New Radeon Card?

[Telefrog]

I'm looking to upgrade the ATI Radeon x1300 that's in my rig. I want to spend no more than $200, so I'm obviously not looking for the best of the best. I just want to be able to run UT3 at a respectable rate 30-40 fps at 1024x768 with graphic sliders set to "3" or better.

I have Vista 32 and 2GB of RAM.

Is this possible, and what card would you guys suggest?

[Killalot0]

HD3850 or HD3870 just do a google for some reviews

[Epickiller]

Well I suggest the x1950PRO if you don't want to spent more than $200. for say $250 dollers you could get yourself a 8800gt which is top spec right now and will play at your res with all settings on high. What's your processor?

[Telefrog]

Well I suggest the x1950PRO if you don't want to spent more than $200. for say $250 dollers you could get yourself a 8800gt which is top spec right now and will play at your res with all settings on high. What's your processor?

I have a Intel Pentium D 945 / 3.4 GHz in my rig.

[Gorge]

I think you should consider an ATI card with a HD3870 chipset. Or if you want to switch to nvidia the 8880GT is the best card for the buck and it is a bit faster than the ATI card. So if only speed matters for you I think you should switch. However I still use an ATI x800 card and I my experience ATI cards deliver a better 2D Signal (at least when I switched from my Geforce TI 4xxx something to my Radeon 9800). Maybe this has changed now, but who wants to spend a few hundred bucks on a 3D card to find out the fonts on the desktop look blurry. However make sure you google up some reviews before you buy a certain brand / card.


http://www.gpureview.com/radeon-hd-3870-card-547.html
http://www.gpureview.com/GeForce-880...3eccb28495e8f1

Both cards should be around 200 bucks I guess, if you look around.

Also make sure your PSU can handle a bigger card, or you might need to spend 50-100 bucks on a new PSU too. Also which CPU do you have?

[greenplant]

ATI Radeon HD 3450, HD 3470 and HD 3650
approximates: $50, $60, $100
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10125

The final card is the Radeon 3650 HD built on the RV635 core. Two versions of this card are going to be available. The XT version will have a core clock of 800MHz and a memory clock of 1000MHz. The Pro version will have a 600 MHz core speed and the same memory clock. Both versions will have 256MB to 512MB of GDDR3 with a 128-bit memory interface. This card is expected to retail for around $100 USD.

look into the 3650HD XT 512mb, should do what you need for a $100+ or so
only thing is that u have to wait till they release..

those cards are not out yet

[Telefrog]

I think you should consider an ATI card with a HD3870 chipset. Or if you want to switch to nvidia the 8880GT is the best card for the buck and it is a bit faster than the ATI card. So if only speed matters for you I think you should switch. However I still use an ATI x800 card and I my experience ATI cards deliver a better 2D Signal (at least when I switched from my Geforce TI 4xxx something to my Radeon 9800). Maybe this has changed now, but who wants to spend a few hundred bucks on a 3D card to find out the fonts on the desktop look blurry. However make sure you google up some reviews before you buy a certain brand / card.


http://www.gpureview.com/radeon-hd-3870-card-547.html
http://www.gpureview.com/GeForce-880...3eccb28495e8f1

Both cards should be around 200 bucks I guess, if you look around.

Also make sure your PSU can handle a bigger card, or you might need to spend 50-100 bucks on a new PSU too. Also which CPU do you have?

Hmm. I had a couple of GeForce cards, and frankly didn't like their software/driver support. I suppose it's better now, but it left a really bad taste in my mouth. I think I want to stick to ATI just so I don't ahve to futz with the drivers. It's my understanding that the Catalyst package is good for all of their current cards, and switching them out would literally be a matter of changing the physical card. (I'm married with kids now, so I don't have the time to mess with stuff like I used to. )

Here's what I'm looking at so far based on all the suggestions:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814103049
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814241038

Obviously the x1950 Pro wins based on price, but what differences would there be otherwise? Keep in mind I really don't care about DX10 support at this point.

[greenplant]

don't get a 256mb card bro

you need at least 512mb vram for texture loading

[Telefrog]

don't get a 256mb card bro

you need at least 512mb vram for texture loading

Okay, find me one for less than $200.

[greenplant]

look at post #6
only catch is you have to wait.

[Telefrog]

look at post #6
only catch is you have to wait.

So the 3650HD XT 512MB would be your recommendation? What would my benefit be compared to the ones I'm thinking about? I see the 512MB VRAM, but there's plenty of cards with higher RAM that don't perform as well as the pricier cards with less RAM in nvidia and ATI's catalog.

Also, once this card hits the market, wouldn't that mean the x1950 Pro and the HD3850 would also drop in price? Wouldn't they be less, if this card is better than those two?

[Epickiller]

Well... like I said in the beginning... for under $200 budget the best really is the x1950. if you could shift up a few bucks you could get yourself an 8800gt but as I understand you're on a tight budget. the x1950PRO is a 512mb PCI-E card so I don't know why greenplant said it was 256mb. Of course it's up to you.

[Telefrog]

Well... like I said in the beginning... for under $200 budget the best really is the x1950. if you could shift up a few bucks you could get yourself an 8800gt but as I understand you're on a tight budget. the x1950PRO is a 512mb PCI-E card so I don't know why greenplant said it was 256mb. Of course it's up to you.

Thanks. I think I may be getting the x1950Pro after doing some comparisons.

[EffeKt]

id get the sapphire x1950pro 512. I had one before and it does the job.