Cheapest card for IV?

[juscal]

I'm building a new gaming rig, and I'm looking for a video card that can run IV without any of those specific card-related bugs. My budget is limited, so anything that is less than $200 AU.

 

Suggestions on what card is capable?

[High]

resolution?

[juscal]

resolution?

I plan to play it at the monitor's native resolution of 1440x900.

[Vicetopia]

With a limited budget, the amount of options becomes smaller so the choice gets easier.

Unfortunately I don't know how much 200 AUD will get you.

 

I know it converts to roughly $140 USD but that means nothing when you're buying from Aussie stores.

[LolaDelRio]

For £200 you're better off getting a console a 360 or a PS3 should be fine.

 

Low end computer's don't handle IV too well I have tired running IV on my cheap computer it doesn't work.

 

Besides the console version of IV is better.

[KeyEmYay]

buy an ATI...theyre a lot cheaper

 

I got my HD4850 for 130€

[Vicetopia]

For £200 you're better off getting a console a 360 or a PS3 should be fine.

 

Low end computer's don't handle IV too well I have tired running IV on my cheap computer it doesn't work.

 

Besides the console version of IV is better.

Off-topic, unrelated, spam.

[JeddyH]

i got my 4850 for $200 AUD, its a very nice card

[CharmingCharlie]

 

For £200 you're better off getting a console a 360 or a PS3 should be fine.

Yeah but you see he wants to play the game at 1440 x 900 not the 360's res of 1280 x 720 or the PS3's res of 1152 x 640.

 

As for which cards to get, well your choices are pretty narrow. In the Nvidia 8000 series don't go below an 8800gt. If you want to go for the Nvidia 9000 series then don't dip below the 9600gt. As for ATI only card in your price range is probably the HD4850. Naturally any card you buy must have at least 512mbs of ram, do not be tempted to go for a cheaper 256mb model (complete waste of money).

[juscal]

 

For £200 you're better off getting a console a 360 or a PS3 should be fine.

 

If you would like to spend a year and a half trying to convince my dad to buy a PS3 like I have, go ahead

 

 

Yeah but you see he wants to play the game at 1440 x 900 not the 360's res of 1280 x 720 or the PS3's res of 1152 x 640.

As for which cards to get, well your choices are pretty narrow.  In the Nvidia 8000 series don't go below an 8800gt.  If you want to go for the Nvidia 9000 series then don't dip below the 9600gt.  As for ATI only card in your price range is probably the HD4850.  Naturally any card you buy must have at least 512mbs of ram, do not be tempted to go for a cheaper 256mb model (complete waste of money).

 

 

Hows the HD4850? Is it a good card and is it known to work well with IV? And yes, I'll definitely get a 512MB+ card.

[Vicetopia]

Hows the HD4850?

Here in the states it's currently the king of price : performance.

It's the equivalent of the 9800GTX+ if that means anything.

[oc student]

What about your CPU?

[juscal]

@ Vicetopia: Ah, ok. Well, if it will play IV and games of the like, I'll be happy

 

@oc student: I'm planning on getting a Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600. However, I may change to a Core 2 Duo E7300.

[ppehrson]

READ the old threads - and UNDERSTAND that the important hardware is NOT the video card and GPU, it is your CPU, possibly your RAM and/or the MOBO too.

[oc student]

Stick with the quad and overclock it.

[juscal]

Stick with the quad and overclock it.

I plan to either way

[juscal]

Ok, after checking prices, I think I might get a Galaxy GF9600GT. The Galaxy GF9600GT is the same as the Nvidia 9600GT exept for a different brand name, isn't it? I think I'll go with the 9600GT, because it basically the same as the HD4850, but much cheaper? Opinions?

 

EDIT: Or maybe the 9800GT?

Edited December 22, 2008 by juscal

[Nugget9]

Ok, after checking prices, I think I might get a Galaxy GF9600GT. The Galaxy GF9600GT is the same as the Nvidia 9600GT exept for a different brand name, isn't it? I think I'll go with the 9600GT, because it basically the same as the HD4850, but much cheaper? Opinions?

In my opinion, the 9600GT is not as powerful as the HD4850.

 

The HD4850 is able to match the 9800GTX, if the 9600GT was as powerful as the 9800GTX then everybody would buy the 9600GT and the 9800GTX wouldn't exist.

 

But, if you arent looking for the best graphics then sure go with the 9600GT, but only if it's the only one you can afford because if you do have the money for a HD4850, then get it.

 

Good luck.

[juscal]

Ok, well the HD4850 is out of my price range, so it's down to the 9600GT and the 9800GT. Opinions?

[Nugget9]

 

Ok, well the HD4850 is out of my price range, so it's down to the 9600GT and the 9800GT. Opinions?

Definitetly go for the 9800GT.

 

EDIT: Also, the 9600GT only has 64 steam processors whereas the 9800GT has 112 steam processors. The 9800GT also has a higher texture fill rate and higher memory bandwidth.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Nugget9

[SFkilla]

Get a ATI 4850 or even a 4830 and oc it to the 4850 specs.

Those cards are way better then 9600GT and still better then 8800/9800GT since catalyst 8.12 came out.

 

 

[Nugget9]

Get a ATI 4850 or even a 4830 and oc it to the 4850 specs.

Those cards are way better then 9600GT and still better then 8800/9800GT since catalyst 8.12 came out.

Well, as a owner of many ATi GPUs, when I've ever overclocked them, I always seem to get alot of heat coming from my PC.

So, if you do ever opt to get an ATi then make sure you buy a decent fan to cool your PC, especially if you're going to overclock one.

 

Though, as far as I am aware, the 4850 is out of his budget.

[juscal]

Ok, well the HD4850 is out of my price range, so it's down to the 9600GT and the 9800GT. Opinions?

Definitetly go for the 9800GT.

Ok, thanks.

 

Onto the CPU. I can easily shave a good $100 off the price of the CPU if I get a Core 2 Duo E7300 rather than a Core 2 Quad Q6600. Would IV run smoothly if I overclock the Core 2 Duo up a bit?

[noid449]

i have c2d @ 3.2-3.4 i need quad

 

[Nugget9]

 

Ok, well the HD4850 is out of my price range, so it's down to the 9600GT and the 9800GT. Opinions?

Definitetly go for the 9800GT.

Ok, thanks.

 

Onto the CPU. I can easily shave a good $100 off the price of the CPU if I get a Core 2 Duo E7300 rather than a Core 2 Quad Q6600. Would IV run smoothly if I overclock the Core 2 Duo up a bit?

In my opinion, the quad would be better for future games as more and more games are now taking full use of the four cores.

You can buy a Core2Duo and OC it and it probably would run games quite smoothly, at decent frame rates.

 

I know that games like GTA IV and Crysis run better on quad cores, as they take use of the fore cores.

Though, if you have a decent cooling system then you can overclock your duo to about 3.40Ghz per core.

 

If you have abit of money and you can afford the quad, then buy it.

Don't underestimate the Core2Duo, it is still very good.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Nugget9

[rikardo_92]

Buy the Q6600, its more powerful than a C2D. U need a E8500 @ 3.6GHz, if im not wrong, to compete against a Q6600 @ 2.4GHz.

[High]

From what i've been seeing in forums since the game launched. there is no difference between the 9600GT to any stronger card.

 

i run my 9600GT on 1280x1024 and set everything to highest apart from view distance which i keep at: 1

 

the game looks amazing and it runs 40-60 fps, the only problem is when you get tons of cars in a frame and then fps can go under 20.

 

i've seen benchies from the 9800GTX+ and they rank below mine, but going for the 9800 series would still be better, they will probably show better result in other games.

Edited December 22, 2008 by High

[Nugget9]

 

From what i've been seeing in forums since the game launched. there is no difference between the 9600GT to any stronger card.

 

i run my 9600GT on 1280x1024 and set everything to highest apart from view distance which i keep at: 1

 

the game looks amazing and it runs 40-60 fps, the only problem is when you get tons of cars in a frame and then fps can go under 20.

From what I've seen, the 9800GT is able to run the game at decent settings, at a resolution of 1680x1050.

 

Your 9600GT is running well, because of the 1280x1024 resolution, crank it up and I'd say you'd get alot less frame rates.

Also, what is it like with your view distance turned up?

 

The 9600GT and 9800GT are good cards, but the 9800GT comes out on top.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Nugget9

[juscal]

I'll be running it at 1440 x 900, so what card would better suite it? The 9600GT maybe?

[Nugget9]

I'll be running it at 1440 x 900, so what card would better suite it? The 9600GT maybe?

The 9800GT will still run it better, higher memory bandwith and a higher texture fill rate.

 

The 9600GT won't be able to catch you, if you've got a 9800GT.