AGP user, looking for lower end graphics card

[weinster666]

Just to be clear, my PC is AGP and I do not have the funds for a full upgrade.

Reading "The Best Gaming Graphics Cards for the Money: November 2007", I was focusing my sights on the Radeon HD 2600 XT. I can find a 256MB version for $119 shipped.

But now I see Black Friday Deals for Radeon X1600 PRO 512MB AGP $99.99. Now, this model is 4 levels lower on Tom's Graphics Card Hierarchy Chart, but I am not sure of the impact of the 256 vs 512 memory.

Also, I can find HD2600 Pro with 512MB for maybe 10 dollars more. Again, a few steps lower on the hierarchy chart but twice as much memory.

Any advice?

 

[rolli59]

Usually the lower grade 512MB cards have slower memory GDDR2 not GDDR3 like the 2600xt which is the fasted of the cards you mention. The advance of the bigger memory is only at higher resolutions greater than 1600x1200 when the GPU is powerful enough to utilize it. I would be doubtful that 2600pro or 1600pro are powerful enough.
I would put my choice between 2600xt or 1950GT/PRO

 

[San Pedro]

Go HD 2600xt or x1950pro/xt. Memory is not the only thing you should look at when you look for video cards, it is often a misleading number. If you really want 512mb of RAM, then you can look for 1950pro with 512mb.

Both cards should do well in most, if not all games, just don't be expect to max out all your games.

 

[kpo6969]

If your budget could go to $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161071

 

[cleeve]

Memory has almost no impact on the frames per second a graphics card can pull, and that's why it's not taken into account on the Heiarchy chart.

A 512MB X1600 PRO is still 4 levels lower than a 256MB 2600 XT, plain and simple.

More memory does not equal more speed. More memory allows higher texture settings without a performance penalty... but it won't make a graphics card any faster than it is.

A 1GB X1600 would still be slower than a 128MB 2600 XT.

 

[mactronix]

Hi weinster666
Welcome to the forum,can you let us know what the rest of your system is like ie CPU/Power supply,that way we can recomend cards to suit, i notice some people are saying 1950 pro/xt but i would worry that an older AGP system may not have the juice in the power supply to run these cards.
Mactronix

 

[kpo6969]

Memory has almost no impact on the frames per second a graphics card can pull, and that's why it's not taken into account on the Heiarchy chart.

A 512MB X1600 PRO is still 4 levels lower than a 256MB 2600 XT, plain and simple.

More memory does not equal more speed. More memory allows higher texture settings without a performance penalty... but it won't make a graphics card any faster than it is.

A 1GB X1600 would still be slower than a 128MB 2600 XT.

I understand this, but wouldn't a 1950Pro 512mb compare to the 2600XT since it's 2 positions higher in the Heiarchy chart? That's why I suggusted it. Thanks

 

[cleeve]

Yeah kpo, an X1950 PRO is a good AGP card...