Recommended PCI 3d card for Doom3?????? (title change)

[yoda313]

Hello,

I'm getting a Radeon 9200 256mb 3d card delivered but I'd like to either buy Doom3 now or at least download the demo. But the demo would take three hours to download on my dsl. I'd like to know if I could run it before I get my 3d card.

I have a Celeron D 2.66ghz - 512mb DDR pc3200 RAM - 64mb Intel extreme 3d onboard graphics.

Is this enough?? The system requirements on doom3's website say "hardware" 64mb 3d card.

If it would work with onboard memory than I'll download the demo tonight before I get my card. If it won't work without a physical 3d card then I'll just wait till I get my Radeon 9200 in the mail

Thanks.

Kevin

EDIT - I'm sketpical it would work without a true 3d card - I have great specs elsewhere but the onboard video would be less than 64mb since it's supporting windows' GUI and other stuff...... I can wait for my 3d card but I'd be curious if it would work now....

[bugster]

It should work, with the lowest quality settings. Doom3 actually examines your HW and determines the best settings. You can then twaek them if you like.

I played it with an mx400 64Mb on a PIV 2.2 with no problems.

[Capmaster]

For the next version of Doom, they're recommending you have at least one of these:

http://www.cs.sandia.gov/platforms/RedStorm_072704NewsRelease.html

[yoda313]

For the next version of Doom, they're recommending you have at least one of these:

http://www.cs.sandia.gov/platforms/RedStorm_072704NewsRelease.html

Hello,



Well a cray is a little outside of my budget for the next doom

It should work, with the lowest quality settings. Doom3 actually examines your HW and determines the best settings. You can then twaek them if you like.

I played it with an mx400 64Mb on a PIV 2.2 with no problems.

Thanks bugster

I may go ahead and buy it now anyway. I'm getting the radeon 9200 256mb in the next few days so full power graphics won't be far away

Kevin

[bugster]

For the next version of Doom, they're recommending you have at least one of these:

http://www.cs.sandia.gov/platforms/RedStorm_072704NewsRelease.html

But when Doom 4 comes out in 5 years time, a machine like that will cost less than $1000 (I hope ) and fit inside a standard tower case.

[yoda313]

For the next version of Doom, they're recommending you have at least one of these:

http://www.cs.sandia.gov/platforms/RedStorm_072704NewsRelease.html

But when Doom 4 comes out in 5 years time, a machine like that will cost less than $1000 (I hope ) and fit inside a standard tower case.

Hello,

You know you're not far off....

Kevin

(just look at the sys reqs for doom 2 compared to doom3 ).

Kevin

[yoda313]

Hello,

I'm downloading the demo for doom3 right now. I'm using the yahoo game download - the first one on the download list you get from www.doom3.com.

I'm at 70% complete with an hour to go at 39kb/sec.

Kevin

[yoda313]

Hello,

BAH! Wasted 3 hours downloading a demo that ran at half normal speeds!!! Without a true 3d card the onboard graphics limited doom3 to "low quality" graphics. It stuttered horribly. When I moved the character it took a considerable delay before he responded.

Then it CRASHED!!!!

Oh well.....

Doom3 DOES need a HARDWARE 3d card - unless you have 128mb onboard video, that might be enough (I only have 64mb onboard)...

I'm still gonna have to wait for my 256mb radeon9200 to arrive (I gotta get some stuff straightened out with the online company - a glitch when I ordered it... ).

Kevin

[bugster]

Sorry to hear that Yoda. I would have thought that "64mb Intel extreme 3d onboard graphics" would have been as good as my MX400 64Mb card (which is 3 year old technology, an age in 3d graphics terms) would have been good enough. Even at lowest quality Doom3 still looks pretty damn good.

A hint for when you do get your new card. Play doom2 with all the lights turned off! The atmosphere is spooky

[yoda313]

Sorry to hear that Yoda. I would have thought that "64mb Intel extreme 3d onboard graphics" would have been as good as my MX400 64Mb card (which is 3 year old technology, an age in 3d graphics terms) would have been good enough. Even at lowest quality Doom3 still looks pretty damn good.

A hint for when you do get your new card. Play doom2 with all the lights turned off! The atmosphere is spooky

Hello,

Hmm... I thought games belonged in the offtopic forum - oh well computer will work since it's referring to 3d cards - sorry

Play doom2 with all the lights turned off! The atmosphere is spooky

I think you mean DOOM 3!

Yeah I'll get my radeon in a week or so hopefully - my order got paid through paypal but their system didn't register it. I was on the support line last night and they talked to paypal. They'll have to do a refund if they can't find the order in they're system.... They've been very friendly and helpful so that goes a long way when it comes to glitches like these.... (tigerdirect).

Kevin

[bugster]

[quote="yoda313"]

Play doom2 with all the lights turned off! The atmosphere is spooky

I think you mean DOOM 3!

Kevin

You could always play Doom2 while waiting for your new card, it should fly on that kind of system! 8)

[yoda313]

[QUOTE="bugster"]

Play doom2 with all the lights turned off! The atmosphere is spooky

I think you mean DOOM 3!

Kevin

You could always play Doom2 while waiting for your new card, it should fly on that kind of system! 8)

Hello,

Yeah it won't have a problem emulating a 486!!!

Actually whats weird is last night I bought NHL 2005 and it works perfectly with Intel graphics. But I also bought a used copy of ENTER THE MATRIX and it REQUIRES a 3d card also...

Luckily a lot of my older games like Jedi Knight 2 work just fine


Kevin

[guns1inger]

I have the demo running on a 32mb GeForce 2MX. I get about 20fps, but it is playable most of the time. If you seriously want to play Doom3, I'd skip the 9200SE and go for a minimum 9600 XT.

[studtrooper]

Hello,

I'm getting a Radeon 9200 256mb 3d card delivered but I'd like to either buy Doom3 now or at least download the demo.

Unfortunately, this is where system specs get confusing. When someone says Doom III runs best on 256MB cards, that is only half true. The only cards that are powerful enough for Doom III to utilize 256MB of ram or more would be closer to a Radeon 9800 XT or higher. A Radeon 9200, nomatter how much ram it has, will still run Doom III like ass. It sucks, but playing the latest and greatest requires a decent (and by extension, relatively expensive) card.

[yoda313]

Hello,

I'm gonna have to reorder the card since there was a system glitch when I ordered the radeon 9200.

The radeon 9250 is the highest tigerdirect has in stock.

What is the highest Nvidia chip these days???? How much are they???? (I haven't looked at the nvidia cards on tigerdirect yet)

I don't want to spend more than $100 for the card.

Thanks

Kevin

[studtrooper]

Well, if you can find a Geforce 6200 in AGP form, it should cost around $100. That is probably the best budget $100 card in existence right now (Directx 9.0c support, decent gaming ability)...

[yoda313]

Well, if you can find a Geforce 6200 in AGP form, it should cost around $100. That is probably the best budget $100 card in existence right now (Directx 9.0c support, decent gaming ability)...

Hello,

DOH! I can only use PCI!!!

Thanks anyway - I'll check out the model number though (series).

Kevin

[tekkieman]

Yoda can't use AGP. He needs PCI.

EDIT: Sorry yoda, I was too slow.

[yoda313]

Yoda can't use AGP. He needs PCI.

EDIT: Sorry yoda, I was to slow.

Hello,



No problem. I'm gonna check out the highest nvidia card they have. If not I'll shop somewhere else - I did get my paypal refund (though I have to wait 3-4 days ).

Kevin

[yoda313]

Hello,

Ok I did a check and the highest nvidia they have is 5200. Is that way too old now????

If it is I'll shop for a newer ATI or Nvidia elsewhere (preferably $100 or less and PCI - 128 or 256, not too picky as long as its new enough to last a few years ).

Thanks again everybody

Kevin

[studtrooper]

My god... PCI? Is it that hard to find a new (or used) motherboard? I thought gaming died with PCI around the Voodoo 5500...

[yoda313]

My god... PCI? Is it that hard to find a new (or used) motherboard? I thought gaming died with PCI around the Voodoo 5500...

Hello,

Nope it came with Emachine I bought in November - no agp (and haven't you heard of Pci Express?? Mine doesn't support express I don't think).

And anyway - what's the highest nvidia right now?? I think ATI is topped at 9800....

Kevin

(I'm still budgeting a $100 for this )

[studtrooper]

My god... PCI? Is it that hard to find a new (or used) motherboard? I thought gaming died with PCI around the Voodoo 5500...

Hello,

Nope it came with Emachine I bought in November - no agp (and haven't you heard of Pci Express?? Mine doesn't support express I don't think).

And anyway - what's the highest nvidia right now?? I think ATI is topped at 9800....

Kevin

(I'm still budgeting a $100 for this )

PCI-e (express) is the replacement for AGP. I'm pretty sure that PCI (regular) video cards will sease production fairly quick as well. Another thing to realize (you probably already know this) is that PCI video cards hit the 133MBps (max PCI bus throughput) ceiling very quickly. Therefore, a PCI Radeon 9800 and a PCI Radeon 8500 should roughly be the same. Honestly, I would save for a new motherboard. Your current settup is like 100% non-future proof

To answer your geforce question, I haven't seen anything higher than a nVidia 5xxx FX series PCI card.

[dukenukem]

I have seen a pci version of the geforce fx 5700le,i'll try and find it again.

[yoda313]

I have seen a pci version of the geforce fx 5700le,i'll try and find it again.

Hello,

Actually on my pci3d card post I found one at newegg.com

That seems to be the highest geforce series in the $100 range for pci.

The highest ATI RADEON in the 100 range pci seems to be the 9250 but that is a few generations older now.

How new is the 5700?????

Kevin

EDIT - Here it is from my other thread:


http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-140-041&depa=1

Chipset: nVIDIA GeForce FX 5700LE
Memory: 128MB DDR
BUS: PCI
Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub) + TV-Out(S-Video) + DVI
Support 3D API: DirectX 9, OpenGL 1.5
Max Resolution@32bit Color: 2048X1536@85Hz
Cable/Accessories: S-Video Cable, Drivers
Retail Box (See pics for details)

Model#: BLOODY MONSTER 5700
Item#: N82E16814140041

$89


Is that decent enough for a 128mb ddr???? Will it last a few years???? (as far as horsepower goes - the internal speed not just the raw power)

[studtrooper]

Is that decent enough for a 128mb ddr???? Will it last a few years???? (as far as horsepower goes - the internal speed not just the raw power)

Even if it was the normal AGP version, it would technically be outdated right now (FYI, the Geforce FX series was completely blasted by the Radeon 9xxx series). You might be able to play Unreal Tournament 2004 on medium, but everything after that game (HL2, Doom III, Far Cry) will probably only run decent on low settings...

[yoda313]

Is that decent enough for a 128mb ddr???? Will it last a few years???? (as far as horsepower goes - the internal speed not just the raw power)

Even if it was the normal AGP version, it would technically be outdated right now (FYI, the Geforce FX series was completely blasted by the Radeon 9xxx series). You might be able to play Unreal Tournament 2004 on medium, but everything after that game (HL2, Doom III, Far Cry) will probably only run decent on low settings...

Hello,

Thanks for the heads up

Kevin

[yoda313]

Hello,

Radeon 9550 128mb vision tek - bestbuy $100 - AGP though

What about this model if it has a pci version????

Kevin

[studtrooper]

If there was a PCI version, it would be the one to get...

[yoda313]

If there was a PCI version, it would be the one to get...

Hello,

AWESOME! Thanks a ton

I'll be searching the net and hoping for PCI on the 9550

Kevin