Graphics Cards

JAMTHEMAN · Post by **JAMTHEMAN** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:12 pm

Hi all

I recently upgraded from an NVIDIA TNT2 card to a Geforce 4 MX 440 card, and strangely enough nothing changed, performance wise.

Any ideas, is this card alot better than the previous one, or is it a slight difference?

I have 1 Ghz processor and 256 RAM

Jamie

johnarran · Post by **johnarran** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:19 pm

Hi Jamie,

Although the new graphics card is a step in the right direction you really need to upgrade the processor and bung some extra RAM in. Then you will see the difference.

John

JAMTHEMAN · Post by **JAMTHEMAN** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:33 pm

How much more RAM you think i'd need?

Maybe upgrade to 2.5 Ghz?

Thanks

Jamie

rwaceyw · Post by **rwaceyw** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:35 pm

How much more RAM you think i'd need?

Maybe upgrade to 2.5 Ghz?

Your having a laugh, you can't even get that

. Unless your meaning upgrade the 2.5ghz processor, which I highly recommend, go for 512 meg of ram.

JAMTHEMAN · Post by **JAMTHEMAN** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:37 pm

Found a processor 2500 Mhz (2.4 Ghz) on ebuyer there, should do the trick?

Hate how you upgrade things at a time and by the time you finish somethings out of date!

Jamie

jbilton · Post by **jbilton** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:39 pm

Hi
This has been discussed on the forms before...generally speaking msts is old code...by todays standard...look on the box at minimum specs.
Therefore it has a maximum frame rate.
Where you'll see a difference is a big junctions... high speeds under gantrys(or any where your GPU really has to start working)....the frame rate will drop...but not as much before.
Also better cards can support higher refresh rates...and bigger resolutions.....monitor permitting

JAMTHEMAN · Post by **JAMTHEMAN** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:45 pm

So what should i spend my x-mas money on..

Whats more important?

RAM or a faster processor?

Can't I just upgrade my processor like you do with RAM??

Jamie

baldwin · Post by **baldwin** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:05 pm

You can upgrade on the processor side, means buying a new one though. How much faster you can go will depend on your motherboard and any available bios upgrades. The processor upgrade option is not one to be undertaken in the same way as bunging in a stick of ram. It involves the almost total dismantling of your computer, and then rebuilding it. Even if you have a case with a drop out motherboard carrier, you still have to take out all expansion cards and disconnect all cables.

Mervyn

LucaZone · Post by **LucaZone** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:18 pm

nVidia MX cards are budget cards sadly, and the GeForce4 MX cards are simply nitro versions of the Geforce2 GTS/Ultra technology, which was the competition for the TNT2 cards, so im affraid no u wont see much of a performance boost.

I cant remember the number of times ive recommended against anyone buying an MX card. Yes they are cheap and attractive, but they arent going to be the most powerful of their range, and they arent really designed to add performance to games, especially 3D ones.

johnarran · Post by **johnarran** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:37 pm

It's all about matching. There's absolutely no point in going high end graphics card if your processor spec is low. Likewise you need to upgrade the RAM too. RAM is the easier and the cheaper upgrade option, upgrading to a high end processor might involve upgrading your motherboard too (depending on the processor you buy).

Get what you can afford. Start with RAM, you never can have too much. More RAM = less disk swapping.

JAMTHEMAN · Post by **JAMTHEMAN** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:47 pm

Right ok, I'll get some more RAM, based on luca's comments would it now be worthwile getting another grpahics card.. this GeForce only cost me 35 [ounds anyway.. how about a radeon 9600 pro?

Jamie

CaptainBazza · Post by **CaptainBazza** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:45 pm

Jamie, don't bother upgrading to the Raedon card; with your present mo'bo and cpu it is a waste of money. Better go with the ram upgrade.

You may get a few frames/per/sec improvement, but even on really powerful systems you will not get completely rid of the 'pausing' effect. The framerate does not improve drastically in relation to the amount of money spent, either.

The culprit is the creaky graphics engine.

The above advice is based on personal experience!

JAMTHEMAN · Post by **JAMTHEMAN** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:49 pm

Thanks for that

I'll get a RAM upgrade to 512 and see what happenes otherwise i'll wait till i get a new PC hopefully next xhristmas.. long way I know but maybe before then!

Jamie.. anyone know how to lose a cold quickly?!

mikesimpson · Post by **mikesimpson** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 2:47 am

As Lucazone says, you should have got one of the Nvidia Ti4... cards, the 400mx is just a Geforce 2 with a slight speed up.

I had two machines here one with a Riva TNT and the other with a Geforce 400mx and the difference was not all that great in MSTS, however the Nvidia Geforce Ti4200 64 meg card made a real difference.

My son now has a Pentium IV with 1 gig of ram and a Geforce FX5900 video card, and that has to be seen to be believed, gives test results with 3DMark2001 SE of around 16,000

LucaZone · Post by **LucaZone** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 10:50 am

Keep ur money, the Gf4 MX will last longer than the TNT2 u had, so hold on to it now uve got it, unless ur desperate for better graphics.

If u still want to spend, likie everyone is saying get a bit more RAM. Its the safest bet. Again as everyone else is saying, u can never have enough RAM, and very rarely do u need to change type. So money well invested

Atomic Systems

Graphics Cards

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