Video Card Question

Im looking to buy a new video card, my old 7900gtx has lasted me for about a year, but with the increase of DX 10 games coming out, and the point that I have 64 bit os vista ultimate, I'd like to get a card that will last me around a year or two again.Here are my PC specs now.

Cpu: e6300 over clocked at 2.2 ghz
Ram: 4gigs of ddr2 gskill
Video Card: BFG 7900 GTX
PSU: 600 WAT
HD: Raid 160/160 gig
Mobo: P5N-E 650i SLI

I usually run games at 1280-1024, those would Include COD4, LOTRO, Age of Conan, HL2 ect. My spending range is about 100-150$. What I can't decide is whether to get a 9600, 8800gt, 8800gs, 8800gts 320/640. I've done a a little research, but I'd figure I'd get more from personal experience than stats.I wouldn't mind raising my budget either if it was a decent performance upgrade for like 20-30 bucks.

Read this first:
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,1923.html
Throw out the 8800 320/640. Older tech and not worth the money.
The 8800GS is a decent card for the price, but it was released really as a OEM card and has had some of it's legs cut out from under it, so to speak.

A 8800GT (512) would suit your needs nicely.

If you can afford to spend more, the 8800GTS (G92) 512 meg card is a little faster, runs cooler, and overclocks very, very well, and will help if you really like to crank up the eye candy. You can find them, depending on brand for $169 to $225 right now. Wouldn't be concerned about which brand, they are all the same reference design. Just get the cheapest.

Good card, only $8 more brand new (after rebate)

Could any one put some links to some 8800gt, 8800gs or 9600 that you could recommend?

I found this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130333

But my price range would probally be around 100-160 without shipping ect. About how long are these cards if any one knows, hopefully about the same as my BFG 7900 GTX.

I believe they are all pretty close but most situations they range 8800gts>8800gt>9600gt>8800gs
from what i've seen screen size doesnt affect differences that much until you start going larger than a 19in, and then having dual cards in SLI really helps speed things up while other single cards bog down. any of those card should be great on a 19in

I'm in pretty much the same situation as you, i'm trying to decide between the 8800gt 512 and the 9600gt 512

my dilema is that I want to buy one now and upgrade later with a second one. I wanted to do that with my current card(7900gt) but shortly after I bought the first one the price went up instead of down then they dissapeared off the market completely. needless to say I never got my second 7900, until i bought one on ebay, which then didnt work right but thats another story.

the 8800gt is the same price and more powerful than a 9600gt, but i'm afraid it will dissapear soon like the 7900gt did when the newer card come out
that MSI that you linked looks good with a 2 slot config, i've heard problems with heat and noise on the reference 1slot cooler

i think close to double the gaming power if you go with a 8800gt