What Is The Best Video Card I Can Get For Under $300?

[Coolio_alert]

What Is The Best Video Card I Can Get For Under $300? Must be nVidia (CAN Dollars: USA Dollar At Par...)

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Why must it be nVidia?

Anywhoo, GF8800GTS-512/1GB basically your best option.

Edit, if you can find a GTX for under $300 it's worth considering too depending on prefered settings and apps, which is where you need to research your prefs.

 

[makotech222]

get the 8800gtx. its around 295 i think fter 50 dollar rebate on newegg. plus, its a EVGA so you get great support.

 

[marvelous211]

I would get a cheap card until GT200 comes out. HD3850 or 8800gs.

These G92 and HD3000 series are just rehash of the last generation.

 

[dxbizzle]

No one seems to consider the gainward 8800GT 1gb golden sample. its got 1gb of memory and higher clock and memory speeds. it also has WAY better cooling than the stock 8800GT and according to this review almost performs at par with the 8800 Ultra which is at least twice the price.

http://www.mvktech.net/content/view/3916/39/1/0/

 

[xsamitt]

Looks like a fantastic card...........interesting.

I did go to the Gainward site......Maybe it's just me...but i didn't see the card that looks like one you have posted in your link.

I did however find this: http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4834&Itemid=40

nice card again BTW.But I don't think this exact version is still for sale...Please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[dxbizzle]

its here
http://www.gainward.com/product/product_detail.php?products_id=149
it looks slightly different and it think its the same cooling but with a different paint job. here is where i was going to buy it from
http://www.sltech.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=36_314&products_id=22384&osCsid=ce6f430f29720a670faeb8ed2737fdf5
however after a while researching i decided to get the 512mb version as the 1GB is not really used at all. For ages (ive been looking into it for a while) i was not sold and was going to get the 1GB version anyway just incase newer games needed extra memory but the 512mb version is $55 cheaper and apparently performs the same.
http://www.sltech.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=36_314&products_id=22385&osCsid=2e8e188175b39dbc4915f620e804abdf
The 512mb version is $285 australian which is VERY competitive considering it has better cooling, higher clock and memory speeds and takes the stock 8800GT to the cleaners in every test i have read and the stock cards on the same site range from 240-300.
From what i have read one of the main issues with the 8800GT is the card runs hot and the fan is really noisy so paying a bit extra for the cooling sold me already. The fact that its clocked up is a cherry on the top in my opinion (plus it looks awesome)

 

[aevm]

BFG GeForce 8800GTS 650MHZ 512MB
$244 + $9 shipping, after $30 rebate, and you pay only 5% GST unless you live in British Columbia
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27247&vpn=BFGE88512GTSE&manufacture=BFG Technologies

Guys, the OP is in Canada. Links from newegg or Australia won't do him much good

 

[dostanio]

well technically for 300 the best card has to be the 9800GTX

 

[aevm]

Yeah, but it's about $350 C$ at NCIX, and TBH I doubt it's under C$300 anywhere in Canada yet. You guys with your nice Newegg prices are so lucky. You do know that Newegg won't ship to Canada, right?

If he's not doing Triple-SLI, the 9800GTX is not worth the extra $100 IMO. It's going to be very much like the 8800GTS 512MB.

 

[zloginet]

just get a 880GTS G92... get a eVGA... its just that simple...

 

[aevm]

@OP:
Are you going to buy the card online?
Which city are you in? You may find good prices at local shops. if it's Ottawa I can suggest a few good local shops.

If you're going with NCIX, the eVGA version is $60 more than the BFG version and IMO that's a bad deal. They are worth exactly the same, as far as I'm concerned. True, eVGA has a step-up program, but I bet you're not interested in that. XFX is also a good brand, but their version is even more expensive, at least at NCIX.

 

[Coolio_alert]

I think im going with this card: EVGA GeForce 8800 GT Video Card - Superclocked Edition, 512MB GDDR3, PCI Express 2.0, (Dual Link) Dual DVI, HDTV, Video Card (im in hamilton)

 

[jay2tall]

8800GTS512MB $250. They are Great and overclockable with stock cooling. That is my recomendation for under $300. Under $200 I'd go with an 8800GT

 

[aevm]

That's a very fast card too, it has 7/8 of the raw power of the GTS 512MB. How much is it?

I don't like the 8800GT because the single-slot coolers kick the heated air inside the case rather than directly out. If you've got a good case with lots of fans I think that's OK.

 

[Coolio_alert]

The EVGA GeForce 8800 GT Video Card - Superclocked Edition, 512MB GDDR3, PCI Express 2.0, (Dual Link) Dual DVI, HDTV, Video Card is 219.19 at Tiger Direct, oh and btw i wont have a cooling problem i have a thermaltake armor case its got fans everywhere including a 25cm side fan

 

[themyrmidon]

if you can't wait the 9800 GTX. Might find an 8800 GT AKIMBO for that price. But like the rest said, better to wait (or buy EVGA and step-up later).