Replace X1950XTX with 9600GT..your thoughts

[Kursah]

Well, I've had this x1950xtx for around 6 months, it's doing a pretty good job, but runs toasty and I am done messing with clocks on it. Since I mostly play CoD4 MP...running ATI Tool/RivaTuner/ATITrayTools in the background causes lockup due to Punkbuster. So I went with bios modding and ended up at 715GPU/1080Mem (GDDR4 too ). It does a pretty good job, and plays what I want for the most part at my 19" monitor's native 1440x900 resolution.

Now I've done the math, and the closest popular 4:3 resolution is 1280x1024...still about 1MP off iirc though.

I know the 9600GT is a great card, and a decent one can be had at Newegg for $149.99 + ~$7 S/H. Pretty sweet deal:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134040

I would either get the $8 turbo module or a 120mm fan...of course there's another one that has a better cooling setup (if I didn't get an S1 for one of these!), but is $25+ more before MIR:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127333

Would either of these be worth an upgrade from my x1950xtx for gaming? I feel that is is..but want some suggestions here...my budget is tight, I want some sort of decent cooling for oc-ing...pre-installed or not. Considering these prices...it's almost worth it to get either of them since OE cooled cards are in the same price range.

Also other questions on OC-ing...I prefer BIOS OC'd cards anymore as it seems running anything in the background while playing a game with Punkbuster causes issues (at least with my ATI and ATI Tool, ATI Tray tools and Rivatuner)...how are things going in that respect...I've read of users hitting between 740-760 GPU...pretty damn healthy increase IMO. Thanks for reading, those of you experienced users out there, please let me know if this is a worthy budget upgrade to go for or not.

Thanks!

 

[Solaris17]

Id most deffinately say so clock high really good performance modding ability is pretty good and they keep pretty cool for a big grfx card...the 9600GT cooler does good in crysis i get about 58ºC load overclocked

 

[Kursah]

Nice...so either of these coolers, the S2 (with fan added) or the MSI version would do a good job then.

I may just have to go for it...I want a 3870 or 8800GT...but for the price it seems they don't give a whole lot more than I would hope for, and they're both beyond my price range really...the MSI 9600GT is pushing the envelope of what I can donate to this upgrade this time around. I'm just impressed to see such a strong runner for so cheap! Plus I'm itching to get a good oc-able card...and if you have one, I'm shoe in for one helluva tuned monster!

Any other 9600's you recommend aside from what I chose?

 

[Solaris17]

no not really though id get the msi personally their pretty long cards and that passive solution you posted first looks like it could cause probs pretty easy...and ya they fly when you tweak them i could help if you wish...even working on a vmod coming along good so far

 

[Kursah]

How about BIOS Overclocking? Of course I would verify with a tuner first, but after that I'd want it to run that for 3D profile (not familiar with NV's switching anymore...but if it's like ATI's then I know what to expect).

I think I'm gonna have find a way to make this work in the next week or two!

The passive solution wouldn't stay passive...the AC S1 I have on my x1950xtx is a beast...if I replace the 1950, it goes to a buddy of mine's PC cause' he needs an upgrade really bad, and this just works out well for everyone. I may let him take the S1 with it...but I might put the OE leafblower on it and clock it down so it doesn't have to crank at mach9...and put an S1 on the 9600 w/fan modules. If it can keep my oc'd (w/vgpu at 1.55v, 650 stock, 715 OC...I know nothing now-a-days, but not too shabby for my card...mid-range OC), below 75C, and 8800's I think below 50C...if it'd fit a 9600GT (it's a Rev 1 S1 Cooler), I'd tear it off in a heartbeat and use it for project 9600GT!

I don't care about brand as much as I do the "bang-for-the-buck" value...and this seems to be the sweet spot right now.

 

[imperialreign]

no not really though id get the msi personally their pretty long cards and that passive solution you posted first looks like it could cause probs pretty easy...and ya they fly when you tweak them i could help if you wish...even working on a vmod coming along good so far

correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't MSI's RMA department gone down the crapper here state-side? If that's true, and this is just me, but that'd be a big ticker against them -

 

[Kursah]

correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't MSI's RMA department gone down the crapper here state-side? If that's true, and this is just me, but that'd be a big ticker against them -

Well then it better not die after the first year of service so I can deal with Newegg then!

I don't even know if I could swing the MSI...I'm searching now to see if anyone's tried an AC S1 Rev1 cooler on a 9600GT...I'm reading all-day long about the Rev2's...I got one of the last Rev1's at the time when everyone was waiting for RV2's to be released and stocked. I know someone here on TPU has used a rev 1 on an 8800GT...or I'm pretty sure...

If that's the case, I think my Rev 1 would fit on a 9600GT...and I would be set as-far-as cooling would go.

 

[Solaris17]

correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't MSI's RMA department gone down the crapper here state-side? If that's true, and this is just me, but that'd be a big ticker against them -

well with the modifications i do RMA is never a possability after the first hour of ownership so i cant heklp anyone with that


as for the bios overclocking what do you not undersatnd jursah ill tell you..

 

[Kursah]

Looking forward to this....just wish I could order up the card NOW lol! I'm set to get one of these though, from what I've seen it'll be a great fit for my rig and my gaming resolution. If I gamed higher, then worrying about not getting an 8800GT/HD3870 might be a little more on my mind, but it seems this little 9600GT is just a kickass card for budget.

I read somewhere someone said if a cooler can fit the 7xxx series, it can fit the 9600GT...still haven't found anyone who may have tried the AC S1 on it. I hope it does because that is in my plans... I'll get the cheapest GT (reference design...I'm sure that's all that's out there atm) and hopefully my big S1 will fit! But that's a week or two off at the longest...maybe a day or two at the soonest as-to when I could order one.

Thanks for the responses, if anyone has any other suggestions/ideas here, please feel free to let me know!

 

[JrRacinFan]

Kursah, exactly like Nike, JUST DO IT!!!! I think you will be quite happy!