Replacement for 9800 Pro is...

[ofn01]

I have an xp3200 with a 9800pro and I've run those games. HL2 chokes with
even 2x AA. Far cry was ok at 2xAA 2xAF at 1024 with mostly high settings.
It all depends on what you consider a decent framerate. I look at the
consistent framerate, not what I get when running down a hall.

Mike

Ive never tried Far Cry or Doom 3 with AA on.
However HL2 with 2xAA and 8xAF at 1024x768 runs absolutely fine on my
machine, either outside, in hallways, in firefights.

At 1280x1024 you can't have any AA, but you can have 2xAF and you can
still have high textures/models.

Doom 3 has to be no AA, high quality and 800x600
Far cry has to be no AA, medium quality and 1024x768

This again is on a 9600XT, P4 3.0, 1gb DDR400.
One tweak I did make that gave things a nice boost was to change the PCI
latency from the standard 255 down to 64 (using ATI Tool) and also I
have Catalyst AI set to High using ATI Tool (as I don't use the Control
Center).

In the ATI Tool 3D view, the latency tweak added about 15 fps. In
3dmark03 and 05 there was a small boost as well.

 

[Augustus]

There's planty you can't play at those settings, including hl2, doom3, far
cry, etc..
Unless you're into slide shows.

I have no problem at all running these on my 9800Pro Barton 3200 rig, at the
resolutions mentioned.

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the post, I didn't knoiw atiTool could make AI work, I just
installed CCC this morning for that. But I suspect you're less demanding
for framerates than me, I keep my system clean and tweaked for games and
should be faster than yours at least for video intensive games. I'll try
hl2 at higher settings though, just started playing it a few days ago and
turned AA off when it caused a stutter. That may be the famous bug acting up
though.

Mike

 

[Mike]

I have no problem at all running these on my 9800Pro Barton 3200 rig, at
the resolutions mentioned.

Those resolutions yes, but not with 4xAA.

Mike

 

[ofn01]

Thanks for the post, I didn't knoiw atiTool could make AI work, I just
installed CCC this morning for that. But I suspect you're less demanding
for framerates than me, I keep my system clean and tweaked for games and
should be faster than yours at least for video intensive games. I'll try
hl2 at higher settings though, just started playing it a few days ago and
turned AA off when it caused a stutter. That may be the famous bug acting up
though.

Mike

I dropped back to 1024x768 in HL2 and on reflection it probably is quite
a bit better in some areas than 1280x1024. Iplayed the whole game the
first time through at 1024x768 and found it good, but haivng upgraded
from 512mb to 1gb and playing around with settings I had found it quite
good at 1280x1024 but have dropped back now and I think it is more of an
optimum setting.

The HL2 stuttering I have found is a pain - but stuttering in far cry,
doom 3 and hl2 dropped dramatically when I upgraded to 1gb (virtually
nil in far cry and doom 3 and occasionally in hl2)

I would also consider the pci latency tweak as well which can be done
through ati tool.

 

[alershka]

Ok, I decided to upgrade machine. Ordered a AMD 64 3000+ with a gig
of ram. Now the question. Do I use this machine as my main rig or
not?

My main machine is a P4 2.8 with a gig of ram and a ATI X800 Pro. Of
course I'd switch the video cards. Will I see enough of a performance
diff between the P4 and the AMD 64 to make all of the hassle worth
while?

Thanks.

 

[Ben Pope]

Ok, I decided to upgrade machine. Ordered a AMD 64 3000+ with a gig
of ram. Now the question. Do I use this machine as my main rig or
not?

My main machine is a P4 2.8 with a gig of ram and a ATI X800 Pro. Of
course I'd switch the video cards. Will I see enough of a performance
diff between the P4 and the AMD 64 to make all of the hassle worth
while?

Depends what you do...

It's only going to be a few percent anyway.

Ben

 

[ofn01]

Ok, I decided to upgrade machine. Ordered a AMD 64 3000+ with a gig
of ram. Now the question. Do I use this machine as my main rig or
not?

My main machine is a P4 2.8 with a gig of ram and a ATI X800 Pro. Of
course I'd switch the video cards. Will I see enough of a performance
diff between the P4 and the AMD 64 to make all of the hassle worth
while?

Thanks.

I couldn't say sorry.
I think it also depends what sort of motherboard/chipset you have
supporting the CPU and what sort of RAM is in each.

 

[Mike]

Well hot damn, I just tried 4xAA in hl2 at 1024 and it's playing fine, just
got to the point you first take the hovercraft out into the open. The only
change I did was to update from 4.12 to 5.4 drivers plus using CCC to get AI
now.
And far cry is what got me to go to 1gig ram, stopped the stuttering I had
before that.
I stil think you must be less demanding in framerates than me, far cry was
quite video card intensive and I found my settings barely acceptable when I
hit low fraame rate scenes. But thanks for the post, hl2 looks better and
runs pretty good, actually faster then far cry.


mike

 

[ofn01]

Well hot damn, I just tried 4xAA in hl2 at 1024 and it's playing fine, just
got to the point you first take the hovercraft out into the open. The only
change I did was to update from 4.12 to 5.4 drivers plus using CCC to get AI
now.
And far cry is what got me to go to 1gig ram, stopped the stuttering I had
before that.
I stil think you must be less demanding in framerates than me, far cry was
quite video card intensive and I found my settings barely acceptable when I
hit low fraame rate scenes. But thanks for the post, hl2 looks better and
runs pretty good, actually faster then far cry.


mike

Far Cry at 1024x768 on mine with medium settings runs really really
well. These are the settings that the application detected for me. I had
512mb of ram at first but it was also the game that made me get 1 gig
and it ran absolutely great all the way through.

Doom 3 though is only good at 800x600 on high - runs at 30fps min almost
all the time. 1024x768 on medium is only 20 which is too slow.

HL2 either has a much more lean graphics engine or is using older
techology that looks really really good.

In terms of performance I rate them (fastest to slowest): HL2, FarCry, Doom3

In terms of graphics I rate them (best to 'worst'): Doom 3, Far Cry, HL2

I have nver had AA on in Far cry or Doom though

Glad to hear you're going well with the new drivers and with AI enabled!

 

[DDC]

I appologize if this appears twice. I had an issue when I tried to
post before.

I have an AGP 9800 Pro with 128 mb in my P3 1.4ghz machine with 512mb
of RAM. The machine is maxed out on processor and RAM so I'm thinking
of replacing the video card. Will I see an increase in performance
moving to an X700? I'm sure I'd see improvement going to an X800 but
I'm not sure if it's worth the money since my motherboard only does 4X
AGP.

Thanks.

I am pretty certain that the X700 is PCI-E only? [at the moment?]
Also one thing to note - I suspect that any faster video card will be
CPU limited so might not actually achieve much. Modern games like Doom3,
HL2 etc. need a fast CPU as well as a fast video card.

The x700 series and 6600gt are known to be an equivalent of the
9800pro with more eye candy, but in a other hand, it will perform
better at high resolution 1600x1200. So the only thing you will be
able to do at1024x764 is cranking up the aa and af all the way to the
top. that is if your ctr doesn't support a resolution higher than
1024x764

any way it might be my next upgrade: an ati agp x700pro 256 vivo.

in 3dmark05 i get 2000 to 2500 depending on the driver.
and for the x700 only i've seen result like so 3100 in 3dmark05

 

[DDC]

You need a processor and m/b upgrade, not a video card. I run a 9800 Pro on
a Barton 3200 Nforce2 setup and there is nothing I can play at good
framerates at 1024x768 4XFSAA. 1152x864 and 1280x1024 for most games. Even
if you stuck an X850XT in that system, your framerates would not change to
any degree. You are severely CPU and memory limited currently.

I should get the 256 mb version not the 128mb one if there are that
way hi would expect something in return of it's purchase.

 

[DDC]

Far Cry at 1024x768 on mine with medium settings runs really really
well. These are the settings that the application detected for me. I had
512mb of ram at first but it was also the game that made me get 1 gig
and it ran absolutely great all the way through.

Doom 3 though is only good at 800x600 on high - runs at 30fps min almost
all the time. 1024x768 on medium is only 20 which is too slow.

hi, here i get 30 to 50fsp in doom 3 at 800x600 same setting WITH:
2600xp 333 barton core
a7n8x-x nf2 400 bios 1011
an ati build buy ati 9800pro128 mb
and a low end budget mem the 512mb Kingston 333 2700mbs witch does
only 2400. shity peace of crap.
remember that doom3 isn't for ati card, that's what i've read.

 

[Tom]

hi, here i get 30 to 50fsp in doom 3 at 800x600 same setting WITH:
2600xp 333 barton core
a7n8x-x nf2 400 bios 1011
an ati build buy ati 9800pro128 mb
and a low end budget mem the 512mb Kingston 333 2700mbs witch does
only 2400. shity peace of crap.
remember that doom3 isn't for ati card, that's what i've read.

The newer ATI cards along with newer drivers are pretty darn good at doom
3.

They still won't run like the top end NVIDIA but certainly good enough.

Tom

 

[Todd]

I'd say the P3 1.4 cpu is the road block here and you'll not likely get the performance
you want from replacing the 9800. Keep the 9800 and try to get your PC into the 2.4 GHz
area. There is still plenty of life left with the 9800--you just have to give it some
breathing room with a faster cpu

 

[First of One]

You know you are replying to a thread dated April 6, right? What newsfeed do
you use to get a three-month retention?

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."

[snipped]

The x700 series and 6600gt are known to be an equivalent of the
9800pro with more eye candy, but in a other hand, it will perform
better at high resolution 1600x1200. So the only thing you will be
able to do at1024x764 is cranking up the aa and af all the way to the
top. that is if your ctr doesn't support a resolution higher than
1024x764

any way it might be my next upgrade: an ati agp x700pro 256 vivo.

in 3dmark05 i get 2000 to 2500 depending on the driver.
and for the x700 only i've seen result like so 3100 in 3dmark05

 

[Julian Richards]

You know you are replying to a thread dated April 6, right? What newsfeed do
you use to get a three-month retention?

There's a lot of it about at the moment. Usenet seems very wonky for
many people at the moment with lost, repeated and delayed messages, on
both sides of the Atlantic.

--

Julian Richards
computer "at" richardsuk.f9.co.uk

www.richardsuk.f9.co.uk
Website of "Robot Wars" middleweight "Broadsword IV"

 

[DDC]

You know you are replying to a thread dated April 6, right? What newsfeed do
you use to get a three-month retention?

It my internet providers news, im with sympatico. i guess my setup
isn't good and i didn't check the date of the tread...

no wonder why i got no reply huh!

i'm using forté agent.

 

[Todd]

Wow, that is old, eh?

I'm with Shaw cable modem services in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

 

[whodothere]

There's a lot of it about at the moment. Usenet seems very wonky for
many people at the moment with lost, repeated and delayed messages, on
both sides of the Atlantic.

No, what is causing it is the fact that many ISP's are dropping binaries
groups off of their servers due to the unbelievable amount of bandwidth
required to serve the 100+ gigabytes of unwanted warez and crap flooding their
servers daily. When a ISP goes to just text only usenet, the retention can be
up to a year in length.