Wanting a new graphics card...

H

Hidden Gekko

3 Years and 100 Posts 0_o
I bought my G4 way back last summer, a little while before/just as the G5's were rolling out. It came with an ATI 8500 card (now they come standard with 9000's). 8500 is really just the bare minimum now, so I want to upgrade my card while not putting too much stress on my budget...

The games I play the most are Sim City 4, MoH : Spearhead, and soon-to-be Unreal 2004, and I really want something that can play UT 2004 fairly well. Right now, I almost never get above 25 fps in matches (in the demo, and assault and onslaught take it down to a brutal 15 or so), and I'd be fine with an average of 30-35...

I only have a single processor, pumping out 1.25 Ghz, and I have a gig of RAM... really more than I need but more is better, and I don't know how much I would get out of the 9800 Pro, so I was thinking more of the 9600... thing is, I don't even know if this exists for a G4. I did searching, and barely found anything - the only noteworthy article was a test using the G5 to test the 9600, I'll have to call my local Apple seller I guess.

The question... Is the 9000 a vast improvement over the 8500? Should I just pay the ~$150 for it, or go up to the ~$250 range? I don't know a whole lot about graphics cards and just want a little assistance picking a new one...

Thanks for any help.
 
They don't make a 9600 for the g4's, only for the g5. There really isn't much performance difference between the 8500 and the 9000, so I wouldn't spend your money on that card either.

Which really only leaves you two choices, the 9800 pro or a GeForce4 Ti (available through apple).

Out of those two, I'd probably go with the 9800 pro, as it is a faster card, and can be bought for less money than what apple wants for the GeForce4 Ti.

Not that it isn't a great card itself, I have one in my MDD dual 1GHz, and it runs all the games that I have just fine. But I ordered my mac with it, way before the 9800 was out.

Here is a link on a comparison between the 9000 and the 8500.

http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=363

And one comparing the 9800 to both of them.

http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=403&Page=1

And one comparing the 9800 to the GeForce4 Ti.

http://www.barefeats.com/rad9800h.html

The 9800 is probably a little on the overkill side for your machine (not that there is anything wrong with your setup), but unfortunately no-one offers anything in-between the 9000 and the 9800. But on the other side it would be the last card you would ever have to buy for your system. :)

http://www.shopperwiz.com/shopdisplaydetail.asp?id=96718228

The above link have the 9800 pro for $306.94 shipped.

Good luck with your decision.
 
Eep... well I suppose I'll try to get the 9800, go big or don't go at all I suppose... And that's a pretty good deal you showed me.

Well thanks.
 
Well I've been debating this issue myself.....I have the GeForce4 Ti, and would love to upgrade to the 9800 Pro, but can't justify the costs right now as the 4 Ti is doing just fine.

The 9800 is overkill on my machine as well, but 'supposedly' the last AGP card that ATI will make, according to a press release they made a few weeks back.

I guess I could put the 4 Ti on E-bay and see if I could get some of my money back if I did purchase the 9800......hmmmmm maybe :)

Good luck on your purchase.
 
Just hope I'd be getting my money's worth with my single processor, but I don't think it really matters if I only get 120 fps than 200 fps if it were a dual G4...

Also hope that my Mac has the right cables to hook this monster up 0_o (how do I check, I can't really tell by popping up the case...)

Plus, I could always move it to my G5 I might get next year hehe...

Thanks again.
 
It will be a good card for you. :)

I don't know if I'd count on it being able to be put in later models of G5's.....if the rumors run true, future models (not sure exactly when) will adapt the new PCI Extreme standard for the video cards and I don't think they are backward compatible with AGP.

Just wanted to let you know that is a possibility.

Nice website by the way.

Do you MOH on GameRanger?
 
Thanks for looking at my site, spend a lot of time on it.

In MoH, I'm in a clan and I really only play on our clan server.

And hmm... maybe I'll get a G5 before they do that, maybe I won't get one at all... just keep upgrading my G4...

Well I'll do ore research, make sure I have proper cables, ask some questions at my Apple seller...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top