Graphic's Again!!!

dwaned

Don't want to wreck everyone's head but I'm looking at upgrading.

This is what I'm considering:

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=313407&s=sc

311700 - AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 2.0GHz Socket 939 1MB, BOXED w/fan
313874 - MSI K8N SLI-FI, nForce4 SLI, Socket-939, SATA,GbLAN, ATX, Raid, Dual-DDR,PCI-Ex16
118737 - Corsair Value S. PC3200 DDR-DIMM 1024MB Kit w/two matched Value Select 512MB

So which Graphic card should I go for?? Trying to keep the price down.

I'm playing far cry at the moment but getting Call of Duty 2 for xmas.

masteroftherealm

Whats yer price range?

dwaned

hopeing to keep it under the €200 mark but will go further if it makes a real difference

masteroftherealm

X800GTO2 is by fat the best mid range out there. Unlocks to an X850XTPE is 99% of the times.
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/sapphirex800gto2/

Pay particular attention to page 7...
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/sapphirex800gto2/7.html

dwaned

Reads well, have u seen it in use?

masteroftherealm

Yup saw one in a mates machine.. Squeaky clean framerates off BF2 and Quake4 on a 22"TFT at mondo high res! His unlocked without hassle at all we never even ran it a stock!

dwaned

Thanks Master, might just go with that one.

Thanks for taking time to reply

masteroftherealm

More than welcome dude!!

masteroftherealm

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/X800PCI_Series.html
Sapphire ATI Radeon X800 GTO² 256MB DDR3 TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-101-SP)
Merging the blistering frame-rates of the enthusiast realm with the frugality of the mainstream is where the perfect blend of Hybrid lies, the next generation Sapphire RADEON X800 GTO²! Built upon industry acclaimed tech and tweaked to perfection is the moniker of any Sapphire product and the X800 GTO² does not disappoint with it is 12 Pixel Pipelines (moddable to 16) and 256MB of onboard GDDR3 memory while utilizing a 256-bit memory interface. The only limit to the power you wield is your imagination and the hardware in your PC! Push your PC’s performance threshold and realize the true potential of PCI-Express and the Sapphire RADEON X800 GTO²! These cards are an exclusive one deal available to overclockers UK only they are all capable of unlocking to 16 pipelines and have fantastic overclocking potential. Overclockers UK does not guarantee unlocking of cards or overclocking mileage and it is a proceed at your own risk modification.

- ATI Radeon R480 Core as used in X850 XT Platinum graphics card
- 400MHz GPU Clock Speed (Highly overclockable)
- 256MB 980MHz GDDR3 memory accelerates the latest cutting edge 3D applications (Highly overclockable)
- 256-bit quad-channel GDDR3 memory interface
- Twelve pixel pipelines (Moddable to sixteen pipelines, see modding guide below)
- Six programmable vertex shader pipelines
- Early reports indicate that with the modded bios these cards have been overclocked upto X850 XT PE clock speeds which gives a 35% performance boost. (Modding of card and bios does invalidate warranty)
- 48 hour RMA turn-around time for faulty Sapphire product sent back to OcUK within first year of warranty!


16 Pipeline enable instructions (Modification of BIOS voids warranty!!)

Price: £134.95 (£158.57 Including VAT at 17.5%)

In case you were looking around

dwaned

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=312855&cks=PLC

this is it, right??
Works out cheaper on komplett

masteroftherealm

Nope thats why I likned... Different card. Thats the GTo... you want the GTO2! Big difference with one lottle number

dwaned

ah.... good thing I asked:D

I take it that that's the best price you've seen around?

Do you think the other components I've picked would work well together??? Been trying to source a good powerfull package for days now and my wife is on the verge of killing me:p

Laguna

masteroftherealm wrote:

Nope thats why I likned... Different card. Thats the GTo... you want the GTO2! Big difference with one lottle number

Is the difference between the GTO and the GTO2 all that great?

I'm torn between the two for a new rig I'm about to build and I've read this thread saying the GTO2 can have its BIOS flashed to make it behave like an X850, I'm just worried (knowing my luck) I'd fudge it and be left with a piece of melted PCB :rolleyes:

So, would the difference between the GTO & GTO2 be that great if I DIDN'T flash the BIOS?

masteroftherealm

Personally off komplett Id be going for


310787 DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 ULTRA-D, nF4 Ultra,
- Socket-939,S-ATA, GbLAN, Fw, PCI-Ex16
€146
311700 AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 2.0GHz Socket 939
- 1MB, BOXED w/fan
€360
300701 Corsair XMS3200XL DDR-DIMM 512MB PC3200
- 32Meg x 8, CAS 2-2-2-5, 400MHz
€110

Giving you a much quicker and more reliable system for an extra 40quid.

masteroftherealm

Laguna wrote:

Is the difference between the GTO and the GTO2 all that great?

I'm torn between the two for a new rig I'm about to build and I've read this thread saying the GTO2 can have its BIOS flashed to make it behave like an X850, I'm just worried (knowing my luck) I'd fudge it and be left with a piece of melted PCB :rolleyes:

So, would the difference between the GTO & GTO2 be that great if I DIDN'T flash the BIOS?

Not amazingly no but the thing is its soooooo easy to flash these BIOSes theres even guides done by the manufacturr at this stage

masteroftherealm

A step by step
http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/127

The gains..
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/files/GTO_performance.jpg

dwaned

The Ram on that selection is only 512, is it not better to go with 1 gig.

BTW, thanks again for taking the time to check that out for me.

Laguna

Thanks for your help masteroftherealm, I'd still be unsure about flashing the BIOS though , it's just that last week I flashed my PC's motherboard BIOS and the damn thing ****ed up and doesn't boot at all anymore :mad:!. Well even if I didn't do the BIOS flash, it'd still be a major improvement on my old 256mb Radeon 9600 AGP card, with it's GDDR ram!, gimme GDDR3 damn it!

masteroftherealm

123209 Corsair XMS3200 DDR-DIMM 1024 PC3200
- 32Meg x 8, CAS 2-3-3-6-T1, 400MHz, 6ns
€125.01


Sorry it was meant to be the 1024mb stick..

masteroftherealm

Laguna wrote:

Thanks for your help masteroftherealm, I'd still be unsure about flashing the BIOS though , it's just that last week I flashed my PC's motherboard BIOS and the damn thing ****ed up and doesn't boot at all anymore :mad:!. Well even if I didn't do the BIOS flash, it'd still be a major improvement on my old 256mb Radeon 9600 AGP card, with it's GDDR ram!, gimme GDDR3 damn it!

Oh god totally a different kettle of fish to flashing a mobo.. this has a nice little program that does it for you and everything..

Laguna

Hey masteroftherealm, you seem to know a good bit about graphics cards so I was wondering If I could get your opinion on this motherboard, (it'd be twinned with the GTO2), thanks in advance man!

dwaned

Laguna, we're gonna have to pay Master a consultants fee:-)

But I will say I have been delighted with his advise.
Thanks Master

masteroftherealm

Radeon Xpress is a good chip set.. However would u be looking for extreme performance? If so an extra 40quid on a DFI will pay off very well.. Or go for a crossfire board..
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=310787&cks=PRL

First one on list
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Socket_939.html

Basically of you go for the crossfire your futureproofing your system.. Will get you an extra 3-4years out of it easily.

masteroftherealm

dwaned wrote:

Laguna, we're gonna have to pay Master a consultants fee:-)

But I will say I have been delighted with his advise.
Thanks Master

Hehe I wish!! The ultimat job!!
Na just glad I can help...

Laguna

Thanks again master. Yeah, I'll take your advice and go for the crossfire, I'm big into ATI so it'll do perfectly!

masteroftherealm

Good choice man and that dfi board is the tops!

dwaned

I'm going to sleep on it I think.. I'll definately let you know what way I go with it.
Thanks again..


Nearly broke my 100 posts mark tonight to get another star:D

masteroftherealm

Well to mark tst occasion here is my 1000th post on boards!!
*celebrates*

dwaned

*~*Happy new Star*~*:D

dwaned

Now I'm looking at a set on overclockers... Is corsair a good ram to go with or should I maybe look at one of the others??

Laguna

Well, if you subscribe to Boards like me, you get four shiny red stars under your name to illustrate how much of a hero you are! (I've convinced myself of this)