Suggestions for new AGP GPU

Hello, I need to get at least one more year from my current system. I can afford about $250.00 without drawing to much aggro from my wife. I am partial to Nvidia products as I have never had a problem with one. But will consider best available.
Here is my current system:
P4 3 Ghz Intel cpu
D875PBZLK I875P Intel mobo
Gainward FX5900 ULtra 256
2 Gb Mushkin ddr.
Zalman 400W ps.
Seagate 80 gb SATA
Thanks in advance.

Hmm, even after owning a FX5900U you are partial to NV?

I'd say you are a good candidate for the 7800GS as it's top of the line in AGP and can be found for about your price range(maybe a bit over budget). You may want to hold off and grab a 7600GT AGP when they come out. They should be almost reference 7800GS caliber cards but cost less.

400W is bare minimum for the 7800GS.

Once again thanks for the replies.
I did a search on the GF7600GT and came up empty. Is there a tenative release date?

What games are you playing>? Maybe just wait another year and do a full upgrade to a new system then. Do it around your birthday or holiday of your choice. When I upgrade my wife gets the old stuff but she is always very happy with it. Get you wife interested in computer games and your good to go! If you really need to get an agp card check out ebay a 6800 vanilla is a good card and you could prob get it for less than 100 bucks. The 7600GT is a good card but is a mid range card that will quickly become a low to mid range card when the next generation gpu's come out and the AGP version will prob cost 200 bucks. I have two socket A systems one runs a 6600GT and the other a 6800 vanilla. They both perform well on the older platforms for most games. I play BF2 and Half Life 2 and City of Heroes all at 1280 X 1024. I have never tried out either system with Oblivion but I know someone who has a 2 gig athlon XP and runs it with a X1600 pro AGP and it does quite well. Some of the prices on the PCI express cards make it tough to even consider an AGP card. It is almost worth the cost to get a board with PCI express and pick up a X800GTO for 70 bucks after rebate on new egg just take a look at all the deals. Good luck!

If you dont' want to wait, you can order an X800 if you want, they're very powerful cards for their buck. Or you could go with a 6000 series card if you wanted.

Just noticed this X800XT for $169.00 Not bad 8)


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102492

Looks like James noitced them go up on OverclockersUK, but they are still pre-order;

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/har [...] 96704.html

Not sure when they will hit other retailers, and at this point even whether there will be others and if they'll be in the US. I suspect eventually everyone will get them, just don't know when.

Overclockers.co.uk are a bit fanatical about getting the best products, if it’s available somewhere in the world you can be sure they will source it for you… But they cost a little more than the average also, but I guess you get what you pay for 