currently is is only a month or less from the [hopefully] release of HALF LIFE 2!
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/digest...eo-hl2-wxp.htmlthis website is a MESS! but it has all the data you would ever need
Nvidia DX9 class [ uber hyped cards are actually sucky ]
5900XT/5900 ultra/5900 oc : fair on high settings, high res
5700 : fair on high settings, 1024x768
5600 : " "" " " "
5200 : laggy on solitaire if you bought it where my bro did
Nvidia DX8 class card :
Geforce 4 TI : decent FPS at high settings. 1024x768
Geforce 3 : should get fairly decent res at high settings
Nvidia DX7 class card
Geforce 4 MX480 : should play HL2 decent, but it will look horrible compared to a DX8/9 class card [ pixel shaders =0]
Geforce 4 MX 460 : fairly well FPS.. just as nasty
Geforce 4 MX 440 : lag at high settings can be expected, just as nasty
Geforce 4 MX 420 : this is a geforce 2 MX 200 with a stolen drivers
liscensce
Geforce 2 TI : good enough FPS at medium settings
Geforce 2 ultra : fairly well FPS at medium settings
Geforce 2 MX : good FPS at lowe settings, might lag on medium
Geforce 256 : o/c this a bit and your in the same boat as a geforce 2
Nvidia DX6 class cards :
TnT2 : should get decent FPS at lower settings , 16 bit colour [ doubles fps with older cards, i had a TNT2] needed
Riva 128 : absolute bottom end of the ladder , lowest res , textures etc. needed, should play well
ATI [pwnz joo]
DX9 class card :
9800XT : call me, give me your address and kiss your 30 FPS At 1600x1200 with AA on goodbye
9800 pro : still good FPS at 1600x1200 without AA
9700 pro : fairly hi fps maxed out at 1296x1024
9700 : fairly good FPS at 1024x768 , AA off etc.
9800 : good fps on 1024x768 AA off
9700/9800SE : good fps at 1024x768, medium settings
9600XT : good fps at 1024x768 , high settings
9600 pro : 6% slower than the 9600XT
9600 : good fps at medium settings ,
9500 pro : fair FPS at high settings
9500 :good FPS at medium settings
9800SE : fair at high settings
9600 SE : good at low settings
ATI DX8 class :
Radeon 9200 pro : fair FPS at high settings
radeon 9200 : good FPS at medium settings
9200 SE : fair fps at medium settings
9100 pro : same as 9200
9100 : ''''
9100SE '''
9000 pro : ''''
9000 : ''''''''
8500 AIW : good fps at high settings
8500 pro : good fps at high settings
8500LE : 5% slower than pro
ATI DX7 class :
radeon 7500 pro: good fps at medium settings
radeon 7500LE :
??
radeon 7000 : fair fps at medium settings
ATI DX6 class :
?
INTEGRATED JUNK
fair fps at low unless its an integ geforce 4/radeon9200 with dual DDR
Athlon 64 : fast fast , fast , fast
P4: 3GHZ + : fast fast fast
2.8 GHZ : fast fast fast
2.6 GHZ : recommended
2.4 GHZ : fast fast
2.0 GHZ : fast
1.6-1.7: fair
CELERY : fair
AthlonXP : 3400: fast fast fast
: 3200: fast fast f a s
: 3000 fast fast f a
: 2800 fast fast f
: 2500 fast fast
: 2400 fast fast f a
:2200 fast fast
: 2000 fast fas
: 1800 fast fas
: 1700 fast fas
: 1600 fast fas [ on fire regularly if overclocked]
: 1500 fast fas
etc.
Oldies :
old celery : pray that some idiot will trade it for a new system
P III 1.0-1.2 GHZ fair
P III 750 minimum
PIII 500 unlucky
PII unlucky
Athlon 800 minimum
Tbird 1.2 fair [ regurlarly on fire without a jet engine ]
K5 etc. forget it
the drivers new drivers increase shader speed [ +20% over these benchmarks for ATI ] or crash you system
nvidia cards come in MANY different flavours, you will find geforce 4 MX 480s faster than 8500s [if your LUCKY ] and geforce 4 mx 440s slower than TNT2s [ aka pine] . This is the main reason why you should go with ATI unless you find a review of the model nvidia card before buying .
MY 20 USD cheaper than usual 8500 128mb is only 3% slower than the expensive ones [ and missing half life 1 free, commanche 4 etc. ] hence ATI rox most of the time .
if your upgrading get a credit card, go on new egg and pick up a 9600 pro [ 130 USD] and a THORTON 2400+ [ a barton with 256KB cache locked, cooler than normal 2400 and potentially faster ]
www.pricewatch.com 
