Best but least expensive graphics card

**Imperator_Maximus** · March 30, 2007, 12:47 PM

Right now my graphics aren't horrible but they lack the gloss and smoothness I have seen on computers with more powerful cards. So I have been saving my money (I have $20 right now) in the hopes of getting a better card. My current card is a GeForce FX 5200. What card what will get me better graphics but won't cost me hundreds of dollars.

**Cataclysm** · March 30, 2007, 12:58 PM

nVidia GeForce 8800GTX... Fastest card on the market only $570 at Newegg

Or, these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161060

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131030

**Lusted** · March 30, 2007, 12:58 PM

Moved to the Basement.

**Lawrence of Arabia** · March 30, 2007, 12:59 PM

I upgraded from a GeForce FX 5200 to the 6200. Works pretty well, I got it last summer for $53.00 from newegg

However, I'm sure you could get it for cheaper now, and maybe even a nicer card. A 6600 or a 6800 would start to be closer to the $50-70 range now. Not sure about ATI cards, since I'm impartial to nVidia.

**Douchebag** · March 30, 2007, 02:38 PM

are you kidding me? I saw a 7600 geforce for about 139 dollars....w/ 30 or 50 dollar rebate(forgot). I want to buy one, but i have to make sure the graphic card is compatible with my PC. How do I figure that out? Which area do I look at? Mother board? I dont even know what mother board I have.

**Arakorn** · March 30, 2007, 02:59 PM

Yep. Download Cpu-z (google it), install and fire up. Then go to graphics and see what your computer uses; PCI-e, AGP or (not likely) PCI.

**therussian** · March 30, 2007, 03:02 PM

I have this card in mind for my new computer.....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130056

**Citizen** · March 30, 2007, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Bulgaroctonus

I have this card in mind for my new computer.....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130056

If you're going with that you might want to look at the Sapphire Radeon X1950Pro. It's more powerful than the 7900GS and beats it in almost every benchmark.

I know this because I was going to go down the 7900GS rout for my new machine back in February. Then I found the X1950Pro - I couldn't be happier with the results.

But I guess it depends on what games you wanna play and what monitor you have. I mean, a 7600GT would have done me on a 17" but I ended up getting a 20" wide screen with a native resolution of 1680x1050 and so I needed a more powerful and superior graphics card if I was to play games at this resolution with all settings up high.

**Ermeni** · March 30, 2007, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Citizen

If you're going with that you might want to look at the Sapphire Radeon X1950Pro. It's more powerful than the 7900GS and beats it in almost every benchmark.

I know this because I was going to go down the 7900GS rout for my new machine back in February. Then I found the X1950Pro - I couldn't be happier with the results.

But I guess it depends on what games you wanna play and what monitor you have. I mean, a 7600GT would have done me on a 17" but I ended up getting a 20" wide screen with a native resolution of 1680x1050 and so I needed a more powerful and superior graphics card if I was to play games at this resolution with all settings up high.

i got the same card and i also recommend it......my computer is young once again tx to this card --------- Sapphire Radeon X1950Pro

**Mccray** · March 30, 2007, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by Ermeni

i got the same card and i also recommend it......my computer is young once again tx to this card --------- Sapphire Radeon X1950Pro

Same here just installed a saphire X1950 pro. Game runs great almost everything on high/highest. Large battles smooth. I bought mine from Bestbuy last week for $240US

**Aristocrat** · March 30, 2007, 09:47 PM

My advice would be wait till Nvidea releases it's expanded lineup of 8800 cards. They are releasing less powerful versions of the 8800GTX and GTS, as well as a 8800 GTX Ultra, meaning that at the least, the prices of other cards will drop, or that the newly realeased 8800 cards will be affordable.
(They are basically phasing out everything before the 8800 series in order to make all their supported cards DirectX 10 compatible, so your low end card will be 8200 mid-end 8600 and high to ultra-high the 8800's.

**Erik** · April 01, 2007, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by Aristocrat

My advice would be wait till Nvidea releases it's expanded lineup of 8800 cards.

Yes, but when will that be?

**Aristocrat** · April 01, 2007, 07:22 AM

I read on TomsHardware that it would be around the time of the R600 launch (IE April), along with the Ultra release.
I can't find the link now though.

**Erik** · April 01, 2007, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by Aristocrat

I read on TomsHardware that it would be around the time of the R600 launch (IE April), along with the Ultra release.
I can't find the link now though.

Here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/...0_back_to_may/

But it's May, not April.
And I've heard ATi's mid-range cards won't be released until the "back to school" sales boost (July/August).

If nVidia releases their mid-range cards late April/early May than that would be great because that's also when Intel will drop it's CPU prices.
But somehow I doubt it.