LeadTek NVidia GeForce 9500GT 1GB Graphics Card - should I?

Hi guys

Here's the link: 9500GT

Would you recommend it? And since it's Dx10, would GP4 work with it? I wouldn't be too happy if it doesn't. The onboard Geforce 7050 I currently have already does a decent job, but its drawbacks are:
1. It's not a dedicated GPU
2. It uses system RAM - 256MB - for its processing.

Since the 9500GT has 1GB ram, I'd believe it will improve gaming immensely. But if it's worse for GP4 I wouldn't touch it.

The other option I have is upgrading my 2.0GHz Pentium Dual Core to a 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo.

So which would benefit me the most?

Thanks for the replies, guys.

DX is backwards compatible, so there is no problem. GP4 can only use one cpu AFAIK, and the cpu you have is adequate.

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Thanks Mortal for the quick reply. So the performance I will gain from getting the new GPU will be greater than the performance gain by getting a new CPU? Especially seeing as the GPU I have is an onboard?

So, say if I play the 2006/7mods on 1024x768 on the onboard graphics - at what I would call medium graphics, I can expect to play it at almost full graphics with the 9500GT? It seems like a brilliant card for its price.

Thanks again...

I cannot comment on a performance gain, if any. However, the card you are looking at is better than what you have now. One of my computers has a 9600GT with HDMI out. It runs GP4 at 30fps 1024 x 768 and without checking it, I think it has a core 2 2.0ghz cpu. This comp I am using now has two Radeon 3800 512MB DDR4 and a core 2 duo 3ghz cpu, it can run GP4 fully maxed out.

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[www.mediafire.com] Some say you should click it, you know you want to. [www.gp4central.com] <----GP4 Central

9600GT would be a better card if you can get one. I had an 8500GT previously, and it is only just capable of top end graphics. (i believe the 9500GT is the same card, just rebadged) I currently use the 9600GT on my laptop and it's fine I'm running my personal 1997 mod at the mo - 1366*768 (max res of my screen) 35fps LOD1 only, full details, and getting PO of 20% average, 40% max

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Yeah - only the price is a bit steeper, could only afford up to the 9500GT's price. The 9800 I can actually get cheaper here in SA than the 9600.

Use on your laptop - you mean onboard obviously...? Sorry for the stupid question.

Which CPU do you have, an e5200?, if so spend some money on a decent aftermarket cooler (Freezer 7 Pro / rev 2) and overclock if your board and memory will allow. I have an e5200 running brilliantly at 3.75Ghz with that cooler, great for GP4.

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Well it's an E2180 2.0ghz... So I can go to at least 3GB with it with a great cooler? Will look into prices for cooling systems. Thanks for the tip!

not a stupid question at all! It's actually a dedicated card - has 1 gig of its own memory and then steals 1 gig of system memory if you let it (i personally don't)

I think the 9800 would actually be even better. But as GP4 is more CPU limited, it is more than possible that you will see better performance from a faster CPU. I have a Centrino2 T7450 running at 2.1GHz in my laptop (4 gig of RAM too). As WillB says, the Core2Duos do overclock very well. I had an E6300 in an old desktop, stock speed of 1.86GHz, and i got it up to 2.8GHz, with the Intel stock cooler. It all depends on what settings your motherboard will allow you to change really, so check your BIOS first...

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You already have a superior processor and complementing it with a 9500GT is more than enough to run GP4. This is a 2002 game which is not so demanding in graphics even with all the mods thrown in. There's not much difference between the performance of a 9500 & a 9600 except the price. If youre within your budget, go for the 9500, its worth the buy for a GP4 game.

Thanks a lot harji and mangrove!

I think at this stage I am leaning toward the graphics card above the processor, at least short-term, as I believe I will benefit alot more from a dedicated graphics card, as most of you seem to believe the E2180 is more adequate than the onboard graphics I have.

BUT: last night an ugly problem stuck out its head, and I dunno what it is, it happened on the weekend as well and I thought it was just a once-off, but clearly I was mistaken:

When playing GP4, the game suddenly freezes, the sound like stutters like 5 times, e.g. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-z-z-z-z-z, and then the computer just resets on its own, without a BSOD of any sort... I honestly have no clue what it is. Dunno if it could be the graphics card sharing some of my system memory, and because I only have one RAM cartridge at the moment, it buggers around?

As it's a fairly new computer which wasn't used alot by my dad, the previous owner, I am not hoping it's a malfunctional hardware element... Has anyone seen this behaviour before? Because if it is the sharing of the RAM, I am definitely getting the gfx card.

If it's the processor, on the other hand, I will get a new processor...

Thanks in advance for the help guys...

hmm. could be two things i think. it shouldn't be lack of RAM - in my experience you'd just get either a CTD (crash to desktop) or a BSOD (Blue screen of doom). What it could be is something overheating (check inside for dust and that all the fans are spinning, and the heatsinks are stuck securely) or it could be the beginnings of a dying power supply, which would be potentially more serious. I'm not completely sure though, but those are two common issues which could cause a stutter then reset...

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Team Japan Owner - GPGNC

Thanks Harji I will check the heatsinks, and I do have the power supply of our old PC, so I can do those 2 things so long! Also, the current power supply is VERY dusty, will clean it out and see how it goes... but it could still be at least faulty RAM, now I think about it.

The old PC I referred to earlier, we got a 500MB ram cartridge from someone to go with the 768 we already had, and it kept restarting, but also it somehow corrupted system files, so Windows couldn't restart. Thought it was the hard drive, but for some reason I pulled the 500MB we got from the guy, and it hasn't happened since - after a re-format, of course.

Anyway: As luck will have it, all the reputable-and-cheap stockists of the 9500GT are on holiday til the 4th... GEEZ it's gonna be a loooong 4 and a bit days till then! :/ Oh well.

I currently have a 300w power supply, now according to a Power supply unit calculating website, I only need 185W, but could you guys maybe give me a 2nd opinion?

My specs are - as detailed as can be:

- GF7050v-M7 Motherboard
- Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.0GHz E2180 processor
- 1024MB DDR2 RAM
- On-Board Nvidia GeForce 7050/nForce610i Graphics Adapter, using 256MB of the System's Ram
- Yamaha 2 channel PCI Sound Card - very basic
- LG DVD Writer, IDE
- 1x Sata Hard Drive, main
- 1x IDE 7200RPM Seagate HardDrive
- 1x 920mm fan

If anyone can give me clarity on whether it really only uses 185W for all this, it would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

300W should be more than adequate, but only if it;s a good quality 300W supply. you mention (if i understand correctly) that you have an old power supply, so it might be worth putting that in and seeing if your problem occurs (or rather continues to occur!)

Looking at your specs, it looks very similar to a specification that i had personally for my last PC (different CPU, same Brand - was slower i'll admit). I think you'd get most benefit from some more RAM (especially if it has been a bit dodgy in the past - it could quiet easily be a memory issue, but i would expect that you would get a quick blue screen 'stop' error if your memory was faulty as the pc resets) and also a new graphcs card. the 9500GT would be an improvement over what you have, and would run GP4... i'm not sure exactly how well (i sold my 8500 a while ago) but as mangrove says, it should run it (i reckon you'd get at least 30-35fps which is nicely playable for me on a decent resolution).

My personal choice (obviously i don't know what component prices are like in your part of the world ) would be to save up a little while and invest in some more RAM and the fastest GPU you can afford (ie the 9800 as i mentioned). This way you're futureproofing yourself. But first, it'd probably be best to find out what's causing the random restarts!

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Thanks Harji! Well I can confirm that the CPU heatsink wasn't 100% fastened - probably caused by the 500km drive the pc had to endure on Monday...

And this specific computer's memory hasn't had any issues I know of, but it was my dad's pc til Monday. It looks like I will have some money to use and/or save monthly, so I think I will take the next 3 or so months to get some RAM, a GPU and then a CPU.

Also, I put in the 250W PSU from the old PC, it seems to be running stable now, combined with the fastened CPU heatsink, of course :P I was extensively testing and playing for say 8 hours last night, and no problems so far, so it seems all good.

I really think then, my best options will be the E7500 2.93GHz Dual core CPU and the 9800GT GPU, as you said. With them, obviously, a bigger PSU. What would be the best wattage after all that? Will a 350W suffice? I believe it should.

That 300W power supply that my dad had in it - which I actually bought about a year ago :P looks real crappy! It's a real Cheap China brand, the 250W one seems to be doing much better, also looks alot more reliable from the outside.

To give you an idea: The 9500GT and E7500 are both around R650 - South African Rand - here. 10 Rand is 1 Euro. So say it's about 65 Euro's for each. But if your salary is only 9 times that, you have to work carefully.

But RAM sounds like a good place to start, Especially as that's only about R220 for 1GB of RAM.

Thanks again for your advice, it is very much appreciated!

I will use this thread again for any more technical questions...

Change your power supply to 450 or 500w. Youre already using dual core and 7000 series geforce. 300w is a thing of the past.

mangrove Wrote:
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> Change your power supply to 450 or 500w. Youre
> already using dual core and 7000 series geforce.
> 300w is a thing of the past.

Well using a 250 Watt one now and it's much better than the 300W one that was in. Also, the graphics is on-board.

you might one day be using a high end external video card so that can be an option.

generally, it's not overall power output, but quality that matters. I thought i needed a 400W psu ages ago (this is when i was younger and less experienced), so i bought a cheap and cheerful 400W PSU, and the darn thing was a nightmare. I then changed it to a 350W one which was more expensive, and problems eased...

but yeah, mangrove has a point, if you're gonna be upgrading to a serious video card, 250W probably won't be enough (no matter how reliable!)

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Team Japan Owner - GPGNC