Whats the best AGP video card I can get for under $300

[FNP90]

I'm in the middle of upgrading my computer and I want to get something better then my Radeon 9700 Pro. I don't want to spend more then $275. What would give me the most bang for the buck?

Are 6800 ultras much better then my ATI card? How much better are the x800xt?

 

[SniperZ]

You can find the 7800GS for around $290, that's the best AGP for now or get the 6800GS for under $200 by BFG. I just bought the 6800GS AGP and I feel it's good enough ( saved almost $100 compare with the 7800GS)

 

[FNP90]

Whats the difference between the GS, GT or ultra?

 

[dguy6789]

The fastest agp video card is the ATi Radeon X850XT Platinum Edition. 7800GS is close behind it. I would recommend the 7800GS over it as it has SM3 support, which is used in moderation by some games now.

For Nvidia, from fastest to slowest, gtx/ultra(depending on series), gt, gs, regular.

7800GTX>7800GT>7800GS>7800(does not exist as far as I know)

6800 Ultra>6800GT>6800GS>6800


If you want pure performance with 99% of the features, then the X850XT Platinum is for you:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814129052

However, for around $10 less, you can get a 7800GS that is around 5% slower, but has SM3.0 support.

These here vary by price, but seem to have rather impressive differences in clock speeds for the prices.(For $10 more, you go from 375/1000 to 430/1300)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...ption=&srchInDesc=&minPrice=&maxPrice=

Hope this helps.

 

[McArra]

7800GS for you

 

[FNP90]

I figure since I'm already up there in price I should probably just go for it and buy this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130272

What do you guys think?

I've been following an XFX 7800GS on ebay too. http://www.etoys4less.com/product_info.php?products_id=1279
I guess if I could save $50 it might be worth it but I should probably just go with newegg.

Decision decisions, I hate second guessing myself.

 

[RussianSensation]

What are the rest of your system specs?

 

[Topweasel]

The 7800GS edges out the 850XTPE and has more featrures. and I know I will start a debate by saying this, but Why not pay the $100 and get a PCIe mobo. Unless your using a AXP if that the case all of the upper choices will be over kill and will strangle the card.

 

[FNP90]

I'm updating a bunch of stuff so it's not up and running yet, waiting till I have everything. I have a 3.4GHz northwood CPU on the way and I'm using my motherboard I already have, Intel D875PBZ. I just bought that OCZ memory that was in the hot deals forum, OCZ Gold Gamers Edition PC3200 1024MBX2. I also bought a seagate 200GB hard drive. I'm going to buy a Thermaltake Purepower 680 watt power supply.

The system that I'm upgrading and still using this very moment is,

2.8GHz 533
Radeon 9700 Pro
512MB memory
120GB maxtor hard drive, currently dieing a slow death.
450watt CompUSA power supply
Soundblaster Audigy 2 (keeping)

It's funny how fast things can get out of hand. This all started after my hard drive started dieing. I bought a hard drive and then some memory and then I thought well, maybe I'll upgrade the CPU too. Now comes the video card and PSU. I hope it'll stop there.

My favorite game is Operation Flashpoint and I'm looking forward to Armed Assault. I might buy doom 3 too. I downloaded doom 3 demo and it didn't play very well on my current system.

 

[FNP90]

Originally posted by: Topweasel
The 7800GS edges out the 850XTPE and has more featrures. and I know I will start a debate by saying this, but Why not pay the $100 and get a PCIe mobo. Unless your using a AXP if that the case all of the upper choices will be over kill and will strangle the card.

I'd like to get a new motherboard but, I'm spending more money then I'd like to at the moment. If I was to get another motherboard, what should I get? I don't even know where to start. I've already purchased a 478 3.4GHz CPU and I have the memory sitting here too. I am using 4 PCI slots right now with the MB that I have. card for my cable modem and a phone modem. The soundblaster and a maxtor PCI 133ATA card for some extra hard drives that I have hooked up.

 

[RussianSensation]

Since you've upgraded everything already and plan on keeping it for a while by the sound of it, might as well get 7800GS and then upgrade this system in 2 years.

Otherwise i would have recommended 6800GS to tie you over and then get A64. But since you upgraded, it probably makes sense to get top of the line card. If you plan on playing doom 3 and quake 4, chronicles of riddick and other openGL games, Nv is > X850xt pe. For COD2 and FEAR, X850XT might be faster though. Either card will be slightly more than 2x faster than 9700pro.

 

[Skott]

The x850 performs better in FEAR and the 7800GS performs better in Doom3. In everything else the 7800GS edges out the x850XT by a small margin or its a dead heat. Now the eVGA 7800GS CO Superclock clearly beats out the x850XT and x850XT PE in everything but FEAR. If it were a performance only issue I'd go with the 7800GS or its overclocked version. The stock 7800GS overclocks nicely btw. If cost is a big factor then buy whichever one is cheaper. Not sure what the x850 is going for but the 7800GS is under $300 now. Last I looked (yesterday) you could get a 7800GS for $285.