what to do

[easypickings]

what do you think i should get first a ati 9800 xt or another gig of ram

i have
p4 2.6
ati 9700 pro
1.gig mem (the exta gig will put it to 1.5, only have 2 slots)

[SilverLord]

I'd say that 9800xt 256MB...

Don't trust me though, wait for the real techs to come here. dcsythe and rbstr.

[Phaelon]

Since you are not getting the full use of a new 1 gig, the inprovment will not be that substantial.

The 9700 to 9800 would be more of a visible improvement.

Both are nice, but with the 9800 you could enable more features.

Go with the Graphics card first.

[easypickings]

ok many thanks,

[Rbstr]

DOn't do anything yous is good enough, save that moeny and get a new machine with next years tech.

Realy you will see little improvment with either of those upgrades, waiting for the new technologies and getting a whole new comp will e far better than fixing something that ain't broke

EDIt also, why must people put the MB of video ram at the end as a selling point Ie 9800 xt 256mb, if i had a 64mb 9800xt, it could even perform better because it could be faster.
Just one of my pet peeves

[dscytherulez]

Don't trust me though, wait for the real techs to come here. dcsythe and rbstr.

I feel loved! Rbstr has a point. With the next gen vid cards on the way, you might want to hold off on that, but on the other hand, if you have money to burn go for it. The 9800 XT 256mb will rival the new cards. I don't know where you people are getting this complete shutdown of all AGP cards once the PCI-E's come out, but it just won't happen.

Just don't go for the RAM though. No sense in going over 1 Gig, you won't see hardly any improvement.

[Phaelon]

Dude did you read the specs on BTX? The way the engineering and dynamics of the Motherboard work, BTX and PCI-Ex will take hold very strongly when they hit later in this year. BTX boards have no spot for AGP, therefore the technology will go the way of the goat. Futhermore the Bus capable with PCI-Ex will attract all current game designers, knowning they can push gigantic amounts of data through it.

Trust me man, its coming faster than you know.

[Ait'al]

AGP was just one of those temporary pumped up version of a PCI slot. Its only meant for the time its base technology exists in. Thats changing. If there is a need later they will probly make somehting like the AGP out of the new PCI since it has alwya been such a popular form of increasing data flow. But it will probly have a twist because they already use multiple little ports as part of the normal design. Unless i mistook something about it.

And i think there trying to make it so you can use an AGP card on the new slots physically. Or i thought thats what i read.

[Rbstr]

I don't think BTX will be a big hit for a while, you can't use standard cases, need a new PSU, the only people that will have it right away are gona be people like Dell.

also the R420 and NV40 are both gona be AGP cards first, and all of Nvidia's Native PCI-Ex cards can have a chip installed to make them AGP cards instead.
(they are using a bridge solution for the first cards they are making, just tanking AGP card and putting a chip in to let them be PCI-Ex, that chip works backwards too).

However, any New board that is socket 775 compatible, with a i925 or 1915 chipset wil not have an AGP port, as it is not in the chips hardware

Ait YOUR JUST WRONG!

Agp isn't just a PCI slot that doesn't share its bandwidth anymore (the original agp was, if i remember)

read the THG thing about PCI-Ex and you will understand

[Phaelon]

You sure Rbstr? I could have SWORN that ATI and NVdia's cards are coming out MAINLY in PCI-Ex form but that are going to have equal cards designed as AGP for thier next sets.

[Rbstr]

The nv40 and R420 are both AGP cards.

All of nvidias PCI-Ex cards are going to be Bridged Solutions, PCX4300(mx440), PCX5300(fx5200), PCX5750(fx5700), and PCX5950(fx5950), al of those are the cards in parenthieies with a chip to make them PCI-E compatible

Nvidial wil be bridging the Nv40 to i belive whiel the NV43 to come later is Native PCI-Ex, it will basicaly be able to have the bridge chip backwards to make it AGP

Ati is making PCI-Ex Native versions of a few cards, like the 9600, but it is not bridged it has been redone totaly for PCI-Ex

PCi-Ex is still a few months away, its realy confusing though, eveybody says something a little different, But it seems like mid Q2 is when the PCI-Ex/Socket T(775) stuff is going to be availible

[dscytherulez]

Intel already specified the BTX standard last year. While we can only expect to see BTX motherboards sporadically in the first half of 2004, if at all, BTX boards are not expected to dominate over the conventional ATX boards before 2005

Not only will I not be switching to BTX anytime soon, but it seems as though there are other people that feel the same way. You people are getting way to hyped for the PCI-E cards...Trust me, seeing as how they won't be a super-mega hit at release because of needed upgrades to your pc, there will be simpler AGP rivals and they will hold out for a while.

Sure, I'm going to get a PCI-E...cerca 2005.

[Rbstr]

FYI PCI-Ex, socket T, and DDR2 don't need BTX, it will be out in lots of ATX mobo's, Makers know how to do stuff like that. Hell Asus even enables PAT on its 865p mobos that realy pissed Intel off

[dscytherulez]

But you would still need a new mobo, and why the hell would you buy an new ATX if you knew you would pretty much need to switch to BTX within the year anyway?

[Rbstr]

you wouldn't need to switch to BTX untill the socket T is gone or some new thing comes out that isn't gona be on the ATX socket t versions

[dscytherulez]

Your not reading. I didn't say you HAD to buy a BTX, I was implying that I was going to get one eventually and it would be stupid to get a new ATX, if your planning on switching it out with a BTX sooner or later.

[Phaelon]

The whole reason for switch to BTX is not the features, because they will be offered on ATX boards too, the reason is for air flow and sound.

The dynamics and fluidity of the BTX style give you multiple more options, even More ways to overclock, and more efficient motherboard design means a better talk between the northbridge and southbridge.

BTX is simply something the industry should have done before ATX came out, and I am psuched because it will rock.

[easypickings]

very interesting and very helpfull, now i really dont know what to do.....thanks :)


but as i just got some redundency money ill go buy the 9800xt just to get me by till next year.

[easypickings]

ok, i got the 9800XT and...... wow...... i have been in massive zergs and no lag at all !! really no lag not even a stutter, i didnt have the /stats turned on so i dont no the FPS but they must have been fine, i cant belive the differnce its made...

my thoughts : every one should get one free when buying planet side.......

[Ait'al]

So how much did you get it for. And which 9800xt did you end up with? :)

[easypickings]

got it from dabs at �300 sold my old 9700 pro for �100 so bargin,
got the hercules 9800xt clasic, i have seen the same card else where for �370.

im not a comp buff but hercules always seem fine to me so ive stuck with them.