Author Topic: New Video Card...? (Read 1562 times)

Denholm · « **on:** June 12, 2007, 12:09:41 PM »

I'm going to be buying a new video card within the next 2 weeks. I wanted an NVidia, yet I don't know what's good for my money. I wanted something within the $100 price range. Preferably around $50 or $60, yet still within the $100 price range.

Any ideas?

Krusty · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2007, 12:30:43 PM »

AGP or PCIe?

Denholm · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2007, 06:14:20 PM »

PCI, forgot to mention it, Nemeth suggested this one, and I'm planning on getting it.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1010678&CatId=697

It may seem "Low End", and it probably is, yet it's the best I can get right now for the price and my motherboard specs.

Krusty · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2007, 08:54:34 PM »

Are you sure it's PCI and not PCIe? Older motherboards often have AGP, which gives you a lot more options.

If you're sure it's regular old PCI then you pretty much have the best you can get. There's also a Ge6200 in PCI if you can find it. Not sure how much more it might cost (can't imagine too much more than the FX5600)

Hoarach · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2007, 08:56:49 PM »

Not too sure about ATI cards but isnt the x1600 the best ATI card right now? If so the x1550 is for sale at $100 at tigerdirect. There is also a Nvidia 6200 card under $100 at newegg.com.

Krusty · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2007, 08:59:47 PM »

The off-number ATI cards are budget cards.

The x1600 is a very small step forward from the x800 (some x800s are better than some x1600s) anything between 800 and 1600 skip. [EDIT: not counting the x850, that may or may not be an improvement on the x800] The next best one (best ATI card today) is the x1950, I believe. That does not come in PCI, but I heard they were going to make it in AGP.

Fulmar · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:20:36 AM »

This article comes out every month and is updates.

Best Video cards for the money. Breaks cards down in price ranges and offers which ones perform the best.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/11/the_best_gaming_video_cards_for_the_money/

Fulmar · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2007, 07:21:27 AM »

Best PCIe Card For Under $100:
GeForce 7300 GT DDR2
Codename:    G73
Process:    90nm
Pixel Shaders:    8
Vertex Shaders:    4
Texture Units:    8
ROPs:    8
Memory Bus:    128-bit
Core Speed MHz:    400
Memory Speed MHz:    400 (800 effective)

With the price of the X1650 XT and 7600 GT touching the $100 price point, the 7600 GS is too expensive to be recommended anymore. Instead, the 7300 GT is a low-price alternative for those who want to do as much gaming as they can for as little money as possible. Priced as low as $60, the 7300 GT is a good fit for that job.

Denholm · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:09:16 AM »

I'm sorry, I changed my mind from PCI to AGP, so here's what I'm planning on getting. Thank you all for the input.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=588461&sku=P450-8503

Fulmar · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:33:29 AM »

I would HIGHLY NOT RECOMMEND that video card. The low end 5xxx series Nvidia cards were horrible. Worse than the 4xxx series in a lot of respects.

Best AGP Card For Under $100
Radeon X1650 PRO (GDDR2)
Codename: R530
Process: 80 and 90nm
Pixel Shaders: 12
Vertex Shaders: 5
Texture Units: 4
ROPs: 4
Memory Bus: 128-bit
Core Speed MHz: 500
Memory Speed MHz: 400 (800 effective)

The X1650PRO with GDDR2 is actually more of an X1600 PRO. Having said that, it's a fast card for the sub-$100 price point in AGP; I've seen them go for $85 on Newegg. This bottom end card will even do a decent job in tough games like Oblivion.

Krusty · « **Reply #10 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:36:30 AM »

When I asked you didn't say you had AGP!

You REALLY don't want that card. Trust me. If it's so cheap-arse it doesn't have a FAN, you're going to suffer in any game you try to run off of it. It's so stripped down and underpowered that it doesn't produce enough heat to require a fan unit, just a passive heatsink.

That's a no-no for choosing a card!

Further, while in PCI it's one of the highest available numbers of GeForce available, that doesn't negate the fact that the Ge5000 series is widely regarded as one of the worst decisions ever. Terrible cards.

[EDIT: ***I only looked for NVIDIA cards because that's what you've listed so far, made me think you were only looking for them!***]

Okay, in your original post you said under $100. Lower if you can but under $100.

Well, for $96 you can get this AGP Ge7600GS (about 1 million times better than a FX5600)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127219

For about $77 you can get this Ge6800XT (still miles ahead of the FX5600)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814136008

Or if you really don't have that money to spend, here's a Ge6800XE (budget card I'm guessing, still better than a 5000-series card) for about $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141060

Here's the link to the search I pulled on newegg.com

The Ge7300s are stripped down budget cards for the 7000 series, but they have 7000 series cores, which are better at everything (even stripped down) than the 5000 series cards. However, if a 7600GS is available for the same price as a 7300, ignore the 7300.

Basically, 5000 series is for when you have no other options. You have other options so don't consider it.

EDIT: P.S. Fulmar beat me to it, posted while I was typing

Fulmar · « **Reply #11 on:** June 13, 2007, 12:26:17 PM »

I've always been an nvidia fan, and I remember my friend getting that 5200 when it first came out. An upgrade from a Radeon 7500. It was better than his POS 7500, but that card was such a poor performer to what ATI had in that price range.

SkyGnome · « **Reply #12 on:** June 13, 2007, 02:39:34 PM »

Newegg has a selection of 7600GS cards for < $100. There is little to compare to this, and frankly, spending less on most of the low-end cards recommended will get you wildly lower performance, while the 7600GS will rip through anything you throw at it with whatever features you desire.

The Radeon X1650 is in the same league, I think, but at slightly higher cost for a similar unit. However, the last scenario hinted that the Radeons may have somewhat longer visibility through haze.

I would not recommend spending less. I'm not kidding that performance drops off radically below these models, and the length of time that the cards will satisfactorilly play new games shrinks to months instead of years. Basically, never touch a truly low-end card if you play games - last years midrange are typically faster.

Hoarach · « **Reply #13 on:** June 13, 2007, 09:01:48 PM »

I would highly advise of saving up a little bit and get a Nvidia 7600. I myself have a PNY 7600GS AGP 512MB for $150. I got it at compusa but believe its cheaper now at tigerdirect.com and newegg.com.

Fulmar · « **Reply #14 on:** June 13, 2007, 10:15:44 PM »

You also have to consider, if u want to save up for a more $$$ card. you have to check if your PSU can handle the card.

No sense dropping $150 on a new card and then having your computer shut down when you're playing games because it does not have enough power for the card.