XFX GeForce FX 5200 / 256MB DDR / AGP 8X

[yurps]

Hello,

I have ordered the above card, but am now having 2nd thoughts.

I have a ATI 9800 SE ATI which is good but it is too noisy...

So I decide to do without the TV/Video in and replace it with a fanless
card which has multiple monitor support and can do Half Life 2 at an
acceptable rate. (I'll put a PCI PVR later for the Video/TV)...

I am not sure the XFX GeForce FX 5200 / 256MB DDR / AGP 8X
can do half life 2 very well.

Any guidance on the matter would be great.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Daniel]

yurps wrote:
[snip]

I have a ATI 9800 SE ATI which is good but it is too noisy...
[snip]

I am not sure the XFX GeForce FX 5200 / 256MB DDR / AGP 8X
can do half life 2 very well.

A decent DX9 card (i.e. not an FX5200 or 9200) will have both fast GPU
core and memory speed. A heatsink isn't good enough, those things need a
good cooling solution - which is why they have a fan.

If you want reasonable 3D performance utilising DX9 features (very
pretty graphics), then that 9800SE (or 9600XT) is probably your minimum
spec card.

Unfortunately, the stock fans in a lot of cards aren't exactly the best
(I guess it's a cost thing - good cooling solutions are a bit pricier,
and would only add to the overall card price).

However, I'd recommend you return that FX5200, and spend your money on
something like this:
http://www.thermaltake.com/coolers/chipset/cl-g0003fanless/cl-g00003.htm

Just replace the fan on the 9800SE with it. A colleague at work replaced
the fan on his with something similar - he has a GeCube 9800XT/256MB.

 

[DaveW]

The 5200 is the Nvidia ENTRY LEVEL card and is very slowww. You would be
VERY disappointed playing HL2 with it.

 

[yurps]

I would use the cooling solution but I have a Shuttle shoebox sized
case and I don't think that cooler will fit in the box....Not to
mention that it requires a molex to the mobo power supply, and the
shuttle runs at 220Hz...which means the card just blanks out every now
and again, because it really want 300Hz


Why is purchasing kit so dam complicated...I find minimal specs on
company website and dinky little pictures of the product...some sites
just say Direct X compatible and don't let you know if it is 8.1 or 9
etc, etc.

Everytime I buy stuff I have to return it 4 or 5 times to get it right.

 

[Tal fuchs]

I would use the cooling solution but I have a Shuttle shoebox sized
case and I don't think that cooler will fit in the box....Not to
mention that it requires a molex to the mobo power supply, and the
shuttle runs at 220Hz...which means the card just blanks out every now
and again, because it really want 300Hz

300Hz ? I don't think so.
It might require a 300Watts PSU.

 

[Mick]

Everytime I buy stuff I have to return it 4 or 5 times to get it right.

hehehe. I know exactly how you feel