Best cheap gaming card for a secondary computer?

[CurseTheSky]

I have a secondary computer that I used to use for work when I was at the office. Now that I'm working from home, it's a test bed / last resort, but mostly collects dust. The (small) company that I work for is looking to schedule a LAN party some time soon, and we're probably going to settle for Left 4 Dead, with a few other titles up in the air.

Right now the specs are:

Intel E6600 (stock, 2.4 GHz)
Gigabyte G31 (mATX, single PCI-E x16)
2 GB Corsair DDR2 800
EVGA 7900 GS
Western Digital 640 GB Black
Corsair HX520
NZXT Rogue (plenty of air flow, and still portable... barely)
Windows XP Pro (32 bit)

The graphics card is obviously the weak link right now. I could be playing on anything from a 20" 1650x1080 to a 24" 1920x1200 monitor, and I'd prefer to turn up the eye candy a little bit.

What's my best bet? I'd love to spend under $100, but I'd be willing to go up to $150ish for a far superior card.

 

[Corporate Thug]

I would say 4850 in the ~$100 range. Newegg also has some open box 4870/gtx260 for less than $150

 

[BladeVenom]

At Newegg, 4870 prices start at $126.99 or $116.99 after rebate. A 4850 is $89.99 and up. Either one is definitely worth the price.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

I don't know how much you're into Left 4 Dead, but if it is one of the priority games, it does tend to run faster and is certainly more stable on ATI hardware/drivers. That being said, a 4850 would certainly do the trick, although a 1GB 4870 would have more staying power.

 

[Red Irish]

4850

 

[exar333]

Originally posted by: Red Irish
4850

+1. This is a great gaming card and for ~$75-85 (AR) you can't get a better deal right now.

 

[nemesismk2]

The 4850 is a very good video card.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Is the 4850 capable of 1920x1200 for some newer games?

 

[Tempered81]

4850, you might find a deal on a 4870 or 4890. or a gtx260 216.

 

[exar333]

Originally posted by: CurseTheSky
Is the 4850 capable of 1920x1200 for some newer games?

Sure, just maybe not with all the eye-candy enabled.

 

[Binky]

~$40AR ATI 4670
~$80-$100AR ATI 4850
$120AR ATI 4870

Edit: ATi 4580 removed since there is no such dyslexic card!

Pick your price point.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3588

 

[geokilla]

Originally posted by: Binky
~$40AR ATI 4670
~$80-$100AR ATI 4580
$120AR ATI 4870

Pick your price point.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3588

You mean 4850 =)

@OP. I'd go with the ATI 4850. The 4850 is just an underclocked 4870.

XFX 4850 for $90, no shipping and rebate.

 

[crisium]

Well, the memory is all kinds of different, so that's not quite true. But yeah, without a doubt the 4850 is the fastest $100 or less card.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: geokilla

@OP. I'd go with the ATI 4850. The 4850 is just an underclocked 4870.

False. But still a good deal.