Looking for a new Graphics card - Need Recommendations

[Moondoggy]

My system currently has an ATI 9600 AGP, 128 MB video card in it. According to the VISTA advisor software this card will run under Vista but I have been told that it will not be able to do DIRECTX 10. I would like to upgrade and get a card that will run the high end version of VISTA but I don't know the first thing about Graphics cards and which one is better than the other. Best Buy has a ad in this week for a BFG GeForce 7800 GS OC with 256 MB of memory on sale for $249.00 and I have no idea if this is the right card to invest money in or not. I would REALLY like to receive recommendations as to what AGP card will run DirectX 10 and run really well under VISTA.

 

[cleeve]

Do you do alot of gaming? If not, directX 10 is irrelevant. Keep your 9600.

Even if you game, there aren't any DirectX 10 games out there yet... and the only DirectX 10 card available right now is the Geforce 8800. The Dx10 games won't be here for a while.

Geforces in the 7x00 series are DirectX 9 cards, just like Radeon X1x00 cards.

No hurry to get a DirectX 10 card just to say you have it. Wait until you need it for a game. And if you don't game, you're not missing anything...

 

[Moondoggy]

I do some gaming but not a lot. See that is why I need advice. All I know is that directx 10 is the new standard and I was thinking that with only 128 MB of memory I coudn't do all the neat things that Vista is supposed to allow you to do or my 9600 would be so doggy that I would want to upgrade anyway. My big concern is the AGP slot issue. it is my understanding that ATI and the Nivida manufacturers are not supporting AGP like that are other formats and I am a bit worried that if I don't upgrade there might eventually be not have anything to upgrade to. Bottom line is that I have had several ATI cards in the past but I don't know if I'd be better off switching to Nivida for better functionality or buy another ATI. Since I know nothing about models I was hoing for some advice.

 

[Arimoto]

There isn't an AGP DirectX 10 card that I know of.

There are ton of AGP DirectX 9 cards that you can choose from that will enable the aero glass interface within Vista.

DirectX 10 is for future game titles. In my opinion, by then, your mobo will be outdated and it's better off upgrading to one w/PCIe16.

For now, my recommendation would be to pick up a 7600GS/GT w/256mb to get by, that would be sufficient enough. You can get one from newegg.com etc for under 200.

 

[cleeve]

My recommendation: hold off and buy a new system when you have an app that requires it.

If you're upgrading for software that you can't buy yet, you're wasting money. Hardware always gets cheaper, so upgrading for a future use is completely futile.

Vista should run fine with a 9600. Worry about your platform when there's a game you want to buyy that you can't play. If it happens in 6 months, there will be newer, better, cheaper hardware available.

That's how the tech industry works.

 

[etomasula]

You probably wont see DX10 for a long time yet. If you want a DX10 card then you have to pay the price. Upgrading AGP is costly and will probably never have a DX10 card made for it. PCI-Express is the way to go for price vs perf. Anyways I have a 7800GS at home and my personal recommendation for an AGP upgrade (if you have to) is the Radeon X1950 Pro. Thats the cream of the crop for AGP. Otherwise it may be more cost effective to upgrade your mb for PCI express.