Geforce 4 Ti 4600 not worth it??

[Guest]

I really don't know if I need to do some tweaking with my new video card orI just reached the limit. I have a Ge force 3 64 MB that I have used for ayear. Yesterday I decided to get a $299 Geforce 4 TI4600 to try to improve mysystem on FS2002 a little bit. I am getting more or less the same framesper second and video quality on both cards. Should I return it and wait forthe next Nvidia model???I have a Gateway 2.0Ghz, 640 RD Ram, SB Live, 80GB HD, Windows XP Help Please!!!

[Guest ccgr]

Having played with a GeForce ti4200 and a GeForce 4600 in my machine I don't think the 4600 is worth the extra $100. But that's just my 2 cents.

[Guest georgi55]

Yap, I say go return it and wait for NV30 which will be released in January or february.Also $300 for Ti4600 is VERY VERY expensive. 3 months ago when I got my GF4 Ti4400 for $200 Ti4600 were already trying to hit below $250,so now you should be able to get them for $230 or so.www.gameve.com and www.newegg.com has the best prices around. I've shopped with gamve and they are good,and although I've never used newegg, I've heard lots of good things about them.

[Guest]

Alberto - Return the card. There is no advantage to the upgrade when using FS2002. The only thing that will further improve your FS2002 framerates is a faster CPU.Trip

[Guest]

I wish one of the sim sites would settle the CPU vs. 3D card debate. It's like Chevy and Ford. You talk to some guys who swear a GF2 is as good as a Ti4600 as long as you have a P4 2.8. Other guys note a substantial increase of framerates doing the same upgrade on a 1.7 rig. It would be nice to come up with a reliable benchmark (i.e. same scenery, a/c, AI, time of day, OS, no other add-ons running, etc) and apply some science to the argument.

[Guest georgi55]

Well, the thing is that it is really hard to do such a thing becase it depends on lot of stuff.One thing that is clear thouhg is that FS2002 is way mroe CPU bond thanmany other games such as MSTS, Trainz, MOHAA, etc, etc.I did this once,Change CPU from Althon 1.33Ghz to Althon XP 1964+ and keep same video card.FPS Improvment in CPU bond FS2002 -->HUGEFPS Improvment in GPU bond Trainz -->Not muchThen switch back to 1.33Ghz, and put in GF4 Ti4400 instead of ATi 64MB DDR.FPS Improvment in CPU bond FS2002 -->Not much (but high quality AA)FPS Improvment in GPU bond Trainz -->Huge - can put sliders to Max and get 0 stutters.

[Guest]

Thanks a lot for your help, I'm gonna go and return it and wait for something better to arrive. Alberto.

[Guest]

I think if you did it in a controlled environment then you could get valid data. You are right in that there are infinite factors that could affect performance. The benchmark must isolate as many of these as possible.Your example does provide evidence for the theory that FS2K2 is a CPU intensive ap, however I wonder if you would see the same going from a 2.0G chip to a 2.8G chip. In other words, with your 1.3 you might have been so bound that even an Unobtainium 4900 Pro wouldn't have made a difference. What you didn't show is the difference in FR with your 1.9 CPU using your "old" card and then switching to your Ti4400. A benchmark I would suggest would be something on the order of:PIC + default KSFO + MyFlight AI at 50% + WinXPSame MB, Memory, Sound, etc for each test.No O/C of any devices.All sliders at max, wx at zero.Then:1.0G w/GF2 = FR?1.9G w/GF2 = FR?2.5G w/GF2 = FR?2.8G w/GF2 = FR?1.0G w/Ti4400 = FR?1.9G w/Ti4400 = FR?2.5G w/Ti4400 = FR?2.8G w/Ti4400 = FR?and then for fun:1.0G w/9700 = FR?1.9G w/9700 = FR?2.5G w/9700 = FR?2.8G w/9700 = FR?This would show whether (and to what degree) a change in CPU or a change in GPU makes more of a difference to FS2K2, what combination yields the most "bang for the buck", and at what CPU point does it make sense to upgrade your GPU.

[Guest]

I'm not picking any sides here, but it is ironic that there is another post in this forum claiming the exact oposite. That fellow went from 10 FPS (GF2) to 29 FPS (GF4 Ti). He was using a 1.9G rig.

[Guest]

I saw that post also. The FPS gains he claims may well be the case but, IMNSHO, it's not attributable to the video card swap. With only 10FPS on a 1.9G he had a problem to begin with. Changing the cards just fixed whatever was wrong in the first place. But I'm not choosing sides either :-) .Trip