Best AGP card ?

What is the best AGP card for the money out of X800 GTO, X1650 PRO, X850 PRO and the 7600 GS ?

Plz consider all aspects of the card in terms of OCing and unlocking as well. This is essentially my last AGP card and it will be primarily used for gaming and designing.

What Paul said.

The X800GTO and the PRO have been known to unlock but I wouldnt count on that.

Take the X850Pro.

Keep in mind that the x8xx series ATI cards do not support Shader Model 3.0. If that's important, go w/ the 7600GS. If it isn't, then stick w/ the x850xt.

Me personally, Shader Model 3.0 is important. SM2.0 looks like ass compared to 3.0.

Sub $200 AGP...go for a 7600GT. It's got near top of the line AGP performance, SM3.0, and is in your price range. If that is out of budget or impossible to find, go for the X850 pro.

Personally, I can't say I see any real difference in SM2.0 vs SM3.0 (in the games I play) beside the method of HDR used in Oblivion. Most effects used in current games look no diffferent in SM2.0. When the time comes that SM3.0's features are exploited more or are a must, a card like a 6600GT, 6800GS AGP, or 7600GS will be reduced to such low fps anyway. Already these cards kinda blow for Oblivion, and they crawl running HDR in Farcry. (Certainly not the smooth gameplay you desire)


TO demonstrate, look at the 12 current games listed in this link below.
http://www.digit-life.com/articles [...] llery.html

You can click on a game and then on the cards to compare screenshots of the X850 pro to a Sm3.0 7800GTX, X1900XTX, & 6800GT. Besides HDR lighting in Oblivion and the water in AOE3, I don't see a difference. Anyway, I personally think chosing a slower 7600GS over a X850 pro for Sm3.0 is a big mistake. The 7600GT is another story as it's got more power to run eye candy.

I'm looking to play most of my games at 1024x768 nothing higher than that. In terms of looks...I don't really mind no AA or AF if that end's up pulling the most FPS out of the card. Will the 7600GT truly blow away the x850 ?

Basically what I am saying is that you are getting an X850XT equivilant for very little dollars.

I threw an aftermarket cooler on mine and overclocked it too 570core and 600mem

I got lucky and got the R480 core

Oh well everyone just make sure to ignore my find the last time I posted about that card I got the same no responses so from now on I will know better than to waste my time

Fine by me if nobody wants a AGP X850XT equivilant for only $89.99

Well it certainly has similar performance if not better. Just no SM3 support but what should that matter when non of those cards can really benefit from SM3 without taking big performance hit when using features such as HDR?

the x850 pro VIVO make sure it has the yellow audio connector at the end of the card

bios mod

Rob, nice card for $125 if you get 16 pipes. But that makes it a X800XL = to a X850 pro ($130). And If you get a R430 core on the GTO, it's surely not going to do X850XT clock speeds. R480 is a different story of course. Still a good card for the money like the X850 pro.

DAMNIT WTF? I pointed out a X800 GTO which either comes in the R430 or R480 core but you are getting 16 pipes out of the box and yet know one seems to notice and is still asking about bios flashes!!!????

Ok, the card I pointed out comes with all 16 pipes so no bios flash needed. And you want to make a bet on the tweaking? I got mine to do 570core and 600mem. Thats X850XT equivalent. Actually its even better.

As a former sufferer of said dilema, I am obligated to share my solution: The best AGP video card to buy right now is a PCI-Express video card.

Flame away, I've got my reasons (I know its OT, but hold the judgement for a sec).

We all know that pci-ex versions of the same card sell cheaper because they make more, law of economics, yadda yadda.

And rather than buying a fancy video card for your old computer until part of it finally dies (like say, the motherboard itself).

My solution to said problem was simple: pawn off the AGP boards now, and find a pci-express solution for your chip/ram/etc.

You may claim these solutions do not exist, but I've managed to stuff an old s478 P4E and s754 A64 into pci-ex boards (P4RD1-MX, Infinity NF4X). Same chip, same ddr1 ram, same drives, same/better overclocking, just 2 bits get tossed in the lake (board, vid card...)

Granted the OP didn't mention what chip he had, but if you like gaming, then you want a slick video card, and well, why buy a slick video card for a dying computer/dead socket(???). I say, find a new board, and get a heavy duty video card that can be moved to your new core2duo rig next year (or am3 if it proves itself beyond word processing).

As for saying I smoke crack and post OT, umm, yeah, any x8xx card gets my vote, x1600 gets thumbs down, and the 7600gs is 'meh', sm3 without the power to use it sounds like 64bit windows hype to me

I know you didnt just ask that?

Gainward 7800GS Goldensample. Unlocked 20 pipelines. It's the fastest AGP card ever.

To bad i only got XFX 7800GS EE.

Actually, the newer 7800GS+ from gainward is a 7900 GT with 24 pipes...

What are they going for nowadays? If they ever go under $200 I'll add them to the list.

I know you didnt just ask that?

Yeah. I did just ask that. However it was rather rhetorical provided the conditions I listed are met. So I would like for you too explain how you feel it is truely that risky...

*tip* Read my full post next time.

There is always the risk of a flash going bad and you should know that. Its not 100% fail proof like you make it out to be.

I should know

Fortunately enough for me I was able to flash back to the original bios on my X1900XT and I saved my card. Not everyone gets that lucky.


I was nearly in tears when the flash was corrupted

X800 GTO is about 85 to 90% as good as the 7600 GT or X850 XT, that's a guesstimate but it gives you an idea.

They come with a couple different cores, but usually they're happy to be overclocked a bit.

What comes in the boxed version of that sapphire X800 GTO ? Also asssuming I purchased the OEM version what wires would I need and anything else that I would require that comes in the boxed version ? Any suggestions on a aftermarket cooler on the cheap ?

I was about to get the 7600GT until I saw this

8O 1950PRO AGP - £160. Not out until November.....

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acat [...] Cards.html

Great find MArtin hmm.... this complicates things...

I thought that the 7800GS+ was the top dog in the AGP arena. Does it best the X850Pro?

Of course, finding the card could be a problem.

Please tell me that's a typo.