Vid Card Upgrade Question

[Ustauk]

I'm looking for an interim AGP video card upgrade. I don't want to go PCI-e until the M2 Athlon 64 comes out. Anyways, here's my system specs.

2400+ 266 FSB Atlhon XP
2 gb 400 mhz DDR RAM
Shuttle AN35/N Ultra Nforce 2 motherboard
Radeon 9800 Pro 128 mb

I was looking at the follwing cards (prices in Canadian dollars)
Geforce 6600 GT $200
Radeon x800 GTO $230
Radeon x800 XL $300

Would any of them be worth the upgrade over the 9800 Pro, or is my CPU too much of a bottleneck? And is the XL worth an extra $70 over the GTO? Thanks.

 

[Eureka]

If you have a C3D GTO, no the XL is not better because you can softmod it to be much better than a XL.

6600GT will give you a nominal upgrade over the 9800Pro. I'd work on that CPU first.

Norm

 

[Kogan]

Go all out and find a used x800xt for around $250 or less (USD). I don't think it's worth spending the big bucks on new AGP cards. There's still a couple of guys trying to sell them for around $300, but they eventually lower their prices

Also consider the x800pro which is between the x800gto and x800xl in speed. I'd go with at least an x800pro if you want to see a noticable difference. But of course the x800gto's are overclocking bandits, so that's always an option if you like overclocking.

Your CPU isn't much of a bottleneck in most games at high resolutions, so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Zenoth]

Socket M2 will be there in just a few months.

Why don't you just wait for M2, and then go with PCI-Express at the same time. Instead of upgrading now for just a few months and then upgrade again.

You know, just one big heck of an upgrade where you get everything. Instead of doing it by increments.

 

[Ustauk]

Originally posted by: Zenoth
Socket M2 will be there in just a few months.

Why don't you just wait for M2, and then go with PCI-Express at the same time. Instead of upgrading now for just a few months and then upgrade again.

You know, just one big heck of an upgrade where you get everything. Instead of doing it by increments.

I didn't realize it was that close. Then again, I don't know if I'd want to by it when M2 first came out, since it'll carry the standard new equipment premium. I can sell my old card for $75, so I think $125-$150 over six months aint that bad. And I'll get a bit of that back when I sell the old system.

 

[Ustauk]

Well, I lucked out and ended up getting the Radeon x850 Pro at the local Canadian chain Compusmart for $250. The card normally retailed for $400, and the cheapest version I could find online in Canada was $330 for a Sapphire. The card is alive and well in my machine. My 3dMark score went from 2793 to 4849. Overall, I'm happy with the purchase. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: Ustauk
Well, I lucked out and ended up getting the Radeon x850 Pro at the local Canadian chain Compusmart for $250. The card normally retailed for $400, and the cheapest version I could find online in Canada was $330 for a Sapphire. The card is alive and well in my machine. My 3dMark score went from 2793 to 4849. Overall, I'm happy with the purchase. Thanks for your advice.

I'm just going through the same purchase from Compusmart If you don't know about it, RedFlag Deals is the place for Canadian deals

 

[Patt]

Here's my upgrade comparison ... I can't wait

Upgrade

 

[JonnyBlaze]

Originally posted by: Patt
Here's my upgrade comparison ... I can't wait

Upgrade

where are you getting the 850 from?

im going to be upgrading my 9800pro soon too and im either getting that or a 6800gt

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze

Originally posted by: Patt
Here's my upgrade comparison ... I can't wait

Upgrade

where are you getting the 850 from?

im going to be upgrading my 9800pro soon too and im either getting that or a 6800gt

Compusmart I see you're in the States though, this is a Canadian retail chain. I looked at some USD pricing though, and it comes in around the same, at about $250 Pumped about the deal. I'm figuring I'm getting about a 400-500% increase in performance

 

[JimmyH]

Don't forget to unlock the pipes on your agp x850pro. Its basically an agp x850xt pe.


agp x850pro to x850xt pe

 

[Ustauk]

Yah, I know about Red Flag Deals, but, oddly enough, I didn't see this one on there site. I just stumbled across it while checking if Compusmart sells the GTO.

 

[lifeguard1999]

Originally posted by: Zenoth
Socket M2 will be there in just a few months.

Why don't you just wait for M2, and then go with PCI-Express at the same time. Instead of upgrading now for just a few months and then upgrade again.

You know, just one big heck of an upgrade where you get everything. Instead of doing it by increments.

Socket M2 will be here in more like 8 months.

 

[Ustauk]

Originally posted by: lifeguard1999

Originally posted by: Zenoth
Socket M2 will be there in just a few months.

Why don't you just wait for M2, and then go with PCI-Express at the same time. Instead of upgrading now for just a few months and then upgrade again.

You know, just one big heck of an upgrade where you get everything. Instead of doing it by increments.

Socket M2 will be here in more like 8 months.

Hence the integrim upgrade. I probably won't want to upgrade until nine months, when the prices drop a bit.