MSI Ti4200 128 DDR AGP 8X Results/Questions

[Guest]

I had the opportunity at work to try out a GeForce 4 card (read the subject for exact device). I must say that the visual qualities in FS2k2 moving from a VooDoo 3 3000 are amazing. However my new frame rates suck! I'm getting 2-6 frames with the MelJet777 at the new Beirut scenery. I klnow that this combo is pretty work intensive so I switched to a 767PIC and went to a default KCLT. Still all I got was 2-6 FPS. And it jerked all over the place! I used whatever drivers were on Nvidias site and I had most all of the settings cranked to the right and all the Transform and Lighting and all that checked as well. I know my VooDoo3 3000 can't even use all of this but it has never given really terrible frame rates before. I know that there is a mountain of difference between the visual quality that these two cards offer, but I thought I would at least stay the same frame rate wise with this pretty beefy MSI card. I had no idea that I would slow to an unplayable crawl! Again, I didn't tweak anything with the new GeForce card and I left FS2k2 pretty much the same as I use it with the VooDoo. I was really thinking about getting a card like this but now I don't know. It doesn't seem like it is worth the money.Any oppinions? Am I doing something wrong/stupid? Has anyone seen such horrendous behavior when upgrading considerably? This could be my problem:AMD Athlon 900 Mhz256 PC100 RamASUS K7V board

[Guest TerryT]

I would be leary of those Nvidia drivers, especially if they are thefollowing. OS: Windows XP / 2000Version: 41.09File Size: 16.3 MBRelease Date: December 3, 2002WHQL CandidateThese are only in the "Testing" phase and in my opinion, not very good at all. Look at the Archive section http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=winxp-2k_archiveand select from the list of "WHQL Certified" drivers. I bet you will get much better performance with one of those. I use the 40.72s and with my FPS locked at 25 on a 2.2 GHz P4 and a GeForce 4600 get 20-25 FPS even in high desity airprorts like ORD and running PIC 767 aircraft. Each computer system will be different in performance so you might have to experiment to find the best for your.One last note, do you know if that 8X video card defaults back to a 4X mode if you do not have it installed on a 8X motherboard? I know those type of boards are just coming out and the video card might not be compatable with your motherboard. It would be like putting a race car engine in a dump truck. Both are very powerful but will not work well together because they are designed to do different jobs.Terry

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi tlassiter.There is currently no motherboard that makes efficient use of 8x AGP.. it's simply a marketing hype.4x is practically identical to 8x in every gaming speed test I have seen.Incredibly, the newer GEForce4 ti4200 with 64Mb has been rumored to actually be faster than the 128Mb version.As with all computer components, it is clockspeed and memory amount/speed that determines the quickness of a video card. It matters very little if a motherboard "defaults" to 4x AGP, as essentially the are all 4x.Dick

[W2DR 1,859]

The 64MB card is, indeed, the faster of the two. All of the 128MB cards use slower memory (4ns vs. 3.6ns to keep the cost down) and that puts them a tad behind on the performance curve.Doug

[rhumbaflappy 113]

Hi Doug.That makes sense, then.And it also questions whether the 128mb vs 64mb is another "hype".If 64mb is adequate for all Directx applications, then 128mb is simply a way to lure consumers to buy added video ram that has no real use. Perhaps DirectX9 games will see the benefits of 128mb, but it appears Directx8 and lower do not need it.It makes the 64mb ti4200 card look like a pretty good value.Dick

[W2DR 1,859]

I thinks it's the best value around Dick. You have it right as there is little, if any, use for a 128MB card right now. And for anyone wanting a temporary, and relatively inexpensive, solution while awaiting the next generation of nVidia cards the 64MB 4200 just can't be beaten. Once the games have caught-up with all the DX9 capabilities a 64MB card will be a bit short on performance but, for now, they work just fine.Doug