Whats Better? Nvidia FX5500 or Nvidia 6200? (Both 256)

[Necrosaro420]

Whta would you guys recommend? Im getting this for gaming (its my WAY backup machine in case my main goes down). Obviously I will have to do most of todays games on lower settings with these cards, but which one would you guys recommend?

FX 5500 Model

or

6200 Model

 

[manimal]

Neither will really play games that well if they were made in the last few years. For that price point I would try to find at least a 7300-not a big jump at all- or go the route of a used 7600gt or even a 6600gt.

If you live close to a frys check out some of their weekly sales. Inevitably there is a cheapish graphics card on sale that will have a rebate that will take you even lower than 50 bucks.

 

[Binky]

I like the ATi stuff more in that price range. I see lots of x1550 to x1650 models around $50. Avoid the x2400 models for games.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

All of the FXes were designed with a major Pixel Shader defect, and are worthless for anything other than OpenGL games, and most especially the FX 5200/5500 (same core) because even in OpenGL, they run like fatigued snails.

The 6200 also has some defects, but mostly it's just as slow as the FXes already discussed. Way too slow for games newer than about 2003 or so, other than Guild Wars and WoW (or most any MMO, since those have very low entry requirements).

If you really want to play games, other than the casual 2D type, avoid any card with "550" in its name. That X1550 is slow, also. It's just a slightly warmed over X1300. The minimum performance level number to look for is "600".