Best video card for 24" widescreen

I'm looking for the best video card for the money to run my Dell 2407 24" widescreen display. I've looked at the that evga7950gx2 and thought about buying it then using the trade up program when the gx80 cards come out, hopefully in the next 3 months. Another choice was go down to the $300 range and look at either a 7950GT or a 1900xt card.

Unfortunately, i've looked through the charts and read to many reviews to keep it all straight. Now i'm just damned confused.

I play FEAR, HL2, BF2, can't wait for crysis

Chime in.


here's what i'm working with
c2d e6600
freezer 7 pro with arctic silver
asus p5b deluxe
2gb corsair pc6400 4/4/4/12
3-wd160 sata3 raid 0/5
hiper 580watt psu
nothings overclocked yet

is the 1900xt capable of pumping out 1920x1200 FEAR with high details on without dropping to low on frame rate? Or is this more of a bandaid thing?

Will it run much better OC'd to the point where it can run these higher frame rates max'd out?

thanks for the help

This close to the dx- 10 cards coming out, it makes LOTS of sense to follow cleeve's advice and go for the xt or xtx for ~$300.

I run the xtx on my 24" dell with your e6600, and other than fear, max all out. I run FEAR at the 1152x864 (?) res to max it out.

although i don't play fear, one x1900xt was enough really to run my dell. i did however after probably too many months upgrade to crossfire which helps.

basically if you can afford it get the x1900 then wait and see how these dx10 cards are like or get a cheaper card and also wait for the new cards. i mean both of them not just nvidia as some people seem a bit short of some marbles and are just waiting for the nvidia.

i am not too sure. i do know that gfx card memory above 256 with a 256Mb interface does not usually show too much increase. tbh i haven't checked out benchmarks between the 2 although by specs alone the 256 shouldn't be that much slower if any unless your games need 256+ video memory which i doubt.

i would look for some benchmarks although it looks an excellent buy.

Alright, then if I go for the 256mb version, then what's the difference between the cards that say crossfire video card vs. the ones that don't. That just means that it has the capability to go crossfire with another card or this the actual crossfire card?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102051

I assume this card can stand alone and has the option to crossfire with another one down the road, not that this one has to be crossfired to work.

I know that all makes me sound like figgin idiot, but I know nvidia stuff better than ati so i'm struggling here.

Thanks for the help

Yes, any X1900 XT can be used in crossfire, but if two cards are used then one of the two cards must be a special "crossfire edition" mastercard.

I believe the newegg card you linked to is 'crossfire ready', not a mastercard.

Here is a 'crossfire edition' mastercard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814125023

personally i don't think you'll need to. also you might not be able to get too much of a boost over default settings.