Video Card Upgrade Advice

[Likwit]

Hi Everyone,

I recently purchased a Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW (20 inch) and was considering upgrading my graphics card so I can take full advantage of my 20" wide while gaming.

Right now this is my set up...

ASUS P4P800-E-DX
P4 3.2C CPU
1GB Corsair 400Mhz
Radeon 9800 Pro (128 MB)
36GB Raptor
120GB Seagate

I haven't done any research in since I got my rig so I'm very much out of the loop. Obviously I'm looking at staying with an AGP card for the moment. Does PCIe make a big difference? Haven't really set a budget yet but I don't think I wanna spend more than $300-$400 CAD, but the lower the better.

Any suggestions for a head start would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Likwit]

Just noticed this on Future Shop...

ATI Radeon X850 Pro 256MB AGP Graphics Card - $299.99

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/prodde...gid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10066453&catid=

 

[mwmorph]

no bad idea.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=217999

$250 x850xt which is a good deal faster, i doubt you'll be able to run all your games at native resolution still on high settings.

 

[Likwit]

Thanks for the info mwmorph

 

[TigerClaw27]

Both Futureshop and Bestbuy were selling the X850XT for $299 CAD (349.99 - $50 MIR) about a week or two ago. Maybe they will do it again? I picked up two on customer apprication day at Bestbuy, really the best AGP card you can get.

EDIT: The core OCs to 560Mhz+ on both, and the memory OCs to nearly XTPE speeds, 585 - 590Mhz (right on the PE line).

 

[Likwit]

Thanks for the info TigerClaw27...I will be on the lookout and hold out for a better price.

Also got my eye on the 6800GT...does the make matter? Don't have much experience with nVidia products.

 

[hans030390]

Wait for the 6800gs agp

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
no bad idea.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=217999

$250 x850xt which is a good deal faster, i doubt you'll be able to run all your games at native resolution still on high settings.

Definitely the way to go as a final AGP upgrade. This Microcenter deal is great and I just did this upgrade and it's sweet. :thumbsup:

And the 6800gs is a 12 pipe, very low clocked, piece of poop. An X850XT will run circles around it. I can't believe people recommend that to anyone. :roll:

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

QFT..For <200 it can't be beat. Even with 12 pipes it usually beats its older bro - the 6800GT

The X1800XTPE with 16 pipes pwns the 7800GTX with 24 pipes in terms of performace.

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: Crazyfool

Originally posted by: mwmorph
no bad idea.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=217999

$250 x850xt which is a good deal faster, i doubt you'll be able to run all your games at native resolution still on high settings.

Definitely the way to go as a final AGP upgrade. This Microcenter deal is great and I just did this upgrade and it's sweet. :thumbsup:

And the 6800gs is a 12 pipe, very low clocked, piece of poop. An X850XT will run circles around it. I can't believe people recommend that to anyone. :roll:

n00b!

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

There haven't been any benchmarks or substantial proof if its existence yet, and any information we have doesn't make it sound very appealing given the other options.

X850XT deal at microcenter gets my vote.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

QFT..For <200 it can't be beat. Even with 12 pipes it usually beats its older bro - the 6800GT

The X1800XTPE with 16 pipes pwns the 7800GTX with 24 pipes in terms of performace.

That is true for the PCI-E version, which is a nice performer at the $200 pricepoint. However, the AGP version won't be built on the same core. The AGP is basically going to be a 6800nu core with 6800GT RAM.

 

[TigerClaw27]

X850XT for 329.99CAD (379.99 - 50 MIR) :
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetai..._id=0926INGFS10061200&logon=&langid=EN

Futureshop has the same price (I think Bestbuy Canada is a Futureshop clone). Online its all sold out, but they may have some in-store.
Also on the link below, they show the price of 299.99 after MIR, so it might be worth a shot to try and get that price.

Cheaper link: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/dept.asp?logon=&langid=EN&catid=20396
"ATI Radeon X850XT 256MB AGP Video Card - Bilingual (After rebates) Only $299.99"

As far as the 6800GS AGP, it will need some serious overclocking, and pipe unlocking to match the X850XT (and PE) performance, although pixel shader 3 is nice. I think the 6800GS AGP NV40 core will be overclockable, and the pipes may be unlockable (depending on whether they just disable the pipes in bios like in other 6800 cards, or they do so physically).

After its unlocked and core is overclocked, only thing left is the memory, and how far you can overclock it will depend on what grade of memory they use (I wouldnt expect anything that can do mind boggliing speeds). But this is all alot of speculation, especially when you can get the X850XT for nearly the same price, and push it a bit (using ATITool) to attain X850XT PE speeds, or maybe even a bit more.

My original plan was to hold out for the 6800GS AGP, but given the delays, and the fact I could buy the X850XT at Bestbuy for $265CAD AR (bought on customer apprication day -10%), I just couldnt pass it by. So I bought it, and I'll wait for the 6800GS reviews to come out, see if it unlocks and overclocks, and then decide if I want to stay with the X850XT or replace it with the 6800GS unlocked and OCd to 6800U speeds.

Basically look at some reviews and decide which is better in the games you play (the 6800U or the X850XT PE). And if we're lucky and the 6800GS can be OCd and unlocked to run as a 6800U, then you can make your decision. Otherwise its a no-brainer, the X850XT is clearly better then the 6800GS AGP at stock.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

Originally posted by: Crazyfool

Originally posted by: mwmorph
no bad idea.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=217999

$250 x850xt which is a good deal faster, i doubt you'll be able to run all your games at native resolution still on high settings.

Definitely the way to go as a final AGP upgrade. This Microcenter deal is great and I just did this upgrade and it's sweet. :thumbsup:

And the 6800gs is a 12 pipe, very low clocked, piece of poop. An X850XT will run circles around it. I can't believe people recommend that to anyone. :roll:

n00b!

wtf are you talking about? the albatron is 350/1ghz. the xfx is 400/1ghz. It's nothing like the pci-e version and is 99% likely to have the final quad laser cut. hmmm.... a 100% chance of great performance for no modding or a 50% chance of marginally better perfromance with some hardmods/biosflashes and hoping it ocs high enough?

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

I don't agree with this. The X850XT deal is better for him, only possible competition AGP is if he can get a 6800U somewhere for the same price, which I doubt.

The 6800GS AGP should be slower than a X850XT at that monitor's native resolution, especially with AA/AF.

 

[Keysplayr]

I guess the real thing to discover here would be if the AGP 6800GS in manufactured on the 110nm process. In other words, is it, an NV40 or an NV41 core. If the latter, the 350MHz core is intentionally low probably to deter sales over to PCI-e GS's. If it is the 110nm core, then it "should" clock the same as the PCI-e version of the GS. After all, the only difference would be that the NV41a is a native PCI-e core, and the NV41 is a native AGP core? Not 100% sure on this. The AGP GS "should" o/c quite nicely on the core at the very least. What memory is used remains to be seen.

 

[Wolfshanze]

QFT..For <200 it can't be beat. Even with 12 pipes it usually beats its older bro - the 6800GT

Not in the AGP world. The 6800GS is DEFINATELY SLOWER hands-down to it's older and bigger brother the 6800GT... it's not even remotely questionable that the AGP 6800GS is slower then the AGP 6800GT.

Let's see... the AGP 6800GS is built on THE SAME CORE as the 6800GT... it's referance specs are the SAME SPEED as the 6800GT... but IT'S MISSING FOUR PIPES compared to the 6800GT. Hmmm... that would make it SLOWER then the 6800GT.

With luck, overclocked and IF (and right now that's a BIG if) you can unlock the missing four pipes you MIGHT get a card just as fast as the 6800GT... but it's definately NOT faster, especially at stock speeds.

The X850XT is the fastest card of the three, but nobody should get confused that somehow the 6800GS is faster then the 6800GT in the AGP market.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
I guess the real thing to discover here would be if the AGP 6800GS in manufactured on the 110nm process. In other words, is it, an NV40 or an NV41 core. If the latter, the 350MHz core is intentionally low probably to deter sales over to PCI-e GS's. If it is the 110nm core, then it "should" clock the same as the PCI-e version of the GS. After all, the only difference would be that the NV41a is a native PCI-e core, and the NV41 is a native AGP core? Not 100% sure on this. The AGP GS "should" o/c quite nicely on the core at the very least. What memory is used remains to be seen.

Nope, nV41 has second gen Purevideo and does not have an additional quad to unlock for the 12 pipe cards.

:beer: Merry Christmas Keys!

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

I don't agree with this. The X850XT deal is better for him, only possible competition AGP is if he can get a 6800U somewhere for the same price, which I doubt.

The 6800GS AGP should be slower than a X850XT at that monitor's native resolution, especially with AA/AF.

:Q
I like this new rollo.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

I don't agree with this. The X850XT deal is better for him, only possible competition AGP is if he can get a 6800U somewhere for the same price, which I doubt.

The 6800GS AGP should be slower than a X850XT at that monitor's native resolution, especially with AA/AF.

:Q
I like this new rollo.

No "new Rollo"- I've always given ATI credit where it's due and recommended them when they were the best deal.

I didn't recommend the X850XTs in the past because they cost the same and only offered a little more D3d speed. (and it was important to reward nVidia for the risk taking bringing SM3/FP blending to market so we could have cool features in games a couple years ahead of ATIs apparent schedule)

These days, the swing in price on these cards has made them the better deal.

I never lie about video cards mwmorph, and usually try to back my advice with links to corroboration.

:beer:
Merry Christmas!

 

[Likwit]

Wow!! I wake up on xmas morning and everyone is posting and discussing. Thanks everyone!

I ended up buying the ATI Radeon X850XT last night on Future Shop for $329 (after $50 mail-in rebate).

TigerClaw27 > I was one of the few who got one of the 10 cards on FS.com

Thank you everyone for your help. AnandTech forums rock.

 

[JustinGoodie]

hey, what are you doing with your old 9800??

i've still got my old radeon 8500... it needs to be upgraded badly

 

[Likwit]

I was thinking about putting it up on eBay. They seem to be going for around $100USD.

I have the box, bill (warranty purposes), cables, software the whole 9 yards if you're interested.

It was purchased May 2004 and wasn't installed until October 2004. Never removed and in top condition.

Let me know and maybe we can work something out.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: hans030390
Wait for the 6800gs agp

I don't agree with this. The X850XT deal is better for him, only possible competition AGP is if he can get a 6800U somewhere for the same price, which I doubt.

The 6800GS AGP should be slower than a X850XT at that monitor's native resolution, especially with AA/AF.

:Q
I like this new rollo.

No "new Rollo"- I've always given ATI credit where it's due and recommended them when they were the best deal.

I didn't recommend the X850XTs in the past because they cost the same and only offered a little more D3d speed. (and it was important to reward nVidia for the risk taking bringing SM3/FP blending to market so we could have cool features in games a couple years ahead of ATIs apparent schedule)

These days, the swing in price on these cards has made them the better deal.

I never lie about video cards mwmorph, and usually try to back my advice with links to corroboration.

:beer:
Merry Christmas!

merry christmas. It's actually refreshing to see the flaming has really died down(or im getting realyl lucky and not clicking on all the flame threads) right around now.

 

[JustinGoodie]

Originally posted by: Likwit
I was thinking about putting it up on eBay. They seem to be going for around $100USD.

I have the box, bill (warranty purposes), cables, software the whole 9 yards if you're interested.

It was purchased May 2004 and wasn't installed until October 2004. Never removed and in top condition.

Let me know and maybe we can work something out.

YGPM