Verto GeForce FX 5500 Graphics Card Questions

[Pheryllt]

I am planning on getting The GeForce FX 5500 Graphics card to play the Matrix Online. The game requires a DirectX 9.0 capable Card with A programmable Shader, I know the Graphics card is DirectX 9.0 Capable but does it have a Programmable Shader??? And is this graphics card as good or better than a GeForce 3Ti or 4Ti??

Thanks.

 

[Vaerilis]

The game requires a DX9 compatible card, but it doesn't require a card with DX9 features (like Pixel Shader 2.0). So the following cards would be able to run the game: GF 3, GF 4 Ti (not MX!), Radeon 8500, Radeon 9000 and above, Geforce FX, 6, 7, and the Radeon X-series.
If you want to get a card at a reasonable price, the FX5500 might be a bad idea performance-wise. It's a better choice than a Geforce 3, but inferior to the GeForce Ti 4200/4400/4600/4800 cards. Although the Ti 4x00 series cards dont't boast DX9 features, their performence is better than that of an FX5500.
An FX 5500/5600 card is too weak to give an enjoyable gaming experience in a DX9-heavy game, anyway.

What's your budget?

Depending on your budget, there could be lots of better alternatives than the ones I've mentioned above.
Also, here's a link to the Matrix online FAQ.

 

[Pheryllt]

My buget is only about $80. If there are good ones around that price that would be a good match for the game I would apreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[cyrax]

$80? My honest opinion is to save a $20 more and get a 6600 256mb. Why? because the 5500 was , lets be frank, weak. That game will chugg, lag and sputter. save a little and buy a little better. you will appreciate it in the long run.

 

[Vaerilis]

For ~100$, you could get a vanilla GeForce 6600 (I guess you need an AGP card, not a PCI-Express one) , something like this, but for ~80$, the best choice would probably be one of the 9600XTs like this one.
However, an ordinary (128bit, and not 64bit) 6600 is so much better than a 9600XT, that the 25% increase in price is worth the big jump in performance.
Both cards are much better than an FX 5500.

 

[Pheryllt]

I was looking and I cant find a GeForce 6600 256mb for under $150. Would the RADEON 9250 256MB be a good card for the Matrix online since it is under $100 dollars??

 

[Vaerilis]

The Radeon 9250 is a vastly inferior card.
128 or 256 MB, it doesn't matter for a card like this. Don't worry, there is no noticeable difference in terms of performance between a 128MB and a 256MB 6600.
As I said, this card is a pretty good alternative at 115$.
This one is sweet at 118$ as well.

 

[Pheryllt]

By the way my computer has 3 PCI slots and 1 AGP slot.

 

[Vaerilis]

Then you will need an AGP card, like the ones recommended above.