Looking for new VC

[scca325is]

I am currently running a GeForce 6600GT 128MB. The two card I am looking to upgrade too are a 6800XT 256MB or a 7800GS 256MB. They are about $150 apart. Does the added performance of the 7800GS warrent the price change? Should I dish out the extra money for the 7800? or will the 6800 be somewhat comprable? Also, if I went with the 6800, would I notice a difference from my original card? Any suggestions of comment would help.

 

[JPB]

The XT would be a downgrade ( or sidegrade ) really... http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=187&card2=359 But the 7800 GS will be faster http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=187&card2=360 For the price of a GS, you could probably pick up a 7800GT which would be marginally faster

 

[scca325is]

How about some suggestions on any VC. ATI or Nvidia. Under 300, but closer to 200. At least 256MB, AGP, something better than my 6600GT. I love my current card, but I need something that I can play CoD2, D3, Q4 at max settings. Right now the games crash at full settins with my current GPU.

 

[v8envy]

7800GS. Means he's locked into AGP (probably on athlon xp or socket 478), which means a power supply heavy on the 3.3 and 5v rails, which means a midrange or high end video card is out of the picture.

Keep the 6600GT, you will barely be able to tell the difference with a 6800XT by staring at 3dmark benchmarks, never mind gaming. Just hold on until you can upgrade your rig to PCIe and get a decent video card for much less dough than a 7800GS.

 

[v8envy]

Originally posted by: scca325is
How about some suggestions on any VC. ATI or Nvidia. Under 300, but closer to 200. At least 256MB, AGP, something better than my 6600GT. I love my current card, but I need something that I can play CoD2, D3, Q4 at max settings. Right now the games crash at full settins with my current GPU.

You wouldn't be able to crank settings to max in CoD2 (well, at any res > 800x600) with any AGP card available. Even if you had a terabyte of slow ram on the card.

Ram on video cards doesn't work quite the same way as system ram. Buut, if you don't believe me, you can find a X1600Pro with 256 or 512 meg in AGP for around $150. Won't be any faster than your 6600GT though. Might even be a hair slower than the 128M version.

Games crashing at heavy GPU load seems to point an accusing finger of blame at your power. Either the quality you're pulling out of the wall socket, or what's coming out of your PSU. Use a program to graph your available voltages (even using the motherboard sensors) during intensive gameplay, and see if they dip heavily.


edit: bout the best you'll find in AGP for ~200 is the ATI X800 line. I think the X850XT is $250 at microcenter this week AR, and various 12 and 16 pipe X800 and X850 cards with 256 meg of fast ram are $180-400.

 

[scca325is]

Would I even notice a difference with an X800? Slighty off-topic: I fitted a new rig with an PCIe board, would it be worth the extra dough to get a board with a dual PCIx16 for the SLI option. Does a board with a single x16 slot run that much better than an AGP? I have been using AGP only because the I am not familiar with the new PCIe.

 

[akshayt]

I havea 6600GT PCI E and played demo/begining of COD 2 at 1024*768, max, no aa/af, it wasn't that good, at best rolerable

you are actually seraching for a 7900GT class gpu which can as such play any of today's games at max although it may be best at 1024*768 without aa maybe even without af

Ipgrade mobo, best option

 

[acegazda]

As far as i've seen in my research, the Saphire Radeon x1800xt 256 mb @newegg is the BEST bang for buck available right now. 625mhz core, 125 more than the normal 7900gt and more pipelines. Best of all its only $225 shipped! Here!