Re: Computer Stores in the St. Louis Metro East Area.

[Steven Pritchard <steve@silug.org>]

On Wed, Oct 01, 2003 at 05:32:44PM +0000, hcrouch@mchsi.com wrote:
> I've heard enough of the whinin', cryin', bitchin', moanin', groanin'
> pissin' that nVidia users post to the help forums. I hear ZERO
> complaints from ATI users.

That's because there are open-source drivers for the ATI cards (at
least the older ones).  Binary-only drivers are Bad.

> I'm leaning towards staying with the PCI slot because I've heard that
> AGP boards in computers that are frequently (occasionally) moved have
> been known to become unseated.

Make sure you use the retention clip...

> I'm also led to believe that the increase in performance between an
> AGP card and a PCI card that are otherwise identical is not
> significant.

I think you've been misled.

> I am not aware of any price differential between the two slots. And I
> don't think that there is a PCI version of the 7500.

Actually, AGP cards are significantly *less* expensive, simply because
they sell in much higher volumes than PCI cards.

Depending on how much you want to spend, I'd either go for a 32MB
Radeon 7000 (which does have DVI and TV-out) for $40 or a nice 64MB
Radeon 9100 for $75 (both AGP).  The 7000 is going to be fast enough
to play games, and the 9100 is fast enough to play RTCW, ET, etc.

> As for SCSI cards, let's talk Adaptec 2906.  What's yer price?

Too much.  Apparently we can get a 64-bit PCI LSI Logic 53c1010-based
(U160) card for $50.

> Are you getting the big picture here?  I don't go for the latest and
> greatest and frilliest.  Any card over $100 is too bleeding edge for
> me. YES, I'M CHEEP! (or frugal, depending upon your point of view)

Fortunately, I'm cheap, but I like nice stuff too.  :-)

Steve
-- 
steve@silug.org           | Southern Illinois Linux Users Group
(618)398-7360             | See web site for meeting details.
Steven Pritchard          | http://www.silug.org/

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