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feldon34 · 03-15-2003, 12:07 AM

These three cards all come in a pci slot version, I double checked this.

I can try to find you more online prices or even some prices in Michigan for PCI video cards if you wish. It is getting very hard to get 3D-capable PCI video cards, as AGP is now 6 years old (a long time in computer terms).

The price on that TnT Riva 2 is astronomical considering it came out 3 years before the GeForce 2 MX cards.

But any preferences between these cards?
Do you think I would see any differences among them?
What is your guess as to the frame rate I would see?

Honestly, all 3 cards should generate ~50-70fps of animation at 1024x768. But the faster of the 3 cards is definately the MX400.

The nVidia Line (ranked by performance rather than chronology):

TnT Vanta
TnT Riva
TnT Riva 2
GeForce
GeForce 2 MX200
GeForce 256
GeForce 2 MX400
GeForce 2
GeForce 2 GTS
GeForce 4 MX440 (the product numbering here is screwy)
GeForce 3
GeForce 4 Ti
GeForce FX (5x00)

A TnT Riva 2 is roughly 1/4th the speed of a GeForce 2 MX400.
A GeForce 2 MX200 is a bandwidth-strangled MX400.

Here's a good benchmark... (the benchmark is much more demanding hardware-wise than the Aquarium):
http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/...charts-01.html

As for what I recommend, either of the 3 cards would be fine for your present computer. But should you buy a card today that will be obsolete if you upgrade your PC in 6-12 months? Nobody's saying you need to upgrade, only that if you are considering it, I would wait and then buy 'optimal' hardware vs. buying a 'band-aid' solution now.

NewEgg has the MX400 for $55. I guess pci cards are just more expensive.

I just looked on Pricewatch and all the MX400 PCI cards run $55. Ouch!

{EDIT: I tried to give you links to www.pricewatch.com but they have very unfriendly URLs, so search there for

GeForce 2 MX400 PCI
or
TnT Riva 2 PCI
}

There is no question that the migration from ISA to VLB to PCI to AGP for video cards has been annoying.

03-15-2003, 12:07 AM	#5
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	These three cards all come in a pci slot version, I double checked this. I can try to find you more online prices or even some prices in Michigan for PCI video cards if you wish. It is getting very hard to get 3D-capable PCI video cards, as AGP is now 6 years old (a long time in computer terms). The price on that TnT Riva 2 is astronomical considering it came out 3 years before the GeForce 2 MX cards. But any preferences between these cards? Do you think I would see any differences among them? What is your guess as to the frame rate I would see? Honestly, all 3 cards should generate ~50-70fps of animation at 1024x768. But the faster of the 3 cards is definately the MX400. The nVidia Line (ranked by performance rather than chronology): TnT Vanta TnT Riva TnT Riva 2 GeForce GeForce 2 MX200 GeForce 256 GeForce 2 MX400 GeForce 2 GeForce 2 GTS GeForce 4 MX440 (the product numbering here is screwy) GeForce 3 GeForce 4 Ti GeForce FX (5x00) A TnT Riva 2 is roughly 1/4th the speed of a GeForce 2 MX400. A GeForce 2 MX200 is a bandwidth-strangled MX400. Here's a good benchmark... (the benchmark is much more demanding hardware-wise than the Aquarium): http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/...charts-01.html As for what I recommend, either of the 3 cards would be fine for your present computer. But should you buy a card today that will be obsolete if you upgrade your PC in 6-12 months? Nobody's saying you need to upgrade, only that if you are considering it, I would wait and then buy 'optimal' hardware vs. buying a 'band-aid' solution now. NewEgg has the MX400 for $55. I guess pci cards are just more expensive. I just looked on Pricewatch and all the MX400 PCI cards run $55. Ouch! {EDIT: I tried to give you links to www.pricewatch.com but they have very unfriendly URLs, so search there for GeForce 2 MX400 PCI or TnT Riva 2 PCI } There is no question that the migration from ISA to VLB to PCI to AGP for video cards has been annoying. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 03-15-2003 at 12:44 AM.