upgrade ?

projectmayhem

quick question

i currently have this: http://www.ati.com/products/radeonxpress200/specs.html

running it alongside my 3200+ Athlon64 with 1.5gig RAM

sometimes battlefield2 runs a bit sluggish (most things are turned low on it too, to make it run) but tbh i'd like to change this situation since it's the game i play most these days...

i've been eyeing up a 6600 but i'm not sure. lets say i have a budget of about €200-300 (the cheaper the better). is this even an upgrade for me? my card is pretty good (i've got some guys wanting to buy it if/when i get a new card already) but bf2 just doesn't seem to like it...

thanks!

TerrorFirmer

I'm confused here. You have integrated graphics? But yet you mention selling your current card? Or is it a card that uses shared memory? If its a shared memory card unfortunately it's worth next to nothing.

The 6600 is an ok card, you can pick it up for about 110 quid second hand. The rest of your spec is decent, would be worth going a step further to a variant of the 6800 or x800 models. I have a fairly bog standard x800 that cost me 160, runs bf2 all options on full.

Steffano2002

I was pretty much in the same situation as yourself with pretty much the same budget so I went for the 6800GS bought on eBay.

Great value for money IMO.

projectmayhem

MobileInfantry wrote:

If its a shared memory card unfortunately it's worth next to nothing.

ah right fair 'nuff. put that down to my own ignorance

thanks guys, methinks x800 is a winner. has everything i need (so i can see anyway) and is a nice price too... http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=311828&view=detailed

no need to spend loads as i tend not to buy lots of PC games (stick to what you know and all that)

TerrorFirmer

Lol, I'm still confused! I thought Xpress 200 only came in laptops...? I still can't decipher if your card is actually a card, or integrated? Anyone shed some light?

projectmayhem

i think it's integrated into my PC on further investigation.

never bothered with it since it works grand until hit with BF2

don't try to fix what's not broken etc.

TerrorFirmer

Ah thats grand. I was a bit confused there, sorry. Integrated graphics are never a good idea for the latest games. Rather then buy a new card you could wait for a bargin on the FS forum

Recently I have seen:

A 6600 for 100 euro being sold
An X550 for 50 euro being sold (This is card is not amazing but it play bf2 at medium and for 50 quid)
An x800xl going for a bargin 160! being sold

I plan on not upgrading my pc anymore until I get a new pc sometime later this year. The reason is simply all I ever play is Battlefield 2 and my current card plays that at full. I don't care about FEAR and whatever new crap to clog up systems around the world is coming out

projectmayhem

MobileInfantry wrote:

Ah thats grand. I was a bit confused there, sorry. Integrated graphics are never a good idea for the latest games. Rather then buy a new card you could wait for a bargin on the FS forum

Recently I have seen:

A 6600 for 100 euro being sold
An X550 for 50 euro being sold (This is card is not amazing but it play bf2 at medium and for 50 quid)
An x800xl going for a bargin 160! being sold

I plan on not upgrading my pc anymore until I get a new pc sometime later this year. The reason is simply all I ever play is Battlefield 2 and my current card plays that at full. I don't care about FEAR and whatever new crap to clog up systems around the world is coming out

well the link from komplett i provided above for an x800<insert letters here> was for €163. very reasonable IMO

as for games like fear etc. i'm with you. i play HL2, CSS, BF2 and UT2004. i'm sorted.

TerrorFirmer

Those games you mentioned will run at high res with all options on with that x800 model.

I used to have a more basic se version of the x800, which is inferior to the card you are getting, before I upgraded and it still ran Hl2 and CS S at high res with all options on, Ut2k4 high res with all options, bf2 high res with most options on.

projectmayhem

MobileInfantry wrote:

Those games you mentioned will run at high res with all options on with that x800 model.

I used to have a more basic se version of the x800, which is inferior to the card you are getting, before I upgraded and it still ran Hl2 and CS S at high res with all options on, Ut2k4 high res with all options, bf2 high res with most options on.

sweet. that's all i ask for. i can sacrifice dynamic lighting and crap if the game runs smooth with high textures/geometries etc.

projectmayhem

time to bug people!

a friend of mine was having issues with PCI / PCI-Express and the confusion it delivers. so i helped him out and checked my computers sales sheet and it just says "3 PCI (2 free)" or something, but the xpress 200 is pci-express (you can see from the link i had in my first post in this thread)

am i buggered now with getting this x800 or am i just being waaaaaaaay to cautious?

K.O.Kiki

Probably too cautious.
PCI-e slots are longer & less numerous than PCI slots -- just look at your mobo again (and Wiki it); also, check to see you don't have an AGP port -- if you do, you'll probably have to get a different card (rec: 6600GT).

projectmayhem

contacted tech support (i feel so dirty) just to make sure and it appears that i indeed have a pci-e slot. thanks jesus.

projectmayhem

just thought i'd update. got my card off komplett today. i'll never look back. amazing. if anyone out there is even CONSIDERING an upgrade, just do it. it's so worth it

thanks to anyone who gave me advice... thank god for boards. means i didn't have to put my cash into something that wouldn't work/would be useless...

K.O.Kiki

Everyone here is a helpful SOB:D

projectmayhem

indeed