Video Card Upgrade

[deadfrog]

Hi,

Ive got an oldish G4 Digital Audio Dual 533, with an ati rage 128 pro. Thing is, this video card seems to be not quite coping with photoshop and illustrator at times. It seems to have issues updating type mostly. Am using them all the time as im doing graphic design.

Plus, wouldnt mind playing games a little better too.

Does anyone have any recomendations for which video card to go for, im looking to get something relatively cheap, cos ill be thinking of upgrading to a g5 when they get updated again.

Also does anyone know of any good places to buy one from, would like somewhere cheap!

Cheers

 

[cluthz]

You are using osx?

There are several Gfx cards available.
There are two "cheap" choices:
Ati Radeon 9000pro 128MB (agp)
Ati Radeon 9200 128MB (pci)

The 9000 will be a bit faster, but unuable in a G5
The 9200 work in almost everymac and you don't have to remove your old videocard. It can also be used with G5s to connect more screens.
Both cards costs about $120-150.

Both are much faster than the Rage 128 pro!

There is also a Ati Radeon 9800, but it will be an overkill in your machine.

If you are lucky you could also get a Radeon 8500 or a Geforce 4mx cheap on eBay.


I changed the Rage 128pro card with a Geforce4mx in my G4/400 a few years ago and it made osx run much more smoothly. Windows opened quicker and no lagging while scrolling...

Also RAM upgrade will boost your speed. If you have under 512mb RAM, then get more it will speed up your photoshopping..

 

[deadfrog]

Thanks for replying,

Yeah, im using osx and have 768MB ram, possibly 1GB but have yet to try a potentially dodgy bit of ram which i posted a question about on the hardware forum. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/99737/

ok so the 9200 seems like the sensible option baring in mind i may be upgrading soon anyhow...

So basically i need to find somewhere now where i can either get it in the uk cheap or shipped across...

Cheers for your help

rich

 

[cluthz]

Thanks for replying,

Yeah, im using osx and have 768MB ram, possibly 1GB but have yet to try a potentially dodgy bit of ram which i posted a question about on the hardware forum. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/99737/

ok so the 9200 seems like the sensible option baring in mind i may be upgrading soon anyhow...

So basically i need to find somewhere now where i can either get it in the uk cheap or shipped across...

Cheers for your help

rich

I have bought from OWC a few times, i think they charged $26 for the shipping from USA to Norway, it took about a week. I still saved much compared to buy it in Norway.

 

[jared_kipe]

Thanks for replying,

Yeah, im using osx and have 768MB ram, possibly 1GB but have yet to try a potentially dodgy bit of ram which i posted a question about on the hardware forum. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/99737/

ok so the 9200 seems like the sensible option baring in mind i may be upgrading soon anyhow...

So basically i need to find somewhere now where i can either get it in the uk cheap or shipped across...

Cheers for your help

rich

I don't think PCI will be fast enough to do "gaming" on. Isn't that the whole reason we moved to AGP and now PCI Express? Wouldn't he be able to use a radeon 9600 or something that would work better in a G5?

 

[deadfrog]

from what i understood, if i got a 9600 then it would either work in my g4 or the new g5 when i get it, not both as they are slightly different. I imagine its something you can mod but it voids warrenty.

Plus i think its a little more expensive...

ive now ordered a 9200 from owc... should be coming in the next couple of days i think.

thanks for all your input.

rich