Video Card Upgrade Advice

[xenzoso]

Hi all

At the moment I have a GeForce Ti 4200 128MB, and to go along with a new processor and motherboard upgrade I would like a new GFX card. I have been looking closely at the Sapphire Radeon Atlantis 9800 Pro 128MB which is well within my price range, however I do have more money than the price of this card to spend. Having looked at the cards above this within my price limit I can't see anything which, with my limited knowledge, will out perform the Sapphire.

There are a few 9600XT 256MB cards available and also a GeForce FX5900 128MB card which are within the limit, but the next card up which is outside my budget is the 9800XT 256MB.

I would appreciate anyones advice and comments. I am based in the UK so if you have any bargains they will have to be UK based.

Thanks in advance
Zoso

 

[BenSkywalker]

What kind of prices are you looking at?

Based on US prices nothing much above $200 is worth the money right now, anything higher is only slightly faster and there is a new wave of boards around the corner. Based on US prices I would tell you to go ahead and pick up the R9800Pro, but I don't know what the situation looks like on the other side of the pond.

 

[xSauronx]

9800 pro if you need something now, running $215 around here.

id plan on waiting til the next wave of cards hit in a month or whatever it is, thatll bring the current high end prices down

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: xSauronx
9800 pro if you need something now, running $215 around here.

id plan on waiting til the next wave of cards hit in a month or whatever it is, thatll bring the current high end prices down

I would also recommend a 9800 Pro. I went from a GeForce4 Ti 4200 to a 9600 Pro and the difference wasn't fantastic. If you are going to upgrade make it worth it and save yourself money in the long run.

-Por

 

[xenzoso]

It seems the R9800 Pro is the best value here as well as the US. Only concern with this card is the fact it is only 128Mb which is the same as I have at the moment.

Is it better to go for 9600XT with 256MB or the 9800 Pro with 128MB?

Zoso

 

[bandana163]

256MB memory is meaningless, the performance difference between 128 and 256MB is ~0-5%.
The 9800XT is overpriced, a 9800pro can easily reach XT speeds, other cards are simply not better deals than a 9800p for 215$.
A 9600XT would be 30-50% slower, it's just a middle-range card. Another 128MB RAM for that card is just a marketing trick.

 

[xenzoso]

There is a Gainward GeForce FX5900 128MB DDR which is cheaper than the R9800 Pro and I have read some post about similar cards which can be overclocked to performance of 5950 Ultra?

Any truth in this or is the R9800 Pro worth the extra cash?

Thanks for everyones help so far, very much appreciated.
Zoso

 

[Conky]

The 128mb Radeon 9800Pro is the definite sweet-spot in videocards right now... ~$200 gets you a state of the art videocard.

Yes, the new cards are coming out soon but this is always the case in the videocard business and now the new ones will cost you $500.

CPU's get cheaper but videocards(I refuse to call them GPU's) keep going up in price?

I won't pay over $200 anymore for a videocard. It was worth $300 on the V5 and then again on the GF2Ultra but I will never buy a top-end videocard again unless I hit the dang lotto because a $200 Radeon9800Pro is getting my videocard bidness done and in a year it won't be worth $50. LOL

 

[xenzoso]

Just like to say thanks for everyones advice, finally ordered the Sapphire Raden 9800 Pro 128MB. This along with an Athlon 64 3200 should be more than plenty for some on-line Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow.

Zoso

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: xenzoso
Just like to say thanks for everyones advice, finally ordered the Sapphire Raden 9800 Pro 128MB. This along with an Athlon 64 3200 should be more than plenty for some on-line Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow.

Zoso

Nice rig!! Enjoy it