Geforce4 mx440 low performance 1

[G4s]

I just bought a Geforce 4 mx440. I have a Duron 950 and a KT133 motherboard, 256mb ram and 40Gig HD. Problem is someone on a Athlon 900 with a Geforce 2GTS has a better FPS on all benchmarks that we ran.

Is it low Ram, Win XP or motherboard problems?

Thanks!

 

[Stretchy]

I had a similar problem with my old machine. I had a GeForce 3 ti200 with my P3 533 and 1 GB RAM. I found that all that was holding it back was my CPU. My 3d Benchmarks rose from about 3500 (on 3dmark2002) to over 9000. _______________
Stretchy [Pipe]

 

[paparazi]

I recently researched graphics cards for a friend, their relative price and performances based a similar motherboard platform (via KT266a chipset)
People naturally assume that a new product ie: GF4 MX440, would out perform an older one ie: GF2 GTS
But what you have to realize is the GTS was middle of the GF2 range and the GF4 MX440 is towards the bottom of the GF4 range of cards and old and new product ranges often overlap in terms of performance.
To put it bluntly, a GF2 GTS will out perform (fps) a GF4 MX420 on the same platform and only be slightly slower than a GF4 MX440.
But because your friend has an Athlon and not a Duron and at a guess he has a newer faster chipset on his motherboard? his GTS has the edge over your MX440.
There is a lesson to be learnt here,
1) Newer cards are not necessarily faster than older ones!
2) Before buying a graphics card always check on something like Mad onion site how a graphics cards performs on a similar platform, in relation to one another. Martin Just trying to help, sometimes falling short, I am only human after all.

 

[Hungster]

hey Paparazi

where would GeForce 3 Ti500 sits in GeForce 4 class running a P4 533FSB 2.26Ghz with 1.5GB of DDRAM PC2100

thx

 

[paparazi]

Now the order and percentage differance are correct but the exact 3D scores may not be exact but close.
BEST FIRST! Points are about correct for your setup (my friend has your configuration with a GF4 Ti4600)
BEST FIRST

GF4 Ti4600 About 11,000 points Plus 125%
GF4 Ti4400 123%
GF4 Ti4200 117%
Radeon 8500 114%
Yours GF3 Ti500 8,250 100%
GF3 93%
GF3 Ti200 90%
GF4 MX460 72%
GF4 MX440 67%
GF4 MX420 39%
Below the GF3 there are one or two other cards in between, like GF2 ultra and Radeon 7500 but above GF3 this is the order for mainstream gaming cards.
It is worth noting that the GF4 MX range are poor in comparrison to the older GF3, but they were always intended to be strickly entry level.
Bargain Video card has to be the GF4 Ti4200!! only 8% slower than Awesome Ti4600 but only HALF the price to buy!!
And guess what? I just brought one!!! lol
Hope this has been useful. Martin Just trying to help, sometimes falling short, I am only human after all.

 

[paparazi]

Slight mistake!
Radeon 8500 is infact 104% (4% quicker than GF3 Ti500)
pressed 1 instead of 0 sorry.
I should add for the original post that the GF2 Ultra then the GF2 GTS came between the GF4 MX440 and MX420 cards.
Martin Just trying to help, sometimes falling short, I am only human after all.

 

[Hungster]

thanks Martin

i will go and pick up the GeForce4 Ti4600, you wouldn't happen to know which brand name

i been buying Leadtek all along, GeForce 256, GeForce 2 DDR, GeForce 3 Ti500, i heard Visiontek and Gainward are scored well

 

[paparazi]

Well as you have probably gathered boards using the same chipset always perform within a few points of eachother, so often it is down to extras ie: if the card comes with VIVO (video in video out) etc etc, all the cables necessary for connections plus games packs and most importantly PRICE!!!!
There is one exception though!! and these are the GOLDEN SAMPLES from Gainward, with hand picked memory and processors these cards consistantly out perform all others.
They are exceptionally ettractive with red PCB's and trick heatsinks, you will pay a little more for a Golden sample but they are the ULTIMATE!
As you said Leadteks are great! (I have one) but to be honest, as long as you avoid the cheaper Generic brands you carn't really go wrong.
It is allso interesting to NOTE* that the 64mb versions of Ti's are slightly quicker at all but the highest of resolutions, this is because they are fitted with slightly quiker memory modules.
I would still recommend a 128mb version as these will undoughtabley be a better investment long term, and the extra ram gives superior performance for those games that require massive scene texturing at higher resolutions. Martin
Please let members know if there advice has helped any.

 

[Stretchy]

I agree, Gainward cards are a touch above , im concidering gettin the 4600 from them and I've only recently got a gforce 3 ti500 , they just look so nice _______________
Stretchy [Pipe]

 

[Hungster]

Thanks Martin

for all your inside tips on hands pick on memory and processor, i guess Quality is their number one
you get a star from me

 

[Hungster]

i was doing some reading around on the website, some site mentioned Asus, Leadtek and Gainward, what Gainward won was off the bundle of game it came with

for me, i couldn't care less about the games came with the box, also read up on how lack of cooling that Gainward card is, for one, Leadtek has massive cooling systems

those GeForce does get really hot
any opinion on this ?