New gaming rig -- seeking GPU suggestions

[xboxist]

I've been piecing together a new Conroe gaming rig. To give you an idea of the power level that I have in mind, I've selected the following components:

CPU: E6600
RAM: 2GB Ballistix DDR2 667
MB: Intel 975XBX

The last video card that I purchased was a 6800GT, which has served me incredibly well. I need something to replace it with in a PCI-e format. I haven't kept up with what's the latest out there, but I do know that I definitely don't need SLI/Crossfire. If there's no great gap between ATI/Nvidia in the current lineup of cards, then I just assume stick with Nvidia since I've had good luck with them.

Just looking for a mid-to-high end card to last a couple of years with this new rig. Budget is fairly loose, but can't see myself spending more than $350 on this new card.

Also, if possible, please give me an idea of how well my 6800GT would compare to whatever card(s) you recommend to me? Just so I can get a feel of how outdated my card is now.


Thanks in advance for your time.

 

[1N0V471V]

X1900XT

 

[tatteredpotato]

My experience is you can get ATI cards cheaper than their Nvidia counterparts, mainly cause they arent as popular at the moment.

I have an ATI x1800xt 512mb and love it, ive even seen the 1900xt for 300 bucks after MIR, I dont know too much about the Nvidia cards.

ATI cards tend to run hotter, louder, and use more power so if any of those are factors.

 

[orangat]

A 7600gt is the 6600gt of its day and is abit faster than your 6800gt. A comparable ATI card is the x1800gto but its more abit more expensive and abit slower.

For around $275 a good card is the 7900gt model. The ATI x1800xt gives similar performance for only $235 if you search around. x1900gt abit faster and closer to $300.

 

[acegazda]

Originally posted by: BlameCanada
My experience is you can get ATI cards cheaper than their Nvidia counterparts, mainly cause they arent as popular at the moment.

I have an ATI x1800xt 512mb and love it, ive even seen the 1900xt for 300 bucks after MIR, I dont know too much about the Nvidia cards.

ATI cards tend to run hotter, louder, and use more power so if any of those are factors.

newegg has the oem x1900xt for $289 after $100 MIR. The stock cooler is great at cooling but very noisy. If you can , replace it with a vf900 from zalman.

 

[bob4432]

op -

atm:

7900gt ~= x1800xt - the 7900gts seem to be ~$30 more than the x1800xt, don't know why as their performance is very close, the x1800xt does take up 2 slots where a 7900gt takes up only one

7900gtx ~= x1900xt and the x1900xt is cheaper buy quite a bit. you should be able to go the x1900xt for what you want to spend AR - here is one for 339 AR. this would be the one i would go with if my budget was what your is. both the 7900gtx and x1900xt will take up 2 slots

BlameCanada is correct about heat/power/fan noise. you will want a strong 450W psu at 450-500W psu from a good manf. i know that during benchmarking my x1800xt it will draw 30A and get up to 90C (amazingly this is well within spec :Q)

personally i wouldn't see going from a 6800gt to a 7600gt an upgrade, so please don't even go that route, you will not see any benefit, but jumping up a notch the 7900gt/x or x1800xt/x1900xt would be a nice upgrade for you.

what games a resolution do you game at?

 

[Gamer X]

Originally posted by: 1N0V471V
X1900XT

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Gamer X

Originally posted by: 1N0V471V
X1900XT

:thumbsup:

 

[imported_Zeke]

Im acutally in a similar situation, except I'm moving from a 9800 pro with an Athlon 2100+. Probably going wiht the x1900xt to try and feed the beast that is my 1680x1050 monitor.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: bob4432
op -

atm:

7900gt ~= x1800xt - the 7900gts seem to be ~$30 more than the x1800xt, don't know why as their performance is very close, the x1800xt does take up 2 slots where a 7900gt takes up only one

7900gtx ~= x1900xt and the x1900xt is cheaper buy quite a bit. you should be able to go the x1900xt for what you want to spend AR - here is one for 339 AR. this would be the one i would go with if my budget was what your is. both the 7900gtx and x1900xt will take up 2 slots

BlameCanada is correct about heat/power/fan noise. you will want a strong 450W psu at 450-500W psu from a good manf. i know that during benchmarking my x1800xt it will draw 30A and get up to 90C (amazingly this is well within spec :Q)

personally i wouldn't see going from a 6800gt to a 7600gt an upgrade, so please don't even go that route, you will not see any benefit, but jumping up a notch the 7900gt/x or x1800xt/x1900xt would be a nice upgrade for you.

what games a resolution do you game at?

I like to game at 1600x1200 if possible, but a more standard resolution suits me fine too.

Thanks for the feedback from everyone in the thread so far. The in-depth comparisons have helped me greatly.

I'll be reading several reviews over the next couple of days. The prospect of an x1900xt sounds nice, but I care not for loud fans. And I'm not confident in replacing/adding a silencer onto it.

For that reason, and based on reading a few reviews, the 7900gt sounds good. Specifically: EVGA Newegg

This looks to be of a "revision" series, where the flaws of the first generation of 7900gt cards have been addressed.

So, I dunno. Will be reading more and deciding later. I'm not necessarily going for a huge upgrade over my 6800GT. I'm being forced to buy a new card because I need to use my PCI-e slots.

 

[1N0V471V]

I hate to break it to you, but the 7900GT cooler SCREAMS. I promise you all thats needed to put the VF900CU onto a video card is unscrewing the old cooler, wiping it clean, applying the thermal compound (just like on a CPU), and using 4 thumb screws to attach it. That's it and it took me 45 seconds.

Take it from me, I wish I'd have gotten the X1900XT -- a friend bought one and it rapes mine (even though my system has more RAM and a faster CPU)

 

[imported_Zeke]

Originally posted by: 1N0V471V
I hate to break it to you, but the 7900GT cooler SCREAMS. I promise you all thats needed to put the VF900CU onto a video card is unscrewing the old cooler, wiping it clean, applying the thermal compound (just like on a CPU), and using 4 thumb screws to attach it. That's it and it took me 45 seconds.

Take it from me, I wish I'd have gotten the X1900XT -- a friend bought one and it rapes mine (even though my system has more RAM and a faster CPU)

Shhhhh hide before the fanboys find you! They don't take kindly to traitors!

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: xboxist
.........

For that reason, and based on reading a few reviews, the 7900gt sounds good. Specifically: EVGA Newegg

This looks to be of a "revision" series, where the flaws of the first generation of 7900gt cards have been addressed.

So, I dunno. Will be reading more and deciding later. I'm not necessarily going for a huge upgrade over my 6800GT. I'm being forced to buy a new card because I need to use my PCI-e slots.

May I ask why you are upgrading in the first place if you are not looking for a huge upgrade ivr the 6800gt?
If the most demanding application you run on your pc are games, you do know that games are more gpu rather cpu limited don't you?

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: orangat

Originally posted by: xboxist
.........

For that reason, and based on reading a few reviews, the 7900gt sounds good. Specifically: EVGA Newegg

This looks to be of a "revision" series, where the flaws of the first generation of 7900gt cards have been addressed.

So, I dunno. Will be reading more and deciding later. I'm not necessarily going for a huge upgrade over my 6800GT. I'm being forced to buy a new card because I need to use my PCI-e slots.

May I ask why you are upgrading in the first place if you are not looking for a huge upgrade ivr the 6800gt?
If the most demanding application you run on your pc are games, you do know that games are more gpu rather cpu limited don't you?

I'm upgrading my rig, as a whole. I have a P4 2.8, and 1GB of PC3200 RAM, and have been using it for 3-4 years now. I have my 6800GT in that because it has an AGP slot.

The logical rig upgrade would be for me to get one of the screamin' new Conroe CPUs and build around that. At least I think that's a good idea. Hard to deny those incredible benchmarks. So in doing so, I will be buying a MB that doesn't have an AGP slot. I just want to get a solid PCI-e GPU that will replace my 6800GT. I would hope that whatever I buy will at least be a moderate upgrade over it, but I'm not out to drop $500 on the best of the best.

The new CPU and doubling my RAM capacity should allow this new computer to run circles around my old computer, even if I don't go for a significant GPU upgrade.

 

[1N0V471V]

You want the best for your money -- and the X1900XT is that.
I hate ATI but that's how it is... look at the benchmarks.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: xboxist

Originally posted by: orangat

Originally posted by: xboxist
.........

For that reason, and based on reading a few reviews, the 7900gt sounds good. Specifically: EVGA Newegg

This looks to be of a "revision" series, where the flaws of the first generation of 7900gt cards have been addressed.

So, I dunno. Will be reading more and deciding later. I'm not necessarily going for a huge upgrade over my 6800GT. I'm being forced to buy a new card because I need to use my PCI-e slots.

May I ask why you are upgrading in the first place if you are not looking for a huge upgrade ivr the 6800gt?
If the most demanding application you run on your pc are games, you do know that games are more gpu rather cpu limited don't you?

I'm upgrading my rig, as a whole. I have a P4 2.8, and 1GB of PC3200 RAM, and have been using it for 3-4 years now. I have my 6800GT in that because it has an AGP slot.

The logical rig upgrade would be for me to get one of the screamin' new Conroe CPUs and build around that. At least I think that's a good idea. Hard to deny those incredible benchmarks. So in doing so, I will be buying a MB that doesn't have an AGP slot. I just want to get a solid PCI-e GPU that will replace my 6800GT. I would hope that whatever I buy will at least be a moderate upgrade over it, but I'm not out to drop $500 on the best of the best.

The new CPU and doubling my RAM capacity should allow this new computer to run circles around my old computer, even if I don't go for a significant GPU upgrade.

Since this is a gaming rig you should take the processor down a notch and get a better GPU, you can get this X1900XT for $340 after MIR. Way better bang for your buck IMO.