Radeon 9600se = good for nothing??

[Loki1]

I recently got a new radeon 9600se for about $35. I saw this a relatively good price because my motherboard doesn't have onboard video and I'm not looking to do any hardcore gaming. But does anyone know if I'll be able to run maybe games like WC3, HL2, and CS:S. I am very disappointed with the card's specs, especially the 64-bit interface. I guess I'm wondering if it was worth getting this card, or did I just waste $35 - should I spend a lil' more to get something better? Suggestions? I'm not planning on upgrading for a long time (I'm looking at 3+ years).

 

[mwmorph]

slightly faster than a 9250. it'll run WC3 HL2 and CSS fine provided you leave ti a lower settings. WC3 should run fine at say 10x7, but HL2 and CSS might be only able to run 800x600high or so.

 

[Hacp]

35 bucks is pretty good, even if it is for a crap card like the 9600SE. I'm 100% sure you'll be able to play wc3 with that card.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

Considering HL2 can even be run on a Geforce 2... I'm sure you'll be able to run anything, just at lower quality.

 

[Loki1]

Let's say that I would be willing to buy a better card (I can just use this to replace the geforce MX400 in my sis's computer). Any suggestions for a good budget AGP 8x card under $60?

 

[Hacp]

mx400? Thats way to powerful for your sister .

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Loki1
Let's say that I would be willing to buy a better card (I can just use this to replace the geforce MX400 in my sis's computer). Any suggestions for a good budget AGP 8x card under $60?

Used 9500 or non-SE 9600 from FS/T should easily be in that range.

- M4H

 

[Sentinel]

what about a 9700? those are pretty damn good, not sure of prices tho.

 

[Slicedbread]

I had this card, before I upgraded to my 6800. Despite the fact it is a crippled card you will be able to run warcraft hl2 and cs pretty decently. In warcraft I had it set to maximum everthing at 16x12 32 bit and it ran smoothly except when i used cheats and had a million men on the screen. Hl2 you should be able to run at 1024 x 768 with medium or high (no aa) with around 50fps. You may be able to run it higher with the new cat's but i wouldnt know, i ditched that thing a couple of months ago. However it will not last 3 years, it strugled on doom 2 with low everthing and 800x600, so yeah..

My specs at the time were
A64 3000+ 754
512mb vs corsair
9600se
onboard sound
aopen ak-86l

 

[bigsexychris]

with a P4 1.4, 512mb rdram, and a geforce 2 ultra (yes, that cost about $500 4 years ago), I played HL2 at 1280x1024 with medium-ish settings and got around 30fps.

At the time, I could deal with 30fps and average settings. Right now the 9600 will eat the geforce2 right up, but within a year or two, games are going to run pretty choppy.

What I would suggest: Since you already bought the card, why not keep it until you get to the point where you are not satisfied with games. Then buy a card a few generations old for cheap. If you spend say, $100 a year for a new (used) video card for 3 years, you'll likely spend less and have better performance than if you dropped $450 on a 7800 today. PLUS, you'd have money NOW to spend on beer (which is always a good thing)

-chris

 

[d2arcturus]

Yeah don't bother future-proofing. Keep that card you have now, and upgrade when you need to.

 

[HomicidalSloth]

9600 SE, by todays standards... Pretty sad. lol

 

[Dennis Travis]

I had that card in my AMD XP2400+ system. HL2 was fine at 800x600, no jerkeyness at all. Go up to 1024 it was not as smooth. It even played Doom III at 800x600 quite well, just do not try 1024 as then it ran out of steam and things got very choppy. For what you paid you did not get ripped off. The person that bought me mine did though as they paid $129!! At the time it was better than the Radeon 7000 I had so I did not complain since I did not pay for it!

 

[Ike0069]

For me, I would get a better card so I could at least play at 1024x768. 800x600 just looks like crap.

You should be able to find a used 9700 for around $60-70. Try FS/FT forum or Ebay.

 

[dnuggett]

I'm not sure anything it that price range will run current games with ANY decent settings. For around $100 you could step up to a 9800 PRO which while still behind the performance curve will provide you with worlds better performance than say a 9600 PRO or 9700.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: dnuggett
I'm not sure anything it that price range will run current games with ANY decent settings. For around $100 you could step up to a 9800 PRO which while still behind the performance curve will provide you with worlds better performance than say a 9600 PRO or 9700.

No idea where you get that $100 figure from; cheapest I've seen that one is $120-130 area. I just bid on a new ATI-built 9600 Pro from eBay and won it for less than $50 shipped (Oops! NOT "less than $80" at all). I haven't seen a total any lower with shipping included for that one. I did bid on some 9600XT's, but all of those went past the (point in bidding where the "$80" had come from) limit I'd set to bid any higher and ended up around $110 shipped.

I needed a backup for a 5600 Ultra that may be failing, or may just need the hsf reseated.


:beer:

 

[imported_Reck]

things go for more on ebay than they would on a trading forum alot of the time. i've seen 9800 pros for less than 100 on hardforum.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Reck
things go for more on ebay than they would on a trading forum alot of the time. i've seen 9800 pros for less than 100 on hardforum.

qft. got mine for $90 shipped. R360 core. Anandtech fs/t forum

 

[BlacKJesuS]

mx440 @ $30 shipped...

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: Kiwi

Originally posted by: dnuggett
I'm not sure anything it that price range will run current games with ANY decent settings. For around $100 you could step up to a 9800 PRO which while still behind the performance curve will provide you with worlds better performance than say a 9600 PRO or 9700.

No idea where you get that $100 figure from; cheapest I've seen that one is $120-130 area. I just bid on a new ATI-built 9600 Pro from eBay and won it for less than $80 shipped. I haven't seen a total any lower with shipping included for that one. I did bid on some 9600XT's, but all of those went past the limit I'd set to bid any higher and ended up around $110 shipped.


:beer:

quote:
Originally posted by: Reck
things go for more on ebay than they would on a trading forum alot of the time. i've seen 9800 pros for less than 100 on hardforum.



qft. got mine for $90 shipped. R360 core. Anandtech fs/t forum



Does that help give you an idea? The 9600 PRO has been selling on the forums for $60 for awhile.... hell even Newegg has a brand new one for $71 with $3 shipping. Quit overpaying... well nevermind it's your money and your business not mine. :laugh:

 

[BlacKJesuS]

Originally posted by: BlacKJesuS
mx440 @ $30 shipped...

 

[Valkerie]

I don't even know why they call that card a 9600 version, it should be a 9200. It's a scam I tell ya. I got a 256mb Geforce 5500 AGP8x card w/128-bit interface - no different than your 9600se.

I'd say the cards of the 9K class and of the FX class are as following for good performance:

non-LE geforce FX 5600 Ultra/5700 and above
Radeon 9600, 128-bit (non SE), XT, Pro, nonPro

Anything under these are like integrated graphics gone bad. Of the Radeon X class, x600 and above should do you good. And of the 6K class for Geforce, 6600 and above is good. Though I'd say a mobile 6200TE on a laptop can play Doom III 1024x768 @ 46 fps medium settings, which is actually really good for a mobile card.

Anyway, get a 9700/9800 Pro for 100 bucks. Or a 9600XT at newegg.com for the 100.

 

[kleinwl]

I bought the 9600SE 2 years ago for $110. It came with a free voucher for HL2... so pretty good deal IMO. It's still a fine card for low graphics (KOTOR2/etc). A 9550 will be better and cost about $65... but since you already have the 9600SE, I would just keep it until you are ready to upgrade your whole computer. Its silly to spend $100-200 on a new AGP card when you can get a EPOX Ultra and Venice 3000+ for $250. Once you've got $500, just upgrade your whole cpu/MB/GPU for a more balanced machine.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: BlacKJesuS
mx440 @ $30 shipped...

That seller on eBay I mentioned has sold 9600 Pro's for under $40, shipped, in an auction or two (most go for around $70 shipped, and it was the 9600 XT that I saw someone else buy for $80 from the same guy and I wouldn't go higher than that when I made my own attempts to bid on a couple of those. (I've edited that comment about pricing for 9600 Pros, XTs, etc - at least to make my own new winning bid description more accurate.)

Yes, a 9600 se is better than an MX, ANY of those! I was surprised earlier today looking at the old nVidia FX's (GF5's). I had no idea how little separated the 5200, 5500, and 5700 LE -- they might as well have all been the same card with different names! I've had a 5600 Ultra quite a long while, and never quite realized how much better it was than a 5700 LE!

 

[shortylickens]

I dont know about newer games, but you could definately play Q2,Q3, UT, Serious Sam, Jedi Outcast, RTCW, Red Faction, Deus Ex, Dungeon Siege and most 3D RTS's with it.