Time to replace my 9700

[TheBDB]

My Powercolor Radeon 9700 is showing its age, and I'm fairly confident if I buy Call of Duty 2 I will not be able to play it at the settings I would want. I've got a MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum board and an A64 3200+ I bought in january, so I'd like to get an AGP card to last me another year or so until a major upgrade. Looking around I've found a couple cards...

XFX GeForce 6600GT for $219 at Newegg
eVGA GeForce 6800GT for $284 at Newegg
ATI X850 Pro for $230 at Best Buy
ATI X800 XL for $285 at ZipZoomFly
ATI X850 XT for $300 at Microcenter (plus $50 rebate)

Your suggestions?

 

[SynthDude2001]

Out of those choices, the X800XL and 6800GT are probably the best choices (maybe the X850XT too), but I'm not sure that I'd recommend spending $300 on an AGP video card at this point. Then again, you'd end up spending just as much money if you bought a cheaper PCI-E card and a new motherboard...

You may want to wait for the AGP 6800GS to come out, which should be pretty soon I think. If the price of the PCI-E version is any indication (and it may not be), it should be closer to $200, and get you most of the performance of the 6800GT/X800XL.

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: TheBDB

ATI X850 XT for $300 at Microcenter (plus $50 rebate)

Your suggestions?

If you arent' dead set on SM3.0 features in games, and playing Age of Empires 3 a lot, this is what I'd get. After a rebate it'll be cheaper than the slower x800xl, only $20 more than x850pro and still faster than the more expensive 6800GT.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I'd hit the FS/FT forum first.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
I'd hit the FS/FT forum first.

:thumbsup: Probably the best solution. Higher-end AGP video cards tend to be overpriced at retail these days.

 

[TheBDB]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
I'd hit the FS/FT forum first.

:thumbsup: Probably the best solution. Higher-end AGP video cards tend to be overpriced at retail these days.

Nah, I'd rather not get a used card. I can afford the comfort of a new card. Which would be better, the 6800GT or the X800 XL?

 

[kyparrish]

coughs right here...

 

[n7]

X850XT less rebate = $250 FTW!

 

[InlineFour]

a 6600gt for $219 is a RIPOFF. my 6600gt only costed $100 after $40 MIR.

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
I'd hit the FS/FT forum first.

ditto. There are alwayds great deal here and most members here are excellent traders.

Pretty soon I'll be getting rid of my XT with a Zalman on it for a pretty fair price IMO.

 

[duragezic]

The AGP cards in FS/FT usually get snatched up right away since there is quite a demand (look at the million 'Need to upgrade video card-AGP only' threads) and still a price premium often. I really hope there is a huge supply of 6800GS cards coming SOON for $200 or less so I can get 6800ish performance without getting screwed in the ass on price, as well as a ton of other people. $300 is just way too much when 7800GT can be had for that.

 

[aatf510]

The x850xt is a good deal assuming the $50 is provided by Microcenter itself because you WILL get your rebate back and rather quickly.
Although, the 7800GT is only $300, but I still think the $250 for a x850xt is quite fair as the performance differences between the GT & the XT isn't quite night and day.

 

[tuteja1986]

ATI X850pro - MOD > X850XT PE 600/615 easy : )

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
a 6600gt for $219 is a RIPOFF. my 6600gt only costed $100 after $40 MIR.

not to mention that a 6600gt is more of a sidegrade from a 9700 pro

 

[DrZoidberg]

Dont spend $300 on a agp card as its not even high end compared to x1800 and 7800gt.

MSI 6600GT for $146 after rebate.

Then u save almost $150 for when u upgrade to G80 or R580 + new motherboard next year.


OR get a pci express mobo now for $110. Then get GTO2 mod it to x850 speed, total cost around $320 for new mobo + x850 + no more hassle waiting for agp high end.

 

[nitromullet]

out of your choices:

ATI X850 XT for $300 at Microcenter (plus $50 rebate)

 

[The Green Bean]

Sell your mother board, Get an Nforce4 and buy a 6800GS.

 

[stelleg151]

Yeah I would actually say keep your 9700pro if your going to do a full upgrade in a year. 9700 pro is close to 9800pro which is close to 6600gt, so you should be fine to hold out for a year.

 

[VIAN]

ATI X850 XT for $300 at Microcenter (plus $50 rebate)

This is the best AGP card available. And if you don't mind rebates a damn fine deal.

Why do you keep telling him not to spend the money? He want's decent performance to play games and I wouldn't recommend anything lower than mid range of the current generation to buy for good gaming. A high end card from last generation is considered almost equal to a midrange card from current generation. Technically there no mid-range for current gen. But this is a good sub.

 

[fliguy84]

i'd say wait for the AGP 6800GS to come out (might be in a few days' time). if that card could unlock, it'll be a very nice investment

 

[fire400]

a 6600 jump from a 9700 would probably not make you as happy as when you first experienced you 9700. so I would recommend the x800 or 6800 if you don't want to wait for the GS like a lot of AT members are recommending.
really, if you're going to be spending 300 bucks, you might as well be thinking about PCI-e/mobo deal, and sell your AGP card/mobo/CPU set.

 

[Munky]

There's nothing wrong with getting an x850xt when it can be had for $250, especially when you consider that it's the fastest AGP card out of all the choices the OP mentioned (pretty much the fastest AGP card period), and he already has a good CPU.

 

[TheBDB]

Well, I bought the 6800GT from Newegg. I was playing CODUO and was not satisfied and impulsively got it. Oh well...

 

[videoclone]

Make sure you overclock it! that extra 50Mhz on the core and 100Mhz on the memory does wonders.

 

[ddogg]

Originally posted by: fliguy84
i'd say wait for the AGP 6800GS to come out (might be in a few days' time). if that card could unlock, it'll be a very nice investment

i dont think their unlockable.