Video Card upgrade

[Disorganise]

I've kinda lost touch with the grpahics card world since the Radeon 9700 ushered in a new era, and would like some opinions please.

I am looking to upgrade my own system and also build a new one for father in-law. My current machine is a 2800+ Barton and an ATI 9500.
I'm looking to get an AMD64, probably a 3500+ for myself and a 3000+ for the old man.

But the video card choice is bewidering nowadays so please help:

I play racing games (Race Driver/Toca, need for speed), strategy (empire earth + Age of empires) and FPS - the old half life, deus ex et al.
I haven't bought a new game for while but might deus ex 2 and if the reviewer don't hate it, HL2 is a definite consideration.
Whilst my monitor is 21", I never use 1600x1200 as the text is too small. Mostly I stick around 1152x864 and maybe drop to 1024 for games (mainly 'cos I got used to my old TNT crawling like a slug at anything over 800x600 and I must have a 'fear' of going higher!).
So....do I really need a high end card? I'm guessing not since I use lower resolution in which case where would you place me? mid high end, low high end? Hopefully HL2 with everything cranked up high detail at 1024 would suffice.

The old man can't go beyond 1024 due to 17" monitor, and I think games at 800*600 are fine for him. He plays strategy games mostly although when the nephew comes round they might play some FPS too.

Hope all this makes some sort of sense. I read the 'Modern Video Card FAQ' before posting, but wasn't sure where I place. Most benchmarks etc seem to focus on 1600 resolution which, like I said, I don't bother with 'cos everything goes too small.

oh....if budget needs to consider then I guess I'd pay upto $600AUD for my own card and maybe half that for the old man.....but I'd rather pick an appropriate card and budget later really.

cheers

Dave

 

[Appledrop]

id get either a radeon 9800pro or a x800 pro vivo and mod to xt, either should be good in HL2

 

[df96817]

Your best choice would probably be a Geforce 6800 GT, around $399 USD. If you don't want to spend that much, you can go for a 6600 GT or a X700 XT, both around $199 USD.

 

[Renob]

I would go for the 6800gt or the 6600gt price is nice on both card, and hot deals are poping up for $350 on the 6800gt.

 

[Disorganise]

Thanks. It would appear the pendulum has swung back to NVidia then?

One thing I forgot to mention and which may make a difference - I don't want a vacuum cleaner in my PC! Things are loud enough as it is and I'm busy fitting fan speed regulators etc to reduce the overall noise (I have 3 PC's next to each other...the cumulative effect is annoying! Why 3? Different functions like file server, Internet Server etc - but mostly to enable me to keep my MS skills updated).

A local on-line store has the Asus V9999GT (Nvidia 6800GT) for $616AUD which is on the upper end of what I'd like to pay...but do-able, except it says "Powerful cooling fan, somewhat noisy"....erm, I remember when the Nvidia NV30 first came out and was de-cried for howling in the PC. Where are we at nowadays?

1 final thing.....
I know the diff between PCIe and AGP is non-existant at present, but....woud you buy now (ie AGP since no PCIe for AMD yet) or wait 'til after Christmas when Nforce4 etc should see PCIe for AMD64

and on that....does it make much diff what chipset you use? After the reliability and ease of driver installs for Nforce 2, I'm kinda hedging to Nforce 3 at present (unless 4 comes out DAMN QUICK DAMN IT!) - is it true Nvida graphics cards work better with Nvidia chipsets?

cheers
Dave

 

[Renob]

I would stay away form the Asus, its a good card but over priced. Buy a card from a different maker and with the money you save buy one of these

Its very quiet and helps cool down the inside of your computer.

 

[Pete]

If anything, I'd think your 9500 should be fine for your father-in-law: not amazing, but decent, and it'd let you spend more on your card. Actually, your current system isn't fast enough for him?

 

[Marsumane]

The 6800GT is one of the best cards for the money. It owns its price catagory as compared to ati's offerings. Its just about how much u want to spend. NV seems to have regained much of it's market value on sales and performance. Both companies are making good cards this round, although at the lower-high end nv seems to have a better card and thats y many ppl in this forum have that card. Also it ocs to their 6800u just about every time.

 

[iversonyin]

what 600AUD in USD?

since 6800 GT cost around $600AUD,im guessin 9800PRO should be half of that and excellent choice for your old man.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well Nvidia M.B with Nvidia cards generally speaking tend to run a bit better.

I would definately wait for Nforce 4 (CK8-04) with PCI-E and get a 6600GT.

-Kevin

 

[Renob]

I would definately wait for Nforce 4 (CK8-04) with PCI-E and get a 6600GT.


There is no way I would wait for that, You will be paying top $ for the new hardware, plus they have not had time to work the kinks out.

You buy your stuff now it will hold you over for a few years, then PCIe will have had time to mature and prices will drop.

 

[Cawchy87]

I would go for the x800pro with vivo and mod it to an xt over a 6800gt any day. If you can't find one with vivo then the 6800GT would do fine. In the last generation of cards, a 9700pro or 9800pro would be more than enough for what you play. They are even enough for the newest games coming out. But if you are going to drop 600 then i would go for the x800pro with vivo.

 

[bcoupland]

I'd say that your current system is more than enough for your father. If he only plays strategy games and some FPSes at 1024x768, a 9500Pro is more than enough. He should be very satisfied with the performance of your current system. You should just give that to him. For you, if you only play at 1152x864, a regular 6800 will be fine. Does AUD mean Australian Dollars? Well, I'm Canadian and I think the exchange rates for our currencies are similar, 1CDN=.80USd, 1AUS=.75USD. So, you probably want something in the range of 300-450 USD. Hope this helps.

 

[Disorganise]

Thanks all.

yes AUD means Australian Dollar. I looked up 9800pro and they hover around $350-$400 mark. The X800pro which Cawchy87 mentions is way expensive - $700-$850 and mostly around the high 7s. Can't justify spending that much I'm afraid.

So it looks like the 6800 is the way to go. The 'stock' 6800 seems to be about $550AUD with the Asus GT version @$616AUD - although it's only 128MB, and the other GT's being 256MB and $700+ - in fact the next cheapest is Gainwards golden sample at $764AUD

As to giving my current system to the father-in-law.....did think of that, but they prefer to buy new and have warrany etc. My current system will likely become the wife's - upgrading her aging P3 600....makes a good case to spend If I buy x video card, mobo and chip, your system will be SO much faster :-D

What's the diff between GT and Non GT 6800 by the way? it doesn't seem to be noted in the FAQ, and would 128MB on the ASUS (obviously to keep the price down) be crippling for the GT? ie, is all advantage of the GT losty by halving the RAM?

Cheers
Dave

 

[Renob]

What's the diff between GT and Non GT 6800

Mem 128 vs 256 also the mem is only ddr on the 6800, were it is ddr3 on the gt
and default speeds of gpu and mem are lower on the 6800
and the 6800 only has 12 pipes where the gt has 16