Video card advice sought

[djm1968]

I do not follow hardware evolution so much any longer and I am really at a loss in trying to choose a new PCIe video card.

This is my system:

Dual Xeon 3.0Ghz (dual core), 800 fsb, intel server board, 4-8Gb DDR333 RAM, sata drive etc.

I would like to do some gaming, like GTR2, and watching DVDs, but I am not a hardcore gamer.

What video card would be a good match for an older dual proc machine like this? I am willing to spend up to ~$400.

Thanks!
DJM

 

[Bateluer]

Not sure what GRT2 is, but I'd look at something with decent performance. A 8800GT or Radeon 2900 Pro. The 2900Pro is available now for under 300 and OCs pretty well, if you're into that sort of thing. The 8800GT is supposed to be released some time between 12 Oct and 13 Nov, I've heard both release dates. I haven't seen any reliable benchmarks for any unreleased 8800GTs either.

Most any video card will work fine for watching DVDs. You could pop in a cheap Radeon 2400 or Geforce 8400 and play DVDs without a problem.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I apologize in advance, I'm working on 48hrs with no sleep and I can't pull my pitiful ass away from the PC

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Not sure what GRT2 is, but I'd look at something with decent performance. A 8800GT or Radeon 2900 Pro. The 2900Pro is available now for under 300 and OCs pretty well, if you're into that sort of thing. The 8800GT is supposed to be released some time between 12 Oct and 13 Nov, I've heard both release dates. I haven't seen any reliable benchmarks for any unreleased 8800GTs either.

Most any video card will work fine for watching DVDs. You could pop in a cheap Radeon 2400 or Geforce 8400 and play DVDs without a problem.

The 8800GT is a waste of money for someone thats not a real gamer. Grab a 7600GT for $95 shipped with a $15 MIR for a final price of $70

or an X1950GT for $115 shipped .

Either of those cards will do fine and leave you money in your pocket to show your women how much you love her by buying her a shiny with the left over money then saying "Honey, I was going to be an ass and spend $400 on a video card even though I'm nto a hard core gamer, but I love you so much that I decided to spend the bulk of it on you, I love you honey." then see if you don't get some of the best "I love you" sex you've ever had

Course, if you don't have a women which with a dual xeon rig like that is totally possible, then by all means get an 8800GTS 640 and make love to your floppy drive as I'm sure your PC will love you for slapping an 8800GTS in it over an 8400GS .

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
The 8800GT is a waste of money for someone thats not a real gamer. Grab a 7600GT for $95 shipped with a $15 MIR for a final price of $70

or an X1950GT for $115 shipped .

I agree, though I'm guessing that his motherboard probably doesn't have a PCI-E slot. They were't making Intel server boards with PCI-E slots, back while Intel was still using DDR, as far as I know. Of course, the good thing is that both of those cards also come in AGP versions, if his board happens to have an AGP slot.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I've been up for almost 48 hours so I may not have my common sense center of my brain functioning

In the case of AGP then, you can forget about the 8800's all together Your choices are now down to an AGP 7600GT or X1950GT/PRO

AGP 7600GT $135 shipped

AGP X1950GT $140 shipped

AGP X1950Pro $159 shipped

For the $5 - $24 price diff I'd pick the X1950GT or X1950 Pro considering both pwn up on the 7600GT unless you love Nvidia.

 

[JPB]

For only a few dollars more, I myself would go with one of the ATI cards...Either the 1950GT or the Pro since they would offer somewhat better performance. And I just noticed, that is exactly was Dazed said....So ill just say I agree with him completely.

Of course this HERE would be a great deal....IF it would come back in stock.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
I've been up for almost 48 hours so I may not have my common sense center of my brain functioning

Why aren't you a sleep? SNiffle is bad.

 

[bryanW1995]

making love to your floppy drive is a bad idea...um, that's what I hear anyway...

 

[djm1968]

Originally posted by: myocardia

I agree, though I'm guessing that his motherboard probably doesn't have a PCI-E slot. They were't making Intel server boards with PCI-E slots, back while Intel was still using DDR, as far as I know. Of course, the good thing is that both of those cards also come in AGP versions, if his board happens to have an AGP slot.

Actually this board has 2 PCI-E slots ( 4 and 8x), 1 PCI-X 133mhz 64bit, and 2 PCI-X 100mhz slots. I found an adapter that allows 16x pcie cards to be mounted in the 8x slot -- data transfer is cut to 8000mb/s. The adapter allows he to take advantage of the wide selection of 16x consumer cards.

Adapter info:
http://www.orbitmicro.com/glob...ox16adapter-p-755.html

Thanks,
DJM

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Problem solved, get a 7600GT or X1950GT and spend the leftover money on something you can use more.

 

[djm1968]

Hey Dazed,

Appreciate all the info and idea -- glad I can get some use from this intel mb/cpu/ram combo, which I got for free, BTW. I am a software engineer specializing in clustering (under linux) -- I get free hardware occasionally. This mb, RAM, CPU combo is one of my better acquisitions. Computers are my career, but not my passion...

Oh, BTW, I am married -- and she's a hottie I met while living in Germany (yes, she is German and yes she is tall, slim, blonde, green eyes!). With the money I save for some I can use more, as you suggest, I will do some work on my new racing car (which is my real passion): http://www.madracing.net/media/sp_index.php?dir=./bmw02

Cheers,
DJM

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
Problem solved, get a 7600GT or X1950GT and spend the leftover money on something you can use more.

 

[1ManArmY]

Originally posted by: djm1968
Hey Dazed,

Appreciate all the info and idea -- glad I can get some use from this intel mb/cpu/ram combo, which I got for free, BTW. I am a software engineer specializing in clustering (under linux) -- I get free hardware occasionally. This mb, RAM, CPU combo is one of my better acquisitions. Computers are my career, but not my passion...

Oh, BTW, I am married -- and she's a hottie I met while living in Germany (yes, she is German and yes she is tall, slim, blonde, green eyes!). With the money I save for some I can use more, as you suggest, I will do some work on my new racing car (which is my real passion): http://www.madracing.net/media/sp_index.php?dir=./bmw02

Cheers,
DJM

Originally posted by: Dazed and Confused
Problem solved, get a 7600GT or X1950GT and spend the leftover money on something you can use more.

Where's the picture of the hottie? woot woot! R U former military?