Recommendations on 8800GTS and new Radeons?

[rkoenn]

I am upgrading right now and am wondering what the feeling is on these choices:

* Buy an 8800GTS 320 Overclocked now available for $299.

* Buy an 8800GTS 640 Overclocked for almost $400.

* Wait for the new Radeon lower end cards in the same price range (have to wait until May or such, unknown date)

I plan for the next year and probably much longer to use it with a 19" LCD at 1280X1024 native resolution.

I am putting a new nVidia MSI 650 Ultra motherboard with my existing Core 2 Duo 6400 CPU. I am replacing a Radeon 800XL video card.

I appreciate any thoughts on this. I would like to do it soon but don't mind waiting to May if that would be better.

Thanks.

 

[lobbyone]

With your monitors resolution, your better off with 8800GTS 320

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: lobbyone
With your monitors resolution, your better off with 8800GTS 320

Seconded.

 

[m1ldslide1]

If you can wait a while, then that's my recommendation. Once ATI comes out with their new parts these prices should come down a bit, and I think I even heard that nvidia's first refresh is slated for april-may, which will drive down the prices significantly for the current products.

I think there will be games at some point that push existing hardware, even at 1280x1024. Obviously there's no such thing as future-proofing, but a 640 might last you a little longer. Maybe by April the 640 costs what the 320 does now.

 

[Sniper82]

Yeah I wanna upgrade to the 320mb 8800 right now but I can't because I don't want to give more than $200 or so for a new card and I want DX10. That and I know if I buy now I will regret it in a couple months when alot of new stuff should start shipping.

 

[WinnieThePujols]

I would wait. It will only be another month or two. It's not like the GTX was just released and the next wave of ATI's cards are 6 months away.

I personally have my eye on the R600... if it isn't a big enough improvement over the GTX though, I'll just go with that (which will have dropped in price by then).

 

[Wreckage]

It sounds like the GTS might be a good match for you. Even if you don't game much it will still give you the option of playing DX10 games in the next year or so. At your resolution, anything above the 320mb card would just be overkill.

I generally don't like to recommend people on waiting for the next card, because there will be a next card after that to wait for and a next card after that.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: rkoenn
* Wait for the new Radeon lower end cards in the same price range (have to wait until May or such, unknown date)

If you're going to look at Radeon mid-range parts, there will be NV mid-range parts around the same time. I doubt any of them will be able to come close to a 320MB GTS in the $200-300 price range based on the rough specs known to date.

The 320MB part will be the real DX10 bargain part imo unless it gets discontinued when the 8600 and 8900s come out. Price will only go down from its $299 price point (there's already some rebates popping up and the OC'd versions are selling for the $299 standard MSRP).