dworks, i need your advice

ok dworks I would like your advice since you claim to know alot about hardware.

I would like to buy a video card for a friend of mine for XMAS. Here are the choices I had in mind: Sapphire Radeon 9600 256MB for $135, Sapphire Radeon 9600 Pro 128MB for $148.

If you suggest something else, please let me know. Thanks.

well i cant but help answerin your question, so ill will. (sorry dworks and orion). Well, oddly enough, you think the 256mb one would be more expensive, but the key word here is "pro." The radeon 9600 pro w/ 128mb is the best choice-its by far A WHOLE LOT better than the 256mb version. With higher clock speeds and faster memory speeds, its totally worth it. The 256mb model is like getting a KLEENEX CONDOM! There's NO point. Games DO not use that extra 128 ram and sometimes, 128mb utilizes memory better than the 256mb version. Odd... But any i thinkt the pro is the best choice. Again sorry ORION for answering this question before dworks could

Go grab a 9600 XT, it will be worth your while if you have the cash

phobos77, no need to apologize. I appreciate the info.

Syanide, the video card is for a friend so the 9600XT is not a choice. Don't get me wrong, I would like to buy him the 9600XT but it is too expensive.

Get the Pro and overclock, 256MB is kind of waste in a 4 pipeline/128bit memory card. Only the Radeon 9800 Pro/XT will benefit from that much ram and only if you're playing at 1600x1200 with 6xAA/16XAF. Even then the difference in performance is not that big. So if you can grab that 128MB 9600 Pro, they make great overclockers.

ok thanks alot man. I appreciate it. Also, would you recommend something from Nvidia in the $100 to $200 price range.

Originally posted by Orion@Dec 1 2003, 04:57 AM
ok thanks alot man. I appreciate it. Also, would you recommend something from Nvidia in the $100 to $200 price range.

For a little less than $200 you could get the 5700Ultra, but your best bet is the Geforce FX 5900nu (nu stands for non-ultra) which you can also find for $200 and overclock it to Ultra speeds. Right now newegg has them for $196 with free shipping. If your going the nvidia route I strongly suggest you get the 5900nu, the 5700 might have faster clocks but it still crippled with 128bit memory (compared to the 5900's 256bit) and of course the inferior 4x1 pipeline architecture (compared to the 5900's 4x2).

ok cool, thanks for the advice. Is there anything from NVIDIA you would recommend for less than $200? LoL. Thanks

hmm not realy NVIDIA but for less than 200$ maby a geforce fx 5400
but i recomend ATI.

Originally posted by Orion@Dec 1 2003, 08:51 AM
ok cool, thanks for the advice. Is there anything from NVIDIA you would recommend for less than $200? LoL. Thanks

Like I said my first option would be the 5900nu. The next best deal would be the FX5600 Flip Chip of course it won't be as good as the 5900nu but you'll get pretty high overclocks as well.