Time to upgrade? (video card)

[__PoweradePaladin__]

I've been using my ATI X850 XTPE for about 2 years now and its starting to feel its age in new games. Should I upgrade to an 8800 GTX now or wait for a new ATI/Nvidia series? I've already upgraded from an AMD Athlon 2200 to a C2D 6400.. I've been thinking about upgrading the video card but dont wanna throw around my money unless its a good investment. so techies? opinions?

[Aristocrat]

NVIDIA won't be releasing a new series of cards for quite a while.
They are releasing the 8800 Ultra (Step up from the GTX) at the same time as Ati releases the R600, which is in around 1-2 months, so if you can handle the wait, then prices should drop on some cards.

That said the GTX will be a top end card for the next year or 2 regardless (almost certainly).

[King Edward I]

Id get a GTS 320 now (EVGA) and then step it up to an 8800Ultra when thats released, or just wait for an r600 if you can

[Vimes]

AS you already have a very capable card right now I REALLY would wait just a little while longer to see what happens when the r600 hits the market, which will be very soon.
Also as NVidia are bringing out more cards in the 8800 series it will give you a greater choice.

When the r600 and 8800 are out together it bring down the prices a little and so make your purchase even better value for money.

I too have had the same ATI card as yours and have just bought an NVidia 8800GTS (320mb). I got that card as my 19" TFT is limited to 1280x1024 and so getting anything with more memory does not work out cost effective, for me.

If your budget is stretched and both the r600 and 800 isn't affordable then an ATI x1950XT would be on my short list.

good luck

[Citizen]

I'd wait mate... or, just go with a X1950Pro. Why go DX10 when no DX10 games are out?

[Aristocrat]

I'd wait mate... or, just go with a X1950Pro. Why go DX10 when no DX10 games are out?

Say what?
Why then go non-dx10 when DX10 games are coming out within 3 months?
Jesus...

(I would wait till the R600 and Ultra hit the shelves if you are worried about price, otherwise just buy. If you wait for the newest computer hardware to arrive you will never buy).

[Citizen]

Say what?
Why then go non-dx10 when DX10 games are coming out within 3 months?
Jesus...

Which dx10 games are coming out within 3 months?

[mrmouth]

I have a similar card poweradepaladin, Ive been running it for just over a year.

It will still handle most game just fine, aside from the new shader 3.0 games.

I'm waiting to see what ATI releases and till prices come down before I make a decision.

[OTZ]

Wait...R600 is looking pretty spiffy, despite the massive delays.

No sense buying a 1950Pro (even though it is a great card) when DX10 cards are available.

[mrmouth]

Well the new Nvidia cards are out and the price/performance looks quite nice. I wouldn't mind a nice little sli setup with the 8600GTS for around $100 less than 1 8800 would cost.

I'm still waiting for Ati though.

[OTZ]

You'd probably see better performance from one 8800 than two 8600 in SLI, for about the same cost.

[mrmouth]

You'd probably see better performance from one 8800 than two 8600 in SLI, for about the same cost.

no, it would run about $100 cheaper, like I said.

Aside from that multiple factors come in to play as to how your PC utilizes you vid card/s.

With my motherboard Im looking to go sli over one bleeding edge vid card.

[Aristocrat]

no, it would run about $100 cheaper, like I said.

Aside from that multiple factors come in to play as to how your PC utilizes you vid card/s.

With my motherboard Im looking to go sli over one bleeding edge vid card.

...why? The simple fact is that unless you buying a top of the line card then SLI-ing it with another top of the line card, then there is no point to SLI, as any 2 lower cards are generally beaten by one higher card, or only on par with it (at best).

[Hellmut34]

I would wait for a bit.

The X850XTPE is a fine card and still capable in many games.
Like most of the peeps here said, it would be best to wait until ATI releases cards with the r600 chip.

I expect to see prices tumbling on older but capable cards.

[OTZ]

Depends where you shop, which is what I should have said.

[mrmouth]

The two 8600 GTS 256mb look pretty good when stacked against one 8800. So if I could go that route and save over $100, that would work for me.

Anyhow I was just talking out of my ass, I'm still waiting to see what ATI does. I'm nowhere near making a decision.

[sdjenkyn]

get 2 8800gts from evga , they have 640m ram and the same gpu as the gt version. Pretty impressive cards and evga has gotten some kudo's for their builds. Also Sli means each card is rendering half the screen in tandem. So 2 midrange cards are still gonna outperform 1 bleeding edge card.

[Aristocrat]

^Prove it, prove that 2 midrangecards will outperform a top of the line card.
Midrange cards is not one step below the top btw. An 8800GTS is not midrange, it is nearly the top of the line.
A midrange card would be 8600s, and two of those will not outperform one 8800 Ultra, 8800GTX, or 8800GTS.

2 8800GTS's might (maybe) outperform one 8800GTX (doubtful), but then you are paying more money than you would for a GTX so you would hope they do outperform it.

I'm a fan of SLI, I just don't see the point in SLI-ing two weaker cards, which in most cases (in older generations at least) lacked the features and capabilities of a stronger card, (eg : Shader models), when it won't give a greater performance than the single higher card, and actually costs more.
If you are using it as an upgrade path (IE buy one good card now and another later) then thats fine, as you get by a little longe without having to spring for a new top of the line model (while still playing on good settings), however, if you are saying that SLI-ING two weaker cards, is somehow better then one top of the line card, while costing less money, you are just deluding yourself to be honest.

The hardware industry is smart, SLI is for people who want the best and are willing to pay through the hip for it, it is not a way for people to cheaply circumvent their clever pricing ranges.

[sdjenkyn]

^ un-bunch your panties for a moment. If you are referring to directx 10 capabilities then yes dont go mid-range as there's no point or any way to compete except maybe doubling your rendering output. All I'm pointing out is that sli splits the rendering between 2 good cards and should be just as effective as one top of the line. As prices continue to drop it becomes a cheaper option to sli 2 older or midrange cards instead of the latest and greatest single card. Also 2 8800's will outperform 1 8800gtx because the differences between the two cards is nominal and typically the gtx is just a factory overclocked 8800 with a little more ram. Btw check Nvidias website and compare the gpu's and ramdacs from the 7000 series through the 8000 series and see how big a difference there is or isnt between cards.

[Aristocrat]

*Hands panties back to sdjenkyn.

The point I am making is that SLI simply does not double the performance, it doesn't work that way. Go and do some reading, the increase gained by SLI-ing isn't 100%, or even 50%, it is much less. That is why if you take two cards which are "half" as poweful as another, and SLI those two cards, the one card will still **** all over the two.

Games are slowly making better use of SLI, but it is still mostly untapped in terms of potential.

On using SLI as an upgrade path, go read my post, I said that already.