video card upgrade questions

I Hate Pants · 2003-12-21, 01:20 PM

So I have decided to get the ATI 9600xt 128MB. Currently I have the ATI 9000 PRO 128MB. Two simple questions:

1. Will I get an fps increase in PS and less lag in the other games I play?

2. Will I see a noticeable visual improvment in the games I play? (Better looking garphics?)

Ait'al · 2003-12-21, 01:43 PM

1. it will pick up some of the load of the video off your ram!

2. Yes if you change the video settings in the game to higher detail!

I Hate Pants · 2003-12-21, 02:04 PM

hmmmm... not quite the answer I was looking for. Maybe I should just concider OC my current card? I figured I'd get some nicer, sharper graphics without having to tweak the video options.

What should I do? OC my current card or get the xt? Which would give better performance?

Belerion · 2003-12-21, 03:14 PM

I have a 9000 Pro as well. I have the 64MB version though. I use Radlinker to OC my card, but it only does so much in PS. The thing you need to consider is that anything under the 9800 series of Raedon cards only have 4 pipelines to transfer data through. If you spend the extra on a Raedon 9800 (Non-Pro), it will transfer data through all 8 pipelines, giving you better visual rendering. Honestly, I'd say get the 9800 and save yourself being limited by the 9600 XT. (I know, it's a bummer that you actually have to pay for HL2).

All in all... your best bet to get the best bang for the buck.... go with the Raedon 9800

Just my 2cp.

If you want, check out the benchmarks at www.tomshardware.com or somewhere like that.

Fragmatic · 2003-12-21, 05:37 PM

I got the 9600XT 128mb (Sapphire)

It's a well rounded card, and well worth the price, problem is, a video card only performs to the best of your system.

The card fully supports DirectX 9, so games with DX9 effects do look so much shinier (IE, Halo)

Rbstr · 2003-12-21, 06:33 PM

#1 yes a very decently big sized increase to, less in ps that other games though
#2 yes and its dirext x9 compatable, not just by driver suport but in hardware suport aswell
#3 you can't oc you 9000 to come anyware near a 9600 SE let alone an XT

i would get the 9600 xt over the 9800 np, because the np is discontinued and its hard to find those you only get the gimped SE version thats has its extra piplines disabled and a thiner memory bus. And free HL2 with a card that cost $50 less is a dream.

I Hate Pants · 2003-12-21, 07:04 PM

All right so I guess im getting the 9600xt for sure then. Im possibly getting Halo for Christmas and to the demo is amazing! If I can get better effects on the game... IM THERE! The 9000 only supports Directx 8.1.

Daleon · 2003-12-21, 07:36 PM

Well I am not sure why you are expecting visual quality to be a big jump without adjusting in game or out game settings. The directX version support doesn't mean jack, as few to any games support it yet. All your getting is a video card horsepower upgrade. Meaning you can get faster fps than what you currently get or you can pump up your visual settings which will prolly put you back down where you are now but will look better.

Rbstr · 2003-12-21, 08:35 PM

take a look at the differenc in quality between ATI and nvidia crads and you will see, also new cards use 32bit textures readily and that helps alot.

Daleon · 2003-12-21, 11:24 PM

LoL, sure Rbstr. I guess you meant by that statement how much NV IQ sux ballz to wallz.

Rbstr · 2003-12-21, 11:34 PM

well its true, Radeons Video Quality is much better right now, Nvidias not bad its just not as good. If you get the omega drivers he has the quality fixed but it fuxxors the fps. Thats why Nvidia was cheating on 3dmark

Daleon · 2003-12-22, 08:53 AM

Yea but this guy has a radeon 9000 Pro already. There are no real IQ differences between it and a 9600 XT. I upgraded from a 8500 to a 9800 Pro and games look exactly the same unless I pump up the settings.

Setari · 2003-12-23, 03:58 PM

sry but i had to say something about this...my uncle has a beast of a comp...his video card is 512 mb....crazy

Rbstr · 2003-12-23, 04:09 PM

No the cores used in those two cards are WAY different. The 9000 is't a dx9 card, it just suports it though drivers, with the 9600 you get better image quility and better preformance at it too. The reason you say there is no difference is becasue few games use dx9's full Shader functions and they use 8.1 more often because more people comp suport it.

Daleon · 2003-12-23, 04:47 PM

The cores don't matter. They are practically one generation separated, less than one even. Again, its absolutely impossible for you to look at a screenshot from a radeon 9000 pro and a radeon 9600 xt and see ANY visual quality difference when the in and out of game visual settings are exactly the same. Take it from someone who actually has been using ATI for a number of years. Its not like just b/c a card has directx 9.1 support it makes it a super card and all overs junk ugly. As you said, almost no games are DX9.1 yet and hardware will be supporting DX10 before games for DX9.1 are even out in mass. Not to mention this doesn't do anything for OGL games.