Best video card for $80-$100?

[Cabages]

Im looking to upgrade my video card from a Geforce 2 with 32 MB of memory.

I have around $100, and am mostly looking between these two Radeon based cards:

This one

This one

Obviously, I think the X1300PRO in the 1st link would be a better purchase.

I just wanted input, and any other suggestions on a value card in this price range.

Thanks.

 

[shinzwei]

Hit up the fs/ft forums. I've seen people selling their 6600GTs for as low as $90.

 

[SolMiester]

Do not get a x1300 (do they make them in AGP?), if you must have ATI, go for something like a X800. x1300 are a waste of time!

 

[Piuc2020]

With that great a computer, I would just get a 7800GT for around 260$-300$ and a 6800GS for 200$ MINIMUM, if you must go ATI I would pick up a X850XT or X1800XL (but the 7800GT is a better, cheaper card).

 

[Corporate Thug]

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?p=GA-PCX...ec48b417c1105b913c3328f029edfa8dc114c4

 

[Cabages]

I really dont have that much money. I really should have specified what interface type and everything...

PCI or PCI-E no AGP

I dont HAVE to have ATI, I actually prefer Nvidia based GPU's, but these two card are the best in the range.

256 MB of GDDR2 memory is the best I can find in the price range.

I am mostly looking at the size of the memory on the card, which I know I shouldnt.

Ill keep looking around the FS\FT forums, but I am kinda new here, hopefully someone will trust me enough.

I really wish I could go with a eVGA 7800 GT, but I am only 17 and only have a part time job.

 

[hans030390]

You'll want to look into a 6600gt. That's probably the best card you can get for the $100 price range...you might have to look in the for sale forums though. They're about $125 new.

 

[Cabages]

I guess I will just look around FS/FT, but if I cant find one, I plan to go ahead with the X1300PRO.

When is the 7300GS supposed to be out? Isnt that supposed to retail at around $100.

 

[RussianSensation]

6600GT for $115 after MIR

Well worth the additional $15 over the cards you are looking at.

Not to be rude, but if you cant afford 2 high-end videocards why buy an SLI mobo in the first place? Next time be smart and do not buy an SLI board. That's at least $15 in savings right there.

 

[Cabages]

It seems I can get one for $95 shipped from the forums. If its still there when I get home from school tommorow, ill jump on it.

Less memory than the Radeon, but im sure its faster with the GDDR3 memory and higher clock speeds.

Heres to a great 400+ hours with Oblivion!

 

[v8envy]

At this point nobody knows what the minimal part for running Oblivion is. And the 7300 and X1300 aren't all that. Once they drop to the $60-70 pricepoint, they'll be useful for extreme budget builds who don't mind low frame rate gaming at 800x600 with all eye candy off.

Until then, seirously, cough up the few extra dollars and get the 6600GT or the 128 meg X800 GTOs. Here's a card for $114 shipped:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102620

Yeah, it's over $100, but it's well worth skipping lunch for a day or two or mowing a few more lawns to get it. It's * THAT * much better than the extreme budget video cards you're considering.

I think the egg also had some refurb X600 (exactly identical to a 9600) and non-GT 6600s in the $65 range, if you insist on the absolute cheapest card capable of loading new-ish games.