Upgradeing from a X1800XTPE ??? what card should i buy ?

ViRuS2k · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:07

My TFT`s max res is 1280x1024 75/85hz
so i want a card that will let me play anything at that res with all the bells and whistles...

i was thinking of going for the nvidia 7950 or X1900XTX
has to be a future proof card i want to be able to play crysis ect....

div0 · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:13

Isn't Crysis the game thats getting released as DX10?!

There are no cards around just now that support DX10 - so if you want to play a DX10 game you will have to play it in DX9 mode, no matter what card you buy just now.

To play a DX10 game in DX10 mode you need:

A DX10 card (non available yet)
Vista (not released)

There is NO other way to play a DX10 game in DX10 mode afaik!!

So if you are askin for a graphics card that will allow you to play Crysis in DX10 mode - then there is nothing you can buy to allow you to do that.

I'd buy a good value for money card (around the £200 mark) which will give great performance just now, and then you can upgrade in about 6 months time!! (which is when Vista/DX cards will both be out)

ViRuS2k · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:19

div0 said:
Isn't Crysis the game thats getting released as DX10?!

There are no cards around just now that support DX10 - so if you want to play a DX10 game you will have to play it in DX9 mode, no matter what card you buy just now.

To play a DX10 game in DX10 mode you need:

A DX10 card (non available yet)
Vista (not released)

There is NO other way to play a DX10 game in DX10 mode afaik!!

So if you are askin for a graphics card that will allow you to play Crysis in DX10 mode - then there is nothing you can buy to allow you to do that.

I'd buy a good value for money card (around the £200 mark) which will give great performance just now, and then you can upgrade in about 6 months time!! (which is when Vista/DX cards will both be out)

Im going to buy a DX10 card in febuary/march next year. by that time Vista will just be out and new DX10 cards will be out

for now though 8 months of gameing untill then, what card to tie me over untill there.

toxic · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:21

try and find a cheap 1900XT for the next 6-7 months. You can get for about 240-250 and buy another next year.

oweneades · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:30

Just stick with the X1800XT. I would have to say the X1900XT doesn't offer enough of a performance increase over you card to warrent the purchase.

div0 · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:38

For the next 6-8 months you probably couldn't go wrong with an x1800xt or 7900gt

If you wanted to throw a bit more money at it then the x1900's are a good option.

I wouldn't really spend more than £250 on a card that you plan on upgrading in 6-8months!! For £250 you can easily get a great card that will do everything you want during that time!

Raikiri · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:49

div0 said:
For the next 6-8 months you probably couldn't go wrong with an x1800xt or 7900gt

Well he could go wrong, he already has an x1800xt (flashed to PE)

At 1280x1024 I fail to see how your card won't run everything, I would get a better screen in order to justify a DX10 card

Gerard · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:54

Better off sticking with what you've got till the next round of cards come out in a few months.

div0 · 5 Jul 2006 at 13:57

How does that mean he can go wrong then?!?!

For the next 6-8 months I dont think there is any reason why an x1800xt (or 7900gt) won't suffice.....

He's already got an x1800, so IMO he'll be fine until he wants to upgrade in 6-8 months time. If he DOES want to throw some money at it then my recomendation was the x1900's.

But as someone else pointed out - they're not much of an improvement over the x1800xt....but I still don't think spending more than £250 on a card that you intend on upgrading in 6-8 months is a good plan - but thats just me

So sticking with the x1800 would be what I'd do - and I still don't see why you think he could go too wrong by doing that?!!?!?

--ki-- · 5 Jul 2006 at 14:01

if anything and your that eager to spend money, why not just by a x1900 master card, then do crossfire with your x1800.

Gerard · 5 Jul 2006 at 14:06

--ki-- said:
if anything and your that eager to spend money, why not just by a x1900 master card, then do crossfire with your x1800.

has to be 2x1800's or 2x1900's wont work with 1x1800 and 1x1900.

Raikiri · 5 Jul 2006 at 14:22

div0 said:
too many '?' and '!'

The way you said it was suggesting he buy an x1800xt i.e "throw a bit more money at it"... I was pointing out he already has one. You also suggested he buy a card for aorund £200 which atm there arent any better than what he has for that amount.

Darkwave · 5 Jul 2006 at 14:38

Since your max resolution is 1280x1024 there is utterly zero point in upgrading that X1800XTPE really. It's overkill as it is for that res.

div0 · 5 Jul 2006 at 14:42

I'm not sure what the big deal is, but anyway, I'll try to explain.

div0 said:
For the next 6-8 months you probably couldn't go wrong with an x1800xt or 7900gt

If you own (or buy) an x1800xt or 7900gt (or better) then you will be fine for the next 6-8 months. Agreed?

If you wanted to throw a bit more money at it then the x1900's are a good option.

If you want to spend some more money on your computer to have a slightly better system over the next 6-8 months then the x1900's are also a good option. Agreed?

I wouldn't really spend more than £250 on a card that you plan on upgrading in 6-8months!! For £250 you can easily get a great card that will do everything you want during that time!

Quite simply a statement of my own personal opinion - I wouldn't ever spend more than £250 on a graphics card - especially not if I intended to change it in 6-8 months time. In his case that would mean that only an x1900 would offer ANY improvement over his card. It's up to him if he thinks that its worth it or not - I don't know how much money he has going spare

Make sense? No?!?!

Psycho Sonny · 5 Jul 2006 at 15:23

Úlfhednar said:
Since your max resolution is 1280x1024 there is utterly zero point in upgrading that X1800XTPE really. It's overkill as it is for that res.

quoted for truth, your card should be able to play everything on max and get amazing fps its not as if you have a 32 inch dell or anything your only running at 1280 x 1024, if you cant run at max then the rest of your system may need upgrading

LoadsaMoney · 5 Jul 2006 at 15:58

Have to agree with the above, x1800 XT runs everything maxed at 1280x1024 fine, mine does, and Crysis is DX9/DX10, it will work on DX9 cards, as its already getting showcased on an x1900.

spb251272 · 5 Jul 2006 at 16:23

I'd get a new widescreen monitor instead, and wait until next year for your DX10 card

Raikiri · 5 Jul 2006 at 16:34

spb251272 said:
I'd get a new widescreen monitor instead, and wait until next year for your DX10 card

Yeah thats what I said

And what I did/am doing - 26inch sammy and a 20inch acer

ViRuS2k · 5 Jul 2006 at 16:34

to late guys lol

thanks for your suggestions though they have been great.
i hope i enjoy the card i bought as much as i have been enjoying my X1800XTPE, i just hope i see a performance boost.....

do extra shaders give a lot better performance ? i remember there was a massive boost when i went from the 12 pipes to 16 pipes but do shaders do *** same type of performance boost ....

i also hope the cooler on the card is good, its the best cooler i seen out of al the x1900XTX`s so i hope its chilly and gives me more overclocking headroom

and finaly can you mod the bios on these cards for your own clocks like i did with my X1800XTPE i flashed it to PE edition

is there a XTXPE bios heh

i also ordered a extra vga cooler becuse if this cooling isnt great im sure i will get better cooling with this Zalman cooler and finaly i bought 2 northbridge coolers lol to help with temps on the chipset i ordered both becuse im not sure the new versions will fit or might need modded or whats *** better performer anyhoo

here is what i ordered.

i ordered the stuff at 4:04pm so i hope i will get em tommorow as im 4 mins over deadline lol

ViRuS2k · 5 Jul 2006 at 16:36

Raikiri said:
Yeah thats what I said And what I did/am doing - 26inch sammy and a 20inch acer

I can always get another TFT anytime i choose but gameing is my main priority untill vista hits

then its DX10 BABY