Upgrading G4 (Digital Audio) video card

[fBaran]

CPU: Dual 533Mhz G4
RAM: 1.5GB
HDD: SATA 250GB WD
USB 2.0
Video: AGP GeForce MX 32MB (I'm pretty sure at least. It's a brown AGP slot)

I'm looking to upgrade my vid card to anything really, but with some research I've come down to the ATI Radeon 9200 or the 9800. What I'm looking for is something that _doesn't_ need to be ROM flashed. Just plug and play. Any advice/suggestions/help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Must mention that I use the machine for iTunes, web surfing, and Photoshop use. Also, it's eventually going to get hooked up to a 20" LCD, more than likely DVI...so yeah.

 

[banjomamo]

i had a quicksilver pm that i upgraded to an ati radeon 9200 several years ago and it was a great upgrade. i believe there are mac editions of both of the models you specified . in my experience i just dropped the card in, started it up and it was working.

 

[SmurfBoxMasta]

uuummmmm............the Rad9200 is a PCI-based card, which will certainly work in any pci slot, but you will be giving up the added bandwidth of the AGP slot also...........

OTOH, the Radeon 9800 is a GREAT card, although still somewhat expensive. I got a flashed peecee card last yr for $75 for my QS and it is still running great, supports Core Image & all the eye candy effects too

Between those 2 cards lies the Radeon 8500.... a better buy in most respects than the 9800, just with less vram and a bit slower overall but still a good upgrade over the GF MX

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'd recommend the Radeon 9800 Pro. It's pretty easy to find and offers good performance.

Alternately, you may be able to find one of the Radeon 9600 Pro 64MB cards that Other World Computing (OWC) converted to run in certain G4 towers, including the Digital Audio. I have one, and it is a very godd card, with DVI, that fills the performance gap between the 9200 and 9800 Pro.

 

[Kashchei]

I recommend the Radeon 9800 as well. I put one in my g4 PowerMac recently and have been pleased with it. Just my two cents.