Which sound card should I get?

[LoopeD]

Hello all.

I'm getting a new computer thru work from Dell, and here are the vid cards available for the system I've priced:

64MB nVidia GeForce 4 MX 420 Graphics Card w/ TV-Out

64MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 TI4200 Graphics Card with TV-Out [add $150.00] Great Upgrade

128MB DDR ATI RadeonT 9700 Pro Graphics Card w/DVI and TV-Out [add $510.00]




Now I want a 128MB card, but I normally would choose nvidia over ATI any day of the week. Unfortunately the nvidia cards are only available in 64MB. Is the Radeon worth getting? I want it for games and graphic programs such as Photoshop and CAD. Will the 64 MB GeForce be up for the challenge?

Also, does TV-Out mean that you can send whatever's on your monitor to your television, or that you can watch TV on your computer?

Thanks in advance!





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[Brk]

Originally posted by LoopeD
Hello all.

I'm getting a new computer thru work from Dell, and here are the vid cards available for the system I've priced...

...Thanks in advance!

I take it you meant VIDEO card, right?

Might as well go with the Radeon if you don't care about spending the money.

[Brk]

Actually, what the heck am I saying?!?

"Add $510.00"?!?

Just go buy one separately!

[Brk]

TV-Out means you can hook up an external source and view what your card is displaying...you'd need an All-In-Wonder Radeon card to be able to watch TV on the computer.

[HawaiianGhost]

Originally posted by LoopeD
Hello all.

I'm getting a new computer thru work from Dell, and here are the vid cards available for the system I've priced:

64MB nVidia GeForce 4 MX 420 Graphics Card w/ TV-Out

64MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 TI4200 Graphics Card with TV-Out [add $150.00] Great Upgrade

128MB DDR ATI RadeonT 9700 Pro Graphics Card w/DVI and TV-Out [add $510.00]




Now I want a 128MB card, but I normally would choose nvidia over ATI any day of the week. Unfortunately the nvidia cards are only available in 64MB. Is the Radeon worth getting? I want it for games and graphic programs such as Photoshop and CAD. Will the 64 MB GeForce be up for the challenge?

First off, it "sounds" like he did mean "video card".

Second, DON'T EVEN THINK OF GETTING THE "MX" VERSION CHIPS!! Bunch of CRAP!! MX + BUDGET = $$CRAP$$

Third, if you want quality/performance GO with 128MB, 64MB will barely cut it.

Fourth, YES Ti4200'z DO come in 128MB versions, *see my sig.

Fifth, THAT RADEON price is a RIP-OFF!

Sixth, If this is your limit in products @ where ever you quoted these from, I suggest to "keep shopping" there's bound to better than that. Wait, are these CDN or European prices?

[Brent]

the ATI Radeon 9700 Pro is far superior to the GeForce4 Ti series

it is a fully DX9 capable card, where teh GF4 Ti series are just DX8, not even 8.1

and its MUCH faster, has a 256bit memory bus etc... real nice cards

the price they are quoting to add is rediculous though, you can get em for around $300 online...

if you want the best gaming get the 9700 Pro

if you wanna save some dough wait for the 9500 Pro or regular 9700 and still get great gaming performance

or if you want to buy now go for the GF4 Ti series

[Joe]

Choose the free MX one and go buy a radeon 9700 else where... You wont regret it... just be sure to update teh drivers b4 you play games

[LoopeD]

Yep, that's $510 CDN, which is $324 US at the current rate. WHich isn't too bad.......

Anyways, I'll see if Dell has the TI4200 available in 128MB. If not, I may go for the ATi.

Thanks for the responses.







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[LoopeD]

OK, there's another option:

For $100 upgrade I can get an 128MB DDR ATI RadeonT 9700 TX Video card w/DVI and TV-Out.

Is this card good enough? Obviously not as good as the pro, but is it passable?

Thanks in advance, and I just noticed my thread title specifies sound cards. Oops!





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[loop2kil]

I'd go for the 9700 pro. you wont regret it at all. If your on a budget then id get the ti4200 128 mb version.

BTW, most excellent choice of names

[LoopeD]

Originally posted by loop2kil
I'd go for the 9700 pro. you wont regret it at all. If your on a budget then id get the ti4200 128 mb version.

BTW, most excellent choice of names

Thanks !

Dell technician claims both Radeons smoke the Ti4200.

And they don't have the 128MB version for the model I want. Only the 64.


What is the difference between the Radeon Pro and the Radeon TX?




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[loop2kil]

The Ati website did not have the Tx version mentioned so i cant help you there. I think the main difference with the 9500 and 9700 is the memory interface being 256-bit on the 9700 and 128-bit on the 9500. I would suspect that the 9500 would be on par with the ti4600 in that case. I have a 9700 pro right now and i can tell you that you will not regret getting it if you are into high end gaming. When u see UT2K3 with all the eye candy turned to full ( 6x Anit Aliasing and 16x Anisotropic filtering) and still getting high frame rates your jaw will drop to the floor. If you still like nvidia then after the first of the year they will be releasing the 9700's competition, the nv30, and it too will be a great card equalling if not surpassing the performance of the 9700's.

[LoopeD]

OK, one more thing:

Just got a call from the Dell tech - difference between the 9700 TX and 9700 Pro is speed. Pro runs at 324 mhZ, the TX runs at 263.

Will this make a huge difference or am I ok with the slower speed?





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[YARDofSTUF]

get the pro

[LoopeD]

Originally posted by YARDofSTUF
get the pro

For 500 CDN more? Is it worth it? Is it that much faster?

WIth 128 MB, shouldn't either controller speed be pretty damn fast?




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[cy]

324Mhz on DDR memory = 648Mhz effective.
263Mhz on DDR memoy = 526Mhz effective.

Yes, get the pro

If you wanna keep the original MX and get the 9700Pro somewhere else, see here:
http://www.canadacomputers.com/video.html

They sells for $475CND oem, which probably what dell is gonna give u anyways.

[YARDofSTUF]

well i guess it depends on ur gaming needs