Video purchase question

[imported_Dimicron]

I'm upgrading my PC and bringing it into the 939 age. Spending most of my money on the CPU and just want a cheap video card that'll work till I can afford better sometime after Christmas. Getting a 3800+ X2 and a DFI LanParty nf4-Ultra motherboard. Bringing over 2 x 1GB of RAM, 2 x 74GB raptors, a 200GB maxtor HD, and a Audigy 2xs gamer. (For comparison coming from a "Clawhammer" 3200+ and Albatron k8x800 pro ii motherboard, good motherboard). Upgrading earlier than I usually do since my gf's PC died and we both can't keep shareing a decent PC and a laptop

I rarely play FPS type of games. Mostly prefer RTS and RPGs so I won't be asking to much of the vid card, most of the games I play or will be playing when they are out are are Rome: Total War, Age of Empires 2 and 3, Silent Hunter 3, Civ2 (and 4 hopefully), and EQ2.

I was looking at the 6200TC and 6600GT. Max budget of ~ $200 for vid card, but the cheaper the better! Not getting an SLI motherboard, just don't see the value in SLI quite yet. I prefer nvidia video cards since I have had bad luck with ATi in the past, although I will consider anything. pci-e is a must! I know, look at benchmarks, but I'd feel better hearing from people who actually use them, not people who install them, run the benchmark, write a bit about them, wash, rinse, and repeat.

:beer:

 

[malG]

Below $150 - 6600GT

Below $200 - 6800 256MB

 

[niggles]

6600GT is likely your best bet. If you look around you might be able to find an x800 XL in a slightly higher bracket, but the performance difference is huge.

 

[Hacp]

6600GT for below 150
Below 200 is x800GTO^2

 

[BenSkywalker]

Max budget of ~ $200 for vid card, but the cheaper the better!

For $200 you can pick up a x800 GTO2 that mods to a x850xt with a quick flash- with the games you have listed you wouldn't likely need that much performance but given your listed interest I'm assuming that Elder Scrolls IV and Fallout 3 are likely to be in your future? They are going to need some serious GPU horsepower.

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

The Sapphire X800 GTO2 is probably the best card you can get for the $200 price point. As others have mentioned, it is guaranteed to unlock to a X850XT PE (540/1180) with a simple BIOS flash (which is much safer than say a hard mod) To put it into perspective, an X850XT still goes for around $350 (non-PE version).

Other choices considered, an X800GTO would be the other choice for less than the GTO2. Though you can't BIOS flash these to an X850XT, some do use an R480 core (the Sapphire Ultimate ones for example) which can allow for overclocks to something in the 600 Mhz range for the core . . .

But still, the GTO2 is your best bet . . .

Edit: lol, beat me to it . . . XD

 

[ddogg]

the GTO2 is the best card at the moment for people on a budget....if you can softmod it you've got a X850XTPE.