the best video card for video games

**trutech78** · July 29th, 2005, 09:00 AM

Hello im tryin buy a 256 mb video card to play some games. And i was wondering what would be the best card to get right now.

**3fingersalute** · July 29th, 2005, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by trutech78

Hello im tryin buy a 256 mb video card to play some games. And i was wondering what would be the best card to get right now.

That's sort of like saying "I want to buy a new car, what one is the best?"

Here's a few things that will help us make a reccomendation:

What games are you planning on playing?
What kind of slot are you using (PCI, AGP, PCI-E, etc.)?
How much money are you budgeting for this purchase?
What OS are you currently running?

**trutech78** · July 29th, 2005, 09:10 AM

sorry i need a 256 mb agp 8x card my system is dell 2.8 gigs 728 mb xp sp2. Im trying to play games like battlefield 2 and half life 2 at optimal performance

**Ferrit** · July 29th, 2005, 09:10 AM

I am using a HIS Radeon 9600XT and play both of those games without issue
So use that as a startung point for comparison.
It doesnt give optimal preformance but it does play them well

**trutech78** · July 29th, 2005, 09:12 AM

i saw that comp usa had a ati radeon 9550 400 mhz 256 mb. Is that a good card?

**Ferrit** · July 29th, 2005, 09:13 AM

9550 isnt bad but I have one in the second computer in my home and it loads battlefield in roughly twice the time it takes my 9600XT to load
The specs in the 2 computers are pretty close to the same

**trutech78** · July 29th, 2005, 09:26 AM

ok i think i found the card u have at comp usa.com It called Visiontek Xtasy 256 9600 8x agp video card for $129.00. Is this the card i should get?

**Ferrit** · July 29th, 2005, 09:40 AM

Sorry if you mistook what I said
Firstly the card is a 9600XT <--- this being very impotant
A regular 9600 is vastly different
Secondly I was offering my card and its game playing capabilities as a comparative starting point
It is by no means the very best and it is by no means the most expensive.
Its a very good all around video card int he AGP category

**trutech78** · July 29th, 2005, 09:45 AM

well if i had to choose which one should i get ati radeon 9550 400 mhz 256 mb or the visiontek ati 9600. What is the difference between the visiontek ati 9600 and the 9600XT? I limited on money and there both $129.00 unless u know somewhere else i could go to get a good card cheaper?

**3fingersalute** · July 29th, 2005, 09:47 AM

Another good place to check is newegg.

I picked up a nice 9600XT with TV Tuner back at the beginning of the year for a great price out of the clearance/refurb section.

**Ferrit** · July 29th, 2005, 09:54 AM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102326

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

**Radical Dreamer** · July 29th, 2005, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Ferrit

9550 isnt bad but I have one in the second computer in my home and it loads battlefield in roughly twice the time it takes my 9600XT to load
The specs in the 2 computers are pretty close to the same

What does the video card have to do with the loading of the game? It will dictate frame rate etc, but not loading time

**Ferrit** · July 30th, 2005, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by Radical Dreamer

What does the video card have to do with the loading of the game? It will dictate frame rate etc, but not loading time

Sorry you misunderstood RD. I was merely trying to indicate the system using the 9600 XT was a better performer then the 9550 overall

**confus-ed** · July 30th, 2005, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by Radical Dreamer

What does the video card have to do with the loading of the game? It will dictate frame rate etc, but not loading time

As a general 'rule' I think it will .. why wouldn't a new card with ddr2 (or 'whatever') load things faster than some card based on sdram (..or 'whatever') ? You also generally need to prepare your 'gart' first & that gets done quicker with a quicker card, & thus cuts your loading times..

& I think size of memory on any card will too, as if you don't have enough video memory available, then the game has to buffer everything up, thus slowing matters down while it commits it all to disk, & then sends it back, a bit at a time, to the card where it was supposed to go in the first place ?

This question should have been titled 'what's the best *vfm* card for games *right now* ?

.. & the more I think about that, the more confus-ed I get !

This is the best I can come up with as a straight chart to help with any direct comparrisons on how each performs (there's a few choices missed off though like x700's).

Personally, I wouldn't be fitting a 9600xt & expecting it to 'last', I think any games released at christmas to come would change

..doesnt give optimal preformance but it does play them well..

..which is quite right 'now'

.. but will soon become ..
doesnt give optimal preformance but it does play them 'alright' ..?

I think so anyway

.