Looking for budget video card

[suklee]

As title says... rig is Athlon XP2500+, Nforce2 w/ 1GIG ram.

Will play mostly BF2 and CS:S/DOD

Must be AGP. Gaming at 1024x768 90% of the time but the rare occassion 1280x1024...

What's the best choice? 6600GT AGP?

budget card - 9800Pro?
are there some cheaper/newer alternatives?

 

[thegimp03]

What settings. If you're going to be playing BF2 on High settings with those resolutions I'd recommend something much more powerful like a 6800 gt or something. If you're playing on medium then that 6600 gt would probably run it ok.

 

[suklee]

Originally posted by: thegimp03
What settings. If you're going to be playing BF2 on High settings with those resolutions I'd recommend something much more powerful like a 6800 gt or something. If you're playing on medium then that 6600 gt would probably run it ok.

medium or low, since I only got 1 gig of RAM. would be nice, but not absolutely necessary, if I could turn up some AA or AF without performance hit (in frames and/or stuttering).

 

[Soccerman06]

Whats your price range?

 

[suklee]

Originally posted by: Soccerman06
Whats your price range?

Good question. I guess preferably around $100.

Here are some local prices: (probably not as cheap as the US)

9600Pro 128MB $90
9600XT 128MB $115

9800Pro 128MB $115
9800XT 128MB $125

X700 128MB $100
X700Pro 128MB $135

6600 128MB $110
6600GT 128MB $150

What other choices are there BELOW $100? GeForce 6200?

 

[Inappropriate4AT]

The 9800 pro will handle both games well, speaking from experience. I would buy it used too, but that's just me.

 

[Pete]

6800 > 6600GT > 9800P, in terms of performance. Not sure I'd recommend less than a 9800P for modern games, and you can find them for pretty cheap now: ~$125 new and probably $100 or less, used.

 

[Jotho]

I can't complain about my 9800 Pro. Many now have 9800 XT cores (mine included) which can be fairly easily flashed to the slightly faster card.

 

[keeleysam]

6600gt

 

[Powermoloch]

I tried 6600 256 mb on BF2 on all high settings. Ran very nicely, no hiccups excep the usual page file stuttering

 

[gwag]

wake up everyone: 6800le newegg 129$ should rape all but 6600gt and may beat it if your lucky with unlocking..
edit: $139 now http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122212

 

[intogamer]

Get a used 6800GT for around ~220(nice brands too)
Wait until September, I predict prices will drop ~200

The 9800pro is still strong... but I don't think BF2 and other games will run that well anymore longer

 

[Powermoloch]

Originally posted by: gwag
wake up everyone: 6800le newegg 129$ should rape all but 6600gt and may beat it if your lucky with unlocking..
edit: $139 now http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122212

omg dude..that's how much I got for my 6600. That's a really sweet deal man. Hot damn, if i Had it then, I wouldn't get the x850xt...

 

[boyRacer]

I'm playing BF2 1280x960 everything medium but no aa/af on a 2700+ stock and a 9500 Pro @ 340/380... no problems.

I don't feel like plunking $100+ on an AGP card anymore.

 

[Blazin Trav]

6600gts can be found cheap if you really look. 9800pros have really gone down in price as well.

 

[Powermoloch]

Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
6600gts can be found cheap if you really look. 9800pros have really gone down in price as well.

yup

 

[suklee]

Update: Bought the 6600GT

Came with 5 free games... Rally Trophy, Max Payne, Serious Sam 2, Tropico, and Age of Wonders 2. Pretty nice combo...

Installing BF2 as we speak and going to do some LAN action! :beer:

Thanks to all who responded.