Best Vid Card For ~ 250 Bucks

BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Stuck between two</div> Aight, I 've asked before and now is the final answer between the two major suggested brands

I need to know

What card, ATI or nVidia, will, for under $250, run best on a 64 bit AMD based system?
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Comments

  • AmplifierAmplifier Join Date: 2004-02-19 Member: 26708Members, Constellation
    I think a 6600 GT would be the best in that price range
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  • Har_Har_the_PirateHar_Har_the_Pirate Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19388Members, Constellation
    edited May 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Amplifier+May 28 2005, 09:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Amplifier @ May 28 2005, 09:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I think a 6600 GT would be the best in that price range <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    i like my geforce 6600 gt, but it runs at only 170 or so,there are better cards under 250 for sure
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  • AmplifierAmplifier Join Date: 2004-02-19 Member: 26708Members, Constellation
    Like?
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  • DaJMastaDaJMasta Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34750Members, Constellation
    So close....
    <a href='http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125174R' target='_blank'>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...82E16814125174R</a>
    (254.40)

    <a href='http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121177R' target='_blank'>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...82E16814121177R</a>

    Refurb 6800 GT for 236.

    <a href='http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102466' target='_blank'>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814102466</a>

    retail x800 pro for 249.

    Generally x800 XLs are considered better than x800 pros (though with some PRO cards (especially sapphire) you can unlock the 4 remaining pipes and they have better OC potential), though they also run about 30 bucks more.

    A 6800 is beat by an x800 pro hands down, but a GT puts up more than a fight and will usually come out on top, the one I linked is again refurb though.

    x800 XL and 6800 GT are close matches, almost down to personal preference and computer configuration. (for a given setup, different cards run differently for different reasons.)

    Rest assured that all 3 of these cards when overclocked will come out on top of the other 2 as non-overclocked.

    Basically:
    6800 GT - Pixel Shader 3.0, great performance
    x800 PRO - probably lowest performance, possibility of x800 XT reflash and good OC potential
    x800 XL - comparable performance to the 6800 GT, runs marginally cooler and uses less power.
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  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    Let me rephrase

    NO overclocking

    I want the best STOCK card for that price range and it MUST be 100% compatible with Windows XP Home and a 64 bit Motherboard with an AMD 64 bit chipset
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    And given that the 6X00 series still backports everything to DX8.1 internally... theoretically any video card capable of DX8.1 can support 'pixel shader 3.0'. Which, oddly enough, had not had the standards solidified at the time they started advertising their compliance.

    I'd go with the X800 XL, if you have the scratch. Best performance at that price point, without the cut-corners reduced image quality for which nVidia has made themselves famous recently. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    what's better

    x800 xt or x800 xl?
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  • DaJMastaDaJMasta Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34750Members, Constellation
    Strait numbers from ati's product comparison on their site:

    (XT, XL)
    Memory Clock Speed (MHz) 500 490
    Engine Clock Speed (MHz) 500 400
    Pixel Fillrate 8 Gpixels 6.4 Gpixels/sec
    Geometry Rate 750 MTriangles 600 MTriangles


    So in short, the XT by alot.

    Keep in mind that a reflash of a PRO wouldn't necissairily yield XT memory clock speeds, just the extra 4 pipelines and core speed.

    One: <a href='http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100' target='_blank'>First guide thing</a>
    Two: <a href='http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=1371898' target='_blank'>Second guide thing.</a>

    Seems that this card will work, and that it indeed works with both PCI-E and AGP cards. Also, it seems possible to get the PE version of the XT, which means a larger performance margin.

    If you have confidence in your flashing abilities, and you don't have anything against RMAing if something goes terribly wrong.....looks good.
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  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    edited May 2005
    like I said.. must be stock

    I don't want to tamper with this...

    I'm going to bed... got a soccer tourny I gotta ref starting at 6 am 0o' it's 1 am now XD
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  • AmplifierAmplifier Join Date: 2004-02-19 Member: 26708Members, Constellation
    wow x800s are that cheap now... cool

    As for a refurb, I am not into gambling.
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