Video card recommendation

[brikis98]

My current rig has an Intel C2D e8400, 2GB RAM and I game on a 37" 1080p LCD. I need a new video card that:

1. Can comfortably handle most modern 3d games (Crysis excepted) at 1920x1080.
2. Does not eat up an obscene amount of power (ie, no SLI or dual GPU solutions).
3. Is very quiet.

I've stopped following the video card scene for a couple years, so I'm looking for what my best options are in the following price ranges:

1. $100 - $150
2. $150 - $200
3. $200 - $250

Thanks!

 

[krnmastersgt]

1. Radeon 4850
2. 4870 512mb
3. 4780 1GB/GTX260 Core216

 

[Denithor]

$100 - $200
4850 or 9800GTX
A little underpowered for 1080p.

$200-250
GTX 260/216 or 1GB 4870
Better choices, about equal.

 

[brikis98]

Thanks for the info so far guys. Bump for a few more opinions.

 

[themisfit610]

Erm... get more RAM

2gb? It's less than $50 for 4GB!
~MiSfit

 

[TidusZ]

Originally posted by: Denithor
$100 - $200
4850 or 9800GTX
A little underpowered for 1080p.
.

Not sure what you've been smoking, cus a 4850 is plenty powerful for 1080p. I have a 12+ month old 8800gt that plays everything at 1920x1200 near maxed at ~60 fps, plays crysis warhead at 1920x1200 gamer settings on the bottom level of playable, and the 4850 is considerably faster than my 8800gt.

And no, I'm not some shmoe who buys cheap cards and shits on people who waste a lot of money on the expensive ones. I have a 295 in the mail, I'm the guy who wastes lots of money on cards.

Also, no idea how loud the 4850 is, but the 260/280 cards can get downright loud above 80c which happens in some games with vsync off, and in others it gets near 80c and is certainly audible.