AIW Radeon or Kyro II (today)

[Morpheux]

I'm buying a new video card today. But, which one?

AIW Retail- $158
I like the idea of being able to record from my cable. PVR's are sweet. I have the HD space for it too. Game performance isn't too bad.

Kyro II Retail - $90
Performance/price can't be beat.

Desktop - 1280x1024 32-bit
Games - Counter Strike, Red Faction (when it comes out), Civ Games, Quake 3, some RPGs.
OS - 98SE/Win2k/XP
CPU - AMD 1.4
MB - Abit KT7A (will be KT266A when they come out)
Memory - 512MB

Opinions?
<edit> I do have a 27" is the same room with digital cable, but no PVR for another 2 months. I'll get a PVR in November after/for the wedding.

 

[EMAN]

Go get Radeon VIVO SE. It'll record your cable TV + about same performance as Kyro 2.

 

[Teasy]

I suppose it all depends on how much your willing to spend. If you can spend the extra money for the Radeon VIVO SE then do it, it sounds like it'll fit your needs perfectly, but if you know you'll always be cringing thinking "how could I spend all that cash for performance similar to a $90 board??" then get the Kyro II.

 

[aircooled]

I have a VIVO and have never regretted it! I wish I had some input on the KyroII but I have never owned one. I was debateing between the 2 before I bought the Radeon.

 

[richleader]

I'd get the kryo2. You'll have more money left over for when you need a real video card. Both of them are old tech, so enjoy the price of the kryo. The money you spend on the extra features of the AIW will keep you (both financially and psyhcologically) attached to it for longer than you perhaps should be, and it won't be too long until a geforce 3 ultra or Radeon 8500 starts to look damn attractive.

 

[Rand]

It depends on how much you want the extra features of the AIW... if you really like it's features/capabilities then it's the definite choice.
But if your more interested in price and relative performance then the K2 is preferable.

 

[FSUpaintball]

Radeon. Stay away from Kyro II, it doesn't support Hardware T&L. Many games coming out in the future will be incompatable with the Kyro II for that reason. NHL 2002, for example. Also, the ones that DO support it will run REALLY slow because Hardware T&L will be really important in future games.

 

[rickn]

<< Radeon. Stay away from Kyro II, it doesn't support Hardware T&L. Many games coming out in the future will be incompatable with the Kyro II for that reason >>




That is a bogus statement. Whatever cannot be handled by T&L on the gpu can be handled by the cpu. And if you mean Unreal 2, who give a fvck. That game wont be out til late next year, and by that time we will see 2 more generations of videocards. Kyro 2 is a great card, and will play all upcoming games just fine, NHL 2002 being an exception (and I am sure that PowerVR is in contact with EA). EA is a lousy company anyway, buy a console if you want to play sports games

 

[richleader]

Yeah, the T&L argument is bogus. I'd never buy a Kryo2--but that's because I already have a GTS. Unless he REALLY needs the extra features of the AIW, he should just buy a real budget card for now, and the kryo2 is decent, as is an ATI LE or VE, but personally I'd go with a GF2 MX due to compatibility--but he's asking about the Kryo 2.

Remember, if you get an AIW card, you'll lose those features when you upgrade, forcing you to pay for them all over again. IF you have a real mainboard and not some crap with two pci slots, it's better to buy TV tuners and video capture equipment separately as these components don't double in speed or ability every six months like 3d hardware does.

Get a Kryo2, a USB tv tuner, and a video capture board (if the capture ability of the tuner isn't enough). It might run over the cost of the AIW, but when you upgrade to a Geforce 3 someday, you'll STILL have those features and you won't be playing Doom 3 with a wimpy Radeon because you don't want to sacrifice your ability to record Buffy the Vampie slayer reruns or whatever the hell it is you want to do.

 

[sash1]

<< Radeon. Stay away from Kyro II, it doesn't support Hardware T&L. Many games coming out in the future will be incompatable with the Kyro II for that reason. NHL 2002, for example. Also, the ones that DO support it will run REALLY slow because Hardware T&L will be really important in future games. >>

Where the hell do you get this sh!t from? Are you anti-Kyro II? Or did you just not do you're homework?

Kyro II is perfect for any game out there. It will play anything fine, and has one of the btes FSAA qualities of any other card. It's lack of hardware TnL has not hurt it at all, and considering it's price (now going as low as $70!!!), it is perfect to fit anyone on a budget. The processor can handle the TnL just fine. Anything over 1GHz will be suitable for a Kyro II.

Edit -
What future games won't the Kyro II be able to play? Seriously, it plays Max Payne just fine (Off Ace's Hardware it was only shown to be only 3 fps under the Pro), and thats based on the 3DMark2001 engine. Yet, Kyro II performs pathetically in 3DMark2001. The only new games out tehre that seem promising for graphics is Unreal 2 and Doom 3. And considering the low prices of AMD processors, you can practucally just constantly upgrade your video card by getting a new processor. That extra boost in TnL capability from the processor will help. I really don't know how intricate the scene complexity will be in Unreal 2 and Doom 3, but I really don't think it will be enough to make the Kyro II fall. Yes, it will be slow, but those who aren't willing to spend $300 on a new video card, can buy a cheap (and fast) AMD processor for that extra TnL boost.

I really have no proof that this will work. I can't see into the future. But do your homework buddy, and try to make at least some-what logical statements.

2nd Edit -
Get the Radeon if you like the features. Personally, I'd pay for features. (I got the Kyro II cuz I do nothing except gaming and photoshop and the like.)

 

[Teasy]

FSUpaintball, your a total troll man, you know that any problem Kyro II might have with NHL 2002 is nothing to do with HW T&L (if it was then Voodoo, TNT2 ect wouldn't run the game either and that is not the case) yet you insist on spreading this misinfomation. Do your homework on graphics boards then come back and give advice ok.

 

[EMAN]

what do you expect from a newbie.

 

[Teasy]

Read the latest news on NHL 2002 and Kyro II at PowerVR Revolution, FSUpaintball, I especially want you to read this page