Need help picking video card

[jebbrown]

I just upgraded from a 19" CRT at 1024 x 768 to a 22" LCD & 1650 x 1050, and the video card in my dell xps gen 4, a nvidia 6800, is struggling with all the extra pixels to move around, expecially in games. I'm planning on building a new pc over the next year, bit by bit, so I was hoping to get a card to use for now that I could maybe re-use later. The stock psu is 460, which I'm told should run most newer cards, though perhaps not an 8800GTX (which I can't affrord right now anyway). I thought maybe a 7900 ish card might be appropriate, which I can then later on pair up with another card to go dual. Or maybe the 8800 GTS? - I'd can spend in the $200 - $320 range. I might add that I have (uninstalled as of yet) Vista Ultimate that I want to dual boot for now, and I fear that the 6800 will be dragging. I have 2 gigs of ram and a 3.4 processor. I'm not a die hard gamer, but I'd like decent graphice running my favorite games (FEAR and Oblivian).

Any thoughts on this? I'm pretty naive when it comes to this type of stuff and don't want to make a bad decision. Please help

 

[swtethan]

the only one i'd suggest on that monitor is a 8800gts 640 and above.

 

[conlan]

We own this card and it runs Oblivion very well:
X1950XT

If i were to buy today:

8800GTS 320

8800GTS 640

 

[Frintin]

The only cards that can satisfy your "that I could maybe re-use later" are the 8800 series from nvidia, or any 7 or 8 series card from evga (that is assuming that you want modern features for future software.) evga offers the stepup program (must buy a new video card within 90 days to get credit.)

If you want a bang for the buck chug along with what you are doing on your computer just want a better card then go with anything ATI 1950ish.

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: jebbrown
I just upgraded from a 19" CRT at 1024 x 768 to a 22" LCD & 1650 x 1050, and the video card in my dell xps gen 4, a nvidia 6800, is struggling with all the extra pixels to move around, expecially in games. I'm planning on building a new pc over the next year, bit by bit, so I was hoping to get a card to use for now that I could maybe re-use later. The stock psu is 460, which I'm told should run most newer cards, though perhaps not an 8800GTX (which I can't affrord right now anyway). I thought maybe a 7900 ish card might be appropriate, which I can then later on pair up with another card to go dual. Or maybe the 8800 GTS? - I'd can spend in the $200 - $320 range. I might add that I have (uninstalled as of yet) Vista Ultimate that I want to dual boot for now, and I fear that the 6800 will be dragging. I have 2 gigs of ram and a 3.4 processor. I'm not a die hard gamer, but I'd like decent graphice running my favorite games (FEAR and Oblivian).

Any thoughts on this? I'm pretty naive when it comes to this type of stuff and don't want to make a bad decision. Please help

Your cpu will not push anything more than a 8800gts 320 mb version at that resolution.
They go for about 260.00$

 

[RussianSensation]

X1950XT $199 or 8800GTS 320 for $260 fit the bill.