Choosing a new video card?

[Zareth]

Okay, heres my current thing. I'm looking for a new video card for the Christmas sg for something thats going to run cool without much need for any fancy fans or things like that.

I have about 500 dollars to spend on a card, using an antec 900 case. My choices are the 5870, or any out of the 6000 Series (Supposedly its much better)

http://image155.poco.cn/mypoco/myphoto/20100829/16/55199758201008290104591765801236173_000.jpg

This benchmark is supposedly using one of the 6000 series cards, so I'm really not sure whats the best performance for the money. I play a lot of high-end games like Metro 2033 and STALKER Clear Sky/Call of Pripyat/WoW stuff like that. So I'm looking for something thats going to last.

Final note, it has to be on Newegg.ca, as I'm a Canadian, so USD is a bit too confusing for me.

 

[HostileDonut]

I think 1 Canadian dollar equals 99 cents USD. If you have $500 go for the 5870. Really nice performance better that the 6870. Hope I helped.

 

[geofelt]

Some of my thoughts:
1) What resolution will you be gaming at?
2) Read this article, and pick the best card you feel comfortable paying for.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-radeon-hd-6870-radeon-hd-6850,2782-7.html
Make certain that it is several tiers better than your current card, or you will be disappointed.
3) Your Antec 900 is a fine case with good cooling. No worries there.
4) Pick a card with a dual slot direct exhaust cooler. Cards with fancy coolers do well in open case benchmarks, but just heat up the case interior if they don't exhaust the hot air directly. This results in higher temperatures for both the vga card and the cpu.
5) Despite the higher number, the 6870 is not as strong as the 5870.
6) If the Canadian dollar is close to the US dollar, consider the GTX470 or GTX480. Their prices are now more competitive since the launch of the GTX580
7) New cards from AMD are due in December, it might pay to wait and see.