Video card is toast.. help please

[gus6464]

My 7900GT finally bit the dust as it's artifacting like mad. I need a new video card (PCI-E) and I really only have one requirement. Run WoW at 1680x1050 because of my 22in monitor. The 7900GT was doing a good job at medium to high settings so I am just looking for something that can replace this. What do you guys think of the 8600GT?

These are some cards which look decent on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127304

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121094

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814130085

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127310

Right now I am leaning toward the last 2 which are EVGA 8600GT and MSI 8600GT w/ 512mb and both are around same price with rebates. Would any of these work?

 

[Slugbait]

First, the 7900GT will outperform the 8600GT. The 8600GTS is right around an "equal" card in comparison...for some things. For other things, the 7900GT will still beat it.

Second, the 512 versions have GDDR2 memory (I believe this to be true of every 512 version of the 8600GT), so performance will take a rather significant hit as compared to the 256 versions, which use GDDR3.

With that said, the 8600GT 256 should suffice for your exacting needs (WoW), especially if price is a deciding factor: cuz the price for an 8600GTS can't really be justified at this time, especially against the prices of a 9600GT or an 8800GT. Maybe a week or two from now we'll see better price drops for the 8600GTS.

Looking at your system specs, you still have a pretty decent machine. You're obviously on a budget, but if you can swing it, I would recommend a 9600GT instead. I believe the best price AR is $135 shipped. It will pretty-much destroy the 8600GTS, so against an 8600GT it would probably throw in a few taunts as well...

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: Slugbait
First, the 7900GT will outperform the 8600GT. The 8600GTS is right around an "equal" card in comparison...for some things. For other things, the 7900GT will still beat it.

Like what? 3 year old games? Even then 8600gts perform in the lines of 7900gs stock clocks. Anything modern 8600gts destroys 7900gt and perform more like 7950gt or a gtx even on some games.

OP: Forget the 8500gt. They are half the card 8600gt is. Forget 512meg video ram with these cards as these does not have the horsepower to run high resolutions with AA.

I'm selling my 8600gts only a few months old for $80 still in retail box with warranty if you are interested. I have it here in the sale forum.

But the above poster is right to recommend the 9600gt if you are more into gaming other than WOW and want to turn the settings all the way up.

 

[IL2SturmovikPilot]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814260059

Cheapest non-DDR2 8600GT,still good enough for WoW,plus it still plows through 8500GT.

 

[gus6464]

Well all I need it for is WoW. That's the most gaming I do on it these days so that's why I don't want to spend a lot on anything fancy. Is Palit a good brand?

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: gus6464
Well all I need it for is WoW. That's the most gaming I do on it these days so that's why I don't want to spend a lot on anything fancy. Is Palit a good brand?

It wouldn't be my first choice & in fact it wouldn't be my 5th or 6th either due to crappy warranty support & questionable build quality ... also let me repeat that its a complete waste of money paying extra for 512mb's in a card of this performance level ... buy a 256mb version & put the savings into a better brand and/or better features instead.


For example:


XFX PVT84JUAL3 GeForce 8600GT 256MB @ $88 + $7 shipping ($20 MIR) - Has a lifetime warranty thats transferable if you sell it & swapping the factory HS/fan is allowed.


MSI NX8600GT Twin Turbo GeForce 8600GT 256MB @ $90 + $7 shipping ($20 MIR & free copy of "The Witcher" game) - Factory overclocked with very good 2-slot HS/fan & has 3-year warranty. (may be a bit on the loud side)


GIGABYTE GV-NX86T256H GeForce 8600GT 256MB @ $93 + $7 shipping - Factory overclocked - Passive/fanless HS for silent operation - 3-year warranty


The Gigabyte would be my first choice it I wanted an 8600GT, but any of these three are a much better bet then that Palit card.

 

[s44]

At those prices, the OP should either pick up a cheaper and faster 2600XT/3650 or a slightly more expensive and MUCH faster 8800GS (that EVGA for $110AR, shipped).

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: s44
At those prices, the OP should either pick up a cheaper and faster 2600XT/3650 or a slightly more expensive and MUCH faster 8800GS (that EVGA for $110AR, shipped).

These are also both valid points. :thumbsup:


Edit: Especially the EVGA 8800GS if he can afford to wait for the rebate.

 

[Slugbait]

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Slugbait
First, the 7900GT will outperform the 8600GT. The 8600GTS is right around an "equal" card in comparison...for some things. For other things, the 7900GT will still beat it.

Like what? 3 year old games? Even then 8600gts perform in the lines of 7900gs stock clocks. Anything modern 8600gts destroys 7900gt and perform more like 7950gt more like 7950gt
or a gtx even on some games.

Umm...ok, whatever. I was looking at OP's desires, and I'm unaware of anything "modern" where the 8600GTS performs like a 7950gt. Unless we're talking about DX10, whereas there is no performance at all from the 7-series.

Just out of curiosity, when was WoW released...?

 

[gus6464]

Originally posted by: Slugbait

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Slugbait
First, the 7900GT will outperform the 8600GT. The 8600GTS is right around an "equal" card in comparison...for some things. For other things, the 7900GT will still beat it.

Like what? 3 year old games? Even then 8600gts perform in the lines of 7900gs stock clocks. Anything modern 8600gts destroys 7900gt and perform more like 7950gt more like 7950gt
or a gtx even on some games.

Umm...ok, whatever. I was looking at OP's desires, and I'm unaware of anything "modern" where the 8600GTS performs like a 7950gt. Unless we're talking about DX10, whereas there is no performance at all from the 7-series.

Just out of curiosity, when was WoW released...?

WoW was released back in 2005 and it is a dx9 game. Only reason a better than bottom of the barrel video card is needed is when you are on a raid with 25 other people and slowdown occurs.

I found this card on newegg for $140 with $30 rebate from EVGA and it is the 8800GS. Do you think this is a good card for the price? Total after rebate comes to $110 and free shipping.

 

[MyLeftNut]

Just pick up a 9600gt or 8800gt if not much more in price. Meanwhile, perhaps you can still use the 7900gt for the time being by underclocking the core and/or memory a bit. Maybe it's just the memory that's dying?

 

[Lithan]

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/486/7/

7900gt wins every single bench as far as I see. It's close at some points, and less so at others.

How much can you spend?
@125$ 9600gt 512meg
@170$ 8800gt 512meg
@190$ 8800gts 512meg


Uh, the bench that got linked of the 8600 DESTROYING the 7900gt... shows the 7900gt winning by 17%.

I'm beginning to understand how the 8800gs beats the 9600gt now.

 

[gus6464]

So wait the 8800GS beats the 9600GT? Then how is that 8800GS not a good option for $110? You guys are confusing me lol I can do the $125 9600GT no problem if its better than that EVGA 384MB 8800GS.

 

[Lithan]

I was being a smartass. Azn likes to argue that the 8800gs is a better card than 9600gt besides averaging ~15% slower in benchmarks, because according to him it will win in future games due to improved shader performance. Which is all well and good, but occasionally he slips up and starts talking like the 8800gs is a better card now. So you have to keep him in line with a few benches every now and again.

Basically, 9600gt is better than 8800gs... but since default clocks are a bit apart, overclocking probably makes the 8800gs closer than the 15% Benches suggest. The problem is there are settings 9600gt can run playably that 8800gs will never run because in some games/resos/settings there's an obvious wall where the memory structure of the 8800gs just isnt sufficient (only in modern games, no worries in older stuff).
But there are some significant advantages otherwise:
9600gt seems to have an sli advantage over g92... may be temporary though
9600gt reqs less power and runs cooler

Still they are both very solid cards and they define a break point. Everything cheaper than they are is MUCH slower and the stuff that costs more than they do isn't nearly as far ahead of them as they are ahead of the cheaper cards. In other words, for a budget system they are the cards to buy right now.

From a performance difference standpoint I'd relate them to 8800gt and 8800gts (512meg). Performance is close enough that when the cost is $30-50 difference it boils down to a decision on your part, but @$10 difference, it seems like a no brainer to me... Unless the performance difference is completely meaningless to you. I doubt there will be much if any resale difference, since they are close enough to one another that they'll probably be considered equal to people buying them used in the future.