Graphics Card Advice Needed Please!!

Epona · 10-03-2001, 03:23 PM

OK, here's the deal. I want a new graphics card. I would really like the Elsa Gladiac 920, which is supposed to be really good, but I can't find it anywhere - maybe it's not available just yet.

So can anyone recommend any alternative cards? Not budget ones - I want something that will have a good useable life ahead of it (ie. at least a year

) and can manage around £300 (sterling) for such a vital piece of gaming equipment - but I do want good value for money.

I was looking at Radeon cards today - are they any good? Other suggestions?

Cheers!

------------------

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas
Proud winner of the 'Most Useless Post 250 Has Ever Seen' Award 2001. "I'd just like to thank my friends and family, without whom none of this would have been possible..."

10-03-2001, 03:40 PM

Radeons are excellent cards. I would recommend the 64meg version, that should last a good while. I have a friend who is up on this stuff, I'll get the latest info from him on Friday and post it for you. i do know that he has a radeon and is absolutely in love with it.

------------------

10-03-2001, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Epona:
OK, here's the deal. I want a new graphics card. I would really like the Elsa Gladiac 920, which is supposed to be really good, but I can't find it anywhere - maybe it's not available just yet.

So can anyone recommend any alternative cards? Not budget ones - I want something that will have a good useable life ahead of it (ie. at least a year ) and can manage around £300 (sterling) for such a vital piece of gaming equipment - but I do want good value for money.

I was looking at Radeon cards today - are they any good? Other suggestions?

Cheers!

Go for Nvidia, get the best Geforce you can buy, I have one and its the best card I ever had, handles everything I could want and I have never managed to really tax it

------------------

Holy Avenger of the OHF and part time Pinguindiebjäger

Father Bronze · 10-03-2001, 04:33 PM

I try to keep up on this sort of stuff, but have fallen behind in the past couple of weeks.

From everything I've read GeForce3 cards are the best for gaming. In fact, few games actually take advantage of all of the graphics capability of these cards -- so it should last a long time as game designers start to develop games that maximize GeForce's capability.

You might check out some reviews of different vendors ( www.anandtech.com orwww.tomshardware.com are two of my favorite hardware review sites). The different manufacturers will include different software bundles for viewing DVD's and such, so pick a vendor that adds the features you want.

------------------

Most Subtle Official Straightman of the Laughing Hyenas -- Grammarian Brigade.

"The only medicine for suffering, crime, and all the other woes of mankind, is wisdom." -- Thomas Huxley

[This message has been edited by Father Bronze (edited 10-03-2001).]

Mirac Honorguard · 10-03-2001, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Epona:
OK, here's the deal. I want a new graphics card. I would really like the Elsa Gladiac 920, which is supposed to be really good, but I can't find it anywhere - maybe it's not available just yet.

So can anyone recommend any alternative cards? Not budget ones - I want something that will have a good useable life ahead of it (ie. at least a year ) and can manage around £300 (sterling) for such a vital piece of gaming equipment - but I do want good value for money.

I was looking at Radeon cards today - are they any good? Other suggestions?

Cheers!

I myself bought a Geforce 2 MX 32 MB SDRam, good enough, every game works fine, even with DirectX8. It's not that expensive anymore, it's about fl. 250,- (this amount is in Dutch Gilders)

------------------

http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/mirac
I'd be Mirac, mighty mage of er... uhm.. er.. - Mirac Honorguard
Fellow Table Dancer of the Jerome's Table dancer group
Spell formulater of the IW peace-keeping force

Neb · 10-03-2001, 04:44 PM

I've got the same one as Mirac, it's pretty good, but if you're looking for the best of the best and willing to spend quite a bit of cash as well, maybe you should get the Geforce 3 instead.

------------------
Worshipper of Tiax.
Wielder of the ancient Lawyer spells.
Member of the HADB clan.

Ally of the Fluffy Queen and the Dreaded Red Fluffy
General of the highest class and Leader of the Legal Department in the IW Peacekeeping Force.
ORT member, Official Demander of Stuff.

Blade · 10-03-2001, 04:54 PM

Radions are the best PCI slot graphics card, but if you want a good card you need to go with ACP card. I have a GeForce 3 by Nvidia in my computer and its great. The games at E3 that are coming out in 2003 use the GeForce card as the card its designed around so it should last at least a year or two. Plus the graphics are killer on it. Only problem is its about $400 In us currency here.

------------------

All blades cut, be they made from metal or wood, but the sharpest and deadliest blade is the one of knowledge.

An Archmage of the HADB

Prime2U · 10-03-2001, 05:34 PM

I use an Nvidia Geforce2 64 meg DDR gts and it is wayyyy sweet. I highly recommend it for power gaming. If you want the best of the best and the most current though, get the Geforce 3, again I'd recommend 64 megs of DDR Ram on it. That card is ahead of it's time right now so you'll have several good years from it, but it is REALLY pricey. And like Sir_Tainly said, Nvidia's are the best.

[This message has been edited by Prime2U (edited 10-03-2001).]

WOLFGIR · 10-03-2001, 06:59 PM

If it should last long, get a Geforce3 from one of the mayor players, like Creative 3D Blaster, Asus or the Gladiac cards.

Otherwise a good card is Asus Geforce MMX pro, cheaper not that a brawler, but gives you what you need for now and at least a year from now. But if you want to invest in a monster, any of the mayor NVIDIA supported Geforce 3 cards will do. Check the specs.. The more numbers the better!

------------------

Howling to the moon, cause this world seems so far away..
Wolfgirs lair
once-upon-a-paper

Epona · 10-05-2001, 06:57 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions folks! - confirmed my suspicions that Geforce 3 was the way to go.

Went shopping yesterday, and found my dream graphics card - the Elsa Gladiac 920 as I originally wanted. It is a Geforce 3 card, and has loads of impressive sounding numbers. It is bundled with a specially enhanced version of Giants: Citizen Kabuto - is this game any good? (Not that I bought it for the game

but it could be a bonus if it is worth playing)

It did cost me more than a weeks take home pay though. I felt a bit faint afterwards! Upgrade at the weekend - Abit motherboard, 1.1Gb Athlon processor, 256 Mb RAM and of course my lovely shiny graphics card.

So hopefully TOB won't be choppy like it is at the moment, and I might actually be able to run Arcanum....
So now I can put myself forward for a BGII/TOB multi without worrying that my PC will ruin it - it currently takes over 3 minutes to load a new location *groan* and the lag is incredible!

------------------

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas
Proud winner of the 'Most Useless Post 250 Has Ever Seen' Award 2001. "I'd just like to thank my friends and family, without whom none of this would have been possible..."

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10-03-2001, 03:23 PM	#1
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 53 Posts: 5,164	OK, here's the deal. I want a new graphics card. I would really like the Elsa Gladiac 920, which is supposed to be really good, but I can't find it anywhere - maybe it's not available just yet. So can anyone recommend any alternative cards? Not budget ones - I want something that will have a good useable life ahead of it (ie. at least a year ) and can manage around £300 (sterling) for such a vital piece of gaming equipment - but I do want good value for money. I was looking at Radeon cards today - are they any good? Other suggestions? Cheers! ------------------ Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. Epona of The Laughing Hyenas Proud winner of the 'Most Useless Post 250 Has Ever Seen' Award 2001. "I'd just like to thank my friends and family, without whom none of this would have been possible..."

10-03-2001, 03:40 PM	#2
Absynthe Guest Posts: n/a	Radeons are excellent cards. I would recommend the 64meg version, that should last a good while. I have a friend who is up on this stuff, I'll get the latest info from him on Friday and post it for you. i do know that he has a radeon and is absolutely in love with it. ------------------

10-03-2001, 04:33 PM	#4
Father Bronze Baaz Draconian Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 55 Posts: 719	I try to keep up on this sort of stuff, but have fallen behind in the past couple of weeks. From everything I've read GeForce3 cards are the best for gaming. In fact, few games actually take advantage of all of the graphics capability of these cards -- so it should last a long time as game designers start to develop games that maximize GeForce's capability. You might check out some reviews of different vendors ( www.anandtech.com orwww.tomshardware.com are two of my favorite hardware review sites). The different manufacturers will include different software bundles for viewing DVD's and such, so pick a vendor that adds the features you want. ------------------ Most Subtle Official Straightman of the Laughing Hyenas -- Grammarian Brigade. "The only medicine for suffering, crime, and all the other woes of mankind, is wisdom." -- Thomas Huxley [This message has been edited by Father Bronze (edited 10-03-2001).]

10-03-2001, 04:44 PM	#6
Neb Account deleted by Request Join Date: May 17, 2001 Location: . Age: 38 Posts: 8,802	I've got the same one as Mirac, it's pretty good, but if you're looking for the best of the best and willing to spend quite a bit of cash as well, maybe you should get the Geforce 3 instead. ------------------ Worshipper of Tiax. Wielder of the ancient Lawyer spells. Member of the HADB clan. Ally of the Fluffy Queen and the Dreaded Red Fluffy General of the highest class and Leader of the Legal Department in the IW Peacekeeping Force. ORT member, Official Demander of Stuff.

10-03-2001, 04:54 PM	#7
Blade Emerald Dragon Join Date: March 12, 2001 Location: spokane wa usa Age: 40 Posts: 926	Radions are the best PCI slot graphics card, but if you want a good card you need to go with ACP card. I have a GeForce 3 by Nvidia in my computer and its great. The games at E3 that are coming out in 2003 use the GeForce card as the card its designed around so it should last at least a year or two. Plus the graphics are killer on it. Only problem is its about $400 In us currency here. ------------------ All blades cut, be they made from metal or wood, but the sharpest and deadliest blade is the one of knowledge. An Archmage of the HADB

10-03-2001, 05:34 PM	#8
Prime2U Zhentarim Guard Join Date: October 2, 2001 Location: Manhattan,KS USA Posts: 316	I use an Nvidia Geforce2 64 meg DDR gts and it is wayyyy sweet. I highly recommend it for power gaming. If you want the best of the best and the most current though, get the Geforce 3, again I'd recommend 64 megs of DDR Ram on it. That card is ahead of it's time right now so you'll have several good years from it, but it is REALLY pricey. And like Sir_Tainly said, Nvidia's are the best. [This message has been edited by Prime2U (edited 10-03-2001).]

10-03-2001, 06:59 PM	#9
WOLFGIR Bastet - Egyptian Cat Goddess Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Sweden Age: 50 Posts: 3,450	If it should last long, get a Geforce3 from one of the mayor players, like Creative 3D Blaster, Asus or the Gladiac cards. Otherwise a good card is Asus Geforce MMX pro, cheaper not that a brawler, but gives you what you need for now and at least a year from now. But if you want to invest in a monster, any of the mayor NVIDIA supported Geforce 3 cards will do. Check the specs.. The more numbers the better! ------------------ Howling to the moon, cause this world seems so far away.. Wolfgirs lair once-upon-a-paper

10-05-2001, 06:57 AM	#10
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 53 Posts: 5,164	Thanks for all the suggestions folks! - confirmed my suspicions that Geforce 3 was the way to go. Went shopping yesterday, and found my dream graphics card - the Elsa Gladiac 920 as I originally wanted. It is a Geforce 3 card, and has loads of impressive sounding numbers. It is bundled with a specially enhanced version of Giants: Citizen Kabuto - is this game any good? (Not that I bought it for the game but it could be a bonus if it is worth playing) It did cost me more than a weeks take home pay though. I felt a bit faint afterwards! Upgrade at the weekend - Abit motherboard, 1.1Gb Athlon processor, 256 Mb RAM and of course my lovely shiny graphics card. So hopefully TOB won't be choppy like it is at the moment, and I might actually be able to run Arcanum.... So now I can put myself forward for a BGII/TOB multi without worrying that my PC will ruin it - it currently takes over 3 minutes to load a new location groan and the lag is incredible! ------------------ Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. Epona of The Laughing Hyenas Proud winner of the 'Most Useless Post 250 Has Ever Seen' Award 2001. "I'd just like to thank my friends and family, without whom none of this would have been possible..."

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