Help. Which videocard to buy?

[mgtech]

This is the situation. I want a DX10 video card. Currently I am running XP Pro on a 7900gs. I will be upgrading to Vista HP or Business as soon as I build my new rig right after July 22. It will have an e6750 or q6600 (maybe), gigabyte P35C DS3R, and 4GB of Supertalent DDR2 800. What video card should I put with it? I really don't play a lot of games, but want to be able to if I want to later. This is a rig that I plan to have last until Vista is over. In addition I want a video card that is faster than my pny 7900 GS that I bought for $120 last November. Is an 8600 GTS faster than it or should I wait to get an 8800 GTS 320?

 

[f61]

For $130 after MIR there is this 8600GT o/c!

But if you wanna o/c yourself, theres this one for $100 after MIR.

Both of these will be a bit better due to having 32 shaders. At your price of $120 for a 7900gs, you got a VERY good deal. Even though these links above are the DX10 equivilent of your GC, most of whats HERE in dx9, will do better on your GC. Personally, I would wait 6 months and let the big boys sort it out more. That 8800gts will get cheap. Look for an offering thats 256 bit, 256Mb, and 128 streams: thats the sweet spot. I hope for your sake, that ATi doesn't get it first. I would suspect the NV board would be an 8800GT and the ATi board to be an HD2800GTO.

GL
f61

 

[mgtech]

How long do you think it will be before the 2600 xt is out. Will it outperform the 7900gs in dx9? Will it outperform a 8600 gts? When will the 8900s be coming out so that the price of the 8800 gts is reasonable? A lot of questions I know.

 

[Xazax310]

Or for the Price of that 8600GT he listed you can buy this Evga 8600GTS or go for that 8600GT for 100$.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130084

Personlly the HD 2600XT GDDR4 verison will be released tomorrow so wait back see how they perform and then choose, 2600 series, G86 series, or wait long you got a nice 7900GS... i dont know why you would wanna down grade just for DX10.

 

[mgtech]

This is the story of how I got the PNY 7900 GS so cheap. It was on sale at Comp USA for $150. At Best Buy they were offering $200 for it with a $30 mail in rebate. We went back to Comp USA and got them to match the mail in rebate. Hence, a $120 PNY 7900GS in November of 2006.

 

[mgtech]

I want to get a DX10 card so that I will be set for Vista. I won't be able to move the 7900 GS to the new computer without having the computer that I am currently running (5200+, m59sli, 2gb ddr2 800) be non operational. The Gigabyte 590 SLI motherboard doesn't have on board video.I am trying to keep both of them up at the same time, because we are running a 2 computer setup at my house. My current second computer has a Pentium D and we will be selling it.

 

[mgtech]

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BUY 2 GRAPHICS CARDS.

 

[mgtech]

somebody!!

 

[Dr_asik]

What video card should I put with it? I really don't play a lot of games, but want to be able to if I want to later. This is a rig that I plan to have last until Vista is over. In addition I want a video card that is faster than my pny 7900 GS that I bought for $120 last November. Is an 8600 GTS faster than it or should I wait to get an 8800 GTS 320?

The only video cards meeting all your conditions are the 8800 series. Nobody can guarantee the card will be enough in DX10 for all the new games until the next iteration of Windows, if you really want to fall for the future-proof stupidity then get 2x8800GTX, what can I say.

What I would do, but which does not meet all your conditions, is, since you're not gaming much now but might be later, get a cheap video card (something like a 7600GT or X1950Pro) that'll do the job for now, and when the big next-gen game arrives that put your system to its knees, see what's the best deal for the money that allows you to run it. Now THAT's future-proofing.

 

[f61]

The plain and simple fact is that right now, you should stick with your card.

The good upgrade for your system is expensive. If you wanna spend 600 bucks go for the top-end 8800's. Since your giving up the 7900GS, (I wouldn't, but what are buds for) the equal solution is the 8600 series that right now cost as much as your bargain 7900GS. Personally, I'm not a fan of the 8600GTS on paper... same mem/128 bits and oh yeah, its still 32 shaders. IMHO get to know these specs, they will save you money.

NV wins untill the AA/AF goes 4x/8x. The old speed vs. quality thingy.

f61