More memory and decent video card or high end card?

[Jerm2410]

Need your opinions. I'm getting the following components and am willing to spend about $500. Should I get the best card available or a decent card and upgrade memory? Anything else I should get such as cooling devices?

Antec P190 case (600w & 550w power supplies)
Asus P5E3 Deluxe MB w/wireless N
Intel Q6600 processor
2 x 1GB Crucial Ballistix 1600mhz DDR3 memory
2 x 1TB WD SATA drives

Just missing the video card and/or more memory. I'm willing to spend about $500 and DDR3 memory is expensive right now. If I spend a lot on a card now I'll probably upgrade the memory later when price drops anyways.

Plan on using the computer with dual booth XP Pro and Vista Ultimate (32 or 64 bit, which one should I go with?). Wife uses XP Pro for work and I sell software so I test a lot of systems and new software. Currently using a Vista Ultimate notebook with virtual server to test MS Server software. Would like to get a Video capture card (Haupauge 1800 or something) to play with Vista Ultimate media center.

I play games sometimes and the Radeon 2600HD in my notebook works fine. Mainly play Battlefield 2 on it.

Would I be better off longterm just to get the better video card and hold off on the memory? I would like 4GB though for headroom when running virtual machines but know when pricing drops in the next year I'll probably upgrade anyway. Just can't decide!

 

[Syntax Error]

You entire budget of $500 is for your computer or is it just for the graphics card? If that's the case, if I were you, I would either get an EVGA 8800GTS 512MB for around $300 after rebate (the newer model, not the older G80-based 640MB and 320MB GTSs) and step-up to the 9800GX2 if it's a worthy step-up, or get an HD3870X2 which is considered to be the best card in the market now.

If the $500 budget is for your whole computer, you're wasting your money on DDR3, especially if your priority is to game. DDR2 is dirt cheap right now, DDR3 is not. DDR2 performs about the same, has better timings, and DDR3's main appeal is for overclocking.

Again, if your priority was to game, and you're wanting bang-for-your-buck longetivity, I think you're better off downgrading the motherboard option to something like a DS3-R (around $90 at the Egg) and DDR2 RAM for cheap, and get a good graphics card like the 8800GT.

 

[PCTC2]

$500 is for the video card and extra memory if he can add it. I would say just get the 8800GTS 512MB. That leaves about $200 extra.

You're spending about $360 for memory. If you don't mind shelling about about an extra $80, you could get 4 GB Team Xtreem DDR3-1600 for $720 ($650 AR). It'll be $150 more up front, but after rebate, it'll be only $80 more than you want to spend and you'll have 4GB if you want it. Otherwise, I'd say get the Team Xtreem and pocket the extra $270.

 

[Pheran]

Also note that the EVGA 8800GTS 512M is only $260 after rebate now - I just ordered one from Newegg myself.

 

[Jerm2410]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I'm being given all the components listed already. I really just NEED the video card to complete the system and have $500 I'm willing to spend on the video card and anything else I may need. I'm thinking the 8800GTS and getting the additional 2GB DDR3 in 6 - 12 months. hopefully pricess will drop. Also will be spending money on the capture card but I planned on that anyway.

Is there anything I'm missing. Additional cooling, etc? Looks like the P190 has adequote cooling but supports aftermarket stuff. I'm really not a benchmarker so water cooling is overkill.

 

[bryanW1995]

don't waste your money on the 8800gts 512. With your usage pattern you'll be better off with either the msi 8800gt 512 for $200 AR or even a 3850/9600gt. You don't play any games that will come close to taxing any of those cards, anyway.

3850 can be had for about $150 AR on newegg right now, 9600gt should be 160-180 when it's available.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127329

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...28&bop=And&Order=PRICE

 

[krnmastersgt]

Are you going to need a cpu cooler? As for the video card, no need to get such a powerful card like bryan said.