Video Card Advice Requested

[ankitpayal]

I am looking to spend about $200 on video card(s). In about 18 months, I may move over to a DX 10 card. So, for the interim, is it money better spent on one 7900 / x1900 or two 7600s? I will mostly play games similar to Civ 4, Flight Sim X, Tiger Woods 2007, etc. I might try Oblivion but probably will not other like it.

I will use the computer (C2D 6600-based) mainly for gaming, light video-editing. Reading other messages, people seem to prefer the Radeon X1900 over the GeForce card. Why is that? I have been running a Radeon 8500 and haven't been too happy with the driver support / changes. So, am interested to hear you opinions on that as well.

 

[Cabages]

I think this belongs in the video section, but whatever.

I definitely wouldnt go for the two 7600.

If you can find a X1950Pro for around $200, where it should be, I think that would be pretty good.

Of course, if you can find a x1900 for that price, definitely go for that.

 

[ankitpayal]

Why X1900 over the X1950PRO? I found both at $199 at Newegg:

Sapphire X1900: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814102022
Sapphire X1950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814102061

Also, why not the two 7600s or the single 7900?

 

[happy medium]

I think he meant x1900xt over the x1950 pro for 200.00$ would be the better deal.
For 200.00$ you can't beat the x1950pro right now.
2- 7600gt"s would cost 260.00$ or more and 2-7600gs's is just not worth it for sli.
Grab one 1950pro and you can crossfire later.

Edit : and the 7900gs for 200.00$ is slower then the 1950pro and the 7900gt is also slower for 230.00$
Edit 2 -are you running Agp? I see you said you been running an ati 8500?

 

[A5]

Always always always go with a faster single card over dual cards (except in cases like the 7800GT and 7900GT over the respective GTX editions). In this case, just get a X1950 Pro or X1900XT 256. The XT is faster, but it's a little above your range.

 

[akshayt]

7900GT SLI > 1900XTX > 7800GT SLI

 

[ankitpayal]

Originally posted by: happy medium
I think he meant x1900xt over the x1950 pro for 200.00$ would be the better deal.
For 200.00$ you can't beat the x1950pro right now.
2- 7600gt"s would cost 260.00$ or more and 2-7600gs's is just not worth it for sli.
Grab one 1950pro and you can crossfire later.

Edit : and the 7900gs for 200.00$ is slower then the 1950pro and the 7900gt is also slower for 230.00$
Edit 2 -are you running Agp? I see you said you been running an ati 8500?

I am building a new computer so ignore the ATI 8500 (it was to point out that I have been disappointed by ATI). Regardless, it looks like I will be going with the Sapphire X1950PRO.

Thanks everybody!