Need a video card...again

[imhungry]

I recently accumulated enough money to afford a widescreen, but I also need a video card...
I am most likely going for:

Hanns·G JW-199DPB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824254001
or
Acer AL1916W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009092

I just sold my 7600GT thinking that the crossfire motherboard I bought had onboard video and I made a mistake [Honest mistake]. So now I need to buy a video card. I might just get something to hold me off.

I need to know how powerful a video card I would need to run HL2/mods, Far Cry, BF2, etc at these monitors' native resolutions [1440x900]. I am looking at the 6600GT, x800GTO, and 7600GT [yes again]. I'm thinking a 6600GT/x700 would be pushing it, but SHOULD work at playable frame rates.

Can anyone give me suggestions for video cards and maybe monitors? I'm looking at a $200 budget for the monitor and a maybe...$125 budget for the video card. I also need h.264 support. Thanks.

Rest of my system..
500w PSU
Opteron 165
A8R32-MVP Deluxe [Crossfire]
512MB RAM with 2GB coming...again

[PS]: How common are dead pixels? As my friend's Hanns-G came with a dead pixel right in the center of the screen, and I wouldn't be able to stand it.

 

[kmmatney]

A 7600GT should do the job.

I wouldn't recommend a 19" widescreen, though. I have a 19" Viewsonic widescreen, and recently purchased the 4:3 20" LCD in my sig:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116008

This has a 1400 x 1050 resolution, so its about the same width in the horizontal direction as the 19" widescreen, but you gain 2 inches in the vertical direction. And this comes for only a few $$ more. Widescreen movies will be about the same size, while 4:3 movies will be much larger. Games are much more immersive, as well.

Dimensions:
19" widescreen: 16.11" x 10.07"
20" 4:3 ratio : 16.00" x 12.00" (18% more screen space)

I tried the ViewSonic widescreen 19" LCD, but my wife now uses it. It's not bad, but the 4:3 20" LCD is does everything as well or better. In my opinion, widescreen doesn't become really effective until the screen is 21" or larger.

I've ordered 6 LCDs at home and only ever had one stuck pixel, which was a 20" BenQ LCD. However the stuck pixel, although in the middle of the screen, was dim and not noticable. I had a hard time finding it most of the time. None of my Viewsonics have a bad pixel, and I've ordered about 10 BenQs for work without a dead pixel.

 

[imhungry]

Okay, I'll look for something slightly bigger.
Although my budget can't hit $300+ where those sized LCDs are..

 

[sponge008]

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