What video card should i get? I currently got a X1900XT 512mb.

[LW07]

Alright, I currently have an aging X1900XT, and i was wondering what video card i should get for an upgrade. I'm considering these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814133242
Nvidia Geforce 9800GT for $115.

and

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814130398
Geforce GTX 216-core for $300

I know the GTX 216 is better obviously, but is it $200 better than an upgrade to the 9800GT?

 

[Amd PhenoM]

i would suggest the ATi 4870 x2. max anygame with that bad boy.

 

[LW07]

ATI 4870x2 is too much for my budget. Plus my 510W PC Power and cooling PSU wouldn't be enough to power it and i'm not going to spend any money on a new PSU.

 

[Zenoth]

Definitely the GTX260 Core 216, I have that one on my second system (not complete, still switching parts over from my current one in my signature) and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by its performance, not to mention how much it over-clocks, it's one nasty beast I tell you.

And for its price it's definitely worth it, I say if you have enough money for it then why not. If I had to pick perhaps one point I wasn't too happy with would be its temperature at load, it goes up to the mid 80ºC, but I must admit that my tower doesn't have a very good air flow.

 

[Amd PhenoM]

well the 260 and 280 will draw as much power. go with the ATi 4870 or the 4850

 

[Andrew1990]

I would personally recommend a 4870 1GB, cheaper than the GTX but performs close to it.

 

[shabby]

I upgraded from a 1900xtx to a 8800gts and the only game that i wish ran better was crysis. Unless you need some crazy amounts of AA the 9800gt should be just fine.

 

[LW07]

I'm mainly looking for a card that will last me two or three years before i upgrade again.

I mainly play FPSs such as crysis, RTS games, and MMORPG games such as WoW.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

What res are you running?

 

[Amd PhenoM]

Originally posted by: LW07
I'm mainly looking for a card that will last me two or three years before i upgrade again.

I mainly play FPSs such as crysis, RTS games, and MMORPG games such as WoW.

sorry dude but your like contradicting yourself. if you want to play those games with at least a decent framrate i would get the 4870 or 4850, you wont be sorry.

 

[AzN]

8800gt to a GTX 260 isn't worth the money.

You should just save your money and get a 8800gt and wait for better GPU solutions.

 

[tvdang7]

no the 260 gtx is not worth 200 more than the 8800gt. The 8800gt 9800/gt is probably the best performance for the price . But if you are willing to spend some 4870's are well priced.

 

[Insomniator]

I would say the question is more 9800gt for ~100 or gtx260/4870 512 for ~200

No way the Core 216 is worth 200 over the 9800gt, but 100 more for a vanilla 260 or 4870 if you can find a good deal is worth thinkin about...

Personally I have a 4850 and am happy for now.. should be less than 150AR, not a bad choice either.

 

[dug777]

The GTX 260 core 216 is horrible value for money

A plain jane 260 is far better bang for buck, or a 4870...

 

[Bateluer]

Another vote for the 4870 1GB model. The 512MB models are decent buys too, their prices have dropped since the 1GB models hit. If you don't mind MIRs, they can be had for 230 to 250.

 

[nerp]

Maybe just go cheap and get a 4850? I upgraded from an x1950Pro to one and the difference is flat out amazing. The games you listed will run amazing.

 

[LW07]

I hate MIRs.

My monitor's max resolution is 1440x900.

 

[Zebo]

Neither - the 260 GTX still is overpriced even at $210 with MIR ($250 really) and it's 5% slower than the 4870 which is same price. It's loud and more of a side grade from the 9800 series. Basically another 5900 if you remember that.

The 9800 GT deal is ok but I'd get a 9800 GTX speed ASUS 9800 GT ultimate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121266


The bang for the bucks are: The $225 4870 - The $125 Asus GT ultimate and the $55 9600 GSO

 

[SlowSpyder]

Originally posted by: LW07
I hate MIRs.

My monitor's max resolution is 1440x900.

For a 1440x900 res you'd probably be very happy with a GeForce 9800+ or a Radeon 4850 I'd think. Just about anything should play like butter at that res on those cards. If you want to future proof a bit, and Crysis is that important to you get a GTX260 or a 4870... personally I'm going with a 4870. Just my $.02

 

[happy medium]

:thumbsup:

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder

Originally posted by: LW07
I hate MIRs.

My monitor's max resolution is 1440x900.

For a 1440x900 res you'd probably be very happy with a GeForce 9800+ or a Radeon 4850 I'd think. Just about anything should play like butter at that res on those cards. If you want to future proof a bit, and Crysis is that important to you get a GTX260 or a 4870... personally I'm going with a 4870. Just my $.02

:thumbsup:

 

[v8envy]

Don't try to futureproof. Get the $100 card now, get another $100 card when that one is too slow, and then another $100 card when that one becomes too slow.

I will guarantee you this approach will vastly outperform buying any $300 card today, especially at 1440x900. And if you sell your obsolete hardware you might even be able to stretch that to 4 generations of midrange performance cards -- as much as 8 years of gaming.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Grab the HD4850. You shouldn't even consider a card that is over $200 with the resolution you are using. It would pretty much be a waste.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: v8envy
Don't try to futureproof. Get the $100 card now, get another $100 card when that one is too slow, and then another $100 card when that one becomes too slow.

I will guarantee you this approach will vastly outperform buying any $300 card today, especially at 1440x900. And if you sell your obsolete hardware you might even be able to stretch that to 4 generations of midrange performance cards -- as much as 8 years of gaming.

This is the best advice so far, LW07. BTW, in his last paragraph, he meant that a $100 card next year will be as fast as a $300 card today, and a $100 card two years from today will be alot faster than today's $300 card.

edit: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I've got an 8800GT in one of my systems, and it runs Crysis very well @ 1280x1024, which is just a hair higher resolution than you're running.

 

[vj8usa]

I went from a 512MB X1900XT to a 4850 last week, and it is amazing. I can max anything out, and just about everything but Crysis is playable with AA. An 8800GT at $100ish is a good deal too, though.

By the way, what CPU are you using?

 

[minmaster]

8800gt, they can be had for well under 100 nowadays.