I am in the middle of building a new pc. After reading about Nvidia's announcement on November 12th regarding a new video card(s) coming out, I don't think that I should be purchasing a 8800 series card. What would be an ideal video card that I can purchase now that will allow me to play current and older titles? I can play Bioshock decently on my wife's computer with a 8500 GT video card. I plan on getting Crysis and World in Conflict when the games come out but I would like to play Supreme Commander and older games like Far Cry. Any advice is welcome
What is a good interim video card?
- Thread starter shropshireinc
- Start date
mpilchfamily
Diamond Member
- Jun 11, 2007
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I think either a 7900GS or x1950Pro will be what you are looking for. You will have better performance then even your wife's 8500. You won't have DX10 support but then again the 8500 won't do very well under DX10 and you will have a better gaming experience running the game on one of the other cards with DX9. You will be missing some of the new visuals but have better frames. With DX10.1 coming the newer games will kill the sub 8800 cards and are expected to kill the 8800s as well.
Not a powerhouse, but it should be a good interim card:
MSI NX7600GS-T2D256E GeForce 7600GS 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail ~$70 AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127210
It will be less expensive than a new evga 8800 and a possible step-up.
Remember that you have to pay the full MSRP plus shipping both ways for the step-up, and you need a Video Card in the meantime anyway.
Good luck!
MSI NX7600GS-T2D256E GeForce 7600GS 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail ~$70 AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127210
It will be less expensive than a new evga 8800 and a possible step-up.
Remember that you have to pay the full MSRP plus shipping both ways for the step-up, and you need a Video Card in the meantime anyway.
Good luck!
cmdrdredd
Lifer
- Dec 12, 2001
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It's an iffy program to rely on IMO. You're never sure if the card's release would be exactly right. Unless say the card is out and you buy an older card then use the step-up program. I'd say for most people, the step-up doesn't work out well. A Majority of users would buy a card when it is relatively new and then would be out of the 90day window.
Well, it is what it is.
IMHO, the program itself is not bad at all, as long as you know what you are getting yourself into.
No other manufacturer offers anything even close to that, so the premise is fantastic.
But... it can be expensive!
BTW, Evga manufactures the highest quality Video Cards, I will definitely buy from them again.
So, one way or the other, you're in a win-win situation purchasing their product.
IMHO, the program itself is not bad at all, as long as you know what you are getting yourself into.
No other manufacturer offers anything even close to that, so the premise is fantastic.
But... it can be expensive!
BTW, Evga manufactures the highest quality Video Cards, I will definitely buy from them again.
So, one way or the other, you're in a win-win situation purchasing their product.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
- Dec 12, 2001
- 27,052
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Personally, I don't like EVGA. Only because they outsource the manufacturing to Foxconn. I would rather buy an ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte if I had the choice. The warranty is basically what makes EVGA worth it though. They are one of 3 companies that offer lifetime warranty on videocards that I know of. The other two being BFG and Visiontek.
Absolutely - if someone gives you a "lifetime" warranty (for whatever it is worth...) at least they stand behind their product.
One of the other two manufacturers that you've mentioned lost me as a customer to eVGA.
Why? An expensive VC that I bought ~2 years ago had a very LOUD fan. When I called them, they did not seem to be interested in any recommendations how to make it quieter.
Well, when I was about to decide on the 7950GT, I went for eVGA. I felt shortchanged by the other company, and am extremely satisfied with eVGA.
One of the other two manufacturers that you've mentioned lost me as a customer to eVGA.
Why? An expensive VC that I bought ~2 years ago had a very LOUD fan. When I called them, they did not seem to be interested in any recommendations how to make it quieter.
Well, when I was about to decide on the 7950GT, I went for eVGA. I felt shortchanged by the other company, and am extremely satisfied with eVGA.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
- Dec 12, 2001
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You should have just tried to RMA the card for the "broken" fan. That might have been easier. "tech support reps" on the phone typically know less than my grandma about PCs. They're paid to read typical responses from a book. "Click start, go to control panels.." etc.
When I jump ahead and tell them I'm looking at the control panel already they ask "did you click the start button?" So really they just don't know.
You know, in this particular case, it was the fan itself, and it was a subject of complaints of 90% of all the people in Newegg reviews (comparing the fan to a hair dryer!)
They would probably just send me the same card, if they would even accept the RMA.
Otherwise, the card was (and still is) great, with the solid copper heatsink, covering the GPU and the memory chips. But even the aftermarket heatsinks would not fit due to their exclusive hole layout!
So I removed the fan, and installed the 80mm fan on the existing heatsink with the "makeshift" bracket. The card has been working perfectly (and quiet!) since November 2006 in my wife's computer.
They would probably just send me the same card, if they would even accept the RMA.
Otherwise, the card was (and still is) great, with the solid copper heatsink, covering the GPU and the memory chips. But even the aftermarket heatsinks would not fit due to their exclusive hole layout!
So I removed the fan, and installed the 80mm fan on the existing heatsink with the "makeshift" bracket. The card has been working perfectly (and quiet!) since November 2006 in my wife's computer.
Originally posted by: Arkaign
X1950Pro or X1950XT
These are much, MUCH better in terms of performance, but significantly more expensive, too.
And, IMHO, there is no point in "polluting" the system with another manufacturer's drivers, if the target card is to be NVidia.
Unless the OP chooses the AMD/ATI new card...
Arkaign
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2006
- 20,736
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Originally posted by: JustaGeek
Originally posted by: Arkaign
X1950Pro or X1950XT
These are much, MUCH better in terms of performance, but significantly more expensive, too.
And, IMHO, there is no point in "polluting" the system with another manufacturer's drivers, if the target card is to be NVidia.
Unless the OP chooses the AMD/ATI new card...
Yeah, hopefully the 2950Pro is good stuff
I'm not much of a fan of the 2900XT at all.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
- Dec 12, 2001
- 27,052
- 357
- 126
Originally posted by: JustaGeek
Originally posted by: Arkaign
X1950Pro or X1950XT
These are much, MUCH better in terms of performance, but significantly more expensive, too.
And, IMHO, there is no point in "polluting" the system with another manufacturer's drivers, if the target card is to be NVidia.
Unless the OP chooses the AMD/ATI new card...
Driversweaper is great...no traces of drivers when done.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
- Dec 12, 2001
- 27,052
- 357
- 126
Originally posted by: Arkaign
Originally posted by: JustaGeek
Originally posted by: Arkaign
X1950Pro or X1950XT
These are much, MUCH better in terms of performance, but significantly more expensive, too.
And, IMHO, there is no point in "polluting" the system with another manufacturer's drivers, if the target card is to be NVidia.
Unless the OP chooses the AMD/ATI new card...
Yeah, hopefully the 2950Pro is good stuff
I'm leaning toward the 2950pro being slower than the 2900xt in actual testing. Call it a hunch, but I feel that it won't be as powerful in actual games. Getting it close would be wonderful however.
You might want to point out that these are the 3DMark05 scores.
My system scores ~10500 3DMark05 points, and ~5900 3DMark06 points.
My system scores ~10500 3DMark05 points, and ~5900 3DMark06 points.
konakona
Diamond Member
- May 6, 2004
- 6,285
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1950xts are OOS at egg and too expensive at other places.
1950pro $120 AR deal is over, it seems.
cant find any in FS/FT forums either.
7950gt at a good price would be nice if overclockable, but again, none available used ATM.
IMO the only realistic choice for the time being is a used 7900gs or 7900gt.
Someone please prove me wrong (so that I can get me a vc myself, this is the last thing holding me back from get a complete computer up and running!)
if you dont plan on playing games till november, you could get something like 7300LE or 2400pro for dirt cheap (<$30 shipped)
1950pro $120 AR deal is over, it seems.
cant find any in FS/FT forums either.
7950gt at a good price would be nice if overclockable, but again, none available used ATM.
IMO the only realistic choice for the time being is a used 7900gs or 7900gt.
Someone please prove me wrong (so that I can get me a vc myself, this is the last thing holding me back from get a complete computer up and running!)
if you dont plan on playing games till november, you could get something like 7300LE or 2400pro for dirt cheap (<$30 shipped)
Who cares if they outsource the manufacturing to Foxconn? Foxconn makes everything for everyone and it's not like ASUS, MSI, or Gigabyte cards are any better. In fact, their warranties suck.
eVGA, BFG, and XFX are the three nVidia manufacturers that offer lifetime warranties on their cards. eVGA and XFX will let you overclock the card to death and replace the stock cooler and still be covered under the warranty. I personally don't like BFG because their factory-overclocked cards have a lot of problems (I guess they don't bin their chips and just hope that every card can take the OC'd clock).
konakona
Diamond Member
- May 6, 2004
- 6,285
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say, if I could get a 7900gs for $90 (used) and 1950pro $126 (ar)
what would serve me better? I am very willing to overclock the hell out of it, in which case, I hear, 7900gs comes close to matching 1950pro. IQ would be better on the latter, then there is the obvious difference in price..
what would serve me better? I am very willing to overclock the hell out of it, in which case, I hear, 7900gs comes close to matching 1950pro. IQ would be better on the latter, then there is the obvious difference in price..
The last Newegg flyer has a Sapphire X1950GT for $95 + shipping. Decent deal for a card to tide you over.
http://promotions.newegg.com/N...FL090707&ATT=Moredeals
Note: The large deal at the top of the add is for the AGP card, but the PCIE card is below in the ad.
http://promotions.newegg.com/N...FL090707&ATT=Moredeals
Note: The large deal at the top of the add is for the AGP card, but the PCIE card is below in the ad.
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