which graphics card is better

[misterchugg]

hi all

i was just given a new radeon ati 9550 256mb tv/dvi ati graphics card agp8x

would this be better than my old nvidia 128 mg card

thanks for your help
ron

specs below:
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
Screen Size : 1024 x 768
Ram Found : 2047 MB
Ram Free : 1750 MB
Virtual Ram Free : 1988 MB
Raw Cpu Clock Speed : ~2.50 GHZ
OEM ID : 0
Number of processors : 1
Page size : 4096
Processor type : 586
Processor Architecture : 0
Processor Level : 15
Processor Revision : 519
Allocation Granularity : 65536
3D-Now : Unavailable
FP operations : Not Emulated
FP precision error : Does not occur
MMX : Available
Physical Address Extension : Unavailable
RDTSC instruction : Available
SSE instruction : Available
SSE2 instruction : Available

------------
Test Results
------------
CPU Speed : ~2.52 GHZ : Passed
System Memory : 2047 MB : Passed
Hard Drive Space: 347.16 GB Free : Passed
OpenGL : Version 2.1 : Passed
DirectX : Version 9.0c or later : Passed
Desktop Mode : 32 bit colors : Passed
Card Type : GeForce FX 5200/AGP/SSE2 : Passed
Video Driver's Age : 2 months old : Passed
AGP Memory : 54MB Free : Passed
Total Video Mem : 128MB : Passed
Stencil Buffer : 8 Bits : Passed
Multi-Texturing : 8 Textures : Passed
Texture Compression DXT : Passed
Texture Combiners : Passed
Vertex Shaders : Version 2.0 : Passed
Pixel Shaders : Version 2.0 : Passed
Bump Mapping : Passed
Spherical Environment Mapping : Passed
Cubic Environment Mapping : Passed
Vertex Buffers : Passed

-------------------------------
Extra Details Return from Tests
-------------------------------
CPU Speed : ~2.52 GHZ : CPU Speed : ~2.52 GHZ
System Memory : 2047 MB : System Memory : 2047MB (1760MB free)
Hard Drive Space: 347.16 GB Free : Drive C:\ : Total 372.60 GB Free 347.16 GB
Drive E:\ : Total 74.52 GB Free 15.89 GB
Drive F:\ : Total 186.30 GB Free 59.30 GB

OpenGL : Version 2.1 : OpenGL : Version : 2.1.1
Vendor : NVIDIA Corporation
Card : GeForce FX 5200/AGP/SSE2
DirectX : Version 9.0c or later : Driver : nv4_disp.dll
Description : NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Product : 6 Version : 14 SubVersion : 11 Build : 6371
Driver not WHQL signed
Desktop Mode : 32 bit colors : Desktop Mode : 1024x768 with 32 bit colors
Video Driver's Age : 2 months old : Contact your card manufacturer at www.nvidia.com for the latest drivers.
Card's driver date is Mon Sep 17 19:07:00 2007
File Version :6.14.11.6371
File Description :NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 163.71
Product Version :6.14.11.6371
AGP Memory : 54MB Free : Total AGP Mem : 54MB
Free AGP Mem : 54MB
AGP Enabled = true, AGP Exists = true, AGP Status = Enabled
Total Video Mem : 128MB : Total Video Mem : 128MB
Stencil Buffer : 8 Bits : OpenGL stencil bits : 8
DirectX stencil bits : 8
Multi-Texturing : 8 Textures : OpenGL texture count : 16
DirectX texture count : 8
Vertex Shaders : Version 2.0 : OpenGL vertex shader : Version 2.0
DirectX vertex shader : Version 2.0
Pixel Shaders : Version 2.0 : OpenGL pixel shader : Version 2.0
DirectX pixel shader : Version 2.0

NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS : 1
OS : Windows_NT
Path : C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Auran\TC
PATHEXT : .COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE : x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER : x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 7, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL : 15
PROCESSOR_REVISION : 0207

Running Processes
-----------------
smss.exe : Memory Used = 348 K
winlogon.exe : Memory Used = 4736 K
services.exe : Memory Used = 2668 K
lsass.exe : Memory Used = 1264 K
svchost.exe : Memory Used = 2496 K
svchost.exe : Memory Used = 14204 K
Explorer.EXE : Memory Used = 15684 K
spoolsv.exe : Memory Used = 3120 K
mdm.exe : Memory Used = 2396 K
nvsvc32.exe : Memory Used = 3124 K
winampa.exe : Memory Used = 1588 K
RUNDLL32.EXE : Memory Used = 2516 K
Winwall.exe : Memory Used = 9544 K
launcher.exe : Memory Used = 17152 K
TrainzDiag.exe : Memory Used = 10948 K

 

[winjmoore]

Sorry but they are both old cards. Swapping one for another will only lead to frustration...
Sell one get a better card sell the other
as to which card to get well thats up to you and your budget
may pay to considter new mb ram cpu and video card
anyway
this is to help your decide
http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=859&model2=722&chart=304

 

[misterchugg]

hi win

no money to buy better card with

have to fix house first, usual story, budget only stretches so far

thats why i put this post up to see which of the 2 is the better card

thanks for your help anyway

cheers
ron

 

[GP_38-2]

Actually performance wise they're almost identical. Th 9550 is a touh faster but not by much.
As far as Trainz is concerned though the 256MB 9550 will be better because of the extra memory.

If you do switch cards make sure that ALL of the previous nVidia drivers are unloaded from the system , before even installing the ATI card.
I also believe ATI has stopped supporting the 9xxx series so you'll have to find the older versions (should be availible on their site)

 

[misterchugg]

hi
thanks for that

would you know where i can get the correct drivers to suit the ati card.

there is no driver disk in the box

thanks
ron

 

[GP_38-2]

For the lower powered 9550 the Omega drivers help the performance considerably.
http://www.ngohq.com/home.php?page=Files&go=cat&dwn_cat_id=14&go=giveme&dwn_id=295
Use those and just follow the prompts.

 

[misterchugg]

downloading them now
thanks
ron