what's a good card for less than $130?

[farmerandtheDell]

I've decided that I want something more than the budget card, since I've spent enough on this new system that I wouldn't be happy not being able to play any of the new games adequately. It needs to be PCI express, and it looks like I can get something like the 6600 or the x700 for around that price. recomendations? Incidentally, I'd like to unload this new xfx geforce 6200 TC64 if anyone is interested.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Just get an x700 or 6600 then.

 

[2Xtreme21]

6600.

 

[farmerandtheDell]

that seems far too easy I need to make this hard. I seem to enjoy buying the wrong thing over and over again until I get the right one. Anyway, of the ATIs and Nvidia cards, what's the better choice? anything to stay away from?

 

[Concillian]

get a 6600 and overclock the hell out of it.

Kensai has said that's what he's using, but I didn't find any quotes on his clock speeds. Others have gotten in the 450-500 range from what I've seen on forums (on the core), which should bring it in at LEAST as good as a 9800 Pro or so.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Concillian
get a 6600 and overclock the hell out of it.

Kensai has said that's what he's using, but I didn't find any quotes on his clock speeds. Others have gotten in the 450-500 range from what I've seen on forums (on the core), which should bring it in at LEAST as good as a 9800 Pro or so.

almost as good but not tet. it will be about as fast as a 9700pro/9800non pro speed oced. stock it is much slower. average ocs are around 450-500core and 580-630memory

 

[farmerandtheDell]

so this would be a better choice than an x700pro?
are these cards stable oc'd that much?

 

[TStep]

6600 refurbs

 

[cbehnken]

x700Pro is easily faster than a 6600 non GT and it will beat the 9800XT in many benchmarks.

 

[Pete]

Can you splurge a little? 6600GTs are dipping down to $160. You'll net huge framerate benefits over a plain 6600, especially at higher resolutions or with AA.

I guess a 128MB X700P at $145 would be a decent compromise, if they exist at that price.

 

[ddogg]

Originally posted by: Pete
Can you splurge a little? 6600GTs are dipping down to $160. You'll net huge framerate benefits over a plain 6600, especially at higher resolutions or with AA.

I guess a 128MB X700P at $145 would be a decent compromise, if they exist at that price.

its not that easy to find any x700P as that price....but i guess 6600 would the card u would want to get.

 

[Skotos]

get a 6600 and enjoy overclocking

got mine to 525/700

 

[hippotautamus]

I would recommend going with the 6600GT if you can. I don't know if a 6600 can be softmodded or not..

 

[Skotos]

Originally posted by: hippotautamus
I would recommend going with the 6600GT if you can. I don't know if a 6600 can be softmodded or not..

no it cant but the 6600 is around $50 dollers cheaper

 

[farmerandtheDell]

Can you splurge a little? 6600GTs are dipping down to $160. You'll net huge framerate benefits over a plain 6600, especially at higher resolutions or with AA.

I guess a 128MB X700P at $145 would be a decent compromise, if they exist at that price.




response; I've looked at a few reviews of PCIe cards, and for many of the tests the vanilla 6600 seems like it's right up there, but it seems like it drops off dramatically on some games where the 700pro and 6600gt doesn't. I'm a bit apprehensive to overclock to get the right results, so I'd rather go with one that rocks as stock.. what do you think of this one? and the price? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814164038R refurbs don't really scare me, but maybe you guys know better.

 

[farmerandtheDell]

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by: hippotautamus
I would recommend going with the 6600GT if you can. I don't know if a 6600 can be softmodded or not..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




no it cant but the 6600 is around $50 dollers cheaper



response; that's true, and I've already wasted money on this TC card that's running now. running stock cooling, how well does the 6600 respond to OCing?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Originally posted by: farmerandtheDell
I guess a 128MB X700P at $145 would be a decent compromise, if they exist at that price.

Well, they exist at $134.

 

[Skotos]

Originally posted by: farmerandtheDell
quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by: hippotautamus
I would recommend going with the 6600GT if you can. I don't know if a 6600 can be softmodded or not..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




no it cant but the 6600 is around $50 dollers cheaper



response; that's true, and I've already wasted money on this TC card that's running now. running stock cooling, how well does the 6600 respond to OCing?

i went from 300/500 to 525/700

which is 225mhz increase on core and 200mhz on memory on stock cooling

tc card was a bad buy

stock with this card i got 2024 overclocked i get 3250

 

[Skotos]

i paid $114 at zipzoomfly for my 6600

 

[farmerandtheDell]

Originally posted by: Skotos
i paid $114 at zipzoomfly for my 6600

Thanks. If I don't pull the trigger on a refurb 6600gt, I might get a regular 6600. Is it worth it to spend the extra $$ to get the 256meg version?

 

[Munky]

No, the cards are not powerful enough to use 256mb effectively. Save some mony and get a 128mb version. If you're going to OC it, the 6600 is a good deal.

 

[farmerandtheDell]

Originally posted by: munky
No, the cards are not powerful enough to use 256mb effectively. Save some mony and get a 128mb version. If you're going to OC it, the 6600 is a good deal.

I'm a noob here for sure, and know very little about OCing.. This is software based, correct? and there are easy to use utilities for it?

 

[Appledrop]

Bookmark this page for when(/if) you get the 6600, and it will take you through process of overclocking it.Yes.

 

[rise]

you are crazy to get the 6600 over an x700. if you can't get the 6600gt get the x700. anand benched the 6600 vs the x700 and the 6600 got smoked in everything but doom3 where it barely surpassed the x700.

here it is.

 

[farmerandtheDell]

Originally posted by: rise4310
no and you are crazy to get the 6600 over an x700. if you can't get the 6600gt get the x700. anand benched the 6600 vs the x700 and the 6600 got smoked in everything but doom3 where it barely surpassed the x700.

well I am crazy, but not for the reasons you describe. I have no aversion to ATI hardware, I'm just asking the "experts" here what they think. your statement is probably true, based on reviews like this , but from the pricing I've found, I can spend just a bit more than what I can get an x700p for and get the gt, or a lot less and get the 6600 which overclocks well.