good solid card suggestions

ok cool, unfortunately i dont have a pci express mobo. just found that out. there is an agp card right above that one but its not the pro version which i heard is different from the non pro

EDIT: my price range has inscreased some, a card for around $250-325 is what i can spend. just to organize it a bit
$250-325
AGP
Preferrably 256MB

A few days ago you can get a Built By ATI retail box X800XL AGP for $225 at Buy.com using a $15 off coupon code. Now the price went up. <A HREF="http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=36732..." target="_new">MWave had the same card for $227</A>, but it is out of stock now. You can find it in stock for $240 if you look at pricewatch.com. Anyway, It's a step above the X800pro and about equal to a GF6800GT but costs less. That is your best bang for the buck in that price range. However, with your new price increase you could get a little more performance finding a good priced X800XT, X850XT or 6800Ultra. The very best AGP card made is the X850XTpe(Platinum Edition), but those are still priced above $375.


Anyway, my opinion is it all depends on the game, but in general AGP cards rank in this order:

1)X850XTpe

2)X800XTpe

3)X850XT & GF6800U/X800XT

4)GF6800GT/X800XL

5)X850pro & X800 Pro


<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>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Pauldh on 09/19/05 07:02 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

ok, i think im going to go with the X800XL. What im really unsure of though is why there are cards like an ATI like <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E1681..." target="_new">this</A> which is only $260 and the same card with a different name like a <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E1681..." target="_new">Sapphire</A> for $320?
whats the difference between them?
am i just paying for the brand name in reality?

Damn d00d, you can get the All-In-Wonder X800 XT for less than $320! And the All-In-Wonder has a bunch of added features! And XT's are a lot faster than XL's!

<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>

where? all the ones under 320 on newegg are refurb and i dont feel like buying refurb anything

You're right! Neweggs Retail Boxed All-In-Wonder X800 XT is now $329! The basturds!

<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>

Wow, Mwave raised their price while waiting to get stock. Too bad as $227 for retail BBA was a good deal. I've put in a great deal of newegg orders, but I wouldn't pay $20+ more to buy form them. Actually as they charge NJ tax now, I probably shop elsewhere 90% of the time now. What I am getting at is look around as $260 is alot more than you should have to pay for a X800XL AGP. And yes, the card Crash is refering to has been $300 before, and is a great bargain if you find it priced right. It's faster and a better choice for 1600x1200 gaming, but unless you want the AIW features, saving nearly $100 for an XL is still a very good choice too. When any X800XT is within $50 of an XL I'd buy the XT for sure. But $75+ I start looking at the XL.


I've bought many cards from <A HREF="http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/product.asp?pid=11116&s..." target="_new"> this site</A> without problems. never had to use their RMA department though so can't speak out for that.

<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>

if i didnt care about extra features (tv out video recording and all that stuff) would the ATI all in wonder X800XT for 329 be worth it?

Actually, the X800XL is a ViVo card also. It can still capture video but lacks the tvtuner and remote.

ANyway, my personal feeling is the AIW X800XT is usually not worth $90 more and especially not for you who doesn't want the extra features. At one point in time the AIW X800XT was a bigger bargain because the X800XL AGP was more money back then. I do like the AIW cards though and would opt for one of those over a similarly priced plain X800XT. I just think at $225-$240 the X800XL is a much better bargain.

If you hope to game at resolutions above 1280x1024, and use FSAA, then I'd say go for the XT or even all out on a X850XTpe. If you are gaming at 1024x768 or 1280x1024 then the XL will do fine. You may have to dumb down or turn off FSAA in some games.



<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>

yeah, i would go all out and buy the x850PE but i didnt feel like spending all of my money on a vid card, i figured i could save it and buy some more memory too.

my price range has inscreased some, a card for around $250-"325 is what i can spend. just to organize it a bit
$250-325
AGP
Preferrably 256MB"



6800gt with sm3 for newer games out soon.

what does sm3 do?

it buys you flora and forna...vista too.

simply ambrosia!