Question on current video cards

[Omunus]

I'm out of the loop on current video card techonology. Plus, add in all the regulars, the x's, the xt's, the xtx's, the whatever else I may be forgetting, I am quite lost. So please help me out .

I am looking to spend around 100-150 on a used video card that will give me the biggest bang for my buck. I'm no longer sure what type of card this kind of money can buy, but your suggestions will be most helpful. I'm mainly an ATI kinda guy, but I would also like to know the Nvidia side as well.

Thanks in advance .

 

[sisq0kidd]

Pci-e or agp?

Pci-e = 7600gt

Agp = ditch it and go pci-e

 

[Nightmare225]

The midrange of ATI's cards is really weak. In this case, your going to have to consider NVIDIA, which makes quality mid-range cards. The 7600GT is looking like your best bet with PCI-E

 

[Omunus]

Thanks for the recommendation, I will be using PCI-E. I didn't know that ATI doesn't have strong cards to compete with Nvidia's midrange.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Omunus
Thanks for the recommendation, I will be using PCI-E. I didn't know that ATI doesn't have strong cards to compete with Nvidia's midrange.

ATI has an excellent mid-range

and look in Hot Deals . . . . and FS/T

What is the REST of your rig like and your current card?

What games will you be playing and what resolution do you game at?

 

[Omunus]

Any suggestions in the midrange on ATI? I'm looking to play at 1280x1024, Oblivion would be the most intensive game that I would be playing. I plan on purchasing an Opty 170 and 2 gigs of ram, so the video card probably will be the bottleneck. I don't often use a lot of graphics intensive games or applications but when I do I want to be able to run them quite well. The most often graphics intensive game I normally play would be WoW, and I'm not really worried about that.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: Omunus

I am looking to spend around 100-150 on a used video card that will give me the biggest bang for my buck.

You can get a new 7600GT for that much. I'm not sure what you can get used for around a $150 that would be better. The 7900's are selling for around $230 new. I don't know if anyone is selling a used X1800XT for $150 but that would also work.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Omunus
Any suggestions in the midrange on ATI? I'm looking to play at 1280x1024, Oblivion would be the most intensive game that I would be playing. I plan on purchasing an Opty 170 and 2 gigs of ram, so the video card probably will be the bottleneck. I don't often use a lot of graphics intensive games or applications but when I do I want to be able to run them quite well. The most often graphics intensive game I normally play would be WoW, and I'm not really worried about that.

Thanks for all the help!

ati's midrange in your pricerange would include the x850xt . . . perfect for Oblivion at 12x10 . .. with most details high and max - except grass and self-shadows kills most any gfx card.

if you play Oblivion, ATi might be a better choice than nvidia's offerings in the same pricerange . . .

look here: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=45&threadid=1896427&enterthread=y

 

[apoppin]

here you go . . . new and close to your price range - $159:

SAPPHIRE 100106L Radeon X850XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

Not sure if the rebate is still available

the x1800xt is going for ~$200+ used . . .
and it's not that much more powerful . . . .

edit: Your choice for nVidia seems to include the 6800GT and the 7600GT . . . look for a 'hot deal' if you want those cards.

 

[Omunus]

How much of a difference is there between the x800xt and x850xt performance wise? I've read that it is only a few % difference, and if so, the lower price would be a nice point. So I'm verifying with yall.

 

[Sonikku]

Read the sig.

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: apoppin
here you go . . . new and close to your price range - $159:

SAPPHIRE 100106L Radeon X850XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

Not sure if the rebate is still available

the x1800xt is going for ~$200+ used . . .
and it's not that much more powerful . . . .

edit: Your choice for nVidia seems to include the 6800GT and the 7600GT . . . look for a 'hot deal' if you want those cards.

That rebate thread is from 5 months ago. Not to mention there isn't even a rebate link in that rebate thread. And, the people aren't even getting their rebates til this day!

An x1800xt would kill both the x850xt and 7600gt, so yes it is that much more powerful.

"~$200+ used"? That's a little misleading. I can also say it's $5.00+ used and that would still have the same effect if you catch my drift. Not sure if the OP is willing to spend 200 bucks though, but if I were him I would to get that x1800xt

OP, get the 7600gt. It's single slot, uses less power and I'm guessing would be less noisy.

I'm not even going to go into the newer tech crap (sm3, etc).

 

[kmmatney]

Here are a few deals:

~$100 aafter rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814103172

The X850XT - double slot, but moves hot air out of case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102688

7600GT, $140 after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130283

I think overall the 7600GT is the best solution, unless you want to stay near $100, then the first option is very good. You did say you were looking for a used card, but there aren't many used cards in the proce ramge that would be better. YOu could go up to $200 and get an open box X1800XT:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102698R

also, this open box X1800XL for $169:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102612R

 

[apoppin]

sisq0kidd, i gave current info the x850xt is available for $159 from NewEgg.

and the x1800xt is also much more expensive and evidently out of the OP's price range.

and don't bother even starting about SM3.0. . . it isn't very useful in anything but a top [read: expensive] card

and the x1800xl looks ok for a few bucks more . . . if you want open box.

 

[Sonikku]

Here is a X850XT for $145.99.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102483

No freakin' rebates to put up with that will take months to process that you may or may not ever receive. If Oblivion is your thing, it will perform about as well if not better then the more pricy 7600GT. It will also blow hot air out of your case. Just be sure you have the space for a dual slot solution.

 

[SpeedZealot369]

I second a 7600gt, I have one and I'm loving it. It KILLS any x800/x850 card and it seems to be cheaper for some reason oh well can't complain about that.

Plus it draws like no power. All in all I think a 7600gt would be your best bet.

EDIT

If you can find a x1800xl card for the same price as a 7600gt then I would say go for that xl, but I havn't seen any x1800xl's anywhere near 7600gt prices so far.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
I second a 7600gt, I have one and I'm loving it. It KILLS any x800/x850 card and it seems to be cheaper for some reason oh well can't complain about that.

Plus it draws like no power. All in all I think a 7600gt would be your best bet.

EDIT

If you can find a x1800xl card for the same price as a 7600gt then I would say go for that xl, but I havn't seen any x1800xl's anywhere near 7600gt prices so far.

i can't seem to find any new 7600gts in the $150 and under price range . . . in that case - especially considering it's playing Oblivion - i'd consider the $145 x850xt.

the one 1800xl in the same range as the 7600gt was open box

edit: i found one . . . if you don't mind rebates:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130017">

eVGA 256-P2-N554-AX Geforce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail ($139.99 after $30.00 Mail-In Rebate)</a>

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
I second a 7600gt, I have one and I'm loving it. It KILLS any x800/x850 card and it seems to be cheaper for some reason oh well can't complain about that.

Plus it draws like no power. All in all I think a 7600gt would be your best bet.

EDIT

If you can find a x1800xl card for the same price as a 7600gt then I would say go for that xl, but I havn't seen any x1800xl's anywhere near 7600gt prices so far.

i can't seem to find any new 7600gts in the $150 and under price range . . . in that case - especially considering it's playing Oblivion - i'd consider the $145 x850xt.

the one 1800xl in the same range as the 7600gt was open box

edit: i found one . . . if you don't mind rebates:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130017">

eVGA 256-P2-N554-AX Geforce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail ($139.99 after $30.00 Mail-In Rebate)</a>

2
3
4

There are others too, but they are about $5-10 over his budget. And I dunno about that Biostar one :laugh:

 

[apoppin]

his budget is $100-$150 . . . all of yours [including #3 which i already posted] are overbudget - except with rebates.

i'm kinda curious what the OP is actually gonna get . . .

either the 7600gt or the x850xt would be a decent choice for his rig.

it's gonna be another year before i have to decide again. . . . . . looks like a lot is gonna change by then.

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: apoppin
his budget is $100-$150 . . . all of yours [including #3 which i already posted] are overbudget - except with rebates.

i'm kinda curious what the OP is actually gonna get . . .

either the 7600gt or the x850xt would be a decent choice for his rig.

it's gonna be another year before i have to decide again. . . . . . looks like a lot is gonna change by then.

I still have hope that XGI will wake up if the AMD-ATI thing does go through.

 

[SpeedZealot369]

Take the 140 AR 7600gt, please don't get a x850xt. Nothing against ATI (I am a x1900xt owner) but the 7600gt is just such a better buy. The rebate will come through 99.999 percent.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
Take the 140 AR 7600gt, please don't get a x850xt. Nothing against ATI (I am a x1900xt owner) but the 7600gt is just such a better buy. The rebate will come through 99.999 percent.

really?
:Q

what makes it the better buy? it certainly isn't blindingly faster nor is it's SM3.0 important.

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
Take the 140 AR 7600gt, please don't get a x850xt. Nothing against ATI (I am a x1900xt owner) but the 7600gt is just such a better buy. The rebate will come through 99.999 percent.

really?
:Q

what makes it the better buy? it certainly isn't blindingly faster nor is it's SM3.0 important.

The fact that it uses less power, is single slot and cheaper after rebate?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: sisq0kidd

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
Take the 140 AR 7600gt, please don't get a x850xt. Nothing against ATI (I am a x1900xt owner) but the 7600gt is just such a better buy. The rebate will come through 99.999 percent.

really?
:Q

what makes it the better buy? it certainly isn't blindingly faster nor is it's SM3.0 important.

The fact that it uses less power, is single slot and cheaper after rebate?

none of those concerns are very important as most 300w PSes can handle an x850xt, it exhausts the hot air out of the case and is much cheaper before rebate.

Plus the x850xt is sometimes faster than the 7600GT in Oblivion:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2746&p=7

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: sisq0kidd

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
Take the 140 AR 7600gt, please don't get a x850xt. Nothing against ATI (I am a x1900xt owner) but the 7600gt is just such a better buy. The rebate will come through 99.999 percent.

really?
:Q

what makes it the better buy? it certainly isn't blindingly faster nor is it's SM3.0 important.

The fact that it uses less power, is single slot and cheaper after rebate?

none of those concerns are very important as most 300w PSes can handle an x850xt, it exhausts the hot air out of the case and is much cheaper before rebate.

Plus the x850xt is sometimes faster than the 7600GT in Oblivion:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2746&p=7

:laugh:

So the x850xt is sometimes faster than a 7600gt and that makes it the better buy? Or are you just saying the 7600gt isn't such the clear cut winner? They perform about the same, so why not pick the one that has advantages in other areas regardless of whether or not they are utilized to their potential?

Lower power consumption is always better no matter how you spin it.

I guarantee the x850xt is louder than the evga 7600gt.

A single slot cooler, I would imagine, is a better choice for the OP if he had lots of pci components.

It's up to the OP if he trusts rebates, so that is not a factor for us to argue.

So, what makes the x850xt the better choice?