Help picking a card

[Aigol]

HI I know this may be out of place but I was looking for people who knew what they were talking about

Which of these cards Would be the best choice

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3048551&CatId=1558

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3212568&CatId=1558

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...asp?EdpNo=3048552&CatId=1558#productresources

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3192396&CatId=1826

to go with this computer

http://www.amazon.com/Pavilion-A615...n_2/102-4856651-1968958?ie=UTF8&n=541966&s=pc


and would it be able to run games like biochock or crysis

thank you for your help in advance I know a bit about computers but I didn't want to make a rash decision since I am working on a budget and want everything to work out

 

[vonwombat]

It's a pity to pair such a good PC with a card like that. The 8600GT isn't too good under DX9, which means that probably under DX10 will be even worse. So you may run Crysis with DX10 effects, but very badly, and not too good under DX9 either. With a bit more than the money you'll pay for a 8600, you can get a 7900GS/X1950 Pro, which don't support DX10, but will offer better performance than the 8600 in DX9. The DX10 feature on the 8600 is more for showing off, the card is too weak to power DX10 games.
If you have the money, you should get an 8800GTS 320, which is very good for its price, and should give you good performance under both DX9 and DX10(although some people are speculating that current cards will not perform good under DX10, but I recall on of the Crysis devs told the 8800 should run the game on high settings).
If you really want a DX10 card but don't have money for the 8800, you could get the Sparkle, since it's cheaper and overclock it to match XFX's frequencies, or if you don't want to overclock, you can get this XFX.

 

[Aigol]

Thanks the only problem I have is the power supply because the newer cards need a bigger one and that is just about the only thing I don't feel comfortable upgrading. But about the 8800 I could just go without for about a month and a half and if I can get help with the PSU who knows any other suggestions and by badly do you mean it will stutter and be unplayable or I just won't be able to crank the setting up too much Also by having an older LCD monitor will that impact gaming too badly or should it be fine

 

[vonwombat]

Nobody know how Crysis will run exactly, but it's unlikely an 8600GT would run the game under DX10 with good performance. It will stutter and probably only be playable with very low details under DX10 and somewhere around low-medium on DX9. With a good DX9 card, you won't be able to play under DX10, but you should be able to run medium-high in DX9 with good framerates. Then again, I'm only speculating, as there are no official Crysis system reqs. out yet, but probably an 8600GT won't run the game too well.
What PSU you got now? If you say you're going to buy one in a month and a half, then you should probably forget about the 8800 and go for the G92 which will probably be launched in November.

 

[Aigol]

Well I just bought the computer on amazon and it didn't have details but people say it has a 300W psu and the reason for the month and a half wait is because4 I have to try and keep my bank balance above $200 so I don't get service fees when I turn 18 and I pretty much emptied it for the computer and I will make less when school starts by the way how expensive are 8800 and How expensive and how good will the G92 be

 

[itotallybelieveyou]

a 8600 gt is certainly ABLE to run both those games but u wont be able to get it on medium settings or have eye candies. especially not on vista. just my assumption no one knows until both games come out. second question... 8800 gts 640mb is like $300-400 the 320mb is like $300. my guesses on the g92 is that nividia will probably price it in the $600-700 range with the 9800 gtx or whatever the name is.

 

[Aigol]

Thanks and how expensive and difficult is to change a power supply. the $600-$700 sounds like more than I wanted to spend though

what card in general would you suggest that can run most if not all current games at a decent level and run without slowdown for bioshock without looking too bad and maybe crysis. because I plan on spending $600-$700 overall in the next couple months an about a third of that is for a monitor are there any upgrades besides graphics you would recommend

Thank you for your time

 

[itotallybelieveyou]

a power supply for the future... i think you would be safe a 750 toughpower from thermaltake. quite easy to change a power supply. what monitor do you have? if u've got like 17" get the 320mb gts if it's like 22"-26 or 7" get a 640mb gts or gtx. a 30" would be crossing into sli 640mb gts or gtx territory.

 

[Aigol]

I am just worried about putting a new power supply in for the first time on a brand new computer and screwing it up but I plan on having a 17"-20" monitor when I have the money I don't really feel comfortable spending much more than 300 dollars on a graphics card at this point but what would be the lifespans of the ones you suggested because if they will be obsolete in 6 months I may have to spend more I am just looking for opinions to help decide

 

[vonwombat]

Well, since you got 600$, and said 200$ will go to a monitor, and a PSU would be somewhere between 1-200$, you'll have about 2-300$ for a video card. Lowest price for an 8800GTS 320 on newegg is $279, and it's a fairly good card, which will probably handle most games that will come out in one year from now if you don't use high resolutions. The things is nobody knows exactly how will the card handle true DX10 games, so that's why your best bet would be to wait for the G92. However, that will be more expensive, the rumors circulating on the Internet say 400-500 for a GTS and 500-600 for a GTX, but it might be more. If you can get more money until november, wait and get a G92, if you can't try to get an 8800 GTS 320 now.
The 8600GT has poor performance in today's games, so in future games it will be even worse. You'd be better with a good DX9 card, like an 7900GS/X1950 Pro, or an X1950XT which would be very good.

 

[Aigol]

I don't currently have $600 I have $30 and I will earn around $600 in a couple months and what is all involved in changing a power supply. on Tiger Direct I have seen a lot of good comments about current games using some of the 8600's I listed earlier a main game I want to be able to ply is Spore and some of the console ones that also release on PC especially the 360 games

Also aren't the 8800's bigger Does this PSu
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2235424&CatId=2533
Meet this requirement
450W PCI Express-compliant system power supply with a combined 12V current rating of 30A or more. for this card
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2824836&CatId=2514
and would both of those be a good idea for the computer I posted earlier without adding any additional cooling or should I go down to the Cheaper 3200 because I want to be able to play bioshock and similar graphical quality games at a smooth framerate

 

[spuddyt]

how many months? new gfx cards are coming out in a couple of months (probably)

 

[Aigol]

Well by the end of september hopefully because I am still waiting for the comp to get here and have no card at all to play more demanding games and I really don't want to spend more than $3000 on a card right now maybe in a year would an 8800gts be able run ok for the next year or so

 

[emp]

I am just worried about putting a new power supply in for the first time on a brand new computer and screwing it up but I plan on having a 17"-20" monitor when I have the money I don't really feel comfortable spending much more than 300 dollars on a graphics card at this point but what would be the lifespans of the ones you suggested because if they will be obsolete in 6 months I may have to spend more I am just looking for opinions to help decide

To be completely honest, it is far more dangerous to keep running on a crap PSU like the one OEMs bundle their PCs with than changing it, hell, it's probably even simpler than changing ram to be completely honest, since you only have to unplug the old one and plug the new one in, that's all. I strongly urge you to get an Antec NeoHE/Corsair HX/Seasonic S12 or M12 on the 500-600W range, any of those will run any single system configuration you can throw at them, then get the 8800GTS 320 (Great card)

 

[Aigol]

So 500W to 600W should be enough for and 8800gts 320 and will that card be okay for the next year as long as I don't try maxing everything out is stock cooling enough for 8800gts

plus are any of those PSUs Larger that a stock one since I still have not seen the inside of the comp yet

 

[emp]

I didn't say just any 500W-600W, read carefully please. I said Antec NeoHE/Corsair HX/Seasonic S12 or M12. Those are the only $100-150 PSUs I ever recommend to people. I'm running myself on an Antec NeoHE 500 a 8800GTS 320 based system and still got a lot of juice to spare. As long as you don't try dual card configs you should be fine (which is something you most likely can't with your prebuilt).

 

[Aigol]

Thanks and the card would be okay for a year if I don't try maxing everything out right because if not I need to pick a different card

 

[emp]

the 8800GTS? it's maxing all games out there at the moment I believe. And will probably run on high for quite a bit of time. Honestly people stress too much the importance and performance of DX10, I have yet to see a REAL DX10 benchmark on a true DX10 title, and even if it runs slower, I'll just run on DX9 and will still look awesome...

 

[Aigol]

Okay I think I am going to go with this PSU

SeaSonic M12 SS-600HM ATX12V/EPS12V, 80Plus, Active PFC, RoHS, Dual-Fan, 600W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...2+SS-600HM+ATX12V%2fEPS12V%2c+80Plus%2c+Activ
if it will fit in my case and works with my mobo
And this card

XFX PVT80GGHD4 GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported HDCP Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150173
if it will fit and doesn't need extra cooling

And maybe this monitor
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1828823&body=REVIEWS

 

[emp]

That is a great PSU, however a bit expensive from newegg, I have no idea why they insist on selling PSUs $30 more expensive than the rest.

Corsair 520W SLI Certified Modular ATX Power Supply - CMPSU-520HX

http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-520w-sli-certified-modular-atx-power-supply/q/loc/101/203270716.html

Antec NeoPower 550w ATX 12v SLI Ready Power Supply - NEO HE550

http://www.buy.com/prod/antec-neopower-550w-atx-12v-sli-ready-power-supply/q/loc/101/202014042.html

ANTEC NeoPower 650 Blue NeoPower650Blue Power Supply Retail ***Free Shipping

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006251

Corsair HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W Power Supply Retail ***Free Shipping***

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=373110

Those two are both comparable units (in quality) that output about the same amount of power. All four manufactured by Seasonic. (They output about the same power as units of the Seasonic M12 lineup on the same wattage range)

In my opinion the best deal is the NeoPower Blue, but if you can cash the rebate for the HX620, it's just about as good of a deal, just will take longer to materialize.

EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130082

And there is no other for nvidia cards than eVGA, XFX is pretty good, but eVGA is just...eVGA Can't comment on the monitor though, im still using a 17" CRT.

 

[Aigol]

So which one should I go with the xfx or evga

 

[emp]

eVGA all the way!

 

[Aigol]

and would you know if this stuff would fit in and work with the computer I am getting the case of the computer I am getting
url]http://www.amazon.com/Pavilion-A6152N-Desktop-Processor-Premium/dp/ B000S6O03E/ref=dp_return_2/102-4856651-1968958?ie=UTF8&n=541966&s=pc[/ur l]

Thank you for all your help figuring this out

and is it still the Evga if I don't plan on Ocing it to the same speed as the xfx

what is modular cabling

 

[emp]

Umm yeah, it should OC right on par with the XFX one.

Check this customer image of your PC:

It's the eVGA 8800GTS on a PC equal to yours.

EDIT: Modular cabling is when the PSU doesn't come with cables already attached but with nice plugs so you can attach as many as you need, keeping your case a lot more tidy and with better airflow.

 

[Aigol]

I meant because the xfx one I was looking at already had a higher clock speed and I don't plan on over clocking is the evga still the better choice