can I get away for under $300

P

p_little

Weaksauce
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
83
I am putting together my first build, and I am trying to keep my total cost down to under $1000. I was just wondering if there is a video card that could run HL2 (the most demanding thing that I will ask of this card in the foreseable future) at NEAR high end settings that I could get for less than $300?



Thanks.
 
Thanks.

I have a friend that is sort of advising me on this, and he said that he would slap me for my stupidity if I didn't get one with AGP interface.
 
p_little said:
Thanks.

I have a friend that is sort of advising me on this, and he said that he would slap me for my stupidity if I didn't get one with AGP interface.
Click to expand...


first off slap your friend for being stupid lol im serious. if your building a new rig your really should go with a pci express motherboard and graphics card.
 
pandora's box said:
first off slap your friend for being stupid lol im serious. if your building a new rig your really should go with a pci express motherboard and graphics card.
Click to expand...
thats what i thought too, but i figgured he allready has an AGP mobo...
 
Okay, I thought that the AGP was a newer thing over the PCIe. From what I was told the AGP would be more future-proof. That is something I'm looking into because I would like to be able to keep this machine going making updates as needed in the future. Which is more future-proof?
 
PCIe being the newest technology, that would be what I'd pick over AGP. AGP is on its way out like it or not, and PCIe is easy to get and in some cases the cards are slightly cheaper as well.
 
p_little said:
Okay, I thought that the AGP was a newer thing over the PCIe. From what I was told the AGP would be more future-proof. That is something I'm looking into because I would like to be able to keep this machine going making updates as needed in the future. Which is more future-proof?
Click to expand...
your friend is very misinformed.

PCI is going the way of the dinosuar. PCI express is a brand new interface, and is much more futureproofed than AGP is, as PCIe is replacing AGP at the current moment.
 
This is why I came here. I have been sort of researching things on my own and reading reviews, but before I got ready to drop the money I wanted to bounce some questions off of those that are out there and are keeping up with things much better than I ever could.

Thanks, thanks, and thanks.
 
p_little said:
This is why I came here. I have been sort of researching things on my own and reading reviews, but before I got ready to drop the money I wanted to bounce some questions off of those that are out there and are keeping up with things much better than I ever could.

Thanks, thanks, and thanks.
Click to expand...


need any help with the rest of your new computer? like motherboard or cpu choice?
 
I have posted in the mobo and cpu forums. I am thinking of an AMD64 3500 with a ClawHammer core and a ASUS A8V-E Deluxe Socket 939 VIA K8T890 ATX AMD motherboard. With everything together I'm coming in at about 1035 before tax and shipping at Newegg, but when everything comes together money-wise I'm going to check prices everywhere before I place an order anywhere.
 
Ahhh...another Via chipset. Get the A8N-E if you really want a ASUS board. 3500+ with Venice core too (do they make a 3500+ with Clawhammer core?...I thought they were Newcastle and Winchester).
 
I think the graphics card and CPU choices are solid there Pandora, but for $7 more on the mainboard he could get the MSI K8N Neo 4 Platinum, which has another PCI slot, four more SATA ports, dual gig Ethernet, and Firewire.

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130484

The ASUS seems a little pricey to me for what it offers, there are others offering similar or better features for less money. If the original poster doesn't wish to overclock, Foxconn has an NF4 Ultra board with all the ASUS feature plus Firewire for around $100-110, Chaintech has the VNF4/Ultra for less than that.
 
kirbyrj said:
Ahhh...another Via chipset. Get the A8N-E if you really want a ASUS board. 3500+ with Venice core too (do they make a 3500+ with Clawhammer core?...I thought they were Newcastle and Winchester).
Click to expand...
They made a few Clawhammer 3500s, tho half of the 1mb cache is disabled to put it on pars with the Winnies and Chesters... I have one of the 3500 Clawhammers.
 
Zinn said:
They made a few Clawhammer 3500s, tho half of the 1mb cache is disabled to put it on pars with the Winnies and Chesters... I have one of the 3500 Clawhammers.
Click to expand...
winnies and chesters? you realise tahts the same chip, right? ive never heard it called a "chester" before either...

its "winchester"
 
first off, stay away from the VIA chipset boards, go nForce 4, MSI makes some really solid boards & has top notch RMA staff if anything ever goes wrong. I'm done with Asus until they can pull their head outta their arse & make a quality product again.

Monarch has an OEM version of the x800XL for $249 shipped

CPU - Venice core only, only a few bucks more than the other cores & overclocks like a bandit, also has SSE3 support. Monarch has the best deal on the venice core's atm (aka Rev E) and free shipping.

PCI-Express is the only way to go, AGP is running out of time/has run out of time depending on how you look at it.

Just make sure your Power Supply is good enough/recent enough to work with your new mobo.

Other considerations, ram, hard drives, case, how your gonna cool your CPU, etc...
 
Mtnduey said:
first off, stay away from the VIA chipset boards, go nForce 4, MSI makes some really solid boards & has top notch RMA staff if anything ever goes wrong. I'm done with Asus until they can pull their head outta their arse & make a quality product again.
Click to expand...
im with you on VIA, but MSI RMA blows - it took me 3 weeks get my pro266TD Master-LR back, and a freaking month to get my neo2 back
 
I've been looking at ATI cards in the x600 and x800 lines. Should I try for the 256MB or will 128MB be enough for "here and now"
 
256 is really good for high resolution gaming, and for the love of god - dont waste your money on an x600. they are barely faster than the 9600 series, which was the budget line two years ago. get an x800, preferablly the XL. you shant regret it.
 
That's what I thought, but I'm just on here fishing for advice. I've never done this before, and I want to try not to fudge it up too bad.
 
I think that I have decided to go with the Rosewill x800. It seems to be good for the price. Does anyone know how it sizes up to the ATI version?
 
probably just a reference model, rosewill is newegg's in house brand. just to be sure, check the clock speeds against what ATI has listed on their site, and youll be golden.
 
Checking what newegg has listed, the specs are the same. I'll double check with ATI.
 
Zinn said:
They made a few Clawhammer 3500s, tho half of the 1mb cache is disabled to put it on pars with the Winnies and Chesters... I have one of the 3500 Clawhammers.
Click to expand...
haha i've been watching too much y2khai... i mean newcastles... :eek:
 
the X800 XL should be the best card for you hands down since your main gaming concern seems to be half life

the rest of the system, I would do something like this:

DFI Ultra-D
AMD 3200+ Venice
Antec NeoPower
NEC-3520
1GB of 2-2-2-5 OCZ RAM
XP-90 HSF if you want to overclock
Antec Case with 120 intake/exhaust fans
 
Good advice in the previous post from EnderW... only thing I would change is get a Fortron Blue Storm 500w ATX2.0 24-pin PSU for best future compatibility and better power (runs about $90 at newegg). Definitely get the X800XL if you can fit it at all rather than the X800, and definitely go for an Nforce4 Ultra board. If you think you will overclock at all, go for the DFI Nforce4-Ultra D board like recommended. It's hands-down the best oc'ing board for A64's S939. Also, you might want to get a Venice core Rev. E stepping CPU from newegg instead of a Winchester, as they are the newest revision with SSE3, better overclockability from initial results, and a better integrated memory controller.
 
I just want to double check that the PCIe is the better for future-proofing. I seem to see a lot for AGP.
 
p_little said:
I just want to double check that the PCIe is the better for future-proofing. I seem to see a lot for AGP.
Click to expand...
You won't see any performance differences, but AGP is going to go the way of old yeller in a year or two.
 
Okay, thanks. I just want to double-check before I drop money on something that will get old quick.
 
p_little said:
Okay, thanks. I just want to double-check before I drop money on something that will get old quick.
Click to expand...
you see alot of AGP stuff becuase its been hte standard for the last 6 years or so, so there is alot out for it currently. its going the way of the dodo and being phased out as we speak.
 
lithium726 said:
you see alot of AGP stuff becuase its been hte standard for the last 6 years or so, so there is alot out for it currently. its going the way of the dodo and being phased out as we speak.
Click to expand...

Captalism, if people demand something it will be produced.

There are enough people out there with AGP motherboards that at the minimum the next two card generations will have AGP versions. There's no technical reason for a long time that someone would need the full PCI-E 16X speed, so you're safe with AGP. Right now AGP prices are actually lower than PCI-E.

The only real reason for PCI-E is SLI. Beyond that it might also be useful in the future to have a PCI-E graphics card if you decide to upgrade your motherboard later without upgrading your graphics card.
 
your friend is misinformed, AGP is going away.

Go PCI-E, get an X800XL.

With an Athlon 64 of some sort.
 
Hvatum said:
Captalism, if people demand something it will be produced.
Click to expand...
its not going to be around much longer, its being replaced. i give it one to two gens max. if you are building a new system, there is no reason not to go with PCIe

There are enough people out there with AGP motherboards that at the minimum the next two card generations will have AGP versions. There's no technical reason for a long time that someone would need the full PCI-E 16X speed, so you're safe with AGP. Right now AGP prices are actually lower than PCI-E.
Click to expand...
wrong. tehre is a technical reason - simplcity and costs. it costs less and is easier to produce a PCIe board that it is to do an AGP/PCI board.

The only real reason for PCI-E is SLI. Beyond that it might also be useful in the future to have a PCI-E graphics card if you decide to upgrade your motherboard later without upgrading your graphics card.
Click to expand...
wrong again. bidirectionality is a huge thing for PCIe which i cant wait to see implemented. future upgradability is also something big, seeing as how dual core and all AMD chips until M2 are going to be on current boards.

you know, PCIe is for more than just graphics cards - and its a damn good idea to get it now rather than buy old tech
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top