here they are:

 

1. For the video card, I'll say that it'd be good, and that way I won't bother anyone about a video card again.

 

2. For the other stuff (like 80 GB), I'll say that it was the default lowest one (it was).

 

3. For this computer model, I'll say that this is a workstation, and our old Dell Optiplex GX400 was a workstation computer as well.

 

4. For the RAM, I'll say it was the default lowest (it was). Right now, we are running on a 256 RAM...

 

5. For the other stuff I don't want, I'll say that there was no "none" option (as it was).

 

6. For the price, I'll say that it is quite good for such a good computer, and that when we did it in school, it was almost $2,500, and at least this one isn't even close to such a price.

 

7. I'll say that the HP was $300 more than the Dell, and I chose about the same stuff (as it was).

 

:fett:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tyrion Newbie

Tyrion

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by Majin Revan

Now, there are these stupid things, like you HAVE to choose Microsoft Office, Dell Jukebox, and a whole bunch of trial crap. There is no "none" option for them, otherwise this computer may be costing less than $1,000. I dunno. At least, I can put no speakers and no monitor.

 

Well, is this price cheap for such a good computer? The price is $1,039. In school, we had to customize our own PC under $2,500, and I barely got under it with a nice AlienWare!! But, I'd never get a gaming computer!! My Dad wants me to use it to learn more about computers, programming, doing work, doing homework, and not just playing games. I told him that I would, but I'd also surf the web, mod, model, and play games, but, at the same time, do the other stuff he told me to.

 

To show that you really do want to learn, you should instead build your own computer. You won't have to spend on the Dell Jukebox crap, while you do learn how everything functions in a computer(believe me, this helps alot in troubleshooting).

 

My Dad also is one of those Dads that take a long time in everything. You ask him to fix something, and he says he will, and he does...three months later. Now, I need a way to get my Dad to buy this computer soon, and this exact computer. How do you think I could convince him? I already have some ideas. Here they are:

 

*points to build your own computer* You can order off http://www.Newegg.com ,which is notoriously good with customer support, cheapish prices, and comes quickly.

 

1. For the video card, I'll say that it'd be good, and that way I won't bother anyone about a video card again.

 

Yeah, he'd believe that...don't even try it, you know you will ask later on. :p

 

3. For this computer model, I'll say that this is a workstation, and our old Dell Optiplex GX400 was a workstation computer as well.

 

Eh, building your own to learn about how computers function is a much better ploy.

 

6. For the price, I'll say that it is quite good for such a good computer, and that when we did it in school, it was almost $2,500, and at least this one isn't even close to such a price.

 

I could argue that a $3500 computer is quite good of a price, because I found another computer that is $7000. Faulty logic, and your dad might notice it.

 

7. I'll say that the HP was $300 more than the Dell, and I chose about the same stuff (as it was).

 

Or build your own computer, and so you save even more money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Treacherous Mercenary Newbie

Treacherous Mercenary

Posted
Posted
Originally posted by Pal™

Stick with the PCI express, it will become the new standard.

 

In two years or more right? ;) PCI-Express is in its infant stages, not worth getting now. As Tyrion said, there is the option of biulding your own PC, but you might want to check reviews on all the parts you can aswell. A little research and this will require a little work, but in the end... You have the satisfaction of knowing every part in your system like me and many others that build their own. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...