Video upgrade for a PIII-800

[rc23]

I'm looking to replace a Geforce2 GTS card on a friend's dell P3-800 system. I thought a geforce FX5200 card would be nice (under $100). I'm concerned about the PIII-800 processer being a speed bottle neck for a good video card. Would maybe a Geforce4 card be a better choice ?

 

[Matt84]

I wouldn't bother upgrading the video at all. Maybe a GF3 Ti200 or Radeon 8500 at the most. The cpu is a bottle neck and a GF4 or Radeon 9x00 will be like driving with the handbrake on

 

[Pete]

I wouldn't go higher than a $105 128MB 4200 (forget the FX5200) or a cheaper 8500LE/9100. In fact, I'm contemplating a similar upgrade for my P3-700@866. Seriously, I think a $55 64MB 9000P may be the wisest choice in terms of ROI (return on investment)--that CPU is probably too slow for most recent games, so there's really no sense sticking a very fast card in there.

 

[Schadenfroh]

pick up a geforce4mx for like less than 50 bucks, that is the only thing that wont be TOO strangled by thy slow CPU

 

[KillaBong]

I think geforce 3 or radeon 8500 is just perfect for it(maybe a little more than needed). A ti4200 would definately be overkill, but it's always useful in another computer later.

 

[rc23]

Thanks guys, I'll look into a gf4mx.

 

[spclwpns]

I wouldn't get an mx. You should be able to use up to a G4 Ti4400, no further, because of AGP spec voltage. I used a MSI Ti4400 for a while with a pIII850 & Soyo bx mobo, worked fine but be careful..... You're dealing with a dell, make sure the stuff 'fits'.....

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: rc23
Thanks guys, I'll look into a gf4mx.

a used geforce3 ti200 would be a much better choice than the 4mx, which is really just a cheaper-to-manufacture geforce 2 in disguise. The 800 can get good use out of the ti200.

 

[Peter]

Careful with the GeForce cards, your mainboard's AGP power rail might not be up to powering one of those. Radeons have approximately half the power consumption at about the same performance level.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Peter
Careful with the GeForce cards, your mainboard's AGP power rail might not be up to powering one of those. Radeons have approximately half the power consumption at about the same performance level.

gf3ti is fairly low-power, and p3-800 means a fairly modern mobo, either a very late rev BX or more likely an i815. I'm running a higher-power original gf3 in my CUSL2-C i815ep with zero problems.