3D FX cards

[SpiderBear6]

Hi guys,

I should start by saying that I know next to nothing about video cards and 3d fx cards. I play (want to play) games which are graphics intensive. I was thinking of getting a 3d fx card but I don't know which one to get or whether I need one (or whether I should just get a really good video card). I don't want a state of the art one just something which will let me play some of the graphical games. Anyone have any advice?

Cheers

 

[dakota81]

We'll first start out by saying the company 3dfx went out of business couple years ago...

Now, if you want to get a cheap card to play games, check out a video card that uses the Geforce4 ti4200 chip. It's not the latest hardware, but still has a great performance / price ratio.

If you're looking to spend a bit more, check out a video card that uses the ATI Radeon 9600 chip. Those cards support DirectX 9 in hardware & perform very well. I think you can get them rather cheap off eBay.

If you go to a store like Best Buy or Circuit City, the packaging of the video cards state which chip they use. If you search around pricewatch.com, just search for "ti4200" or "radeon 9600".

 

[SpiderBear6]

I am looking at getting a package deal that includes a AGP 2d/3d video card... any good?

 

[pmonett]

As dakota81 said, a Ti 4x00 card, or a Radeon 9600 (NOT the 9000 series) will do. You can go for the latest generation FX 5600 or Radeon 9800 if you're feeling thrifty.

Nowadays, AGP is the standard and PCI is an exception (at least for 3D cards).

And combo 2D/3D are the norm. You will not find a video card that does 3D and not 2D. The days of the Voodoo 2 are well and truly gone.

Let me just add that you seem to be getting yourself into hot water by considering that the graphics card is the sole factor of performance. Is your processor in the 2Ghz range ? In other words, are you going to put a Ti or a Radeon on a Pentium III ?

Because good performance depends on all components, not just one. Of course, no 3D-enabled card means no 3D, but getting one does not mean you can run 3D smoothly.

As you state that you wish to run graphics-intensive games, that more likely means FPS games like Unreal 2K3 or Jedi Knight, or others like them. In other words, rather recent games. And we gamers all know that recent games more often than not require recent material to run decently on.

Of course, you will be able to run Doom 3 or Half-Life 2 on a Pentium III with your Radeon 9600 or GeForce 4 Ti 4400 (or whatever), just don't expect to run anything else than low-detail, low resolution, unless your CPU is of the 2Ghz variety and you have a nice DDR bus.

Just a word of warning.

Pascal.

 

[dakota81]

Stating the video card is of the AGP 2D/3D variety is kinda like asking: I'm buying a new car, it runs on unleaded gas, is it any good? Yeah the Porsche's and Viper's run on unleaded gas; but so does a Geo Metro...

You need to find what graphics chip is on the video card to determine if it's good or not.

 

[SpiderBear6]

Sorry guys.. I kinda dumb when it comes to hardware. The total specs are as follows:

1 GB RAM (DDR)
AMD 2.6
AGP 2D/3D Video Card
PCI Sound
80 GB Hard drive

and when I say graphics intensive games.. I do mean the more recent ones.

BTW: in case I forget later, thanks to all who help out a programmer trying to figure out how a screwdriver works.

 

[pmonett]

Well with a rig like that, I'd strongly suggest you go for a Radeon 9800 Pro. You have the horsepower to run it, and you won't be disappointed.
Of course, budget-wise it is a hard decision. In which case we're back to the GF4 Ti 4x or R9600.
In any case, if you do want to run recent games, then the Radeon 9600 or 9800 is for you (DX 9 compatible).

Pascal.

 

[SpiderBear6]

Eeek... I don't think I could afford the $335.00 AUS to get one. The little bundle previously mentioned is already costing me $859 AUS.

 

[dakota81]

Well, ATI has just released a new line, the Radeon 9600 Pro XT. So in a week or two you'll probably see the price of the Radeon 9600 Pro fall a bit. Lowest price right now is ~$140 US. This card is very capable of playing the newest games.