New AGP vid card, or upgrade to PCI-e

[Zilled]

My current system:

Abit IS7-E
Intel 2.8ghz processor
1 GB PC 3200 ram
XP sp2 home
GeForce3 Ti200....served me very well have had it for 4 years.

I'm not a big gamer, but I'm really enjoying Half Life2. I do a lot of music editing on my computer, so one of my big concerns with a new video card is fan noise. I'd like to stay with Nvidia and have been thinking of getting a 6600GT AGP. Don't want to spend more than $150 on an AGP card, suggestions appreciated. Wondering if I should just wait and upgrade to PCI-express next year with a new motherboard video card combo.

 

[sweatlaserxp]

You can get a 6600GT for around $160. There's also the 9800 Pro, but you need to make sure that it has the 256-bit mem. interface.

<A HREF="http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/landing/landingIndex.jsp?id=dumb01&mature=accept" target="_new">DumbLand</A>

 

[pauldh]

From Techbargains:

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814164025&ATT=Video+Cards&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r" target="_new">Rosewill ATI Radeon 9800 pro</A> 128MB 256-bit AGP 8x Video card with 256-bit DDR, DVI for a low $124.99 - $10 off code: CNETHELP1 = $114.99, Free shipping

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=658042" target="_new">3DMark05</A> <A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=3781954" target="_new">3DMark03</A>

 

[Crashman]

Spectacular! That has to be the best card for under $130.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[pauldh]

I just bought the same exact card a couple weeks ago from Newegg for for $130(+ tax), thinking it wouldn't/couldn't go lower. I wish I needed more of them, but instead have been trying to convince some close Ti4200 owners to upgrade. Deaf ears unfortunately, but at $115, wow. Especially for those who don't get charged tax (blasted Newegg NJ wharehouse)


<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=658042" target="_new">3DMark05</A> <A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=3781954" target="_new">3DMark03</A>

 

[Zilled]

That's what I call good karma! $114.99 shipped is too good to pass up, I just placed my order. Thanks for the help.

 

[sweatlaserxp]

You made a smart choice, my friend. 6600GT isn't powerful enough in most cases to justify the price difference, unless you plan on playing a lot of Doom, which you probably aren't.

<A HREF="http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/landing/landingIndex.jsp?id=dumb01&mature=accept" target="_new">DumbLand</A>

 

[rustang351c]

Yeah I have the same question Zilled. I bought a 6600GT a few months back to stick in my P4 845e 2.6 800fsb / asus P4PE-X (4x AGP).

I couldn't tell a difference in performance. Actually, when looking at text, the image is not as clear, grainy? Have tryed all adjustments (AA AF image quality, etc)

I've posted before & gotten a recomendation for Abit FN8 & A64 3400+ s754 to re-use my 6600GT card in.

Would it be smarter to do the above, or get Epox EP-9NPA+ Ultra, some s939 processor? & a 9800Pro or 6800.

I'd only be losing the $150+/- for not re-using the 6600GT but getting a more update-able system?

 

[dunklegend]

I would go with the s939 option

Help a man when he is in trouble and he will remember you...
...When he is in trouble again!

 

[chuck232]

You could get a S939 system with AGP. That'll allow you to upgrade you CPU quite a bit at least. As for the AGP, there's still some stuff coming out for it like the X850XTPE and so forth so you'll have some upgrade room there as well.

<A HREF="http://nfiniti.blogspot.com" target="_new">nfiniti plus one - my blog</A>

 

[Zilled]

I'm very happy with the purchase. The new card is running smooth and quiet. It's going to be a lot of fun going back and rediscovering some games I have not played in awhile. For my purposes this is just what I was looking for, a great value that hopefully lasts the life of my current system. Never easy to decide when to upgrade/revamp...but it sure is fun! Thanks again for all the help here, I've learned a lot on these boards.