video

The first one, from what I understand is based on the Radeon9500 card so is better than the 5200 (which, I've only ever heard people complain about performance wise even if its features are good).

Both Tom's Hardware and Beyond 3D have good reviews, summaries and benchmarks of graphics cards. I highly recommend you have a look around those sites.

Alternatively, if you're a developer looking to write some D3D9 apps, give us some more details as to what you want to achieve and we might be able to make you some better recommendations.

Cheers,
Jack

Quote:

Original post by jollyjeffers The first one, from what I understand is based on the Radeon9500 card so is better than the 5200 (which, I've only ever heard people complain about performance wise even if its features are good). Both Tom's Hardware and Beyond 3D have good reviews, summaries and benchmarks of graphics cards. I highly recommend you have a look around those sites. Alternatively, if you're a developer looking to write some D3D9 apps, give us some more details as to what you want to achieve and we might be able to make you some better recommendations. Cheers, Jack

I want to do some basic D3D9 apps for learning purposes. I want the samples to work as well as they dont under my P4 onboard video.
Basic terrain/mesh files moving about the place would be fine

Quote:

Original post by jagguy Quote: Original post by jollyjeffers The first one, from what I understand is based on the Radeon9500 card so is better than the 5200 (which, I've only ever heard people complain about performance wise even if its features are good). Both Tom's Hardware and Beyond 3D have good reviews, summaries and benchmarks of graphics cards. I highly recommend you have a look around those sites. Alternatively, if you're a developer looking to write some D3D9 apps, give us some more details as to what you want to achieve and we might be able to make you some better recommendations. Cheers, Jack I want to do some basic D3D9 apps for learning purposes. I want the samples to work as well as they dont under my P4 onboard video. Basic terrain/mesh files moving about the place would be fine

Well either of those cards that you've mentioned would be okay. I'd go with the Radeon-9550 if I were you. From what I just checked it's just a downclocked Radeon-9600. The 9500-9800 series of cards are pretty good value for the asking price.

The GeForceFX's always seemed a bit more touchy on the performance/compatability front, but I'm sure you could get by with one if you wanted to.

Note that both of the models you've specified are effectively SM2 parts - so can run the vast majority of D3D9 technologies, but won't handle the absolute latest and greatest. For that sort of work you, currently, need a GeForce6600-6800 class graphics card.

hth
Jack

what about these cards, any problem here? How come each shop seems to sell different cards?

forsa 128mb mx4000 8x
forsa fx 5200 128mb TD
smartVGA ati 92000se 128m

Going slightly off topic here, I have a GeForce FX 5200, and it's really not that good. It's a budget card that supports all of the GeForce FX features, but it's slow as crap [smile] My GeForce 2 GTS is actually about the same speed playing Quake 2 (Although obviously the GeForce 2 can't do vertex / pixel shaders).

You can pick up a GeForce FX 5200 card at shops here for £20 (~$40 USD), which would be ideal if you want to mess with vertex / pixel shaders. I've never iused an ATI card before, so I can't say anything about them (But my next gfx card in my main machine will almost certainly be an ATI card).