I say figure out what you need, then make the decision...this is how it boils down for me:
Every generation of Nvidia cards has new capabilities. Within each generation you get varying performance levels. There are cards for the budget gamer, the average gamer, and the hardcore gamer. With the GF2 it was the MX, the GTS, and the Ultra. If you think about it, besides FPS, there's no real difference between these cards. They all have the same visual capabilities, its just a question of how many FPS you're willing to pay for.
I consider myself an average gamer so I'm gonna stick with the mid-level cards. So I'll probably be buying a GF3 when it dips below $300.
Keep in mind when you think about price ranges, even a budget gamer's price range can be beyond that of a normal person who buys a computer for non-gaming applications.