New Video Card

[Sonic 297]

Its taken me awhile but I finally ordered a new video card to replace the old faithful Ti4200. In a day or so I'll will have the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond video card, 128MB DDR3, 8XAGP

 

 

Review: http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view....d=3&id=1459

 

I decided to get the MSI card but I also had these choices.....

- Leadtek GeForce A6600 TD, 128MB DDR, GeForce 6600, 8XAGP

- Gigabyte GeForce 6600 GT video card, 128MB DDR3, GeForce 6600 GT, 8XAGP

- Sparkle SP-AG43GDH video card, 128MB DDR3, GeForce 6600 GT, 8XAGP

 

The Leadtek card was ruled out early due to it using DDR memory, all my other choices use DDR3. Most the choices are based around specs, cost and product bundle. The MSI card has an awesome bundle, it comes with the Chronicles of Riddick game.

[Cygnus X-1 14]

Well dont you feel special. Not to be unrespective, actually its pretty cool. If some of us had the money....

[Sonic 297]

No I wouldn't say I feel special...why would I? :?

 

Like most PC upgrades they are paid for by saving a few dollars here and there :wink:

[Cygnus X-1 14]

Never mind.

 

I have a crappy Dell pc (gift) and God knows how itll except upgrades. Cant even get new drivers without trouble. Seems to be OK at the moment, except for KOTOR 2 not running, but it wnats nVidia or ATI graphics, and for some odd reason, Dell doesnt use either. :? Only Intel, so I'd have to buy sepperate graphics cards. I've got the money, just no credit card for online transaction. Parents dont think a new graphics card is worth it.

[GeneralZ 0]

i don't like Diamond in general. I would get one of the new video crads released by ATI and Nvidia

[Sonic 297]

i don't like Diamond in general. I would get one of the new video crads released by ATI and Nvidia

The Diamond name is just MSI's brand for the card. The card I'm is powered by the NVIDIA Geforce 6600 Chipset. So its an NVIDIA card.

 

For the record ATI and NVIDIA don't make video cards, they make the GPU and chips for them. Companies like MSI, Leadtek etc... make the cards.

[chickendippers 1]

Have had no problems upgrading my Dell. Have changed the video card added a cd drive, upgraded the RAM etc. But then mine is quite an old one (Win 98).

[BWare 0]

Win 98), huh? :wink:

[Thierry 0]

He meant ''(Win 98 ) but if you put 8 and ) without a space you get 8)

 

I got a good 9800 Pro for a year now, handels all games smoothly

 

Hey Sonic, how much RAM you got? For your card you outta have at Least 1024, or the VideoCard wont be fully used, the VideoCard will want to work, but is then slowed down by the RAM.

 

I kinda got the same problem with my 9800 Pro and 1 GB RAM

[Cygnus X-1 14]

Have had no problems upgrading my Dell. Have changed the video card added a cd drive, upgraded the RAM etc. But then mine is quite an old one (Win 98).

 

But this is the cheapest of the cheap: Inspiron 1100 note book by Dell. *shudder* will fully capable of upgrades, (and it has been) heres the killer: Celeron processor. That thing can handle anything (games) thats pre-Generals. After that, everthing lags. And the graphics is the latest Intel extreme Graphics 2.

[apocolyp4 0]

but it wnats nVidia or ATI graphics, and for some odd reason, Dell doesnt use either.

 

Dell in the UK does pc with both ATI or a NVIDIA graphics card as I just got one with a NVIDIA Geforce 6800 with 256mb.

[Cygnus X-1 14]

Like I mentioned, I am using *shudder* a Dell notebook Inspiron 1100. It was gift, seeing as how I wouldnt be able to afford my own. Oh, and with a Celeron processor as opposed to Pentium 4 or Centrino.

[BWare 0]

He meant ''(Win 98 ) but if you put 8 and ) without a space you get 8)

Thank you Thierry... :roll:

I was just giving him a hard time :wink:

[Arificial 0]

I like it, pretty nice, probably gets the best gaming in the planet?!

[Sonic 297]

Hey Sonic, how much RAM you got? For your card you outta have at Least 1024, or the VideoCard wont be fully used, the VideoCard will want to work, but is then slowed down by the RAM.

I currently have 512 RAM running in duel channel mode, another 512 is on my upgrade hit list . I'll see how things going with my current RAM before making any stupid purchases though.

[Thierry 0]

Cool,

 

My RAM is Kingston 2 X 512 MB RAM 400 Mhz Dual yadiyadayada.....

 

Works perfectly, though for my 9800 it could be more

[Cygnus X-1 14]

Did you mention how mush it costs Sonic? Not to intrude on your finances, but I would like to know. So woud some of the people who actually have money to upgrade their comps.

[Thierry 0]

A good video card, like the 9800 Pro will cost around 200 euro's, about 160 dollars, go higher and the price goes up

 

For good 1024 MB Ram its about the same price, mine was 180 euro's, 145 dollars...

[Sonic 297]

Did you mention how mush it costs Sonic? Not to intrude on your finances, but I would like to know. So woud some of the people who actually have money to upgrade their comps.

It costs $345.24, NZ dollars of course. I got it around $340 with a small discount. I actually paid $297 thanks to some credit I had with company I purchased it from.

 

I have it installed now, it appears to be ok. Haven't done any testing just yet. Althought I did notice a strange flicker of the screen when I opened Windows Media Player.

[Cygnus X-1 14]

Id recomend iTunes to replace your Media player. For video use QuickTime.

 

$340 is high (for me anyway) but if its worth it, then why not?

 

I'd gladly pour money into something thats worth it. (like good gaming)

 

Happy Hunting, Soldier!

[chickendippers 1]

Ugh, Quicktime is horrible.

I prefer Windows Media Player to iTunes/Quicktime, but because my iPod is only compatable with iTunes I have to use it as my music player.

[Sonic 297]

I fixed the flicker problem. I used the latest Nvidia drivers released on April 14th. From a few other sites I found people reporting that these new drivers were unstable and causing problems.

 

At he momment I running the drivers from the MSI cd that came in the box, with these drivers I don't the flicker on the desktop as I described before.

 

The only issue I have fixed yet is in Renegade. The game runs perfectly, apart from the smoke when you see damaged tanks is blocky.

Me next step is use the latest drivers from the MSI site.

[Thierry 0]

I fixed the flicker problem. I used the latest Nvidia drivers released on April 14th. From a few other sites I found people reporting that these new drivers were unstable and causing problems.

 

At he momment I running the drivers from the MSI cd that came in the box, with these drivers I don't the flicker on the desktop as I described before.

 

The only issue I have fixed yet is in Renegade. The game runs perfectly, apart from the smoke when you see damaged tanks is blocky.

Me next step is use the latest drivers from the MSI site.

 

Did you also set the refresh to its highest? It will also prevent flickering

[Sonic 297]

It wasn't that sort of screen flickering. It was more like a quick flashing I think, hard to describe. And yes the refesh rate is set to 100hz.

 

Anyway its fixed now and thats what's important.

[Cygnus X-1 14]

How do you get options for refresh rate? Mine only has one option, and its 60