Rate my rig and help me pick video card!!

[carchd]

Ok, I am not up to speed as I have taken two years off the "computer world". Please help me pick a video card though as I am absolutely clueless in ths department. I would like to play games like BF2142, Warhammer, just stuff like that. I would like to keep the video card between $200 and $400. Please tell me anything you see here that will not work together as well. What about Windows Vista? Is this going to really be necessary for us home users anytime in the near future? Thanks!!

ASUS P5B-E Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813131070

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz 2M sharing L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819115004

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820231098

Antec NeoPower NeoHE 550 ATX12V 550W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817103941

Would you reccomend this or standard XP?
Microsoft Windows XP Professional X64 Edition with SP2B 1 Pack
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116053

Ohh, I already have two WD Raptor HD's that I will use, and good case.

 

[3lfk1ng]

Great build so far unless I missed something.

Here is a superb videocard that I highly recommend. Notice the memory speed is at 1800mhz...~almost the same speed as the x1950xtx's

Its silent...
Its fast...
It cool...
Independent heatsinks for the gpu and the memory...
and a uv reactive fan housing...

I went for this version of the x1950xt because it has 1800mhz memory just like the xtx's and it uses the the 580+ core. Like I said earlier...I like a lot of the features that this board has.

I posted that in another thread and didnt feel like typing it all over again, I just purchased this card for my build (Similar to yours, but still waiting on the mobo and psu to get released) and I must say this is by far the most well built card I have seen so far....

That says quite a lot because I used to own one the most well designed video cards on the market. (one of the 1st cards with a heatpipe....solid capacitors, dual fans, and lots of copper)

Now it just rests in a bag cause my old liquid cooling system killed it. :twisted:

 

[carchd]

That is a very nice card and well with in my budget. The only problem is I have not owned an ATI card since the 8500 all-in-one wonder I think it was called. I was not at all impressed with ATI back then and consider myself and Nvidia fanboy. However, like I said before I have been out of the game for quite some time and have fallen well behind the tech curve. Is ATI better now? Is the driver support better then it used to be? I would like to see other reccomendations as well. Thank you, I never would of found this card though!!

 

[resiroth]

I own an ATI card right now so don't think I only love nvidia. ATM ATI is falling behind nvidia a bit, but both are good. I'd recommend picking up a cheaper video card now, ( 150 dollars or so ) and when DX10 is more prevalent in games and production upgrade in 10 months or so.
Just my .02

 

[carchd]

Any reason to not get this card other than price?

eVGA 640-P2-N821-AR GeForce 8800GTS 640MB 320
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130071

 

[carchd]

I can save $40 off this board if I buy it with the above mentioned video card:

eVGA 122-CK-NF68-AR Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813188009

What do you think?

 

[k2gremlin]

If you can find the eVGA 7900GTO anywhere its a great great deal.. like $250 for a very capable card

Right now newegg has pulled the listings on it as it is pretty much sold out across the country..

got mine 2 months ago and love them.