I need video card advice

[sjslacker]

I'm looking to upgrade to a video card that supports dual monitors with DVI. I'd need an AGP board and am looking for a price range less than 200, closer to 150. I dont have time to game much, mostly surfing and watching video. I'd like a decent gaming card though but its not a deal breaker. From the initial research I've done the Nvidia 6600GT seems like a good value. What's the difference between GT and the normal 6600? Are there comparable ATI cards? Are there any good articles out there?

Also, I'm entertaining the idea of adding a 3rd monitor. Any cheap PCI DVI cards out there?

Thanks!

 

[mwmorph]

What do you plan to use it for? Gaming? Photoshop? High End Video work? Just normal web browsing/Text typing?

Best 2D quality, horrible for games, Best multimonitr support(worksatation card)
matrox Millennium P650 64MB 128-bit DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - OEM($152)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814106153

Best 2d quality. Horrible for games. Best multimonitor support, supports 3 independant monitors on 1 card.
matrox Millennium P750 64MB 128-bit DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail($213)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814106154

otherwise, all the Dual DVI cards in that range are from XFX or PNY. Sorry man, while those are good for gaming, their quality control is bad and their tech support is lackluster at best.

minimum card for decent gaming. 2 monitor support but also has HDTV output(composite out).
PNY VCG6600GAPB Geforce 6600GT 128MB 128-bit GDDR3 AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail($156)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814133137

somewhat Better for gaming but no HDTV out.(recommend this one if you dont want to plug your pc int a big screen since the 6800 is faster by quite a bit.
XFX PVT40KND Geforce 6800 128MB 256-bit DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail($159)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150068


edit: if you need a seperate pci video card, the FX5700le is about as good as ti gets. Dont even attempt to game on it though.

 

[sjslacker]

Mostly normal web browsing and office stuff but I occasionally game so I'd like a decent card for that option.

 

[sjslacker]

Thanks for the reply mwmorph! Does the FX5700le have DVI?

 

[mwmorph]

yeah.
Take this or the even slower FX5200. Windows longhorn will require DX9 support to just run explorer desktop.

JATON 3DForce Video-248PCI-DVI Geforce FX5700LE 128MB 64-bit DDR PCI Low Profile Video Card - Retail($97)[1DVI, 1 VGA)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814139166
eVGA 128-P1-N309-LX Geforce FX5200 128MB 64-bit DDR PCI Video Card - Retail($52)[1 DVI]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130188
Apollo 5200 128MB PCI Geforce FX5200 128MB DDR PCI Video Card - Retail($57) has 1 DVI and 1 VGA so yuo can have 4 monitor support)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814140027

 

[sjslacker]

So it looks like I'm narrowing my choices to

HIS Hightech R8K-48 Radeon 9600 256MB DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail $128
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814161115

or

XFX PVT40KND Geforce 6800 128MB 256-bit DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail $149 after $30 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150068

Any further comments on these two? I do occasional gaming, what kind of difference will I notice in gaming on these two cards?

 

[mwmorph]

Uh, XFX 6800 will be roughly twice as fast. Thw 256mb does not help a 9600 due to a 128 bit memory bus.
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphi...5/vga-charts-pcie-02.html#3d_mark_2005
the 9600pro is 10% faster than a 9600.

Besides, An ATI card and a Nvidia card should never inhabit the same system. 2 Ati or2 Nvidia cards only since drivers will clash. (All DX9 PCi cards are Nvidia so yuo pretty much need to go nvidia to run 3 monitors)

 

[Keysplayr]

Here Ya Go!!!!! Palunty to choose from.