Recommend a Graphics Card

[al1uk]

Currently I've got a Geforce XFX 5200, really rubbish, and using 3d mark, I get results of around 265, with overclocking. My budget is around Ј150 (UK sterling). Some of you might think that too low, but as a university student, I need to survive the outragous university fees.
I've never been that interested in gaming, but with upcoming releases, I'm gonna need something new, and my Graphics card is the only outdated peice of hardware. Anyway, I ain't to clever with buying hardware, just look at my RAM post, and you'll understand.:wink: I need recommendations for cards that will survive a long time.

[Methadon]

Do you have PCI-E or AGP?
And what do you prefer, ATI or nVIDIA?

[NetSoerfer]

I'd probably go for a GeForce 6600 or 6800 with 128MB, depending on your budget. At http://www.misco.co.uk you can get those from BFG, slightly overclocked (yet with full warranty).

BFG GeForce 6800 OC 128MB DDR TV-Out Dual DVI: £160
BFG GeForce 6600GT OC 128MB DDR TV-Out Dual DVI: £134

The GF6800 is definitely faster than a Radeon 9800Pro (which they also have in stock for a higher price). It's not the fastest card out there anymore, but for ~£150 it's pretty good.

Those are for AGP which I assume will be what you need. I don't really know about ATi cards in that price range... It'd probably be an X700, but I don't know how good that one is.

[RTsa]

Well, I'd recommend a GeForce 6600GT with 256Mb memory. That's what I have, it's not too expensive, though it won't be able to run everything at full from now on. (games like B&W2 and F.E.A.R. don't run at full, but they're damn pretty with what I can get..oh, and I haven't overclocked, so I might get more out of it)

Though, the new ATI series looks interesting. I think you'd be able to afford the cheap ones.

[al1uk]

I've AGP 8x, and PCI slots, but I'm not sure if they are PCI Express ones. No real preferance, it has to be good and within my budget. I've been doing my own looking, what do you lot think about some of the cards on this site: http://www.itcomputer.co.uk/category...D=193&offset=0

[NetSoerfer]

Definitely no PCIe (PCI Express, actually you'd need PEG - PCI Express for Graphics). You either have AGP or PEG (except for some very rare exceptions).

RTsa is right, a GeForce 6600GT with 256MB is probably the best choice with your budget.

Look closely at every offer you take into consideration, nVidia has launched so many kinds of GeForce 6x00-cards lately it's not easy to find the right one. If you want to buy the right card, insist on a GeForce 6600GT with 256MB of video memory.

Itcomputer don't really had anything I'd recommend. Some froogling however let me stumble across this one:
http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/prod...66D256GT&af=50 - exactly the card recommended by RTsa and me for £122,14 plus shipping.

[al1uk]

These are my mobo specs: http://www.soltek.de/soltek/product/...E%2FSL-86SPE-L

[al1uk]

Alright, there are still a couple of local stores i'm gonna check first. Near where i live, on weekends, shop owner from all over london come to a local sports hall with goodies at prices lower then what they'd usually sell them for. they are always cheaper then the shops, so im gonna check that first.

[vatras90]

I think it doesn't matter, how much Video-Ram on a 6600gt, because of it has got a 128-bit Interface. I think an Ati x800gto (256mb!!) will do it better than a 6600gt!

[NetSoerfer]

That one doesn't sound bad indeed. Hadn't thought of it.

Comparing the specs makes me favor the ATi card too:

nVidia GeForce 6600GT 256MB:
500MHz/500MHz (GPU/vRAM)
128bit Memory Interface
3 Vertex, 8 Pixel Pipelines

ATi Radeon X800GTO 256MB:
500MHz/500MHz (GPU/vRAM)
256bit Memory Interface
6 Vertex, 12 Pixel Pipelines

So the X800GTO's specs are way better than the 6600GT's. However, I didn't manage to find a single X800GTO 256MB AGP card on froogle.co.uk. You'll have to see whether you find one (maybe ask your local retailer if he can order you one).

[Nikos]

Note that the GeForce 6600GT supports Pixel Shader 3, while the Radeon X800GTO only supports PS 2.1. PS 3 can be twice as fast as PS 2.1.

In most cases though, the card with more pipelines wins. But I think the X800GTO is a tad more expensive than the 6600GT.

[ManMountain]

A little over budget, but you could pick up an ATI Radeon X800 XL 256MB (AGP) for Ј179.95 (Ј211.44 Including VAT at 17.5%).

[vatras90]

Note that the GeForce 6600GT supports Pixel Shader 3, while the Radeon X800GTO only supports PS 2.1. PS 3 can be twice as fast as PS 2.1.

In most cases though, the card with more pipelines wins. But I think the X800GTO is a tad more expensive than the 6600GT.

In fact, you don't really notice if it's SM3 or SM2.1+ (without Splinter Cell 3)

[al1uk]

What about this: http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=98727. do you think I'll be able to overclock it using the standard fan??
Also I went to my local sports hall today where all those sellers come, most of them only had the Geforce 6600/GT, but the people who had the 6800, which is the one I was after, only had it in PCI Express format.
I didn't check any ATI ones, but the 6600 was around Ј100-Ј120

[NetSoerfer]

The X800SE is slower, has less pipelines... No success asking a retailer to order you an X800GTO?

Found one of those (here in germany) for 180€ (that's about £120)... That's pretty good...