Yet another "which video card is better" thread.

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Diademed

Senior member
Sep 4, 2004
336
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Sooo.... which'll it be?

I can get a 6600GT retail for ~150, and a 9800XT used on these forums for ~145.

I need to upgrade my 9500pro so I can trick myself into getting the 2005fpw next time it breaks $400.

And if any of you answer "keep the 9500", you need to pack all your games away, and donate them to orphans in Philly.
 
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hans030390

Diamond Member
Feb 3, 2005
7,326
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6800 vanilla...faster than a 6600gt, and you could possibly unlock the pipes on it! (assuming you have agp)
 
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Ramsez

Member
Jul 11, 2005
81
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If he is currently using a 9500, he has to have AGP lol

The 6800NU is about 180, but well worth it.

6600GT is nice if you dont want to spend more.
 
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Creig

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,170
13
81
Originally posted by: Diademed
Sooo.... which'll it be?

I can get a 6600GT retail for ~150, and a 9800XT used on these forums for ~145.

I need to upgrade my 9500pro so I can trick myself into getting the 2005fpw next time it breaks $400.

And if any of you answer "keep the 9500", you need to pack all your games away, and donate them to orphans in Philly.
Click to expand...


Actually, what I think you need to do is go looking at benchmarks to see what cards will give you acceptable framerates in the various games you'll be playing at the 2005FPW's native resolution of 1680x1050.

I'm guessing a 6600GT would be the bare minimum you'd need to run at that resolution. But I think you'd be better off buying something at least X800XL/6800GT level if you plan on keeping the card for any length of time.

There is currently a very good deal on a refurbished ATI X800XT Platinum Edition for $221 shipped from ATI. You have to wait a couple of weeks for it to come in as it's currently on backorder, but it would definitely have the power to run nearly anything you'd want to play. Just do a search of the Hot Deals forum to find out more info on it.
 
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Xyclone

Lifer
Aug 24, 2004
10,312
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76
6800 standard. I have one and it rocks with all the games I play, such as BF2, CS:S, HL2 + mods, GTA:SA, and D3.
 
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Insomniak

Banned
Sep 11, 2003
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Dunno if I'd go for the X800XT PE....first off, it's refurbed, which may or may not mean trouble. Secondly, if you're going to buy ATi soon, might as well wait on R520 (which will be expensive). The X800 core (essentially still R300) is getting VERY dated.

Frankly, if you're in the market for a midrange/mid-highrange card right now, I don't think anyone is in the game but Nvidia. The 6600GT/6800NU/6800GT/7800GTX is a hard lineup to argue with. They have DAMN good cards in every segment right now, and some of them (6800NU/6600GT) are inexpensive enough that you won't feel bad throwing them away in 6 months to move to R520 or one of its variants, if you choose to do so.

Your call. If you plan to keep the card for longer than 6 months, get at least a 6800GT. If you're going to replace it with something faster within the next 6-12 months, I say go with a 6600GT/6800 and just pack it away as spare parts when you move up, or sell it to recoup some cost.

my $.02
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
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alienbabeltech.com
the 9800xt is still selling used on FS/T for $145? :Q

!!!

:confused:

i'd better get ri . . . um, retire mine while the price is still high . . . i got mine last Spring ['04] from the 'Egg for $223 shipped. :)

and i would chose the 6800 standard as the minimum for new games at LCD resolutions. ;)


look in Hot Deals at least twice a day . . . there are some great deals . . . especially on the ATI x800 series cards [if you don't mind 'old tech' - blazingly fast but minus SM 3.0]. ;)
 
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Creig

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,170
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Originally posted by: Insomniak
Dunno if I'd go for the X800XT PE....first off, it's refurbed, which may or may not mean trouble.
Click to expand...

Normally, I'd agree with you. The word "refurbished" usually sends up alarm bells. But this is directly through ATI and comes with the standard 3 year warranty and all the accessories a regular retail card comes with. So the only measureable difference between new and refurb is price. New = $420 + shipping, refurb = $229 shipped.


Originally posted by: Insomniak
Secondly, if you're going to buy ATi soon, might as well wait on R520 (which will be expensive). The X800 core (essentially still R300) is getting VERY dated.
Click to expand...

As apoppin said, it's a blazingly fast video card and no Nvidia card can even come close to touching it for this price. It's probably the third fastest card currently available (7800GTX>X850XT PE>X800XT PE. And it only loses out to the X850XT PE by a couple percent. The only thing you'd be missing out on is SM3.0 which is still on only a handful of games.

Also, should you decide to sell it later on down the road to help fund the purchase of a faster card, I doubt you'd have any trouble getting nearly what you originally paid for it. I don't know of any Nvidia card currently available that gives this much performance for $229 shipped.
 
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Diademed

Senior member
Sep 4, 2004
336
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76
Heh-- thing is, I'd like to spend ~150. I probably won't upgrade again until I overhaul my computer whon I graduate with a couple batchelors, so it'll have to last a while.=

I mean, it's easy to say "well, 170 isn't that much more than $150" but then, 190 is only a small leap away...and then that 230 for the X800 PE, buuuut I'm shooting for ~$150. :)

If I kept making those baby hops, before I know it, I'll be spending $450 on a new 7800.

Keep in mind, if I spend too much, my 2500+ will be the new chokepoint, although I may start thinking about gettiing the 3200 speeds out of it in another few months, if I am dissatisfied with it's performance on new games.
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
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alienbabeltech.com
you don't get it . . . i'd like to get a 7800gtx for $350. :p

Your 'new' LCD is demanding a faster videocard than a 6600gt . . . if you stick within your budget you will have a nice display but can forget about serious gaming. :p

Either:
1) your sights are set too high for an expensive LCD
2) Your sights are two low for a videocard AND a LCD

please make an adjustment or be prepared for disappointment. ;)

 
M

Munky

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2005
9,372
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76
Originally posted by: hans030390
6800 vanilla...faster than a 6600gt, and you could possibly unlock the pipes on it! (assuming you have agp)
Click to expand...

Hey, I actually agree with hans on something...:)
 
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Creig

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,170
13
81
You really have to look closely at video cards when you've deciding to purchase an LCD. You can't just pop in any old card and expect it to work well. One of the drawbacks to LCDs is that they have a "native resolution" that is the resolution the manufacturer expects you to use all the time. If you change to any other resolution then the image has to be scaled and the image loses clarity and looks fuzzy.

If you cannot afford a video card powerful enough to drive an LCD at its native resolution, then I would suggest you look at a different monitor with a lower native resolution or go with a standard CRT monitor as they don't have any limitation other than max resolution or refresh rate.
 
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knyghtbyte

Senior member
Oct 20, 2004
918
1
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well, the9800XT should give you reasonable framerates with that Dell LCD so long as you enforce DX8 in games and dont expect to use AA or AF......
its a powerful card with older games and from what i remember does do that LCDs native ressie.....

it will probably run better than the 6600GT as that is trying to do DX9 tech stuff so wont be as powerful on a big screen........

i may be wrong, but i know my 9800XT in the other computer i got runs a 19in LCD perfectly fine, even on source it runs pretty sweet, yes the eye candy isnt quite so hot as a current gen card, but thats only to be expected....frame rates are very good.....

tbh tho i think you are being a bit odd in wanting such a fantastic LCD yet have to partner it to a (nowadays) low rate graphics card....i'd say you are better off buying a 19in LCD if its LCD u really want and then you can afford the better graphics cards, ie X850/6800GT type cards....would make more sense to me....you be more future proof too, it wont be long before even a 6600GT suffers with newly released games...




 
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Diademed

Senior member
Sep 4, 2004
336
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76
It's not that I can't afford it-- it's more that I don't feel like dropping $750 on a new video setup. Keep in mind, I am used to frames in the mid-30's. I'm not spoiled rotten like the rest of you ;)

I have heard that games are playable on this screen with the 9550, so surely a 9800xt will do me fine, as long as I can live with 30-40 frames.

Although.... for only another $75 I CAN get that refurb X800PE
 
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Steve Guilliot

Senior member
Dec 8, 1999
295
0
0
You don't want to spend $750, but you are already planning on spending $675. Not exactly a large leap.

Doesn't tripling your framerates for $75 dollars sound like a good deal? You don't have to be a technogeek to figure that one out.
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,205
45
91
I would definately go for the X800PE.

Who knows when it will ship though.... pre-order on a refurb? There might be 1000 orders already placed.
 
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Busithoth

Golden Member
Sep 28, 2003
1,561
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Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I would definately go for the X800PE.

Who knows when it will ship though.... pre-order on a refurb? There might be 1000 orders already placed.
Click to expand...


I agree on the 'when will it arrive' front, but come on... for that price, I'd wait a month.
 
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