Thoughts on a graphics card to buy please.

[Big_Bubbaloola]

As you guys are the font of all PC parts knowledge (yes i'm looking at you TP500!!) I gonna have to get a new PC, but the part that's putting the skids on it all is the graphics card. I would love to be able to buy the 8800 GTX, but at over £300 a pop, that aint gonna happen.

So any ideas for alternatives would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking at an 8800 GTS 320mb for £173. Are these any good?

Cheers guys.

[D_Smid4499]

Don't think all you need is a graphics card, alot of people make the mistake of getting just a vcard to try to make their computer better, you need atleast 1.5gb ram and a dual core cpu(or quad).

[tp500]

I got my shit figured out:D found the only PCI card at best buy, and im getting a gig of ram!

[Big_Bubbaloola]

Ah well I was also looking at a E6750 Dual Core 1333 FSB with 2GB DDR 2 SDRAM 800.

How's dem apples?

[Deek]

Good. That plus an 8800 320 would definitely do you proud!

[Doely]

I got an ATI Radeon x1950 pro....... £140
ITS AWSOME

[D_Smid4499]

Ah well I was also looking at a E6750 Dual Core 1333 FSB with 2GB DDR 2 SDRAM 800.
Dont get the 6750, instead get the 6600 (200 dollars cheaper) and get a cpu fan (50 dollars) and overclock, it's reasy and don't worry u can overclock the 6600 past 3.0ghz like i did.

[Big_Bubbaloola]

Right, thanks lads.

I shall look into it.

[Teknobry]

Depending on your monitor resolution, either the 320 or 640 GTS will be great.

[Big_Bubbaloola]

Depending on your monitor resolution, either the 320 or 640 GTS will be great.


Ah Tek, my little tech monkey, thank you

[A DUCK]

Dont get the 6750, instead get the 6600 (200 dollars cheaper)

Lol, what are you smoking? the E6750 is $30 less than the E6600. I know because i priced them out and bought the E6750 for my new computer.

On topic: I suggest getting a 8800GTS 640MB, it allows for higher resolution, graphics, etc. And it is less than $100 more than the 320MB. ;)

[koddak99]

Hi you may of herd of bad news about the XFX 8600Gt xxx ED but i can tell you if you get one and use ATItools and overclock it 50 more then what it normaly is you will have a super card was getting barely 60 fps on team fortress 2 when i didnt overclock it and when i did overclock it by 50HMz more i was getting 100 fps on it with everything maxed out including AA x16. what a good card =) but if u can afford a 8800 gts get one.

[Shrubberyjsc]

if u can afford a 8800 gts get one.

Yeah, when I upgrade, that's what I'm getting.

[seekdestroy]

Ur all making mistakes, the 8000s aint the best of cards, especially if ur looking into the future, they suck at direct x 10, and are way over priced. ATI is the way to go, Ive always been a fan on Nvidia, but when it comes to dtx10 cards, they failed. The ATI HD 2900 series is far better, plus u ram whores can get 1gb of ram on ur Gfx Card. I know this technically doesnt help much, but this 1gb of ram is clocked at a similar frequency(2000mhz) to nvidia's 8800GTX(2250mhz) But considering if u wanted a 8800GTX with a 768mb of ram at that frequency, u wud have to pay over £450, Where as the most you wud have to pay for a HD 2900 1gb (2000mhz) is £300, or (16000mhz) for just £170 . And the price range is about £170-£300. Depending on the frequency, tbh these are so much value for money. Or if u wanted, u could crossfire with two X1950 Pro's. My friends has already done this, it plays every game he has on full settings at well over 80 fps. At around £80 each, its another cheap alternative to Nvidias overpriced rubbish

[seekdestroy]

Also (i missed out) the 8800 GTX's has 128 steam processors, BUT the ATI HD 2900 cards have 320! Thats over double!

[Big_Bubbaloola]

Thanks seekdestroy, hadn't considered that being an undiluted Nvidia fan myself. Cheers.

[dontleave]

Or you could buy the 8800 because its awesomer

[Shrubberyjsc]

I'm sick of ATI.

My old computer with an old Nvidia card has better drivers than my current ATI card.

ATI drivers, in my experience are sub-par.

Once I had problems, and tried updating the drivers. It messed up my whole computer. "roll back driver" did nothing, and I ended up using a restore point.

The old Nvidia computer hasn't had problem 1.

Its drivers even let you adjust the gamma and such with a nice GUI, straight from the get go.

I could probably get some ATI utility to do that, but I'm afraid of the possible side-effects.

[seekdestroy]

unfortunately ive never used an ATI :P, my m8 recomends them a lot. Plus there is a new version of the x1950 pro, the HD 2950 pro, or XT. These cards are going to be extremely fast, and cheap!!! releasing mid november, after 15th i think. I'm definatly saving up for 1

[Big_Bubbaloola]

Mmmmmm, cheap is not always the best way to go.

I think I will have to retire to my happy place and meditate a while............

[Teknobry]

They compared the 8800gtx to ATI's flagship card.


ATI failed miserably, despite on paper the specs looking very good.

[Shrubberyjsc]

Yeah, there's no doubt in my mind.

I'm getting an Nvidia card as quick as I can.

ATI might be cheaper... I really don't even care to look.

Nvidia's just plain better.