Recommendations please - I need a video card for around $250

[Ilmater]

I searched for this, and immediately saw this thread that looked perfect. However, everyone suggested getting the GFFX 6800 GT, and that's CLEARLY not $250. It's more like $340. Could someone please let me know what the best video card for that price would be?

We're buying it for a friend that plays a LOT of games, especially Everquest 2 in the near future. He may do some video editing/graphics work, but I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[MustISO]

You can find the regular 6800 for around that price. Outpost.com was selling them for $249, not sure if they still have it. It's the BFG 6800 OC. There's a few on the for sale forum and I believe a few of them are new, never used.

What the rest of his config like? It's kind of a waste to pair a high end card with a low end CPU.

 

[Ilmater]

My understanding is that he has a fairly fast processor and that his video card is the main piece that's out-dated. I totally understand the concept of bottlenecks, it's just a wedding gift (you know you're a nerd when you get a video card for your wedding gift). If he needs to upgrade the rest, he can do so after he gets this.

EDIT: OK, I took a look at it, and I'm wondering how much of a difference it makes that it's only a 128MB card. I know, I know... I should know this. I just haven't kept up with video cards in some time, and I don't know if many newer games are utilizing the entire 256MB in cards that have it.

 

[MustISO]

I'm pretty sure the only current game that CAN utilize the 256MB is Doom3. 128 should be fine for 99% of the new games (at least for a little while )

 

[Ilmater]

Cool. Thanks for the help, but if anyone else wants to share opinions, I'd greatly appreciate it. Even if you just want to agree with MustISO, at least I know this is the prevailing wisdom.

 

[DaveSimmons]

6600GT isn't out yet for AGP, but it should be a great $200 card. For $250 a 6800 plain is the best choice.

256 MB would be nice, but only if the card is fast enough to benefit from it, which means a 6800 or better. Note that if your friend wants Doom3, $340 with Doom3 is really like paying $300 for the card.

 

[stelleg151]

I agree that 6800 is your choice, although it would be a better deal if you softmodded it for him...

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: stelleg151
I agree that 6800 is your choice, although it would be a better deal if you softmodded it for him...

Pro: faster card
Con: it's your fault if it overheats or otherwise fails. He might even blame you "messing with" the card if there are unrelated problems like game rendering bugs and driver problems.

 

[ciwell]

Could always sell slower card, get more dough, then get the 6800GT...


Otherwise, just get the vanilla one.

 

[Sentinel]

Originally posted by: Ilmater
it's just a wedding gift (you know you're a nerd when you get a video card for your wedding gift).

thats sweet, im going to register at newegg and fry's lol

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: MustISO
I'm pretty sure the only current game that CAN utilize the 256MB is Doom3. 128 should be fine for 99% of the new games (at least for a little while )

The 128MB model will suffer at high resolution with many games. If you plan on using 1600x1200, or high levels of AA/AF the 6800 standard is a poor choice compared to the GT. If you have a monitor that doesn't support higher resolutions, the 6800 standard is a good deal.

He may do some video editing/graphics work, but I wouldn't worry about that.

The 6800 AGP models have a broken onboard video processor, so you may want to consider that also.

 

[IeraseU]

I should like to point out that although the 6800 vanilla is in fact slightly faster then the 6600GT, the 6800 has a 'non functional' video processor which may never be utilized.

By all accounts this is a hardware problem inherent to all 6800series cards, and has since been fixed in the 6600, 6700, 6200 series (and all future derivatives, I would imagine).

Taking this point into consideration, I would at this time not personally recomend a 6800 series card, on mere principle. For $250, I am sure you will be able to get a X700 XT, 6600GT, perhaps the future 6700. Also if you are able to wait until the the Q4 '04 revision, it is possible that you get a X800pro level card near this price range. Even though whatever launches may possibly only be a 'paper launch', this would still have a considerable effect on the market, as consumers will naturally want to wait for those 'paper launch' products to 'materialize', and hence this will drop prices on current video boards.