Looking to abandon the Nvidia fan team, can someone help?

[Bratboy]

Okay I have for yrs been a dedicated Nvidia fan but several things of late
have caused me to consider jumping ship. I currently have a GF3 card that is
dieing and as a swap/trade up the company sent me a fx5200 card to replace
it. Imagine my suprise when after installing it I discovered it performed at
least 60% worse than a 4 gen older card thats dieing

3DMark01 SE
1280x1024, 32 bit, 2xAA and 2xAF

Old GF3 - 2698, 2695, 2699
FX5200 - 1058, 1050, 1055

Anyway as Im sure some of the ATI ppl have upgraded to the newest ATI cards
I figure it couldnt hurt to ask if anyone has upgraded and has an older ATI
card that is at leat equal to if not better than my old GF3 that they would
be willing to part with pretty cheaply or charitably? I say cheap because I
live on a whoopin $550 a month disability here in colorado which barely
covers my rent and food so don't have alot of money. I'd try ebay but
everytime I spot something ppl end up bidding em up to almost retail which
puts me out of the race. If I have offended anyone by makeing this
post/request I appologize profusly but Im at my wits end so pls don't flame
me. Embarresing enough even having to ask for help to begin with.

Sincerest thx for any help or advice
Just Jess

 

[patrickp]

Okay I have for yrs been a dedicated Nvidia fan but several things of late
have caused me to consider jumping ship. I currently have a GF3 card that is
dieing and as a swap/trade up the company sent me a fx5200 card to replace
it. Imagine my suprise when after installing it I discovered it performed at
least 60% worse than a 4 gen older card thats dieing

3DMark01 SE
1280x1024, 32 bit, 2xAA and 2xAF

Old GF3 - 2698, 2695, 2699
FX5200 - 1058, 1050, 1055

Anyway as Im sure some of the ATI ppl have upgraded to the newest ATI cards
I figure it couldnt hurt to ask if anyone has upgraded and has an older ATI
card that is at leat equal to if not better than my old GF3 that they would
be willing to part with pretty cheaply or charitably? I say cheap because I
live on a whoopin $550 a month disability here in colorado which barely
covers my rent and food so don't have alot of money. I'd try ebay but
everytime I spot something ppl end up bidding em up to almost retail which
puts me out of the race. If I have offended anyone by makeing this
post/request I appologize profusly but Im at my wits end so pls don't flame
me. Embarresing enough even having to ask for help to begin with.

Sincerest thx for any help or advice
Just Jess

No problem, Jess, but I'm afraid I don't have any cards to offer you.

One word of warning, though - if you change from NVidia to ATi, you'd better
give your system a good cleanup. Both cards leave registry entries and
files that are not removed by the uninstall routines, and the presence of
these is particularly damaging to a change of card manufacturer. I believe
there are one or two apps available for removing NVidia stuff, and hopefully
if you look through this group and Rage3D Forum
(http://www.rage3d.com/board/), you should find references and links.

HTH patrickp

 

[Tim Miser]

A Radeon 8500/9100 is a little faster than a GF3 and you can pick one up new
for only about $60. Maybe used on ebay might be a bit less but that's
probably the best route you could take.

-Tim

 

[Bratboy]

hehe true but sadly even that measly amount is more than I normally have
left after rent and food & utilities hehe. Figure I get $550, Rent 350,
utils and phone 125 which leaves me a whole 75 or so to buy food and such
for a month with. Think my record was one month actually haveing $40 left
end of month from squeezing pennies so hard they cried out <wink>

Just Jess

 

[Weaver]

Well, think of the bright, at least you won't be able to afford new games
that will push your hardware too much so that you'll absolutely need to
upgrade you video.

lol

 

[Bratboy]

lol

True Ill be just as lucky as the Man with no feet that doesnt need to buy
shoes I guess <wink>.

Honestly I think the most recent game I play is DAoC but even a GF2 can run
it, not as well as my gf3 but still one way or another Ill make it Im sure.
Actually spoke with someone at Gainward that has said if I ship him the
fx5200 I was sent to replace my dieing gf3 he will send me a gf3 card thats
comprable to mine so am covered now I think. Still wouldnt mind comparing
performance tween ATI n Nvidia for myself but not gonna kick a gift horse in
the mouth.

Thx for all the help and advice I got via email and here
Just Jess

 

[wired and confused]

Dont feel bad I still use a GF2 in my other computer and am happy with it
just fine . Most of the games I play dont need all that power. I play ghost
recon and it plays good with it. I still only pay 20 for a phone here and 40
on internet I pay like 60 month utilities .