Need new video card

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
S

SniperGuy

Member
Mar 24, 2006
54
0
0
I need a new video card, and I was looking around at suggestions, and an eVGA 7900GT seems to be my best bet, but I can't find a place to buy the thing at all. Are there other brands that are just as reliable? Or is there another video card I should get? My budget is roughly 300-350.
 
H

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
18
81
i think there is one model that is in stock at neweg for like $320.

seeing as they are all reference design (they just came out so they tend to be like that) have the same coolers etc, you probably are gonna be ok just buying anything,
 
C

CVSiN

Diamond Member
Jul 19, 2004
9,289
1
0
all brands except for PNY are ok...
XFX has turned around thier quality it seems as well as offering a double true lifetime warranty .. just dont OC =p

it all comes down to warranty.. thats basically what makes me buy these days is a company that stands behind its product.
not just for 1 year..
 
S

SniperGuy

Member
Mar 24, 2006
54
0
0
In fun news, I can't order from newegg, because due to my state, they charge me tax. That bumps the price up almost 50 bucks. It it worth getting an overclocked by the manufacturer version of whatever brand I get?
 
S

SniperGuy

Member
Mar 24, 2006
54
0
0
Also, should I really get a 7900? Alot of people seem to be suggesting a x1900 or whatever that ATI card is. I dunno how the current generation of cards is working. I have a Gateway 2185W so being able to play games in 1680x1050 would be ideal.
 
Elfear

Elfear

Diamond Member
May 30, 2004
7,163
819
126
I know you said no Newegg, but at $289 you'd still be under budget even with tax added on. The 7900GT would also be a good card to get if you can find it in your price range, although not quite as fast as an X1800XT.
 
S

SniperGuy

Member
Mar 24, 2006
54
0
0
Well i've got more cash than that, so i'm perfectly willing to go upwards a bit. Is that really the fastest and longest lasting I can get for my money?
 
Kromis

Kromis

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2006
5,214
1
81
Well for now, you can wait if you want. If you have a nearby Fry's Electronics, you can just "borrow" a video card there, return, and then "borrow" again. Keep on doing that 'til the price of the 7900GT lowers and/or gets back in stock! I have "borrowed" from Fry's before and I just love their return policy; you get to return some opened items!!!!!
 
S

SniperGuy

Member
Mar 24, 2006
54
0
0
Looks good, but should I really get a 7900GT? I'm having doubts looking at other cards now, and hearing about that one ATI card. Someone educate me!

I'm currently running a Athlon 64 3000+, with a gig of ram and an x700 Pro, and my goal is to be able to run Oblivion maxed out, which I can currently almost do. Everything's at about 80% of what I want it to be at.
 
F

fierydemise

Platinum Member
Apr 16, 2005
2,056
2
81
The X1800XT is going to about as fast as the 7900GT and it has some nice IQ features (angle independant AF, and HDR+AA in games that support it) and AVIVO could be useful to you.
 
J

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Originally posted by: fierydemise
The X1800XT is going to about as fast as the 7900GT
Click to expand...


And better image quality than the 7900... better AF / less performance hit with AA..
 
I

imported_ST

Senior member
Oct 10, 2004
733
0
0
Originally posted by: SniperGuy
Looks good, but should I really get a 7900GT? I'm having doubts looking at other cards now, and hearing about that one ATI card. Someone educate me!

I'm currently running a Athlon 64 3000+, with a gig of ram and an x700 Pro, and my goal is to be able to run Oblivion maxed out, which I can currently almost do. Everything's at about 80% of what I want it to be at.
Click to expand...

what motherboard do you run presently? that should probably make ur final decision. If RD Xfire based, defintely X1x00 boards. If NForce 4, there is SLI upgrade path...good luck.

 
I

imported_ST

Senior member
Oct 10, 2004
733
0
0
Originally posted by: jrphoenix
Originally posted by: fierydemise
The X1800XT is going to about as fast as the 7900GT
Click to expand...


And better image quality than the 7900... better AF / less performance hit with AA..
Click to expand...

I think I'll pick up a X1800XT soon and compare this IQ....see how noticeable it is on a 42" 1920x1080 set...

 
J

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Originally posted by: ST
Originally posted by: jrphoenix
Originally posted by: fierydemise
The X1800XT is going to about as fast as the 7900GT
Click to expand...


And better image quality than the 7900... better AF / less performance hit with AA..
Click to expand...

I think I'll pick up a X1800XT soon and compare this IQ....see how noticeable it is on a 42" 1920x1080 set...
Click to expand...


Please take some screen shots. My wife won't let me hook my comp to the 50" DLP :p I used to have an 8500 before my current 6800 (big jump)... after looking at screen shots I am leaning towards ATI if I ever upgrade.
 
F

fierydemise

Platinum Member
Apr 16, 2005
2,056
2
81
Originally posted by: SniperGuy
What's AVIVO? And the X1800XT (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102698) appears to be cheaper than the 7900GT, and it'd be better?

Buh?
Click to expand...
AVIVO is ATI's video technolagy, I don't really understand it that well someone else could probably explain it alot better, but if you use your computer for media then it could be useful. My personal opinion is that the X1800XT is better but others vehemently disagree because it is hotter and has a much higher power draw.

Originally posted by: SniperGuy
It's a Chaintech Nforce.
Click to expand...

If it isn't an SLI board then you shouldn't worry about what motherboard you have
 
Elfear

Elfear

Diamond Member
May 30, 2004
7,163
819
126
Even if the cards are equal in performance, the X1800XT still has a nicer feature set. The 512MB version of the X1800XT is faster than the 7900GT but I can't find a review of the 256MB model and I can't say if there is any performance degradation going from 512Mb to 256MB. I expect that only a few games would show a difference though.

IMO there is no contest with the current prices being thrown around.
 
S

SniperGuy

Member
Mar 24, 2006
54
0
0
I'm fairly sure I can do SLI, though not at the moment of course, due to my budget.

I looked at the AVIVO site and with my Gateway monitor that's very tempting. I dunno though, it seems sketchy to me that the x1800xt is so much less expensive than the 7900 GT.

The 7900 is cooler, and draws less power.

The x1800xt seems to have more features, and have more bang.

That right?
 
I

imported_ST

Senior member
Oct 10, 2004
733
0
0
Originally posted by: fierydemise
AVIVO is ATI's video technolagy, I don't really understand it that well someone else could probably explain it alot better, but if you use your computer for media then it could be useful. My personal opinion is that the X1800XT is better but others vehemently disagree because it is hotter and has a much higher power draw.
Click to expand...

Avivo technology is for video deinterlacing, scaling, and bad edit corrections (amongst other things). It is superior to nVidia's Purevideo implementation at this time, but both pale in comparison to what FFDSHOW can do.

To OP: what do you plan on doing with your sys? Games? Video apps?

To jrphoenix: I will...now need to find a X1800XT (too many stores still carry the X850XTs) :(
 
F

fierydemise

Platinum Member
Apr 16, 2005
2,056
2
81
Originally posted by: SniperGuy
The 7900 is cooler, and draws less power.

The x1800xt seems to have more features, and have more bang.

That right?
Click to expand...

That would be a pretty accurate summary
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom