Which graphics card?

[MrCodeDude]

I have a 9600. Non pro, non xt, etc. It's been a great graphics card for a year, it plays pretty everything I want at moderate speeds. However, I can't play Doom 3 @ 1024x768 at Medium Detail without it getting choppy at some parts. Sure, 800x600 is fine, but I need to look toward the future.

I haven't purchased HL2 yet as I'm not a huge gamer and am waiting for the price to drop to $30 (I picked up UT 2004 Collectors Edition for $30 three weeks after it was released, so it probably isn't that great of a long shot), but what about Quake 4, Battlefield 2, etc. How will my 9600 handle them?

Anyway, I built a rig for my dad and he currently has my 9600 (my work rig has a GF3 Ti200, which works fine), which leaves me in the clear to pretty much buy what I want. I don't want to splurge on a high end graphics card because I'm not a gamer.

So here's the situation I'm in. I can get a 9600XT for $85 after trade-in through ATi or I can purchase a 9800 Pro for $150 off the FS/FT forum. But how long will the 9600XT be able to last compared to the 9600? Is it worth paying almost 2x as much for a used 9800 Pro over the 9600XT?

Any ideas for a card I should pick up that is better than the 9600 that is in the $150 range? Used/new, etc.

 

[flamingspinach]

Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

 

[BentValve]

Wait a few months and grab a 6800 NU.

 

[ts3433]

I'd say save up $50-70 more and get a 6600GT. If that's not possible, 9800 Pro from FS/FT.

 

[killershroom]

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=14-170-084&depa=1

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: killershroom

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=14-170-084&depa=1

That's PCI-e. I don't have a nForce4 board, nor do I plan on getting one at the moment.

 

[whitelight]

i have a 8500LE and just upgraded to a used 6800NU bought here in the forums for $210. if you sell your 9600, this card will be in your price range. and if you check out all the benchmarks from AT, a 6800 is competitive with a lot of the higher power cards, so i think it'll be good for 1-2 years.

 

[SrGuapo]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: killershroom

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=14-170-084&depa=1

That's PCI-e. I don't have a nForce4 board, nor do I plan on getting one at the moment.

So get the AGP one...

Edit: ahh, nevermind. I thought there would be some of each (like the 6600gt and 6800gt)...

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: SrGuapo

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: killershroom

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=14-170-084&depa=1

That's PCI-e. I don't have a nForce4 board, nor do I plan on getting one at the moment.

So get the AGP one...

There's a $90 price difference

 

[LtPage1]

id wait. doesnt sound like you really need a new card now, or that youll use it that much.

 

[killershroom]

Odd, why is AGP more expensive? I thought PCI-e was newer.

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

Where do you see this price?

 

[ts3433]

Originally posted by: killershroom
Odd, why is AGP more expensive? I thought PCI-e was newer.

Part of it's because there's no AGP 6600. If talking 6600GTs, it's partly because there's currently more AGP demand for the card.

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: LtPage1
id wait. doesnt sound like you really need a new card now, or that youll use it that much.

I need a card at least.

And it doesn't make sense in my mind to buy a mediocre $50 card right now if I'll be upgrading in the future.

 

[CraigRT]

used 9700/9800P if you want a big more punch, without spending too much.. check FS forum and eBay.

 

[raildogg]

wait till the next generation of ati cards

hold out for this thing round

 

[flamingspinach]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: flamingspinach
Go for the nVidia GeForce 6600, non-GT. It's about $160, new. It's a great value at that price.

-fs

Where do you see this price?

Hmm, they seem to range from US$112.00 to US$164.00 for the PCI Express version... didn't realize there were no AGP versions of this. Sorry.

-fs

 

[jterrell]

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=14-130-220&depa=1

Try this one. Its about as good as you will get on a retail agp right now under 250 bucks.

 

[live2game]

BFG 6800 for $250 at Frys

 

[flamingspinach]

As I understand it, the goal was $150, but if you can spend $250 definitely get the BFG 6800 - excellent card.

-fs

 

[PingSpike]

If you can get a 9800pro 256bit 128mb for $150 or less grab that. Otherwise, I say stick a PCI card in there and hoard your pennies to buy that 6600GT AGP for $220 or just wait for the 9800pro to drop. The 9800pro is situated to be the competitor for the 6600gt AGP based on its price, but in practice is gets totally blown out of the water by it. IMO, the 9800pro while a good card, is overpriced. The card is worth $150 retail now, regardless of what its selling for. ATI is using last generations power cards as this generations midrange AGP and its just plain not doing it against what nvidia has to offer.

Last I heard, they aren't going to be offering the 6600 vanilla or 6200s in AGP. But I'm hoping they do, a 6600 vanilla may be more what I'm after since I don't need a lot of power at high resolutions.