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9600XT Or Equiv.

coastertux

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
311
I am looking for a new graphics card in the $100-$200 range and the Radeon 9600XT seems to be an awsome card for that price range. What 9600XT card is the best? Do you recommend a different GPU in the same price range? Has ATI fixed their drivers?
 
Originally posted by coastertux
I am looking for a new graphics card in the $100-$200 range and the Radeon 9600XT seems to be an awsome card for that price range. What 9600XT card is the best? Do you recommend a different GPU in the same price range? Has ATI fixed their drivers?

Well if you read this review by gamersdepot.com: http://www.gamersdepot.com/hardware/video_cards/his/9600xt/003.htm HIS 9600 XT takes the cake in performance and still offers HL2. I believe this is the best 9600 XT you can get...hope this helps...

-MoOfAsA~
 
The HIS card isn't that special. From the gamersdepot review: "Leaving the standard memory clock speed behind, this card runs at a default of 500MHz core frequency and a 650MHz memory clock." Anyone can overclock a 9600XT to 650MHz memory speed and get the same performance.

I'm actually considering keeping the VisionTek 9600XT (was $131.99AR at CompUSA last Sunday) I just bought. It came with the HL2 coupon, but I already got one of those from a BBA 9800 non-Pro via mail-in rebate. I'm not playing games as much anymore and the performance looks good enough for the games I'm playing anyways. My other option is a $174 BFG FX 5900 VIVO that should be delivered next week. Decisions.
 
Any more suggestions? What GeForce card is equivelant to performance to the Radeon 9600XT?
 
Originally posted by coastertux
Any more suggestions? What GeForce card is equivelant to performance to the Radeon 9600XT?

The 5700 Ultra. But the 5900NU from BFG is about the same price as the 5700 Ultra, and just a little more than the 9600XT, and its faster than both. Especially when flashed to a 5900U or 5959 bios.

Newegg has the BFG one for $175 now.. with a copy of CoD free. There really is no better deal right now. Im going to order one once my refund from Newegg hits the bank.. Im not fond of nVidia for what they've done/do, but its hard to pass up this deal.
 
You can get a Geforce FX 5700 Ultra for around the same price as a 9600XT, and there's also the Geforce FX 5900 non-Ultra.

Just giving you options. I really like ATi, the visual quality has been much better for me.
 
I have been looking around and I have seen that many people and games have problems with ATI drivers. What NVidia card would be close to the performance of the 9600XT and that is between $120-$200 ($200 is pushing my budget). How would this card compare?
 
Ick, no. Stick w/ the 5700U, 5900XT, 9600XT, or 9700Pro. That's what I'd pick, in that order.
 
skip the 5700. For the tiny bit more it costs to step up to the 5900 you get a lot more performance. And like the other guy said you get a free copy of Call of Duty with some of them.
 
Originally posted by NOTD665
Ick, no. Stick w/ the 5700U, 5900XT, 9600XT, or 9700Pro. That's what I'd pick, in that order.


I thought the 5900xt was a peice of crap? why not get the 5900nu

~Adam
 
Originally posted by coastertux
Are all these cards Radeons? Any suggestions for a GeForce?

Why? there really aren't any major problems with the ATi drivers, anymore, other than ones with brand new games (which they can't help, but fix ASAP).
 
ATI is being recommended for a reason think about it... Either get the 9600xt or shell out the 207 for a 9700pro.
 
If you want to go Nvidia get a 5900. Its one of the best bang for the buck deals out there rightnow. I'd take it over a 9600xt and actually I did :).
 
Originally posted by lopoetve
Why? there really aren't any major problems with the ATi drivers, anymore, other than ones with brand new games (which they can't help, but fix ASAP).

ATi are good gpu's, but some peoples prefer nVidia - like me. My daughter has a 9600 Pro, me a 5700u, and both perform very well. So it's really a matter of preference. I've always had issues with ATi based cards, don't know why - only in my systems tho... :(. I build systems for people, and often put in ATi because they are good all around cards and they work flawlessly.

At the $200 price point, the choices are almost overwhelming considering the brands and gpus on the market - and it's got a lot because I would say 50% of the cards sold are in this group. Picking up a 9700 Pro for a bit more is an option (I would), the FX 5700U is good, and so is the 9600 XT followed by the 9600 Pro. I've used the 5900 non ultra in my system, and to be honest, my non overclocked 5700 ultra performs better. Why? who knows, in another system it rocks. Sure you can get 5900 and flash it to an ultra, if yer lucky. Most people are, but not all of us can risk $200. It's always worth a shot tho.

Surprised no one has said "find a 9500 and flash it to a 9700pro" - if you can find one....

So, for no more than 200 bones (in order):
nVidia - 5900, 5700Ultra, and anything less with the current nVidia line up is well... not worth it.
ATi - 9700 Pro (more than $200), 9500pro (they are out there for under $200), 9600XT 256MB, 9600XT 128MB, 9600 Pro 128MB, and all the way down to the $100 9600 128MB.

There, both sides of the fence... ;)
Peace,
Tim
 
Originally posted by somecallmeTim

ATi - 9700 Pro (more than $200), 9500pro (they are out there for under $200), 9600XT 256MB, 9600XT 128MB, 9600 Pro 128MB, and all the way down to the $100 9600 128MB.
So you are saying the 9500 PRO is better than the 9600XT?
 
flashing a 9500 pro to a 9700 pro would be great for the money, and it'd out perform all the cards out in your range- because it'd be above your price range for the money you spend.

~Adam
 
Originally posted by coastertux
So you are saying the 9500 PRO is better than the 9600XT?

I believe they are. More bandwidth, but less clockspeed. Just O/C it and it'll have more of both! :)
 
Originally posted by coastertux
So you are saying the 9500 PRO is better than the 9600XT?

Yes - 9500 Pro = 8 pixel pipelines, 9600XT = 4. It may run at a "slower" clock rate, but moves more data per clock rate.
9500 Pro's are getting hard to find, but they can be had for $200 or less - I've seen them go for more than a 9700 Pro... :p but that's ebay, and they are silly peoples.
 
Originally posted by CleanSlate
flashing a 9500 pro to a 9700 pro would be great for the money, and it'd out perform all the cards out in your range- because it'd be above your price range for the money you spend.

~Adam

You can't do that. You can flash a 9500 NON pro to a 9700 pro, but not the 9500 Pro.
 
Thanks for all your help. I have decided on a FX 5900 so now I just need help on picking which FX 5900 to get (< $200).

How is this card?
 
did you not even pay attention to anything we said? lol, 5900 in my opinion r teh suq.

~Adam
 
Originally posted by fallguy

Newegg has the BFG one for $175 now.. with a copy of CoD free.

I remember seeing an offer that the BFG 5900U comes with a Razer Boomslang 2100 Sniper mouse. Is that correct/still valid?

edit: nevermind, its actually the BFG 5700U.
 
Originally posted by lorcani
I remember seeing an offer that the BFG 5900U comes with a Razer Boomslang 2100 Sniper mouse. Is that correct/still valid?

edit: nevermind, its actually the BFG 5700U.
That was a pretty good deal. I got the 5700U from CompUSA for $149AR and the Boomslang 2100 from bestbuy.com for $72 (-$8AR). I don't want the mouse, so I'll just dump it. That will make the 5700U cost only about $100AR.
 
Originally posted by coastertux
Thanks for all your help. I have decided on a FX 5900 so now I just need help on picking which FX 5900 to get (< $200).

How is this card?

Thats a good deal especially with Call of Duty. I don't know why people on this forum are so anti 5900. I can understand when your talking about the $200 ones since a 9700pro is just a tiny bit more but for $175 with the game its a great deal. To bad its out of stock.
 
They were cheating in benchmarks to sell cards and even after they were caught they continued to do so. also there cards are not nearly as fast as ATI cards in dx9 or with AA and AF enabled.

I'm sure one of the nvidia boys will be here soon to say otherwise but whatever :p
 
Originally posted by coastertux
Why does everyone here seem to hate NVidia cards? What is wrong with them?
Not everyone does. There are fanboys on both sides, but the ATi fanboys are louder. :p

IMO, the best performance for the price on a DX9 card is the BFG 5900 (VIVO, 2.2ns memory, overclocks to 5950 Ultra speeds) for $162 + shipping.
 
Originally posted by pxc
The HIS card isn't that special. From the gamersdepot review: "Leaving the standard memory clock speed behind, this card runs at a default of 500MHz core frequency and a 650MHz memory clock." Anyone can overclock a 9600XT to 650MHz memory speed and get the same performance.

I'm actually considering keeping the VisionTek 9600XT (was $131.99AR at CompUSA last Sunday) I just bought. It came with the HL2 coupon, but I already got one of those from a BBA 9800 non-Pro via mail-in rebate. I'm not playing games as much anymore and the performance looks good enough for the games I'm playing anyways. My other option is a $174 BFG FX 5900 VIVO that should be delivered next week. Decisions.

Does your have BGA ram chips? I got one of those and it had the old style chips so I took it back and got the BBA version
 
My next question is what is the difference between the FX 5900, the FX 5900XT, FX 5900 SE, and the FX 5900 Ultra? Could someone rank them by performance? Which ones can I get for under $200?
 
I know that the 5900 wouldn't do well with three things: AA/AF and DX9. The DX9 isn't so bad since I prefer OpenGL, but AA and AF are a must to any real gamer in my opinion.

~Adam
 
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