Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > Cheap decent graphics card

Cheap decent graphics card

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - Cheap decent graphics card

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
jjfern   10-07-2006 at 06:48:30 PM

Can someone give some advice for a cheap but decent PCI-e graphics card around £50. I will not be playing the latest games just some older ones like battlefield 2 etc. but not at the max settings.

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
enforcerfx   10-07-2006 at 07:02:56 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

Can someone give some advice for a cheap but decent PCI-e graphics card around £50. I will not be playing the latest games just some older ones like battlefield 2 etc. but not at the max settings.



X800GTO Ftw.

Reply to enforcerfx
skud   10-07-2006 at 08:32:37 PM
- 0 +

7300gt or x800

Reply to skud
sirheck   10-07-2006 at 08:45:50 PM
- 0 +

a 6800 or x800 will play bf2 with max settings pretty good
not sure about their price and avialabilty where you are

the 76gt would be your best choice but not sure about its price
in your area? its around 125 to 150us$

Reply to sirheck
Flopmouth_Fish   10-07-2006 at 08:50:22 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

a 6800 or x800 will play bf2 with max settings pretty good
not sure about their price and avialabilty where you are

the 76gt would be your best choice but not sure about its price
in your area? its around 125 to 150us$



He's in the UK, and his budget is 50 british pounds. I found that 7300GT GDDR3 for 50 pounds, which is a great deal.

Reply to Flopmouth_Fish
sirheck   10-07-2006 at 08:52:15 PM
- 0 +

i figured he was in the uk
isnt 50 pounds close to 100us$

Reply to sirheck
prozac26   10-07-2006 at 08:56:23 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

a 6800 or x800 will play bf2 with max settings pretty good
not sure about their price and avialabilty where you are

the 76gt would be your best choice but not sure about its price
in your area? its around 125 to 150us$



He's in the UK, and his budget is 50 british pounds. I found that 7300GT GDDR3 for 50 pounds, which is a great deal.
Yea, although low-end, pretty good for £50.

Reply to prozac26
Flopmouth_Fish   10-07-2006 at 09:01:27 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

a 6800 or x800 will play bf2 with max settings pretty good
not sure about their price and avialabilty where you are

the 76gt would be your best choice but not sure about its price
in your area? its around 125 to 150us$



He's in the UK, and his budget is 50 british pounds. I found that 7300GT GDDR3 for 50 pounds, which is a great deal.
Yea, although low-end, pretty good for £50.

7300GT GDDR2 is crap; however the GDDR3 version is quite good; comparable, in fact, to a 7600GS.

EDIT: Prozac: How do you do the pound sign?

Reply to Flopmouth_Fish
Bronze Graphics badge mousemonkey   10-07-2006 at 09:43:12 PM
- 0 +

I found this one at yo-yo's but it's GDDR2 not GDDR3 but it's within your budget http://www.yoyotech.co.uk/product_ [...] 3d373d1653

if you don't mind going over budget slightly there is this one http://www.overclockers.co.uk/show [...] =GX-040-OK

and then getting silly there's this one available for your delictation http://www.overclockers.co.uk/show [...] =GX-005-GL

Reply to mousemonkey
GavinLeigh   10-07-2006 at 09:52:34 PM
- 0 +

I bought a Geforce 6800xt PCIE for about $100 after a rebate and I find it a great card. Personally I am waiting for DX10 to come out... so this was a stop-gap purchase and I haven't been unhappy with it. You should be able to find something like this for 50 pounds. make sure you get 256Mb of GDDR3 and the 256bit memory bus, there are so many versions to choose from.

It should suit you down to the ground.

Reply to GavinLeigh
caamsa   10-07-2006 at 10:01:57 PM
- 0 +

For the pound sign hold down the Alt key and type on the number key pad to the right and hit 0163 then when you release the the Alt key the pound sign appears. £ Ta da! £

Don't use the numbers above you have to use the keypad on the right hand side of your computer. Have a question just google it!

£ £ :wink:

Regarding the question the 6600GT 7600 GT or GS, a X800GTO are great cards.

Reply to caamsa
Bronze Graphics badge mousemonkey   10-07-2006 at 10:08:17 PM
- 0 +

Is it not shift + 3 on your keyboards over there in the colonies? :lol:

Reply to mousemonkey
Bronze Graphics badge mousemonkey   10-07-2006 at 10:14:01 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

I bought a Geforce 6800xt PCIE for about $100 after a rebate and I find it a great card. Personally I am waiting for DX10 to come out... so this was a stop-gap purchase and I haven't been unhappy with it. You should be able to find something like this for 50 pounds. make sure you get 256Mb of GDDR3 and the 256bit memory bus, there are so many versions to choose from.

It should suit you down to the ground.



Dude I'm quite happy with my 7900GT thank you very much, a 6800xt seems a bit of a downgrade. :roll:

Reply to mousemonkey
GavinLeigh   10-07-2006 at 10:17:10 PM
- 0 +

In the US keyboard layout shift+3 is #.... which oddly enough some people call the "pound" sign.... whereas I know it as the "hash" key.

Aren't we getting off topic ?

Reply to GavinLeigh
GavinLeigh   10-07-2006 at 10:19:29 PM
- 0 +

I meant to reply to the orignal question... not to you directly Mousemonkey. But isn't a 7300 going to be a dog with a 64bit memory interface ?

Reply to GavinLeigh
Bronze Graphics badge mousemonkey   10-07-2006 at 10:20:58 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

it is



:? Errr what is?? :?

Reply to mousemonkey
caamsa   10-07-2006 at 10:22:15 PM
- 0 +

Errrr this is the pound symbol for weight # and this is a hash key when used on your phone.

The pound symbol for currency is £


Get da X800GTO it is cheap and fast. Errrr fast and cheap.....

Reply to caamsa
Bronze Graphics badge mousemonkey   10-07-2006 at 10:30:04 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

I meant to reply to the orignal question... not to you directly Mousemonkey. But isn't a 7300 going to be a dog with a 64bit memory interface ?



No drama's mate, I'm just six beers into the night here :lol: , but a 7300 with GDDR3 should jog on alright not lightspeed maybe but not too shabby.

Quote :

GavinLeigh
In the US keyboard layout shift+3 is #.... which oddly enough some people call the "pound" sign.... whereas I know it as the "hash" key.

Aren't we getting off topic ?



off topic? in here?, never :twisted:

Reply to mousemonkey
pauldh   10-08-2006 at 02:49:30 AM
- 0 +

Quote :

EDIT: Prozac: How do you do the pound sign?


I just cut and paste from the OP and then change the price if need be. :tongue:

£50
£50-£60
etc.

Reply to pauldh
Flopmouth_Fish   10-08-2006 at 06:38:39 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

I bought a Geforce 6800xt PCIE for about $100 after a rebate and I find it a great card. Personally I am waiting for DX10 to come out... so this was a stop-gap purchase and I haven't been unhappy with it. You should be able to find something like this for 50 pounds. make sure you get 256Mb of GDDR3 and the 256bit memory bus, there are so many versions to choose from.

It should suit you down to the ground.



7300GT GDDR3 > Any 6800XT

6800XT is a hated card on these forums.

Reply to Flopmouth_Fish
Flopmouth_Fish   10-08-2006 at 06:50:10 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

For the pound sign hold down the Alt key and type on the number key pad to the right and hit 0163 then when you release the the Alt key the pound sign appears. £ Ta da! £

Don't use the numbers above you have to use the keypad on the right hand side of your computer. Have a question just google it!

£ £ :wink:

Regarding the question the 6600GT 7600 GT or GS, a X800GTO are great cards.



Thanks £!

Reply to Flopmouth_Fish
ikjadoon   10-08-2006 at 07:57:01 PM
- 0 +

Ouch! That price hurts. I don't think we can compare our prices with theirs...

Is that £50 including VAT or not?

7300GT isn't bad....I say go for a X1300XT. It should suit you perfectly. It equals around a X800XL. OC's pretty well,too.

Do try to get the pre-OC'ed versions and the GDDR3 version as well.

~Ibrahim~

Reply to ikjadoon
sirheck   10-08-2006 at 09:47:11 PM
- 0 +

hey ikjadoon havent seen you in a while

you go on vacation? :D

Reply to sirheck
ikjadoon   10-08-2006 at 10:33:12 PM
- 0 +

Haha. If School=Vacation, sure. Good to be back, though...

~Ibrahim~

Reply to ikjadoon
melarcky   10-08-2006 at 11:09:42 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

I bought a Geforce 6800xt PCIE for about $100 after a rebate and I find it a great card. Personally I am waiting for DX10 to come out... so this was a stop-gap purchase and I haven't been unhappy with it. You should be able to find something like this for 50 pounds. make sure you get 256Mb of GDDR3 and the 256bit memory bus, there are so many versions to choose from.

It should suit you down to the ground.



7300GT GDDR3 > Any 6800XT

6800XT is a hated card on these forums.
yes it is.. and i almost got one a few weeks back.. but then i looked in the specs it had DDR. and 128bit memory it sounds to me its just a gf 6600 with a higher clock?

Reply to melarcky
desolationw   10-08-2006 at 11:21:30 PM
- 0 +

6800XT is hated everywhere.

the cheapest 7600GT i've found over here in the UK is the Xpertvision 7600GT at £85. Seen other at £90 but then it just jumps to £120 - £140.

I've also looked at the x850xt and this is the cheapest i've found at £90.

since you don't seem like the guy who would buy cheap now to last until next-gen cards, i suggest you save a bit more and buy a better card like the 7600GT or x850xt that will last you longer.

Reply to desolationw
zahid   10-09-2006 at 01:16:27 AM
- 0 +

ASUS 7300GS 256/512

OR

ASUS X1300 PRO 256 MB

Reply to zahid
Silver Graphics badge TheGreatGrapeApe   10-09-2006 at 01:26:41 AM
- 0 +

Quote :

ASUS 7300GS 256/512

OR

ASUS X1300 PRO 256 MB



X1300PRO.

The GS sucks, the GT is a much better card (being that it's an underclocker 7600), but the X1300P usually outperforms the GF7300GS, but really you should look to pay a bit more and see if you can't get the GF7300GT or X1600/1650 series.

Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe
Silver Graphics badge TheGreatGrapeApe   10-09-2006 at 01:33:45 AM
- 0 +

Quote :

6800XT < 7300GT < X800GTO < 7600GS < 7600GT AFAIK.



Not quite, usually it's;

GF6800XT=<7300GT<GF7600GS<X800GTO<GF7600GT.

Mileage varies depending on game/app of course.

Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe
ikjadoon   10-09-2006 at 03:27:59 AM
- 0 +

Wha?

What about the X1300XT????

Yeah, a good pre-OC'ed X1300XT comes in with this:

575Mhz Core Clock
1350Mhz Memory Clock
256MB of GDDR3 at 128-bit
12 Pixel Shaders
5 Vertex Shaders

How about that for sub-$100?

~Ibrahim~

Reply to ikjadoon
Flopmouth_Fish   10-09-2006 at 04:29:53 AM
- 0 +

Quote :

Wha?

What about the X1300XT????

Yeah, a good pre-OC'ed X1300XT comes in with this:

575Mhz Core Clock
1350Mhz Memory Clock
256MB of GDDR3 at 128-bit
12 Pixel Shaders
5 Vertex Shaders

How about that for sub-$100?

~Ibrahim~



Where did you find that?

Reply to Flopmouth_Fish
caamsa   10-09-2006 at 06:56:58 AM
- 0 +

Saw a review of the 7300GT DDR3 VS the X1300XT and the 7300GT was faster in most of the games. But it was close depends on what games you play.

Reply to caamsa
Silver Graphics badge TheGreatGrapeApe   10-09-2006 at 11:37:43 AM
- 0 +

Quote :

Wha?

What about the X1300XT????




Well I didn't include them all, just re-orging the list provided.

The GF7600GS falls in around the X1600P below the X1600XT and X1650Pro, all of which would beat the X1300XT.

I'd say cheap X1600pro/GF7600GS for sub-$100, but if he can get a GF7600GT for the coin that's the way to go. The X1300XT is a little scarce and still underpowered considering other options in the price range, just like the GF7300GT, which is where I'd pair those two.

So to kinda cover all the cards in the thread;

GF7300GS<X1300Pro<GF7300GT=X1300XT<X1600<GF7600GS=X1600Pro<X1600XT<X1650Pro<X800GTO<GF6800GS=GF7600GT<X800GTO16

That'd be how I call it from what I've seen.

The X1300XT is an OK card, but in the US you can get an X1600Pro-XT for under $100 as well, and a GF7600GT isn't far off the mark price wise so they'd be better choices IMO.

Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe
GavinLeigh   10-09-2006 at 06:37:32 PM
- 0 +

WOW... I didn't realize there was so much HATRED of the 6800XT. I own a 6800GT (AGP) a 6800GS (unlocked AGP) and a 6800XT (PCIE) and have been happy with all three cards.

I'll admit I paid $400 for the GT when it came out and less than a $100 for the XT about 18 months later but I think of the XT as a temporary gap filling card. I only got it a couple of months ago and didn't want to buy an expensive card before Vista hits the streets and DX10 comes out.

My XFX 6800XT has a 256bit memory interface and GDDR3 and I'd love to see a benchmark against a 7300GT. I don't think that choosing a 7xxx series card above a 6xxx guarantees better performance. I benchmarked an overclocked 6200 card against my old GF4200 and the 4200 WON !!! I am sure a 7300GT with GDDR2 and 64bit interface would be hard pushed to beat a 6800XT with GDDR3 and 256bit interface ?

I guess there are so many different flavours of cards these days that its hard to know which way to go. I mean so many cards have either GDDR2, GDDR3 and even some DDR. There are 64, 128 and 256bit memory interfaces too. What a lot to choose from. Recommending for someone to buy a card without telling them to look out for the fine print isn't right.

Anyway... from my point of view a 6800XT with 256Mb memory, a 256bit interface and GDDR3 has been a good choice for $100 (or roughly £50).

:lol:

Reply to GavinLeigh
ikjadoon   10-09-2006 at 06:47:26 PM
- 0 +

I can't see the X1300XT put with the 7300GT.

Quote :

First and foremost, the X1300 XT, when coupled with GDDR3, demonstrates itself to be a cut above the GeForce 7300 GT DDR2 in terms of performance. It is consistently faster in all of our tests, handling higher resolutions better than the 7300 GT.



They are better cards for a bit more, like you mentioned, but I can't see it equal with the 7300GT...

~Ibrahim~

Reply to ikjadoon
GavinLeigh   10-09-2006 at 10:41:53 PM
- 0 +

I realise that there are 128bit and 64bit versions of the 7300GT, and that some have DDR2 and others DDR3.

It's just funny how most graphic card rankings don't say exactly what the configuration is.... especially when it comes to memory interface.

A 7300GT with 64 bit interface and DDR2 probably has a significantly different performance to one with a 128Mb and DDR3.

Has anyone actually used both cards, and experienced the difference?

:?:

Reply to GavinLeigh
ikjadoon   10-09-2006 at 10:50:52 PM
- 0 +

Yes. Usually the low-end cards have many versions and no way of figuring out which one you'll get unless you specifically read the specs..There should be a 7300GS, 7300GTO, 7300GT, 7300GTX, etc. It is confusing, but at least you know what you are getting.

~Ibrahim~

Reply to ikjadoon
desolationw   10-10-2006 at 12:02:49 AM
- 0 +

when you look at the specs it isn't a bad card, it just does not deserve to be in the 6800 range.

Wikipedia NVIDIA 6 Series Comparison

It has been majorly crippled and, from what i've heard, gets beat by a 6600GT easily.

I think nvidia have learned their lesson with this card, and how much hate has been channelled at it. It is a 'con card' i have seen sites selling it calling it the 6800 Xtreme which makes it sound good when really the 6800 Ultra was the best of the 6 series.

Reply to desolationw
desolationw   10-10-2006 at 01:35:43 AM
- 0 +

just researched that. it can actually be unlocked for more pixel pipelines, 8ppl to 12ppl, never seen one up to 16ppl though. I suppose there is people who love *cringes* the card but it isn't much good to the normal person who think they are buyin a top of the line 6th gen card.

Reply to desolationw
GavinLeigh   10-10-2006 at 04:31:54 AM
- 0 +

I think that only the 6800xt (AGP version) can be unlocked. I don't think the PCIE version is built on the same GPU as the AGP, so you can't unlocked pipelines on it.

I actually benchmarked my 6800XT with a 6600GT and got better performance. It's probably down to the 256bit memory interface.

Reply to GavinLeigh
GeneticWeapon   10-10-2006 at 05:15:50 AM
- 0 +

Quote :


I actually benchmarked my 6800XT with a 6600GT and got better performance. It's probably down to the 256bit memory interface.


Put up a 3dmark link to this card you are so vehemently defending.

Reply to GeneticWeapon
caamsa   10-10-2006 at 05:17:55 AM
- 0 +

I don't think the 6800XT is any faster than a 6600GT or a 6800 vanilla.


Here is a link of some tests. The XT does pretty well.

http://xtreview.com/review92.htm

Reply to caamsa
GavinLeigh   10-10-2006 at 08:45:04 PM
- 0 +

EEWwwww !!!! now I have to benchmark my card again. I'll try and run it tonight and post the results afterwards. I don't have the 6600GT anymore... that was my friends, but I am sure someone can put a 6600GT 3Dmark up here for comparison.

I would like to say the 6800XT is not a world beating product here... just that for $100 it's been GOOD for me !!!.

Thanks to Caamsa for posting posted a link to this site:
http://xtreview.com/review92.htm

The 6800XT seems to be giving the 6600GT a run for it's money in these tests.

3dMark2003
6800XT - 10101
6600GT - 8750

3dMark2005
6800XT - 4017
6600GT - 3630

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply to GavinLeigh
Silver Graphics badge TheGreatGrapeApe   10-10-2006 at 09:08:18 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

I can't see the X1300XT put with the 7300GT.

First and foremost, the X1300 XT, when coupled with GDDR3, demonstrates itself to be a cut above the GeForce 7300 GT DDR2 in terms of performance. It is consistently faster in all of our tests, handling higher resolutions better than the 7300 GT.



They are better cards for a bit more, like you mentioned, but I can't see it equal with the 7300GT...

Compared to the GF7300GT GDDR3 it is equal IMO. It's like the X1600Pro (DDRII vs X1600XT GDDR3).

Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe
GavinLeigh   10-11-2006 at 05:38:48 PM
- 0 +

Okay I was out last night so didn't benchmark but I did find the notes I made from my last set of benchmarks.

6800xt on an Intel 805 overclocked at 3.6ghz.

Aquamark 03 - 65833
3dMark03- 10785
3dMark05- 4371
CS:Source graphics test - 106 FPS

( These are overclocked scores with 440 GPU / 1200 MEM - fully stable )

I would be interested to hear about 6600 or 7300 scores on a similar rig. :?:

Reply to GavinLeigh
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > Cheap decent graphics card
Go to:

There are 1164 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.395 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them