Advice on new graphics card.

**Quinctius Cincinnatus** · August 21, 2007, 07:40 AM

Hello!!

I have bought a new system six months ago. Little I knew that most games require a good graphics card

.

This is the system I have: (Dell pc)
*AMD Athlon 64*2 Dual Core Processor 5000+
*2 Gigs DDR 2 RAM
*nVidia GeForce 7300 LE.

I know. My system fails on the graphics card.
Now, instead of buying an Xbox 360 for the newest games to come ( like Assassins Creed!), i want to buy a new graphics card.

I thought of this one:
XFX nVidia GeForce 7950 256 MB

But there seems to be a newer model: (still payable)
nVidia GeForce 8600

Any advice?
NOTE: I don't have a fortune to buy a graphics card. And I want to stay with nVidia (coolest marque)

Thanks!

QC.

**Locky** · August 21, 2007, 07:47 AM

8800GTS if you can afford it. Or failing that the 8600GTS. Avoid the GT version.

**Arakorn** · August 21, 2007, 09:48 AM

I'd say the 8800GTS (320MB edition). The best bang for the buck out there...

**Freddie** · August 21, 2007, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by Arakorn-eir

I'd say the 8800GTS (320MB edition). The best bang for the buck out there...

Yep I’ll go along with that, it’s a shame both Nivida and ATI/AMD have failed to come up with a decent mid range video card and users are forced to pay a higher end price to get a decent value video card.

**The White Knight** · August 21, 2007, 10:15 AM

Is "NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8500 GT" a good card?

**Arakorn** · August 22, 2007, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by The White Knight

Is "NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8500 GT" a good card?

No, it's the worst of the DX10 cards.

I think this is how it goes:

8800 Ultra
8800GTX
8800GTS
8600GTS
8600GT
8500GT

Should be in that order; I know for sure that there are two 6-versions but I am not perfectly sure about their names.

**Roman Clone** · August 21, 2007, 10:35 AM

I don't even think there is one! The 8600 and 7300 are Really Bad, I'd rather have no graphics card then those two.

http://stores.tomshardware.com/searc..._house_mlink//

**Vanquisher** · August 21, 2007, 10:57 AM

8600 is infact a good card but fails in DX10, also you can get more power in DX9 for that price with cards such as the X1950XT.

**SonOfCrusader76** · August 21, 2007, 08:19 PM

Very useful charts for graphics cards comparaison

Check this out, I found it very useful. I'm going for the X1950XT.

According to those charts, the X1950XT owns the 8600GT (for example) in all games, other than Flight Simulation X. Why is that?

**Tanmos** · August 21, 2007, 11:22 PM

When it comes right down to it anything you get will be better than what you have now, so get the best thing that you can afford. It really helps when you say "I have $200" whats the best card that I can get for that much money. So how much do you want to spend and then you can go from there.

**Quinctius Cincinnatus** · August 22, 2007, 07:58 AM

Hello.
First: thanks for all the replays. But I repeat, I am not looking for an expensive (which I call 250 euro+).
I am really thinking on the XTX nVidia GeForce 7950. This is a good card right?

Q.

**Vanquisher** · August 22, 2007, 08:26 AM

That will be fine for MTW2

**The White Knight** · August 22, 2007, 01:55 PM

What card would I need to get the best out of the upcoming generation of DX10 games such as Bioshock and Crysis?

**Vanquisher** · August 22, 2007, 02:09 PM

No point in asking about Crysis till it actually comes out, no-one is sure... Although they say it will run well on an 8800 anyway. Bioshock I am sure an 8800gts 640 can handle maxed out, 320 will surely be fine on lower resolutions.

**The White Knight** · August 22, 2007, 02:11 PM

Thank you. And is there an ATI equivalent of the 8800GTS? If so, what model?

**Arakorn** · August 24, 2007, 07:17 AM

I think they're called HD 2900, but I'm not sure. Last time I saw a comparison they really sucked though, far worse than nVidia.

A 8800GTS 320 MB will be fine.

The 320MB edition because you probably won't need that high resolutions.

**The White Knight** · August 24, 2007, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Arakorn-eir

I think they're called HD 2900, but I'm not sure. Last time I saw a comparison they really sucked though, far worse than nVidia.

A 8800GTS 320 MB will be fine.

The 320MB edition because you probably won't need that high resolutions.

Certainly. I do not plan to buy a new monitor, and my current monitor is best put at 1024X768. I'm having some trouble finding a complete computer with the 8800 integrated.

Edit: Now that I'm here (and sorry for going OT), is a "Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Quad processor Q6600 (2.4GHz)" worth it? Or is it largely unsupported?
Is the amount of MHz in "2GB DDR2-667MHz" important and worth spending extra money on? (For example + €50 for 800MHz?)

I feel like I'm asking help on Chinese grammar

. Have to copy-paste everything 'cause I have no clue what it's all about.

**Doono** · August 24, 2007, 03:32 PM

Multi core cpu's are generally un-utalised by the majority of games but the games that are starting to come out are quite often supporting duel core cpu's. A quad core will assure future proofing though.

Higher speed RAM is only usefull if you plan on overclocking your cpu since it has a larger margin for speed loss to maintain good speeds.

O dear please get a better monitor lol, games will look like crap played at that resolution especially if your going for a better rig.

**bongo1210** · August 25, 2007, 09:03 AM

hey when i was looking ti get my graphics card i wanted a 7950 gt to but then my friend had one so i went to see how it was..and yes it was good , but alot of people told me to go for ATI's x1950 pro so i went to bestbuy and bought it for around 200.. but anyway get it online and yes it does beat the 7950 gt by a nice touch...and my graphics are more clearer than my friends..IM JUST SAYING GET THE X1950 PRO NOT THE 7950!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( weird creepy screech )

**Arakorn** · August 26, 2007, 02:08 PM

I have Q6600. Good for doing heavier, non-game stuff at times. Or I tibnk you can play while at the same time do other heavy stuff, however I'm not sure as I'm no expert. BTW, Alan Wake will utilize Quad Core...

And OMG my writing is awful!