Upgrade for X800 Pro Question

[Steven Wandy]

I have an ATI X800 Pro. It is running on an Asus motherboard (forget the
model number but it has AGP 8X, not PCI Express), P4 3.0 Ghrz.
Considering upgrading the video card - not quite ready to discard the
motherboard yet.
(1) Does it pay? I use the computer for gaming - currently Tomb Raider
Legend, Dungeon Siege II, Doom 3, Quake 4 and Valve Steam Engine (HalfLife
Episode 1) and for digital photography work - main reason I would rather
stick with ATI than NVidia cards because I feel their 2D engines are better
for photographic work.
(2) If it pays - which model and which manufacturer? (I have checked ATI's
site and see that the best I can do is the X1600. Differences between XT and
Pro???)
Thanks for any advice.
Steve

 

[DDC]

I have an ATI X800 Pro. It is running on an Asus motherboard (forget the
model number but it has AGP 8X, not PCI Express), P4 3.0 Ghrz.
Considering upgrading the video card - not quite ready to discard the
motherboard yet.
(1) Does it pay? I use the computer for gaming - currently Tomb Raider
Legend, Dungeon Siege II, Doom 3, Quake 4 and Valve Steam Engine (HalfLife
Episode 1) and for digital photography work - main reason I would rather
stick with ATI than NVidia cards because I feel their 2D engines are better
for photographic work.
(2) If it pays - which model and which manufacturer? (I have checked ATI's
site and see that the best I can do is the X1600. Differences between XT and
Pro???)
Thanks for any advice.
Steve

ati/nvidia are close to image quality.
the difference from the pro to the xt is that the xt will run faster.

 

[Clint]

Are you unsatified with the performance in any of your games? Personally, I
wouldn't buy another AGP video card, as you're reaching the end of it's
life-cycle. Can you get an inexpensive new MB with PCIe to fit your
processor and RAM? For digital photography work, you'll probably get more
mileage out of more RAM than an upgraded video card.

Check out www.tomshardware.com/graphics.html. They have an interactive
comparison chart, where you can select some X800 cards with the X1600's, for
a variety of games. See if you think it will make a difference to you. They
don't actually list an X800Pro (just an XT and XL), but the X800XL does
about the same performance as the X1600XT (little bit better for the ones I
looked at, in fact). I would guess that you wouldn't see an appreciable
difference in performance.

Clint

 

[First of One]

Episode 1) and for digital photography work - main reason I would rather
stick with ATI than NVidia cards because I feel their 2D engines are
better for photographic work.

This is true for the 15-pin D-sub output. LeadTek nVidia cards offer
excellent 2D image quality, though, as an exception.

If you use an LCD over the DVI port, there is no difference in image quality
between ATi and nVidia cards.

(2) If it pays - which model and which manufacturer? (I have checked ATI's
site and see that the best I can do is the X1600. Differences between XT
and Pro???)

The X1600 is either as fast, or slower than your X800 Pro, depending on the
game. I suggest an X800XT, perhaps the All-in-Wonder variety since they seem
to be the most plentiful. The performance boost will only be incremental,
25-30% at best, though.

An alternative is the nVidia 7800GS. Finding the LeadTek variant is
difficult, though.

 

[Nonymous]

This is true for the 15-pin D-sub output. LeadTek nVidia cards offer
excellent 2D image quality, though, as an exception.

If you use an LCD over the DVI port, there is no difference in image
quality between ATi and nVidia cards.


The X1600 is either as fast, or slower than your X800 Pro, depending
on the game. I suggest an X800XT, perhaps the All-in-Wonder variety
since they seem to be the most plentiful. The performance boost will
only be incremental, 25-30% at best, though.


An alternative is the nVidia 7800GS. Finding the LeadTek variant is
difficult, though.

I've got an X800XT-PE and looked into upgrading to a 7800GS. Most
benchmarks show it to be only marginally better; sometimes actually slower.
Not worth it at all, imo.

 

[Tod]

Get ATI tray tools at http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=733
You can use the software to overclock your X800 Pro video card.

 

[AAvK]

hhmmmm ... somehow this thread, for all the answers init... has made me feel better!
Using a new X800XL with quake 4 and having to use "low" for graphics quality in
exchange for some actual speed seemed like a real drag, though I can't actually see
any difference in image quality to any great degree. THANKs everyone! Now I
need to go pinch a loaf and a half...