Best PCIe card for Calamity Drivers

[pakoman]

Hi.

I'm looking for an ATI PCIe card to use with Calamity drivers. Best if cheap, what's the best choice? (I'm more interested in resolutions friendly than power)

Thanks.

[epicfatigue]

think resolutions more come down to the platform then the Card.

I Used an X550 seemed to play it all.

Then upgraded to a HD4890 because i wanted to use some PC games.

[pakoman]

Thanks.

BTW, I'll use Windows XP 64. And a core2duo 2'1ghz 4 mb cache...I don't know if it can fluently emulate ps2, psp
or dreamcast, if so I think I'll need some 3d power at least.

[Mahrio]

I had the same problems while ago. I bought a ATI HD4970, and its the second best video card to use with CRT_Emu drivers.
The HD4XXX series, as Calamity explained in some posts, its the series that allows the slowest dotclock. This way, can be used with the 9.3 version of the modified drivers.

"Catalyst 6.5: ATI Radeon 7000, 7200, 7500, 8500, 9000, 9100,
                         9200, 9250, 9500, 9550, 9600, 9700,
                         9800, X300, X550, X600, X700, X800,
                         X850, X1300, X1600, X1800, X1900,
                         X1950, ArcadeVGA 9200/9250, etc.

Catalyst 9.3: ATI Radeon 9500, 9550, 9600, 9700, 9800, X300,
                         X550, X600, X700, X740, X800, X850,
                         X1050, X1200, X1300, X1550, X1600,
                         X1650, X1800, X1900, X1950, HD 2350,
                         HD 2400, HD 2600, HD 2900, HD 3200,
                         HD 3300, HD 3400, HD 3410, HD 3450,
                         HD 3550, HD 3570, HD 3600, HD 3610,
                         HD 3690, HD 3730, HD 3750, HD 3800,
                         HD 3830, HD 3850, HD 3870, HD 4230,
                         HD 4250, HD 4350, HD 4550, HD 4570,
                         HD 4580, HD 4650, HD 4670, HD 4730,
                         HD 4750, HD 4800, HD 4850, HD 4870,
                         HD 4890, etc."

I can run SFIV and some new games (Taito Type X for example) flawlessly with a AMD Phenon x4 with 4gb ram and Windows XP 64. Not the fastest computers for use with MAME. 

So, stick with a HD4870 or HD4890 and you'll be happy.

Cheers.

Mahrio

[Calamity]

Hi pakoman,

For a MAME-only setup (no HLSL) and Windows XP, my favourite is Radeon X300. They do all resolutions, support both 6.5 and 9.3 versions, are PCIe, VGA is the primary device, and they have DVI-D which can be used a second analog output to have a dual head system. Some users have tested X550 and X600, they're much the same thing in terms of support  but with more power.


However, if you ever want to move to Windows 7 (when CRT Emudriver for Windows 7 is ready), you'll need a DirectX-11 ready card, so in this situation the HD 4xxx family is the best choice.

[pakoman]

Thanks, Calamity, that's what I wanted to know.

Then a x300, x550 or x600 I guess are the best choice for me right now. Maybe 4xxx if I find a cheap one.

BTW, do other Xxxx (like X700, X740, X800, X850, X1050, X1200, X1300, X1550, X1600, X1650, X1800, X1900, X1950) work the same in terms of support or they are not tested?

[Calamity]

BTW, do other Xxxx (like X700, X740, X800, X850, X1050, X1200, X1300, X1550, X1600, X1650, X1800, X1900, X1950) work the same in terms of support or they are not tested?

No, higher models of the X series can't do low dotclocks. Keep away of those if possible (there's a workaround however). I'm not sure what's the last model with full support for low dotclocks (x800?), but x300 and x600 are confirmed to work.

[pakoman]

Thankyou, then I'll buy a x600

[nevbuster]

I got a second hand HD4890 for $60 here in Australia to use for MAME. Only issue was I needed to spend another $70 to upgrade my power supply to run it but overall very happy with the result running with an old Pentium D for cheap $$$.

Nev.