Upgrading my graphics card

[legacy-Syko_Maggot]

Well, I'm pretty satisfied with the way UT2k4 runs on my PC. But I'd prefer better. I have an outdated GF4ti4200 (64mb) sadly enough, I only bought it a year and a half ago. Well, anything kills those graphics cards now a days. Without going over the $200 budget, what graphics card should I get? I've always been with nvidia, I've never had problems with nvidia, and they're still plenty powerful. I'm not going to spend $400+ on a top of the line Radeon...ANyways, suggestions!? Thanks!

[legacy-Dark-Asylum]

The Radeon 9600XT is just what your looking for. Get the most expensive one under 200 bucks and bam, you'll be playing UT2k4 @ top notch settings and good FPS.

[legacy-KARRNY]

The 9600XT is a good card but you wont be playing at super high levels. I have one and I play at 1024x768 with most things on high or normal, no shadows. I get really good framerates in DM and CTF and in ONS or AS I get decent rates dropping sometimes to the low 20's. You might actaully want to to wait for about a month until the new line of graphics cards comes out before you make your purchase though. The new cards shoudl push the prices of the old ones way down.

[legacy-fsstrike1]

The best deal right now is the 9800 Pro 128mb for about 210 US. If you can wait a month or 2, the new nv40 and r420 will be available and will drop prices of the current kings (9800XT, 5950). Your 4200 isnt a bad card, and I think it could last a few months longer at least.

[legacy-Der Kopfwerfer]

Originally posted by Dark-Asylum
The Radeon 9600XT is just what your looking for. Get the most expensive one under 200 bucks and bam, you'll be playing UT2k4 @ top notch settings and good FPS.

I disagree. For a few bucks over his limit, he can get a 9800 pro, which absolutey knocks the 9600XT out of the water.

http://www.gameve.com/gve/Store/Prod...=VC-POWERC-029

[legacy-Syko_Maggot]

Very interesting. Yeah I honestly don't plan to upgrade until the summer but I want to start looking now so I have an idea.

I have a AMD 2500+ Barton @1.8ghz, 512MB CorsairPC3200, and I run UT2k4 @ 1024x768x32 with the physics + world detail at high and some other tweaks to improve frames like no shadows and lowered fog. It runs rather smooth for me. But I would rather have it as smooth as butter, with kick @$$ graphics! But games like FarCry, and Painkiller run horrible and have to be tweaked to the max to get good frames. I'm sure DOOMIII and HLII won't run that great with my current card.

I was looking at the 9600XT, its about 500/600, the 9800PRO is about 400/700 depending on who makes the card. Of course I can overclock the card if I really wanted to, but I want the stock manufacurer settings to be pretty good. What should I look for more for more performance?