Best AGP options?

[kestrel901]

I just lost my trusty 9800 pro, and I'm looking to replace it. I'm working with an AGP socket only, though there are slots available for cooling. Anyone familiar with the best options for an upgrade? Or do i finally need to bite the bullet and go get a PCI-E mobo? I was hoping to hold off on that until i just built myself a new system...

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kromis]

Bite the bullet. Now.

 

[Neurodog]

Look at the 6800GS

 

[Raincity]

The ATI 800XL and 850 Pro are fast and cheap enough to provide a stopgap until the DX 10 cards come out.

 

[Kromis]

I think the 6800GS is a bit too expensive...~$160 for the AGP version.

 

[orangat]

The 7600gt will probably have an agp version which would more than double the performance of your old card. The slower 7600gs would be close to double faster than your old card too. The x850xt/x800xl offer similar performance but I doubt you can get them anymore.

The 7800gs is probably only as fast as the 7600gt but for the price, you can get a faster pcie card + a pcie mb. Thats how screwed up the prices are for agp cards.

 

[Kromis]

I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: Kromis
I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

5+5=25?

huh?

 

[Sonikku]

http://www.buy.com/prod/ATI_All_In_Wond..._8x_Video_Card/q/loc/101/10386224.html

X800XT AGP for $159 with free shipping. Also, look for a $10 off coupon for any order over $150, making it $149 shipped. (Can't post it on ATT) It sure is more performance per dollar then any Nivida solution on the socket.

Oh yeah, and the shipping numbers are a bit off. My shipping options claimed to ship in one to two days with 5-6 business days of transit. Well, I ordered my XT Wensday and got it on Thursday. (!) food for thought.

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: Kromis
I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

5+5=25?

huh?

Its actually 5*5, not 5+5.

 

[kmmatney]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: Kromis
I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

5+5=25?

huh?

Its actually 5*5, not 5+5.

In your scenario, let's say

The 9800Pro gets 100 fps, as a reference

The 6600GT gets 105 fps

The 7600GT would get 110.25 fps

So the 7600GT would be 10.25% faster.

 

[CSMR]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: Kromis
I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

5+5=25?

huh?

Its actually 5*5, not 5+5.

woah

 

[kestrel901]

thanks for the input folks! much appreciated.

so much fuzzy math =(

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: Kromis
I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

You're math is horrible and wrong but you are right that the 7600gs is no good.
I got mixed up and forgot that the memory speed of the gs is only half that of the gt so the 7600gs is only slightly faster than the 9800pro.

 

[apoppin]

your AGP choices are limited . . . 6800GS . . . x800xt/x850xt . . . 7800GS

ANY of them will be ~2x more powerful than your 9800p.

If you want 'faster' and UPgradeable gfx, go PCIe.

PCIe is preferable . . . and more expensive. a $200 AGP upgrade should hold you for another year or so [considering that you are just now upgrading your 9800p]

 

[Neurodog]

Is the ATI X1600PRO in the same categry?

 

[apoppin]

no

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

It's probably worth biting the bullet, but I was in your situation about six months ago (though I had a 9700 Pro), and ended up getting an X850XT from Microcenter for $200 AR, and it has been great to me.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: Kromis
I don't think the 7600GS will be close to double the performance of a 9800Pro. If 6600GT beats the 9800Pro by like ~5% and the 7600GS beats the 6600GT by like ~5%, then the 7600GS should beat the 9800Pro by like ~25%? Did I do that right?

5+5=25?

huh?

Its actually 5*5, not 5+5.

I'm with cmdrdredd: huh?

+5% = *1.05

So it's 1.05*1.05 = 1.1025 = +10.25%. Call it ~10% improvement.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Neurodog
Is the ATI X1600PRO in the same categry?

No, but it will still play just about every game available today (haven't tried Oblivion, since I loathe MMORPG's, or whatever they call them). Here's what my X1600 Pro does when run at 4x AGP in F.E.A.R.: @ 1024x768 with 4x AF, @ 1152x864 with 4x AF, and finally @ 1280x960 with 4x AF.

 

[Neurodog]

Great, thanks for the info myocardia.

 

[tulmad]

Why is it not in the same category (honest question)? I'm looking at doing the same thing the OP is, and with the X1600PRO 512MB only being $150 it's looking quite tempting.

 

[Munky]

Originally posted by: tulmad
Why is it not in the same category (honest question)? I'm looking at doing the same thing the OP is, and with the X1600PRO 512MB only being $150 it's looking quite tempting.

The x1600p is more of a sidegrade from a 9800p. It will be better in newer shader-heavy games, but not by much, and definitely not enough to play at high quality settings or high resolution. A x800xt or x850xt, on the other hand, is more that 2x as powerful as the 9800p, so if you can get that for ~$150 it's the best choice for AGP.

 

[PianoMan]

I'd bite the bullet - an inexpensive AMD 64 mobo w/PCI-e would allow you to transfer pretty much everything over. You'll get more bang-for-your-buck w/PCI-e, since I was also looking at upgrading my 9800Pro awhile back and realized my upgrade paths were not only limited, but $$$.

AND, as stated previously, you can upgrade much easier later. I wouldn't sweat DX10 too much, unless you're a "cutting edge" enthusiast - it'll be awhile (if ever) until DX10 exclusive games come out before the next iteration of DirectX gets introduced.

And Oblivion is an RPG - no multiplayer (MM) in it. If you run it close to what the developers intended - it's very IMMERSIVE. (I die too much in GRAW, too...)

PM

 

[myocardia]

You're right, munky, an X850XT is considerably faster than an X1600 Pro. However, you can't get a quality X850XT for $100: Sapphire X1600 Pro. That's what makes it a viable alternative, not how much faster it is than an X800XT, since it isn't.

What should make the difference for anyone is what resolutions they game at. If they are a fan of 1600x1200, look into spending $300 for a 7800GS. If you don't mind lower resolutions, like me, then it's fast enough for every game I own, including FEAR, Quake 4, Far Cry. I bought a 19" monitor to make things be larger, not smaller.