A few weeks ago, my beloved Radeon 9800 Pro finally died. Since it was past the 3 year warranty, it was time to find a new card.
Right now, I'm looking at either a Powercolor X1650 256MB GDDR2 for $69.99 AR (+$5.64 shipping):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131042
or there's the BFG 6600GT OC 128MB GDDR3 for $59.99 AR (+$8 shipping):
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications...tails.asp?EdpNo=2884779&Tab=1&NoMapp=0
The specs of my aging computer are:
P4 2.8 Ghz (Northwood)
Asus P4P800 (AGP only)
1 GB RAM
Windows XP Professional
Basically, I need help deciding between one or the other. The two video cards seem roughly equal to each other. If one seems obviously better to someone than the other, please hit me in the head.
As for the price, I consider both of them to be pretty close to each other (since the shipping difference makes them $3 closer to each other). What actually worries me is that the 6600 GT is from TigerDirect, and I've heard a few horror stories about their reputation and their rebates. The X1650 comes from Newegg and they have never failed me, so I feel a bit safer with ordering from them.
The monitor runs at 1280x1024 and while I certainly do like playing games, I have no delusions about this computer. It is in its last half-year of service. I could certainly use some help on deciding between these two video cards (or another relatively cheap alternative). However, $75-$80 is my definite maximum (including tax, rebates, shipping, and whatnot). Please don't tell me to buy a 7800GS or an X1950 for $30 more because even though that would be a really nice deal, it's not happening.
Thanks for reading.
--Garfield
(Edited twice to correct the Newegg link)
Right now, I'm looking at either a Powercolor X1650 256MB GDDR2 for $69.99 AR (+$5.64 shipping):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131042
or there's the BFG 6600GT OC 128MB GDDR3 for $59.99 AR (+$8 shipping):
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications...tails.asp?EdpNo=2884779&Tab=1&NoMapp=0
The specs of my aging computer are:
P4 2.8 Ghz (Northwood)
Asus P4P800 (AGP only)
1 GB RAM
Windows XP Professional
Basically, I need help deciding between one or the other. The two video cards seem roughly equal to each other. If one seems obviously better to someone than the other, please hit me in the head.
As for the price, I consider both of them to be pretty close to each other (since the shipping difference makes them $3 closer to each other). What actually worries me is that the 6600 GT is from TigerDirect, and I've heard a few horror stories about their reputation and their rebates. The X1650 comes from Newegg and they have never failed me, so I feel a bit safer with ordering from them.
The monitor runs at 1280x1024 and while I certainly do like playing games, I have no delusions about this computer. It is in its last half-year of service. I could certainly use some help on deciding between these two video cards (or another relatively cheap alternative). However, $75-$80 is my definite maximum (including tax, rebates, shipping, and whatnot). Please don't tell me to buy a 7800GS or an X1950 for $30 more because even though that would be a really nice deal, it's not happening.
Thanks for reading.
--Garfield
(Edited twice to correct the Newegg link)