GeForce 4 MX 440

Seth · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **166 Gold** -

I got Pirates as a christmas present which leaves me wondering whether have to get myself a new graphics card. By now, I use a nVidia GeForce 4 MX 440, which (as I have learnt from this thread) is not sufficient for playing Pirates fluently while enjoying all the details and features.

Though I am willing to upgrade, I would still like to stick with nVidia for its great Linux driver support. Any suggestions on the chipset choice? It does not need to be high-end, for I do not plan to run any other game than Pirates in the nearer future.

Thanks a lot!!!

Kiffer · Swabbie Posts: 55 **62 Gold** -

I'm using Geforce 4 MX 440. It works fine. I don't even have the settings at a minimum.

It crashed once or twice, but i was using running one of the trainers at the time, but later i realised the reason. Nothing to do with graphics nor the trainer at all.

Rock · Cutthroat Posts: 416 **7607 Gold** -

I don't think the game is very demanding in the graphics area. Of course I have a nvidia GeForce 4 TI 4600. Anyway, compared with the other games I'm playing, LOTR Battle for Middle Earth and MOH Pacific Assault the graphics on Pirates seem pretty mild. Anyway If you're going for a new graphics card go for the best your system can handle. Period. Mine goes for under a hundred right now and it was 300 bucks a year ago. It'll handle any games currently out there.

bigchief · Seaman Posts: 137 **5304 Gold** -

GeForce 4 MX is the same chip as the GeForce 2. It may run the game, but you won't get the best performance, and you won't get pixel and vertex shaders.

I have been using a GeForce 4 Ti 4200, and I can't turn everything up to where it would look the best. I have been putting off buying a new video card, as I thought I needed a new MB and CPU worse, but the fan is going out on the video card, so I am having to get a new one.

I just ordered a GeForce FX 5500 from NewEgg.com. It is nowhere near the top of the line card, but it is only $80. It should be plenty fast to do most anything, and it has 256 MB of ram. I checked out some reviews on it, and they were all positive. Most said something like: "It's a great card for the price". That was part of what I was looking for (price), so I can't see how I can go wrong for $80, and it should tide me over until I can get the MB and CPU upgraded. I should be getting it tomorrow, so I can let you know how it does after I play with it this weekend.

Seth · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **166 Gold** -

Thanks a lot for your comments.

I took some time this afternoon to research the performance differences between the nVidia chipset families. I found that all the chipsets (even from the GeForce FX and GeForce 6 families) which can be operated with passive cooling (e.g. 5200 or 6200) do not give any significant performance improvement compared to the GeForce 4 MX 440.

So improving the GPU performance would make me end up with a noisy graphics adapter which is quite annoying when you spend most of your time doing office jobs.

@bigchief: The GeForce FX 5500 you have ordered has a fan on its GPU, right?

bigchief · Seaman Posts: 137 **5304 Gold** -

Yes, it does have a cooling fan. I know what you mean by noisy video cards. That's why I am replacing the GeF 4. The fan has come loose from the GPU. It is probably cooling it ok, but it is making a horrible rattling noise. However, before the fan came loose, I never really noticed it being any louder. I don't have super quiet case fans or anything like that. They make more noise than the GPU fan. I upgraded to the GeF 4 from a GeF 2 with no fan, and there was no difference in the overall noise level.

Rock · Cutthroat Posts: 416 **7607 Gold** -

FYI

Here's a good site for buying quiet hardware:

http://www.endpcnoise.com/
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Seth · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **166 Gold** -

Thanks again, this discussion definitely yields some results.

@Rock: Your hint has brought some good new insights. At endpcnoise.com they sell fanless heatpipes specifically designed for usage on GPUs. Their cooling performance should be at least sufficient for mid-range adapters (such as GeForce FX 5500 or 5700LE).

@bigchief: I use low-noise fans in my whole system (CPU, case, power supply) to keep the noise level acceptable. That's why I'm very interested in keeping the graphics adapter noiseless by all means. Please let me know how your GeForce FX 5500 performs, so will I know if it's worthwhile to take a closer look at the mid-range models of the FX family.

Rock · Cutthroat Posts: 416 **7607 Gold** -

Yeah seth...

The next computer I build will be using a LOT of their products! I hate noise coming from my machine too!! Check out their water cooling systems - drool ($$$). My luck though is that I'd spring a leak!! Evil or Very Mad

AVAST YE SWABBIES
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"You can't fight in here!! This is the war room!" - Dr. Strangelove

bigchief · Seaman Posts: 137 **5304 Gold** -

I have been using the FX 5500 since Friday evening. I have had no problems out of it at all. I haven't noticed a big increase in performance over the GeF 4 Ti 4200. Maybe about 10% better. I am able to see the opening videos now, where they just flashed before, but I think that's because I was using older drivers. I do think it was well worth the $80 I spent on it.

Seth · Powder Monkey Posts: 4 **166 Gold** -

@bigchief: That settles it. I will go for a mid-range GeForce FX with heatpipe cooling. Due to the negligible pricing gap between the FX 5500 and FX 5700 and the relatively reasonable power consumption characteristics of the FX 5700 I will get myself a FX 5700 (no LE) and combine it with a Zalman ZM80D-HP heatpipe. According to Zalman (this is backed up by some forum posts) this combination can be operated completely fanless.

@all: Thank you for your valuable input!!!

watson42467 · Cutthroat Posts: 350 **573 Gold** -

I recently purchased purchased and using a GeForce 5200. At leats I can play the game now. I installed the omega drivers and they actually caused more problems than help. I recommend not using them using with this card and I don't know about other nvidia cards. Even with the new card, there are several instances of video gliches.

The background colors on the screen are different colors.

Frames missing in cut scenes.

I noticed a slow down in the duel with blackbeard.

In all the duels there are frames missing.

In the dancing sequences there are pauses in between movements.

I have not noticed any slowdown in the shop battles however, as many people have stated they have.

I have not read enough on this subject whether these are issues with all cards or just nvidia based cards. From what I have read, I would assume these are glitches in the game itself. Hopefully, Firaxis will be issuing a patch soon. It's ashame that this fine game couldn't have waited a bit longer to be released before being released.
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rupertlittlebear · Helmsman Posts: 4545 **10381 Gold** -

I always wonder if slowdowns during vid display are caused by the Vid card or by the Motherboard being over loaded with tasks.

Is the slowdown caused by the Computer not being able to keep up with the game or by the Vid needing more information than it can handle?

bigchief · Seaman Posts: 137 **5304 Gold** -

It seems to be some of both in this game. I play the game on two computers (my computer at home, and the one at work). The one at home has a little better graphics card and a better sound card. The computer at work has a faster processor. Different things work better or worse on the two computers.

Movement on land is was faster on the comp with the faster processor. The dancing, ship to ship fighting, and sword duels seem to be faster on the comp with the better video and sound.

The blackbeard fight slowdown is because of increased graphics. It's the effects of the fire and smoke from his beard. I don't know if it's because of the increased number of polygons that the effects have, or if it's because the extra effects are being rendered with special graphical effects like shading.