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Best Gaming Graphics Cards for the Money: April 08

Best Gaming Graphics Cards for the Money: April 08
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Detailed graphics card specifications and reviews are great - that is, if you have the time to do the research. But at the end of the day, what a gamer needs is the best graphics card within a certain budget.

So if you don’t have the time to research the benchmarks or if you don’t feel confident enough in your ability to make the right decision, fear not. We at Tom’s Hardware Guide have come to your aid with a simple list of the best gaming cards offered for the money.

March Review And April Updates

March has shown the graphics card industry some of the most aggressive price cuts to date. An example is the Radeon 3850; while retailing for over $200 just a few months ago, this card can now be found for $135 online. The GeForce 9600 GT is now $150, wiping the more expensive 3870 off of the recommended list. But these are only two of the most dramatic examples as the entire sector has seen massive price reductions. This is very good news for the consumer, indeed!

The other notable news in March was the introduction of the GeForce 9800 GX2. But unfortunately, as is the case with the 3870 X2, this dual-GPU card is difficult to recommend at this time. This is because falling prices have made it much cheaper to purchase separate graphics cards and link them together in an SLI or Crossfire configuration, which often results in increased performance over the dual-GPU cards.

A final note regarding the AGP bus: it has become very difficult to source AGP X1950 PRO and 7900 GS stock. This is the first time there are no compelling products for AGP between $120 and $220, and we can’t help but wonder if this product hole is an omen that AGP is on the verge of dropping off the map.

The Best Gaming Graphics Cards For The Money

A few simple guidelines to keep in mind when reading this list include:

  • This list is for gamers who want to get the most for their money. If you don’t play games, the cards in this list are more expensive than you need;
  • Prices and availability change on a daily basis. We can’t offer up-to-the-minute accurate pricing info, but we can list some good cards that you probably won’t regret buying at the price ranges we suggest;
  • The list is based on some of the best U.S. prices from online retailers. In other countries or retail channels, your mileage will most certainly vary;
  • These are new card prices. No used or open box cards are in the list; they might be a good deal, but it’s out of the scope of what we’re trying to do.

(Compare Prices on Top Graphics Cards)

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  • 0 Hide
    Katreat , April 16, 2008 5:59 PM
    I would personally like to see the higher end video card rankings include not just SLI options. First, if you are upgrading an existing single card system an SLI option is not an option. Second, if you are building new or dont have an SLI MB then that best for $300 option is more like best for $400 because in most cases you will pay $100 more to just set up SLI. It requires a bigger PSU than a single card system would need and most newer SLI MBs, like the 780i series, are more expensive than the single card alternative, like a P35. IMO going to SLI is not the best option for many people. Nothing wrong with including it in the review for those with a SLI capable MB but it should not replace what is the best card in that price range.
  • 0 Hide
    robertito , April 16, 2008 6:19 PM
    ^Agreed,
    I can't SLI on my Mobo and don't plan to get a SLI mobo any time soon. IMO single card solutions are always better as some games don't support SLI and sometimes the improvement over the single card is only a few FPS.
  • 0 Hide
    crazy032 , April 17, 2008 6:10 AM
    Also agreed, I don't plan on spending what extra cash I do have on a second video card.
  • 0 Hide
    Katreat , April 17, 2008 6:28 AM
    Your final table is really messed up. you have ATI and Nvida cards mixed up. Also you are missing relatively new cards like the 8800 GTS 320 which is a great buy used right now as people upgrade.

    Also, in reference to my earlier post, could you treat SLI like you do AGP with a seperate list? Recomending SLI to people who dont already have an SLI MB is not helpful at all.
  • 0 Hide
    switch495 , May 5, 2008 2:12 AM
    I'd also like to see single slot suggestions for the high end... and a comparison on how they stack up the SLI.
  • 0 Hide
    r1948 , May 10, 2008 10:32 AM

    A submission for the under $100 card: Powercolor AX3650 1gb ddr2 128 bit $64.99 after $20 rebate. Only $130 for 2 gb in crossfire.








  • 0 Hide
    Anonymous , August 18, 2008 7:26 AM
    This chart is for gaming cards. I would like to see same charts but then for video-editing users, dtp-users, allround-users.
  • 0 Hide
    Anonymous , August 25, 2008 5:09 PM
    Hrmmmm.... SLI and Vista still not working correctly? Ive heard from all my gamer buddies this is true, and I just switched (I love vista, i hated till i tried it). Anyways Im on a 512 Geforce 8800GT loving graphics and was thinking about buying another 8800GT for the SLI...but apparently SLI doesnt work with Vista (something about Nvidia drivers and Vista)... Is this true or is that Mac antivista propaganda?
  • 0 Hide
    salem80 , February 5, 2009 2:37 PM
    that's old news nows , before the amazing HD 4000 series come out .
    i have HD 4650 (bought it for 72$ now in newwegg cost 40$ )
    and it's beat GF9500GT in everything .
  • 0 Hide
    utkarsh_03 , December 22, 2009 2:46 AM
    8800 gt for pcie1.0a board. does it work on good speed