Video Card Upgrade

[JediExile]

I have a radeon 9700 pro and it's worked fine for the most part, but I've had it for around 3 years and am fed up with the bad driver support. I'm thinking about getting a geforce card and would appreciate any advice on what is a good card that would work with this game for about 100-150 dollars.

 

Thanks

[11238_1556103629]

GeForce 6800 Ultra?

I'm a noob at nVidia...

[Master Dahvernas]

I have a radeon 9700 pro and it's worked fine for the most part, but I've had it for around 3 years and am fed up with the bad driver support.  I'm thinking about getting a geforce card and would appreciate any advice on what is a good card that would work with this game for about 100-150 dollars.

 

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You are going to have to be willing to spend (if possible) at least $200 or more for a decent card that will last you a good while.

 

The 6800NU is a good Nvidia card for around $250 (or less; shop around).

 

You definitely want an Nvidia card since KOTOR games are OpenGL and Nvidia has always done better with OGL games than ATI due to their drivers which I am sure you already know.

 

Also, with the bloatware CCC (Catalyst Control Center) that ATI keeps pushing (that adds yet another resource hog running in the background when gaming) it is a no brainer to go Nvidia this time as the new Nvidia cards do both OGL and D3D equally well where you need ONE card for ALL games and not have to worry about the API (OpenGL or D3D) that is used for a particular game.

[JediExile]

Well thanks for the advice. I guess I will have to spend some money again. I payed around 300 for the radeon 9700 pro when it was pretty new. I guess I will have to spend some big bucks again.

[Judge Hades]

Nvidia is the best route to go. It may not be the fastest cards out there but it is the most compatible and has the best drivers. For your price range I would suggest either this one:

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...1118492&CatId=0

 

or

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...1221040&CatId=0

 

Depends if you have PCI Express or AGP. An AGP version of the first one goes about $25 to 50 more than the PCI Express. Also you would want to check your power supply system on your rig. Most defaults come with 250 watts which would be too week. I would suggest getting a 420 to 500 watts before getting the card.

[JediExile]

Thanks for the links.

[Judge Hades]

No problemo. Its my good deed for the week.

[Craftsman]

I would go for the Geforce 6600GT.

[MaglorD]

In your price range, probably a plain GeForce 6600(AGP).

 

http://www.futurepowerpc.com/scripts/detai...600256&REFID=PW

[Sneaky Smurf]

Yeah the 6600 series is the way to go for mid range nvidia cards, just make sure you buy a AGPx8 version if you dont have PCI express.

 

Ive never had a problem with cats though.

[JediExile]

Thanks for the help. I just ordered the MSI NX6600GT-VTD128. It was a little more money then 150, but hopefully it will be more compatible with games driver wise.

 

Anyway does anyone know how to fix the gamma problem with ATI drivers where it resests to dark after cut scenes or leaving the game?

 

Thanks

[MaglorD]

Thanks for the help.  I just ordered the MSI NX6600GT-VTD128.  It was a little more money then 150, but hopefully it will be more compatible with games driver wise. 

 

Anyway does anyone know how to fix the  gamma problem with ATI drivers where it resests to dark after cut scenes or leaving the game? 

 

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You need to adjust your gamma using ATI's control panel rather than the ingame gamma slider, which seems bugged for ATI cards. Just increase the gamma to a higher setting in the ATI control panel than you normally use and don't touch the ingame gamma slider.

[JediExile]

Ah thanks for the tip. It doesn't work as well as the in game gamma, but at least I can see things good enough to play without having to switch after every cut scene.

[JediExile]

I maxed out game gamma in the control pannel and it's still to dark. I have the game for xbox and looked at the opening screen. I can see the whole body of the sith lord. In the PC I can only see his face unless I adjust the brightness slider in game. My monitor is maxed out in brightness. Anyway to make it any brighter?

[MaglorD]

I maxed out game gamma in the control pannel and it's still to dark.  I have the game for xbox and looked at the opening screen.  I can see the whole body of the sith lord.  In the PC I can only see his face unless I adjust the brightness slider in game.  My monitor is maxed out in brightness.  Anyway to make it any brighter?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

hmm that's odd. You can try adjusting the ingame gamma to almost maximum. Then use the ATI control panel to do the finishing touches.

[JediExile]

I maxed out game gamma in the control pannel and it's still to dark.  I have the game for xbox and looked at the opening screen.  I can see the whole body of the sith lord.  In the PC I can only see his face unless I adjust the brightness slider in game.  My monitor is maxed out in brightness.  Anyway to make it any brighter?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

hmm that's odd. You can try adjusting the ingame gamma to almost maximum. Then use the ATI control panel to do the finishing touches.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The problem is that the in game gamma adjustment always defaults back to the ATI contral pannel gamma after a movie or after leaving the game.

[MaglorD]

I maxed out game gamma in the control pannel and it's still to dark.  I have the game for xbox and looked at the opening screen.  I can see the whole body of the sith lord.  In the PC I can only see his face unless I adjust the brightness slider in game.  My monitor is maxed out in brightness.  Anyway to make it any brighter?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

hmm that's odd. You can try adjusting the ingame gamma to almost maximum. Then use the ATI control panel to do the finishing touches.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The problem is that the in game gamma adjustment always defaults back to the ATI contral pannel gamma after a movie or after leaving the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In my case, the ATI control panel is able to compensate for the brightness sufficiently so I don't have to use the ingame slider. I set the ATI gamma to about 2.75 out of a maximum of 3.50 instead of the usual 2.00 for 3d applications. Besides the gamma, you can also try increasing the brightness in the ATI control panel.

[JediExile]

Turning up brightness in the control pannel doesn't help. I'm certian it is a bug of some sort with the game engine. The only way to fix the gamma is in game and it changes to the ATI setting after every movie or leaving the game.

[Lcaus Scuks]

Leadtek WinFast PX6600 GT TDH Extreme Version (~ 200 $) is better than GeForce 6800 by default and it can be overclocked for better performance, but if you ordered already ...

I should change my signature to "don't listen to Hades"

[Rodatam]

the geforce 6600 is an 6800 with 128bits and 8 pipes (instead of 256, 12)

cant see where it can be better.....

[JediExile]

Turning up brightness in the control pannel doesn't help.  I'm certian it is a bug of some sort with the game engine.  The only way to fix the gamma is in game and it changes to the ATI setting after every movie or leaving the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I ordered the MSI 6600GT. The 6800 cards are around 350-450 from what I saw a bit more then I wanted to spend.

[Mark Havel]

As far as I know the GeForce 6600 GT have quite the same performance than the radeon 9800 Pro which is just a bit more performant than Radeon 9700 Pro. So don't hope so much difference nor noticeable increase in performance (perhaps in some OpenGL apps such as Doom 3 or the KotOR series).

Yes, the Radeon 9700 Pro is/was a great piece of hardware which will allow its happy owners to run games smoothly during at least one more year.

For the CCC bloatware, I've found RadLinker which enables the control of the all the new stuff added in the CCC such as Catalyst AI (which is not in the classical control panel). Now I'm runing the driver with radlinker and without this piece of junk called CCC.

[JediExile]

As far as I know the GeForce 6600 GT have quite the same performance than the radeon 9800 Pro which is just a bit more performant than Radeon 9700 Pro. So don't hope so much difference nor noticeable increase in performance (perhaps in some OpenGL apps such as Doom 3 or the KotOR series).

Yes, the Radeon 9700 Pro is/was a great piece of hardware which will allow its happy owners to run games smoothly during at least one more year.

For the CCC bloatware, I've found RadLinker which enables the control of the all the new stuff added in the CCC such as Catalyst AI (which is not in the classical control panel). Now I'm runing the driver with radlinker and without this piece of junk called CCC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'm more concerned with the driver problems ATI seems to have with OpenGL games. Outside of these games the card has performed well for me for a few years now, but it was getting close to time for an upgrade anyway.

[Lcaus Scuks]

6600 GT is at least as fast as 9800 XT at 500/1000 and the one from Leadtek is overclocked by default(550/1120). I'm reading a magazine where it's faster than Leadtek's 6800 in Far Cry, HL2, Doom 3 (all in 1280*1024, 1600*1200, 1024*768 4xAA 8xAF, 1280*1024 4xAA 8xAF), 3dmark05 default, aquamark 3 default. The 6800 is almost as fast as 6600 GT overclocked. For nvidia cards Leadtek is always the best choice.

[MaglorD]

Turning up brightness in the control pannel doesn't help.  I'm certian it is a bug of some sort with the game engine.  The only way to fix the gamma is in game and it changes to the ATI setting after every movie or leaving the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

KotOR 1 also had the same problem until it was patched, so it is most likely a game issue.