Need Help Choosing Video Card

[MaceHowling]

Hi everyone. I haven'y been in market for a video card for about 1 year now and I am totally lost about what to get. I would like to hear your thoughts on the best sub $200 video card.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TourGuide]

Most people here would probably advise you to get a Radeon 9700 non-pro.

This works well as long as you don't run into any compatability problems, as happens with some setups. This board and many others contain evidence of this happening and no matter how much trouble shooting these people do, there is no working around the problem. I was one of these people, who tried to switch to a 9700 Pro last December and I could NOT make it work.

On the flip side, some other people have no trouble whatsoever (I would guess peeps who have Intel setups as opposed to VIA/nVidia) so what does this mean to you? Shop at a place that has a GOOD (for you) return policy if you can't make it work and try the 9700 np first.

 

[MaceHowling]

So ATI is ahead of Nvidia right now as far as cards that are below $200?

 

[Blastman]

Under $200 I would go for a retail ATI 9600pro which are about $160 -170.

digilife
Sapphire Atlantis RADEON 9600 PRO ??????.it demonstrates good performance compared to the NVIDIA's cards, and the prices which have dropped lower the $170 mark (for the middle of July) proved the fact that the RADEON 9600 PRO is a more advantageous purchase than the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra;

 

[TourGuide]

Originally posted by: MaceHowling
So ATI is ahead of Nvidia right now as far as cards that are below $200?

Yes this is generally true for price points under $200, or over for that matter when performance only is THE consideration.

 

[modedepe]

For under $200 get a 9600pro/9500pro. Or if you can push it just above $200 get a 9700 np, which will blow the other two away.

 

[MaceHowling]

If the 9700 np isn't too much over $200 then I might get that. Can you guys recommend any places to get the card from?

 

[Erickarim]

im in the market for a sub 200 too. but il wait for the next batch, its only like 1 month away.

 

[tenoc]

Everything is only a month away!

 

[NYHoustonman]

Check out www.pricewatch.com.

 

[PhoenixOfWater]

Sapphire Radeon 9800 NP for $235 at bananapc.com
Link
Then you can try to BIOS flash it to run like a Pro...

 

[SuPrEIVIE]

MaceHowling at gameve.com they have the eVGA FX5900 128MB on sale for only 249$! thats in a budget card value range but its a highendcard

 

[bandana163]

Very hot deals!