worth upgrading 9500Pro?

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Kelvarr

Supreme [H]ardness
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Jul 19, 2001
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Hi guys....I have a question whether it is worth upgrading my current video card or not. Here is my current system specs:

P4c 2.6GHz
DFI LanParty 875P
1GB RAM
Radeon 9500Pro


The games that I would be playing (may buy 1 more, but currently have more than enough to tide me over) are:

MVP 2005
Madden 2006
Neverwinter Nights + Expansions
Jedi Academy
Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2
Maybe Vampire: Bloodlines.


Is it worth it to upgrade my current card for these, or should I just pocket the money (the money would not be saved for this computer upgrade...it would go to either a laptop savings or furniture savings)? If upgrade, what AGP video card for <$150, preferrably <$130?

I have kind of narrowed it down to a GeForce 6600 (256MB), 6600GT(128MB), 6800XT(128MB), Radeon X700(128MB), X1600Pro(256MB). Those all seem to be under $150 according to NewEgg.
 
9500 pro should be able to play those games pretty well at 1024x768. if you want to go up to a higher resolution i would go with the 6600gt or the x1600pro. are you going to be wanting to play any recently released games or games such as far cry, half life 2 or quake 4?
 
Ya i agree with the poster above although I might wait a little bit and save and do a whole system upgrade and go to pci-e
 
Yeah a 9500pro is fine for those games.
Except maybe Madden, I dunno I don't play pc sports games.
I'd just do the whole thing at once.
 
Unless you come across a good deal, I would not spend 140-150 on any of the mid range cards you listed.

If you found a good deal on a 6800GS, I'd jump on that. A 6600GT would be a small upgrade, but not worth the money. In my opinion, a higher end card is the only way to go with AGP, otherwise save your money for a future build with PCIe.
 
Sorry to bring this post back from the dead, but I have still been looking...

I have a chance to get an AGP 6600GT for $90 shipped. I think that is the only bottleneck in my system to run current games:

2.6 GHz P4c HT Northwood Core, 800MHz FSB
1GB PC 4000 RAM, Dual Channel
9500 Pro 128MB
DFI LanParty 875P


I am thinking that I will also probably get into Dungeons and Dragons Online in the next couple months.

I don't have the money to do a full upgrade to PCIe right now, and just want to get a card that will let me take advantage of most of the current games.

Price range seriously needs to stick to under $150 if at all possible
 
You could try modding it into a 9700np. I've seen modded and overclocked 9500pro's outperform 9800Pro's
 
D&D online has nice graphics that gave my x800XL a run at 1280 x 1024 w/everything maxed out. I'd go for that $90 6600GT if you did get into DDO.

A friend of mine has a GeForce 4 and really wants to play DDO, but had problems with the stress test. I'm trying to get him to go PCI-E with his socket 754 parts so he can get a $180 Radeon x850XT. The AGP ones are still expensive.

How does your comp fare in KoTOR 1 on Dantooine? After you get your jedi status and have to roam the planet, both my 6800GT and x800XL had major issues, so I had to run it on the lowest res with the graphics options down or off :confused:
 
Pooky said:
How does your comp fare in KoTOR 1 on Dantooine? After you get your jedi status and have to roam the planet, both my 6800GT and x800XL had major issues, so I had to run it on the lowest res with the graphics options down or off :confused:
Click to expand...


There's a fix out for that now, in some of the newer ATI drivers at least. On topic, I would get the 6600GT or X1600 Pro. I went from a 9500 Pro to a 6600GT awhile ago; you won't regret it.
 
6800GT's are getting pretty cheap, see if you can find one of those. A 6800GS would be nice also. Both of these are faster than a 6600GT.
 
acascianelli said:
6800GT's are getting pretty cheap, see if you can find one of those. A 6800GS would be nice also. Both of these are faster than a 6600GT.
Click to expand...

I think they are both more expensive than what I can afford, and probably double the price of the 6600GT that I can get
 
Kelvarr said:
I think they are both more expensive than what I can afford, and probably double the price of the 6600GT that I can get
Click to expand...

Sorry, I mean't used like through the FS/FT section. I've seen alot of 6800GT's for under $200.
 
best bet is probably to mod it to a 9700np and save the cash you had for the new video card and put it towards a bigger upgrade. My modded 9500 is running all my games nicely while I wait for ATI to send me my 9800 back :(
 
Peach said:
best bet is probably to mod it to a 9700np and save the cash you had for the new video card and put it towards a bigger upgrade. My modded 9500 is running all my games nicely while I wait for ATI to send me my 9800 back :(
Click to expand...


Everything I am reading says that the 9500pro CANNOT be modded into a 9700np. Only the 9500np can be modded into a 9700np
 
Kelvarr said:
Everything I am reading says that the 9500pro CANNOT be modded into a 9700np. Only the 9500np can be modded into a 9700np
Click to expand...

Shit, I'm sorry, you're right. Only the 9500np can be modded into 9700np.
 
i just upgraded to from a 9500 Pro to a Sapphire x1600

got it from newegg{first time user of there site}for about $135 bucks
 
The games that I would be playing (may buy 1 more, but currently have more than enough to tide me over) are:
Click to expand...

the 1 more game you are refering to is D&DO i assume. if so try the game with your card first if it plays smoothly enough for your needs on your current setup there's no need to upgrade your vid card if your performance is choopy then you should look at a 6800 agp at newegg the ASUS N6800/TD/512M Geforce 6800 512MB GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card -Retail for $179.99 and $4.65 s&h that wold porvide much better performance than a GeForce 6600 (256MB), 6600GT(128MB), 6800XT(128MB), Radeon X700(128MB), X1600Pro(256MB). i know its over the price you posted but i think it's a better performer than the cards you had in mind hope this helps with your final decision. :)
 
After doing some reading, a lot of things are suggesting that at minimum a 6800 vanilla is the minimum way to go for an AGP based system.

I will not be able to upgrade this system as a whole (barring catastrophe) for another year at least, so the Video Card is the only upgrade I can consider.

Is a 6800 a lot better than a 6600GT, or marginally? If only marginal, 6600GT @ $90 sounds nice, otherwise, I could splurge the $150-180 for a 6800.
 
i forgot to ask yesterday what size moniter, lcd or crt are you using and what is it's max resolution? if your using a 17" monitor your max res would be 1024x768 if that's the case then you should get the eVGA 128-A8-N350 Geforce 6600GT 128MB 128-bit GDDR3 AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail at newegg $134 + $3 S&H. it's within your price range and should provide good performance with D&DO
 
dreamcast87 said:
i forgot to ask yesterday what size moniter, lcd or crt are you using and what is it's max resolution?
Click to expand...

Sony e540 21" CRT

I think it is 1920x1440, but I don't run it that high.
 
:eek: :) forget the 6600gt get this instead SAPPHIRE 100148L Radeon X1600PRO 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail $135 + $4.75 S&H. this is the best bang for your buck on your system. you have a great monitor by the way. there is a 512mb version for $20 more but i don't think that will make a difference in gameplay. if your power supply is not strong enough to work this card there is a combo deal with it Sunbeam NUUO SUNNU550-US-SV ATX12V/ EPS12V 550W Power Supply 100-120V CE, UL (CUL), TUV, CB, FCC, FIMKO, SEMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO - Retail $73.50
 
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