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I'm currently looking for a new graphics card (cheap) - I currently own a tnt m64 and was looking for some advice - Nvidia or Radeon and which chipset???
My system specs
Processor: AMD900THUNDERBIRD
Hard Drive: 40GB
Motherboard: MSI6340
Memory: 512MB
Modem: PCTEL 56K PVP
Graphics: MSI RIVA TNT2
Sound: Creative CT5880 (PCI128) (on-Board)
Power Supply: 250W
You can probably pick up a Radeon 9600 Pro 128MB for around $100 or for around $50 more you can get a Radeon 9600XT 128, or a 9800 Pro 128. I believe right now, ATI's offering the best bang for the buck, but that's a matter of personal opinion. All 3 of those cards are fully DirectX 9 compatible as well.
If you wait a bit longer though, Nvidia will have their new GeForce line out, and that'll drop prices all across the board a good bit.
Unless you want to spend some money getting that cpu up to date, then I wouldnt recommend anything more than a GeForce 4 Ti4200
Yup if you are skint, hang tight a little longer or plump for 'ok for now' like Radical Dreamer suggests.
Personally I don't think the 'bottom' cards in either current series are worth any look at all in value terms, but if you can run to a 9600 pro they are a good compromise between value & performance & future proof, or even the ordinary one if it has 128 & save some more (but less speed), I too being more in favour of ATi over Nvidia 'generally'.
Good points on the CPU speed. Unless you plan on upgrading that in the near future, I wouldn't give anything above a Radeon 9600 or 9600 Pro a serious look.
And, in the meantime, while waiting on that system upgrade you need, you might want to check here as well:
http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=59379
Hi !
Take to look at your AGP slot !
Because you won't be able to use recent cards that work only on AGP 8x or AGP Pro.
See you.
Thanks for all the replies - i'll see hjow the money situation is but will probably leave it for a while.