best nvidia card under $200

[shouup]

I am upgrading my video card and would like to stick with nvidia because i dual boot linux (nvidia has better support on linux). What is the best card under $200 right now?

 

[Leyawiin]

Pretty much the GTX 260. GTX 275s are getting very hard to find and are over $200. The GTX 260 itself is hovering around $190-$200. The GTS 250 is much less, but isn't nearly as capable.

 

[yh125d]

How can you recommend a GTX260 for $200 (more than they were 9 mos. ago!) When 1GB GTS250s are only $125?

 

[Lonyo]

How can you recommend a GTX260 for $200 (more than they were 9 mos. ago!) When 1GB GTS250s are only $125?

Because he said best, not best value for money 😛
If he had said "What's the best value NV card under $200?" then the GTS250 would have to get the nod.

 

[Leyawiin]

Because he said best, not best value for money 😛
If he had said "What's the best value NV card under $200?" then the GTS250 would have to get the nod.

Thank you. I thought the O.P.'s question was fairly obvious too (and my reply pretty clear on the two choices).

 

[RaistlinZ]

Does the 260 fall in between the 5770 and 5850 performance wise?

 

[ScorcherDarkly]

Does the 260 fall in between the 5770 and 5850 performance wise?

Yes, with it being closer to the 5770 range.

Edit: Actually, looking at the benchmarks, there's not much of a difference between the two.

 

[MarcVenice]

Yes, with it being closer to the 5770 range.

Edit: Actually, looking at the benchmarks, there's not much of a difference between the two.

It's on par with a HD 5770, but get's destroyed by a HD 5850 (which is faster then a GTX 285).

Not long ago a co-worker needed a new vidcard, and he dualboots linux too. I told him that he should try a ATI card, so I gave him one, HD 5670 I think, but support sucks, he couldn't get it to run properly, and he's not a total retard 😛 His GT240 on the other hand runs just fine in Linux ...

 

[ther00kie16]

Yea, nvidia doesn't have bang for buck right now.
everything is also so expensive
gts250 was $60 after rebate first couple of weeks it came out
gtx260 was down to $150 after rebate at times and even less after bing cashback on ebay. I know I was eyeing it when it was $141 after cashback.

 

[yh125d]

Because he said best, not best value for money 😛
If he had said "What's the best value NV card under $200?" then the GTS250 would have to get the nod.

You're right. He did say best, not best performance. There's a lot more to "best" than FPS. As just an overall "best", including all criteria, I'm pretty sure the GTS250 would take it :|

 

[cusideabelincoln]

You're right. He did say best, not best performance. There's a lot more to "best" than FPS. As just an overall "best", including all criteria, I'm pretty sure the GTS250 would take it :|

When someone says "best card under [insert price]" 99% of the time they mean the fastest, not the best value, or power consumption, or logo design.

While the GTX260 is not as good of a value, it is far from being absolutely unthinkable to get (compared to the GTS 250), especially if you consider the overclocking potential of the 260 (greater than that of the 250).

 

[yh125d]

I read the op as "whats the best purchase for under $200"

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I read the op as "whats the best purchase for under $200"

+ "that runs without as much issues under *nix"

 

[yh125d]

+ "that runs without as much issues under *nix"

Which also led me to believe the thread wasn't asking for "most raw performance under $200", otherwise he'd just get a 4890 😉