Recommend A good video card for Doom3

[PN]

Can you please recommend a video card to run Doom3 well?
Please specify the VRAM as well.
Thanks in advance

-PN

 

[DaveW]

I don't suppose you'd want to include in your posting what the rest of your
computer system consists of internally, so we can give an intelligent and
appropriate answer?

 

[gimp]

I have a Pentium 4 2.40 Ghz CPU,
512 MB OF RAM,
WIndows XP
Onboard Realtek AC97 Audio

Presently I Have an onboard graphics card with 64 MB VRAM:
Intel 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics (Intel Extreme Graphics)
Motherboard:Gigabyte GA-8GEM800

This graphics controller probably isn’t enough to run Doom 3.

So please recommend a good one to run the game.

that motherboard only has 4X AGP, so i don't think even an AGP 6600GT
would work... someone can correct me if i'm wrong.

also the ram is very low on that box for modern games/applications.

recommend new rig with PCIe and 1GB ram.

 

[faster_framerates]

that motherboard only has 4X AGP, so i don't think even an AGP 6600GT

would work... someone can correct me if i'm wrong.

also the ram is very low on that box for modern games/applications.

recommend new rig with PCIe and 1GB ram.

An AGP 6600 GT would work in the motherboard. You'll only find them in AGP
8X. FWIW, I'm currently running an 8X 9800 Pro in a 4X slot.

As far as an AGP VGA card for PN, I'd recommend either the 6600 GT from
Nvidia or a 9800 Pro from ATI. Either one can be found for $150 - $200. For
your current system, anything beyond that would probably be overkill. But
(!), if you'd like to shell out the bucks, look at 6800 GT's or X800 cards.

Also, bumping up the system RAM would only help load the game menu and
savegames quicker. I also have 512 MB RAM and I'm running Doom 3 just fine.
Once you're playing the game, most of the work is done by the graphics card
and CPU.

Alternatively, a new PCIe-based rig would entail a new motherboard, new
processor and new RAM along with a PCIe VGA card. $600 these days for decent
components.

HTH,

f_f

 

[chrisv]

An AGP 6600 GT would work in the motherboard. You'll only find them in AGP
8X. FWIW, I'm currently running an 8X 9800 Pro in a 4X slot.

As far as an AGP VGA card for PN, I'd recommend either the 6600 GT from
Nvidia or a 9800 Pro from ATI. Either one can be found for $150 - $200. For
your current system, anything beyond that would probably be overkill. But
(!), if you'd like to shell out the bucks, look at 6800 GT's or X800 cards.

Is there a 6600GT AGP that's known to be quiet?

 

[Bob]

faster_framerates wrote:




Is there a 6600GT AGP that's known to be quiet?

I went to a Leadtek A6600GT TDH from a no-fan Radeon 7000 and haven't
noticed any increase in noise.

 

[faster_framerates]

Is there a 6600GT AGP that's known to be quiet?

Sure, strip off the standard heatsink/fan and put on an Arctic Cooling NV6.
< http://www.arctic-cooling.com/vga2.php?idx=62 >. I picked up a VGA
Silencer a few months ago and it works great on my 9800 Pro. Whisper quiet
and no more overheating crashes. The nice thing is that the hot air is
exhausted outside the case.

Zalman also makes quiet VGA coolers: <
http://www.zalmanusa.com/eng/product/view.asp?idx=150&code=013 >. However,
there are some caveats, so check their compatibility list.

Thermaltake and Cooler Master offer VGA solutions, too.

HTH,

f_f

 

[chrisv]

Sure, strip off the standard heatsink/fan and put on an Arctic Cooling NV6.
< http://www.arctic-cooling.com/vga2.php?idx=62 >.

This says it only works on PCIe versions of 6600GT. Do you know that
it also works on AGP versions of 6600GT?

 

[chrisv]

I went to a Leadtek A6600GT TDH from a no-fan Radeon 7000 and haven't
noticed any increase in noise.

That looks like a pretty good card. My power supply is an Antec "pure
power" 380W, hopefully enough...

 

[faster_framerates]

This says it only works on PCIe versions of 6600GT. Do you know that

it also works on AGP versions of 6600GT?

Very good eye. Terribly sorry about that. I must have got caught up in my
own visions of a PCIe SLI setup and figured this would work for any flavor
of 6600 GT.

The Zalman VF700 may be a better aftermarket solution. You even get
RAMsinks. Here's the page with the caveats I mentioned previously:

http://www.zalmanusa.com/product/cooler/VF700_6600GT_eng.html

From the photos, that particular VGA card looks like it's from Apollo.
They're the only manufacturer I've seen using what Zalman claims is an HSI
heatsink. Any by "integrates" I'm assuming they mean not held in by screws.
I'd just avoid buying an Apollo.

- f_f

 

[chrisv]

Very good eye. Terribly sorry about that. I must have got caught up in my
own visions of a PCIe SLI setup and figured this would work for any flavor
of 6600 GT.

The Zalman VF700 may be a better aftermarket solution. You even get
RAMsinks. Here's the page with the caveats I mentioned previously:

http://www.zalmanusa.com/product/cooler/VF700_6600GT_eng.html

From the photos, that particular VGA card looks like it's from Apollo.
They're the only manufacturer I've seen using what Zalman claims is an HSI
heatsink. Any by "integrates" I'm assuming they mean not held in by screws.
I'd just avoid buying an Apollo.

Very helpful. Thanks.

 

[chrisv]

I went to a Leadtek A6600GT TDH from a no-fan Radeon 7000 and haven't
noticed any increase in noise.

I just got mine yesterday. It's fairly quiet - not bad at all. It's
nice to finally have the power to run the newer games with high-res
and anti-aliasing. 8)

 

[faster_framerates]

I went to a Leadtek A6600GT TDH from a no-fan Radeon 7000 and haven't

I just got mine yesterday. It's fairly quiet - not bad at all. It's
nice to finally have the power to run the newer games with high-res
and anti-aliasing. 8)

Looks like a good choice. Glad you both found quiet solutions.

I've been eyeing the MSI NX6600GT-TD128E for my future upgrade. The heatsink
is similar to the Leadtek card, but I like the way it covers the RAM, too.
The copper-colored heatsink is just coated aluminum, however. Probably
better for a VGA.

- f_f