$150 GFX Card, down to 2 options left (8600gts v.s x1950pro)

[MadCow809]

Hello all you clever people, please help me to pick a card here.

Im looking at a new gfx card for my system, the old 7600GS is way too slow for games. My main concern is the tight budget, no more than $150 am i allowed to spend on the card. This narrows my choice down to 2 fine card that both highly recommended by most gamers.

1) SAPPHIRE Radeon X1950PRO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102061
2) MSI GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127287

Both cards are from newegg, with the ATi priced at $140, the Nvidia at $140 after rebate ($20).

My mobo is the DFI Infinity P965-S Dark, which supports only crossfire, im running 2 sticks of 1gb DDR2 800 ATI Certified OCZ RAM. CPU is E4300 o.c to 3Ghz (333 x 9)

One more thing, im not sure if this configuration would work, but is it possible for me to keep the 7600GS running on my second PCI-E slot, running a dual gfx, dual monitor system? Basically having my new gfx card as the primary display adapter, while running another seperate desktop profile on the second gfx card (7600GS). What are the problems with running an ATi and Nvidia gfx card at the same time? or am i restricted to another nvidia card in order to run both old 7600GS and the new one? Ive seen some ppl done this before and i want to have a crack at it, running games on one screen, and mp3/file/video etc.. on other, on 2 seperate gfx cards.


Thanks in advance

 

[Mousemonkey]

7900GS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133186
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814186013
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143070
Because most likely no one else will, and rumour has it that they OC like mad things, not because I have any bias towards Nvidia at all.

 

[Maziar]

get a X1950 or 7900GS as mousemonkey said

 

[Mousemonkey]

Ahh ah heck, Maziar just falsified my statement. [:mousemonkey:4]

 

[MadCow809]

if i get the 7900gs, will i be able to run both the 7900 and the 7600 at the same time??

 

[Mousemonkey]

Yes, just no Sli goodness, obviously.

 

[cristip60]

At stock a x1950pro is better then a geforce 7900gs so if you aren't planning any oc i would suggest the x1950pro, but if you are a oc fan you should get the geforce 7900gs.

 

[MadCow809]

Yes, just no Sli goodness, obviously.

yes i know, thats fine.. dual desktop/monitor is what i want. cant imagine a x1950 working with a 7600gs XD

At stock a x1950pro is better then a geforce 7900gs so if you aren't planning any oc i would suggest the x1950pro, but if you are a oc fan you should get the geforce 7900gs.

no, im not prepared to do any OC to the gfx card, only if its factory OC (like some foxconn & MSI cards) then i dont have a problem, otherwise i prefer to stick with factory stock settings.

 

[Mousemonkey]

yes i know, thats fine.. dual desktop/monitor is what i want. cant imagine a x1950 working with a 7600gs XD

I was told a little while ago that it was not an impossibility and that came from Crashman http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/244202-33-weird-question#t1737769

 

[TSIMonster]

The x1950 and 7600 should work fine with one another just for multiple monitors. (I have no backing evidence) But the x1950 Pro is a better buy then 7900GS.

The question is, do you really need 4 monitors? I mean, how can you keep up with that much stuff. A single x1950Pro or 7900GS can run 2 monitors just fine.

 

[vip3569]

my 7900gs is originally clocked at 450/1320. Overclocked to 600/1620 just fine.

 

[pesh]

My MSI OC edtion of the 8600GT is runnin 600/1600 stock, and is easily

overclockable. However, in your position, I'd go with a GTX.

 

[SEALBoy]

X1950Pro... the 7900GS can match it only with overclocking, so there's no real reason to buy it when they are the same price. And the 8600GTS is out of the question.

 

[emp]

I'd go for the X1950Pro obviously if I had to choose, however try paying $20 more and get a far more powerful card:

SAPPHIRE 100186L Radeon X1950XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102067

It will pretty much "own" every card but the 8800s and HD2900.

 

[spuddyt]

all I can say from my own experience is DON'T GET THE 8600

 

[emp]

Haha I love spuddy... He's just so right Anyway, I seriously don't understand why people consider 8600GT(S)/HD2600XT for gaming, these cards should only be considered for HTPCs. (and they are not much of a choice too, since you can get the same HTPC functionality for less with the HD2400 Pro, 8400GS, and 8500GT.)

 

[boredatcanon]

Go for x1950. I have one running in my system and its nice. My only suggestion would be to go for the 512mb version if possible.

 

[MadCow809]

I was told a little while ago that it was not an impossibility and that came from Crashman http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/244202-33-weird-question#t1737769

Thanks for the reference link, so it is possible to run both ATi and Nvidia card at the same time.



So it seems like the x1950 is the undisputed winner amongst the 2. One thing i would like to clearify is that the whole reason behind the dual gfx card setup is because i dont want to get rid of the 7600GS. My other PC takes AGP only, so that has pretty much render the 7600GS completely useless, i was hoping to use the 7600GS on my pc as a secondary card to watch videos/HQ Pictures and browse the net while i play games on the primary card (x1950).

well, anyways, thanks for the help, i really appreciate it. This is a great forum to ask for help, now i just to need to save some more money on the XT model : P

 

[jt001]

I will agree with what pretty much everyone else said, go for the x1950pro, the performance is amazing for the price.

 

[GeoMan]

MadCow809: I've tried to get a nVidia and an ATI card to work at the same time, and i was horrible UNsuccessful. I'm pretty sure having both ATI and nVidia drivers at the same time is a problem. I have nothing more than personal experience to back this up though.

P.S. I'd go for the X1950pro

 

[eqselgonas]

X1950PRO over the other cards mentioned... but I would agree with Emp, the X1950XT is the best choice.

 

[bobbykokinos]

Hate to bring up an old thread but I'm debating on these two cards right now also. I'm doing a PC for gaming on a 50" Plasma.

I know the X1950PRO has better performance than the 8600GTS. But, the 8600GTS is DX10. Knowing that, why should I still go with the X1950PRO since its DX9??

Sorry for the ignorant question but I would think one would want DX10 compatibility.

 

[randomizer]

The 8600GTS can beat the x1950 pro in some games, and generally is not far behind it in others, for the most part. It also has the DX10 option, but that is not really a selling point for the card because it can't run DX10 (currently) with decent framerates.

 

[bobbykokinos]

The 8600GTS can beat the x1950 pro in some games, and generally is not far behind it in others, for the most part.

So, I guess the tables have turned a bit from when the GTS first came out??

Sounds like they are so close you really can't go wrong with either...

 

[randomizer]

I'll pull up a review in a sec.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/geforce8600gts.html