Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Buying new VidCard, need advice...


The_Drake_Noob
10-16-2002, 06:06 PM
Ok here's the deal I am running RH 8.0 under X with KDE. I currently play CS in linux, but the UT2003 demo looked like it owned!!! :D I probably will purchase UT2003 sometime in the near future, as I really enjoyed the demo. The problem is I REALLY like CS, and simply can't seem to shake my feelings toward it, even though an old mod from an extinct engine still rocks! But the reason I am posting here in the first place, is a good preforming NVIDIA card that will get me 100 constant FPS in CS under WineX, and I would like to get @ least 50 when playing UT03. My budget is $120 including shipping, and I have looked at g3 ti200's and g4 4200's. I can get the G3 for cheaper, and get 128 DDR, whilst the G4 4200 I can get cheapest for slightly more than the geforce 3 with only 64 DDR. The new geforce line I believe is based on nv 25 architexture, whilst geforce 3's are based upon 23, or 20 (I think...) I am thinking about going with the Geforce 3 ti200, but If anyone here can find a card that is for 120$ or less w/ shipping that is NVIDIA, and has the 128DDR, it would be greatly apprechiated. I have searched my favorite hardware seach engine, Pricewatch for various Geforce cards, and the like.

Ultimatly a card that fits my budget <$120 has 128DDR, and is NVIDIA G3, or G4 will win me over! I don't know if any of you guys are gamers, but most likely a lot of peeps here play the great game UT2003! This will be a hard card to find, especially with my budget. If I ran M$ the Xabre 8x AGP 128DDR would be perfect for my budget, weighing in at a light $109. But since IMHO Gates can suck a donkey's flop, I wont be buying a card thats not NVIDIA (since it has no-doubt the best linux support...) for a while. If anyone can find a good card for me I would really like it, Thank all of you so much for your support in the past, and helping me w/ a hard decision now!!! :p :p :p :p :p :p :p

EDIT: Lol I always forget to list my specs, currently my system is majorly bottlenecked, but thats wut the vidcard is for :O)

Athlon XP 2200
512 DDR
Geforce 2 mx 200 PCI 64 SDRAM
ECS K7S5A (nice mobo for VERY cheap!)
27 Gig Quantum 5400 RPM HDD
4x write speed oldskool CD/RW
Skyhawk pure Alu. 1337 case with blowhole cut by me...

fancypiper
10-16-2002, 09:03 PM
Cheap and high end suggestions:

Cheap Linux Box (http://www.ls.net/CheapBox.html)
The Ultimate Linux Box (http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/writings/ultimate-linux-box/ulb2001.html) - update (http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/writings/ultimate-linux-box/update.html)

chbrules
10-16-2002, 09:11 PM
At PC Club, u can pick up a Evga GeForce 4 MX440 for only around $70-80, it's retail is $150 last time I looked it up. Just a suggestion, I get around 80 FPS with 1280X1024 with 32bit color and full acceleration in Q3A. (That was on Windows XP with DirectX 8.1)

The_Drake_Noob
10-16-2002, 09:35 PM
This card is sooo sweet, the specs are off crazy, and the look of the card looks like... well how should I say it "bling, bling" lol. Check this bad-boy out its really sweet.! my bling bling (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=14-145-005) Then click "see it!" man this card is sooo nice!

nice price, nice specs, nice company, and dont forget the BLING BLING.

My fav. places for Hardware are directron.com newegg.com and the traditional pricewatch search!:D

bwkaz
10-16-2002, 11:57 PM
Ahh, yes, newegg saves the day!

Looks like you found a keeper!

But note that if you don't have the nVidia "nvidia" drivers installed now, this card won't work with the open-source "nv" driver. If you ever plan on reinstalling, you'll have to make sure you go with XFree86 4.x.x, and the "vesa" driver, if you want a GUI before you install the nVidia drivers.

Krycheck
10-17-2002, 01:25 AM
I have a GF4Ti4200 on RH 8.0 and it works great.

RH didn't give me a working X on install but after I installed the nvidia drivers and followed the instructions it work like a charm.

I paid $169 for my eVGA GF4Ti4200 at PC Club :D

The_Drake_Noob
10-17-2002, 04:36 PM
Thx for the info bwkaz, RH auto-installs X 4.2.0 and probably the 'vesa' driver, as I was in KDE in the konsole when I installed the nvidia drivers for my Geforce 2 mx 200 pci 64 SDRAM... Man I now have a nice system and finally a great vidcard! I just bought it, and showed my friend, and he wants it too! Damn I hate disrespect when peeps get the same card ;) It's a nice card for what I do, and I hope I am satisfyed with it. But now *sigh* great I will probably have to buy UT03 lol. The reason the rent's let me get the card is cause I just built my bro a comp, and told them I would hook him up with the vidcard so he can play the game he loves, CS!!! Only problem right now is I need another HL CD key! if you want to aim, gaim, kit, etc me, my IM is 'Honkster87' Thats sweet that the dude got the ti4200, for that price!!! Thats awesome 4200's and ti200's are a close race, but the G4 can beat it, since u paid 169 I am betting u have 128DDR, and your memory bandwith is higher, *sigh* BUT I BET MY PROCESSOR KICKS YOUR ***!!! lol jk, and if the Athlon 2200 @ 1.8 ghz doesn't kick your processors ***, then ummm damnit foiled again! I am sooo excited about this new graphics card, ohhh I have never had a top-notch system, even tho the vidcard isn't top notch, a Chaintech Geforce 3 ti200 128DDR isn't bad!!! :O) Do any of you have any estimates of what kind of FPS I will be getting with the following system running UT2003 in 1024x___ in 32 bit res???

Athlon XP 2200
512 DDR
Chaintech Geforce 3 ti200 128DDR
SBlive!
27 gig Quantum HDD 5400 rpm

BTW check out the link and click see it!!! its awesome!!!