Reccomend a good Graphics Card for CS:S

[Juice Box]

So I am having problems with my current hardware setup on my media center (Old AGP Motherboard and 7600 GT AGP Card) and am looking to upgrade the mobo and video card. I really only need a card that will play CS:Source on 1280x720 with fairly high FPS.

Since it is my media center, and I play it on a 100+" projector screen, CS is really the only game I will play...everything else I just play on my normal desktop.

That being said, what is a good PCI Express graphics card that is reletavily cheap but will run CS:S very well at that resolution?

 

[Kromis]

Well...how cheaper can you get with a 7600GT? I mean, that already costs like... $160 or something (AGP version). I would suggest the X1950Pro or X1950XT

 

[Gautama2]

Just keep the 7600gt and buy a new mobo with an agp slot. I mean, I get 135-145 fps with my overclocked GT @ 1440x900 maxxed.

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Gautama2
Just keep the 7600gt and buy a new mobo with an agp slot. I mean, I get 135-145 fps with my overclocked GT @ 1440x900 maxxed.

Well, I think either my card or motherboard is fvcked....I get horrible FPS in CS:S, and my videos (.avi) have never really played well due to poor video acceleration. I have a funny feeling the mobo is just bad as I have had it for quite some time now. I figure if Im gonna upgrade, I might as well get a PCI x16 board, right? Any ideas are welcome!

 

[Juice Box]

At this point I'm not sure if the warranty on my mobo or video card is good anymore =/ I really don't know which is messing up, but whatever it is, it is causing repeated problems on every fresh install of XP...dunno if I should just replace both the mobo and video card for an up-to-date solution. If so, any Ideas for that?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Seeing as it's an HTPC get the Msi HDCP 7600GS

THey OC decently too, bought one for a friend earlier this year and it took 540/900 off the bat with stock cooling I put copper ram sinks on it and it never went past 900 on the ram though : / The core will go much higher with better cooling.

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
Seeing as it's an HTPC get the Msi HDCP 7600GS

THey OC decently too, bought one for a friend earlier this year and it took 540/900 off the bat with stock cooling I put copper ram sinks on it and it never went past 900 on the ram though : / The core will go much higher with better cooling.

Would that be a step down from what I have now (7600GT?) How does it's performance on games par?

 

[doggyfromplanetwoof]

Originally posted by: Juice Box

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
Seeing as it's an HTPC get the Msi HDCP 7600GS

THey OC decently too, bought one for a friend earlier this year and it took 540/900 off the bat with stock cooling I put copper ram sinks on it and it never went past 900 on the ram though : / The core will go much higher with better cooling.

Would that be a step down from what I have now (7600GT?) How does it's performance on games par?

8500/8600 IMO, awesome for a HTPC. Has good HD video playback and as fast as a x1950. Will play CSS very good too and can be had for less than $200.

You want complete silent?

$127 after rebate, it is pcie, but your replacing your mobo? Comes with SupComm too.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814125061

7600GT should be plenty to play CSS though, what are your other specs?

I got a 3000+939, 2gbram, 6800GS and I get around 40FPS. This is at 1600x1200 4xaf 0xaa no HDR, high textures.

Check out http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2975&p=1

It puts the x1950, 8600, and the 7600GT in a good review. Good read for you me thinks.

 

[Juice Box]

I have a Gigabyte Micro ATX Mobo (revision 1), 2gigs PC3200, AMD 64bit 3200+, Leadtek Winfast 7600GT

Every time I do a fresh install of XP or vista, I run into problems. This time, music would skip every few seconds whenever I played it. Other times video codecs will randomly go bad out of nowhere. It just feels like this hardware is very un-stable...and I'm not sure where I'd even begin with troubleshooting it.

I mean, if you think that hardware is good enough to run games at 1280x720 (widescreen for the projector), then what can I do to fix it?

 

[Rage3kMoiz]

I think your problems lie more with incompatible chipset drivers than the hardware itself. Try updating those first. Then update the BIOS to the latest revision. That hopefully should fix your issues.

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Rage3kMoiz
I think your problems lie more with incompatible chipset drivers than the hardware itself. Try updating those first. Then update the BIOS to the latest revision. That hopefully should fix your issues.

I believe my BIOS is as updated as it's going to get (gigabyte doesn't seem to support my board much anymore). As far as chipset drivers...I downloaded the newest ones off of the manufacturer's site, but I'm not 100% how to install them, as there is no .exe file. Perhaps I will have to manually update them through device manager?

 

[StopSign]

Originally posted by: doggyfromplanetwoof
8500/8600 IMO, awesome for a HTPC. Has good HD video playback and as fast as a x1950.

Umm......no.

 

[schneiderguy]

A 7600gt will easily run CSS at that resolution with some AA and AF, no need to buy a new card

 

[LOUISSSSS]

if you're looking for the best agp card, i believe its the x1950pro, its relatively cheap and IS the best of the best in AGP.

quote:
Originally posted by: doggyfromplanetwoof
8500/8600 IMO, awesome for a HTPC. Has good HD video playback and as fast as a x1950.


Umm......no.

^^QFT

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: schneiderguy
A 7600gt will easily run CSS at that resolution with some AA and AF, no need to buy a new card

Hah, well as it stands, it barely gets 30fps at 1280x720 with all setting on low....so something must be wrong