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GF4 PCI....

Alright, I just found one for a great price ($75), w/TV-out, and I'm giddy with excitement.

PNY VERTO GEFORCE4 MX-420 64MB SDRAM PCI RETAIL BOX WITH TV OUTPUT

Just a few concerns...

1. Will this card be better than my current GF2 PCI despite the limitations of the PCI interface? The interface isn't [i]that[/i] slow, is it? I will notice the difference, right?

2. I have a PIII 866. Is this going to be the point where my processor is going to start holding back my video card? If so, by how much?

I'm so glad I found this...it's just plain embarassing when your friend's laptop has JKII framerates 60-80 FPS higher than your stalwart desktop...

Comments

  • AnlaShokAnlaShok Democrat From Hell
    The GF MX series of cards is strictly low-end. My GF2 GTS outperforms the GF4 MX. You have a P3 with no AGP slot? This may be the best way for you to go, then. If you're looking to cure bottlenecks, get a faster chip and a board with an AGP slot. Then go for the GF4 Ti4200. That will speed things up tremendously!

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    AnlaShok, Captain of the Gray Hand of Fate Squadron
    Sidhe-1
    Wielder of the Big Heavy Hammer of Obvious Truth
    "FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!"
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    [quote]Originally posted by AnlaShok:
    [b]The GF MX series of cards is strictly low-end. My GF2 GTS outperforms the GF4 MX. You have a P3 with no AGP slot? This may be the best way for you to go, then. If you're looking to cure bottlenecks, get a faster chip and a board with an AGP slot. Then go for the GF4 Ti4200. That will speed things up tremendously![/b][/quote]

    Or at least burn a high frame rate hole in his pocket book... [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    At this point, I would say the video card is starting to be seriously limited by the speed at which it has to get data from memory. The PCI bus is not that fast when it comes to the speeds video cards want.

    ------------------
    [b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • But I'm still going from a 2 to a 4...won't that make a big difference? My current GF2 is a MX anyway. I'm going from a low-low-end to a high-low-end.

    I currently don't have the budget to afford a new motherboard/processor/video card combo. What I CAN afford is a $75 video card. Especially seeing there are people who will take my GF2 MX on ebay...

    Short of a new motherboard, is this not the best graphics solution I can find?

    [This message has been edited by Vertigo_1 (edited 06-16-2002).]
  • Personally, I'd buy a $75 AGP-supporting motherboard - then, if you're wanting a performance card, shop around for what you can afford then.
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    Correct. I don't think you'll get any tangible benefits by buying a new card, let alone a PCI card.

    Also, the GF4 mx is really not a proper name. It's more of a GF3 than anything else. Doesn't have most of the features which make the GF4 special. It's not even made using the new core.
  • Bah, I'll just wait for a new computer then...should only be a year or two or three...might as well save my money!
  • Vertigo1Vertigo1 Official Fuzzy Dice of FirstOnes.com
    All the Geforce4 MX cards are just redressed GF2 chips. They don't even have the new instructions of the regular GF4 cards for crying out loud! For just a little more money, you could get yourself a card thats twice as fast. [b]NEVER BUY ANY MX CARD.[/b] They are a waste of money. Every single one of them. I can't stress this next statement enough. When it comes to computers, don't be a penny pincher. Spend the extra couple of dollars and get decent equipment. It'll last longer and you'll get far more performance for your money. Sure, shop wisely but don't go overboard by buying sub-par equipment.

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    "Isn't the universe a wonderful place? I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! Love to stay! Can't! Have to go. Kiss kiss, love love! Bye!" - G'Kar
  • Vertigo1Vertigo1 Official Fuzzy Dice of FirstOnes.com
    $154 | GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GeForce 4 Ti 4200, 3.5ns, 64MB DDR. 1 CRT ONLY No DVI, or TV-Out. Retail.
    [url="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=14-128-128"]link[/url]

    $74 | Asus VIA VT82C694T Chipset ATX Motherboard Model TUV4X Pro133T Tualatin
    [url="http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=280&manufactory=1315&DEPA=1"]link (scroll down)[/url]

    All prices are USD. Newegg ships via FedEx. [quote]Quote from links: "Special FedEx Saver Shipping $4.00"[/quote]

    That board does support a p3 866, and you won't have to get new RAM. Now how sweet is that? [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img] Those prices are [b]EXCELLENT[/b]. Newegg is a respected dealer so I know you won't get shafted. (I've bought stuff from them in the past.) You would be a fool to pass this up.

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    "Isn't the universe a wonderful place? I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! Love to stay! Can't! Have to go. Kiss kiss, love love! Bye!" - G'Kar
  • whitestar90whitestar90 Elite Ranger
    For 154 bucks you can't go wrong...

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    "When it is time,come to this place,call our name,we will be here"-Walkers of Sigma957
    [url="http://ifh.firstones.com"]I've Found Her-Babylon 5 free game[/url]
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Now look at that...

    ...for $228 dollars you to can kick some video ass...

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]

    I have a friend at work who has an E-machine. Has a built in AGP video, but NO AGP slot...

    He bought a PNY GF4 MX 420 based PCI card. We nuked the ME off of it and installed W2K, made the GF4 the primary display, and set the built in AGP as secondary... He's in dual-display heaven. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]

    I have just received a care package with an AGP - GF2 GTS based, Anhilator. I also have been given a GF2 based GAINWARD PCI as well...

    You know what I am about to do...

    Anyone for an AGP TNT2 card?

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    If it's free, I'll take it. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img]

    I guess that's one advantage of not having an AGP slot when you have onboard video. Usually, if a motherboard with onboard video detects a video card in the AGP slot it disables the onboard, so you can't have duel screen.

    ------------------
    [b][url="http://www.minbari.co.uk/log12.2263/"]Required reading[/url][/b]
    Never eat anything bigger than your own head.
    "Nonono...Is not [i]Great[/i] Machine. Is...[i]Not[/i]-so-Great Machine. It make good snow cone though." - Zathras
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    [quote]Originally posted by Biggles:
    [b]If it's free, I'll take it. [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/smile.gif[/img][/b][/quote]

    If you are serious about the TNT2 Biggles, I'll send it to you as soon as I can...

    [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/wink.gif[/img]

    That way I can pay it (the favor some one else just did for me) forward... [img]http://216.15.145.59/mainforums/biggrin.gif[/img]

    Cheers!
  • AnlaShokAnlaShok Democrat From Hell
    To save bucks, get an AGP system board and a GF2 Pro card. Those are pretty cheap and beat the MX ones, especially with an AGP slot behind them.

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    AnlaShok, Captain of the Gray Hand of Fate Squadron
    Sidhe-1
    Wielder of the Big Heavy Hammer of Obvious Truth
    "FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!"
  • C_MonC_Mon A Genuine Sucker
    Well, now when we are talking about these things. I'm going to buy a new com in about 1.5 month!

    How about a:

    AMD Athlon XP 1900+
    MSI KT3 Ultra-ARU
    512 DDR
    Maxtor DiamondMax 40GB ATA 133, 7200rpm
    Sony DVD 16x
    GeForce4 ti-4400 or Matrox Pharelia 512(if it has been relised by then)
    Logitech Digital Optical Desktop
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