Video Card Thread (Mostly Gecube x1950xt)

Yea, but doesn't the PCI-e version have twice the amount of video ram? Something like 512mb right? and a faster memory clock, I think 1400 or 1600...

My card is 648/702

I ran a stress test last night and the computer crashed at 726/800 so I guess that's the limit for overclocking....

 

That's not too bad, you got a reasonable amount out of it...
As for the low performance, I'll have a look when I get time, and try to figure out what the problem is.

 

I also sent a big pissed kinda message to GeCube.
But they probably won't react like they also didn't before.

I might try a Zalman cooler, see if it cools better and will also make it perform way way better.
If not I'll force the store to give me my 230 Euros back, cause it's not worth it if it only performs SLIGHTLY better than a 6800XT.

I mean, just look at the numbers and how much higher they all are:
http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=441&card2=503

I previously used that 6800XT and it played BF2 and 2142 pretty ok at Medium to Low settings.
It would play Joint Operations at High to Medium settings smoothly, just occasional lower framerates depending on how many objects etc.
And I just tried the X1950XT with Joint Operations at highest settings (except resolution) which it should EASILY be able to at high fps.
But again it just shut down the computer.

It seems like I have 2 problems.
That it will probably go crazy somehow and shut down the PC, and it also performs bad.

What were you pointing out about the power before?
Maybe that's it... or one of the things...

 

Shutting down under load, and poor performance under load can both be heat related, or both power related. I'm currently thinking power related for the reason that if a card gets too hot, it usually performs ok until a sudden slowdown, following either a crash or a shut down. Without question, an X1950XT is vastly more powerful than a 6800XT.

UPDATE
As posted on a Hexus forum thread:

 

Yes, and that's why it's so disappointing and strange it won't just perform well, not even on lower settings.

Would this be a good cooler too:
http://zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=278&code=013

Or would I really need one with a fan?
I would get this one then:
http://zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=192&code=013


And are those 3DMark results good?
I've been messing around with 3DMark but I don't know much about results etc.
Which again by the way also shut down the PC with the X1950XT, settings lowered...

 

Yeah, there's a heat problem or a Power problem. If you say you had to push the cooler in for it to work initially, perhaps the heat is causing the cooler to flex and not make good contact with the chip. if that's the case, it would explain the low performance and the shutdowns.
I note that Zalman cooler isn't certified for any of the high performance cards (or at least none of the ones that produce a lot of heat) - I recommend going with a VF900/950 to get good cooling performance.

 

Yeah, I did just like on this page:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1030990942

Well, first I had 1 piece of tape folded, it wouldn't completely start the computer.
So I thought, maybe it's a bit lose, and I added another piece.
Then it felt more tight and as you know it did start then.


So just a heatsink type of cooler, even though it's huge, will not cool good enough in this case?
The VF-ones seem so small though, but I guess they're good, I have a similar one for my processor and I'm pretty pleased.

Where did you see a 950 actually, I don't see it.
Or weren't you sure of the number?

 

I think there's both, but I'm not sure.
A heatsink cooler can cool that GPU, but the Zalman one just isn't good enough. a Thermalright HR-03 could do with ease, because they're much better than Zalman coolers, but there's a compatibility issue with them and the AGP X1950, which requires a bit of a Heath Robinson to cure. Therefore, a fan-assisted Zalman seems the best choice.

 

Ok, I think I'll try that.

But ahm, I also read I think in that "mod"-thread, that the cooler is glued to the card and you'd have to razor it off(?) to replace it with aftermarket coolers.
I've had the cooler off obviously, but it seems like the plugs ARE glued to the card.
Should I take those off, or... would you know what to remove etc.?
Maybe I wouldn't need to use the fanmate and I could connect the fan to plugs on the card maybe?

 

Glued?
This cooler is sounding more and more crap the more I hear about it. It may have been attached using thermal epoxy. I'd say it's very dangerous to remove the cooler by force, If it really isn't possible to remove the cooler and you've checked all the fittings are off, the only option I can think of is to put the fittings back, return the card and get your money back. Try and find an X1950XT without that awful cooler on it.

Edit: Ok, the Gecube cooler is the only one available for the X1950XT AGP, so perhaps you should try an RMA and hope you get one where the cooler's properly attached.

 

Nah, the cooler came off by just loosening the screws on the backplate.
That's why I also found it weird to read that it was glued.
Like I said, I think he meant the power-cables for the cooler are glued.

I've also read a lot that this cooler is useless, I'll first try to see if I can take everything off to replace it with another, it's in use now.

The only X1950XT for AGP I can find it the GeCube .
Do you perhaps know another website like Newegg or GPUReview that can find a lot of cards?
I'd be more than happy to buy one from ASUS, Sapphire or anything like that.
But I don't feel much like even going 1 step lower to like the X1950Pro or something.

 

Unfortunately no such product exists. I'm beginning to think it's an artificial model generated by Gecube as an overclocked version of another variant like the Pro. That would explain why it only has 256MB of RAM rather than 512MB like the proper ones. try fitting a Zalman VF900 heatsink to it, if you managed to get the Gecube one off. The fan can be plugged in anywhere you can power it, Motherboard header, Molex to 3 pin adapter or even a front bay or software fan controller.

 

Oh, no Zalman replacements?
They say they fit on the Radeon X.... Series.

But yeah, I could get another one, but I think the chance is bigger to get one with the same problem.
Maybe I could call the store or maybe GeCube or ATi, but I live in The Netherlands though, don't know if they receives calls from here.
And I also saw someone else saying GeCube didn't know what the problem was.
That's so messed up on their own products :S .

 

Alright.

And, when I cleaned the core, I found it was an X1950XT PCI-e, with the sort of official PCI-Express logo.
It was engraved on the dark mirror-like surface of the GPU.
So I guess it's actually the PCI-E on a card with an AGP-interface.
I don't know if they always do that lately when making special AGP-versions?
If not, that might also be giving problems...

 

That's why nobody but Gecube makes it. There is no official AGP X1950XT, Gecube just modded it to work with AGP.

 

Ah, I see, and then they can't even create one right.

But then, if even GeCube can do it, why doesn't one those other great companies that also create the best VGA-cards, also create a new great AGP-card?
I'm sure they can do it right and create a great one.

Because they will sell, cause everybody that right now wants the best AGP-card will buy the GeCube.
It's got the best numbers technically under the AGP-cards.

I also saw somewhere very vaguely that there would be a 512mb X1950XT soon by another brand or something, but I'm not sure.



What do you think of this one:
http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product...ce™+7900&productConfigurationId=1006114
It's the next best one I can find unless you can find a better one.

I like that it has 512MB, that's pretty much the new lowest standard instead of 256 I feel.
Or is it getting a bit old for the time being?
It's like 2 months newer than the X1950XT, but yeah:
http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=503&card2=511#

I'm not sure...

 

Well I lowered all the specs in BF2 to mostly low, some high and am playing at 1024/768.

Big improvment with the fps. On wake island I now get about 40 (lowest) to about 85 (highest) fps...

One problem... When I play Sharqi, I go down to 25-35fps. Why is this?

Also, when I try to record something, the fps go to 20, even when I play wake at 70?

Why is that too?

 

Some maps just need more "power", I think because of more objects or something like that, or the layout of the map.
Like Wake Island is an island, it doesn't have to do that much for it, especially since it's all water around the pretty thin island.

Like I would notice maps like ahm... I think it's Daqing Oilfields, would stutter a LOT more than most other maps.
Just try the worst map and put the settings so it will work good on that map and it will work the same at least or better on other maps.

But this card should probably do it on higher settings anyways, so it's not fair...
You could get my 6800XT for 50 bucks and play it on Medium to Low too.
Oh yeah, about the settings, don't put anything on High if you want to have smoother gameplay.

Try everything on 'Medium', 'Dynamics' on 'Low', AA and AA on lowest or 'Off'.
That's about it, if this card can't handle that, like it can't over here, it's just not right.

And any high setting will hit a card hard, but the high-ends ones should be able to take it.
And of course, the rest of your system should be able to take it too.

 

What are you recording? If you're using something like Fraps to record your game, unless you have a dual core, your frame rates will plummet because there's not enough processing power to go around.

 

Yup, its fraps...

I was hoping to film something like dBs's sniper video, but I guess not...

Also, I am going to try Sharqi again on all low settings, 1024/768 @60hrz

Ill try that and tell you what I get