Low end card choices: ATI Radeon HD 4650 or nVidia GT 220?

[neilencio]

Please don't hit me with the usual "those cards are not good for gaming, buy [insert high end card here] instead". Money's a little bit tight right now, I'm just buying a cheap preassembled core i3 rig, and I have a choice between one that comes with a 4650 (GDDR2) and one that has a GT220 (GDDR3). I will have to make do with these two choices until I save enough to buy a high end card and a decent PSU (since I don't trust the generic500 watt PSUs that come with the rigs.) but it's going to be a few months off and I have to make do with what they come with.

I looked at specs online and it's not very telling (I mean, the GT 220 has a higher clock rate than a [significantly faster] GT 240?). Other people who are asking the same question are usually hit with an advice to buy something else, instead of a good answer to the question.

Just to give you an idea of my expectations - my current rig has a 9500 GT, and it was enough for the kind of games I play (1024x768 is usually enough for me). But it would be nice if a 4650 or a gt 220 would give me more FPS.

Off topic rant: it kinda irks me that the the progression of videocards nowadays is not "newer model is faster than the previous generation's" but "current model of a card is roughly equal to previous generation's equivalent, and then you use the 2nd digit to decide which of the current generation is faster".

I could understand it with rebrands, but a GT 430 being slower than a card that is two generations of architecture older (9600 GT)? I mean, the 8800 GTS is still a viable high end card these days.

Back in the day, when faced with an FX 5500, a geforce 6200 and a 7300 GT, you'll automatically know which one is faster just based on their generation and their overall model number.

[jeffro11]

They are about par... 220 may be a TEENSY bit faster. Go for the cheaper of the two.

[deathsled]

wow my mind is blown. You're asking about some seriously old technology here.

You game at 1024x768?

You're planning to upgrade to an i-rig?

My main PC is a dual core pentium with a 260gtx and it plays pretty much whatever I want at 1920x1200........

It sounds almost like you're trying to decide between a couple different pre-built PCs, which means that neither one are good choices, haha

[jeffro11]

Your an idiot. Read his post.

[neilencio]

anyways, thanks for the recommendation jeffro. I didn't think of it at first but I used youtube and checked videos of things running on a gt 220 and it seems it's good enough (I prefer this over the radeon one because it's a couple of hundred pesos cheaper).

I also use PCSX2 and Dolphin more than PC games so I really need a faster cpu more than a strong videocard, and a sandy bridge-based i3 hits the sweetspot for my needs. Anything higher is too expensive for my budget, anything lower just wouldn't be fast enough (although my current e5800 seems to be enough for the less demanding PS2 and GC/wii games).

[jeffro11]

Good luck with your purchase! Post back and let us know how it performs!

[Whatever]

DDR3
Not sure if either of those cards are much an upgrade over a 9500gt?

[Hatta]

wow my mind is blown. You're asking about some seriously old technology here.

Do you know where you are?

[Gnashvar]

wow my mind is blown. You're asking about some seriously old technology here.

Do you know where you are?

I don't think he does. He would probably freak out if he finds out I have a 300w PSU. I also play Oblivion at 800x600.

[irixith]

Your an idiot. Read his post.

I love it when I see people say this. Why is it that 99% of the time, the person calling the other person an idiot can't use the proper "You're"? Pot, kettle, etc. I've always felt if you're going to call someone out on the internet, you'd better have spelling and grammar down pat. They're pretty much all you have!

As to the original post, I'd pick the 220. I actually prefer ATI cards, but down at that level you're better off support-wise with the NVida option. More games will run problem free (and in some cases, with those few extra FPS you want) on that card than the ATI card.