Choosing a Video Card

[nubuilder]

What are the specs that you should look at when looking for a video card?
I mean, there is
___process technology
___-bit advanced memory interface
___-bit graphics architecture
engine clock
memory clock
internal RAMDAC
vertices/ sec
texels/ sec fill rate
memory bandwidth
floating point texture filtering and blending
pixels per clock rendering engine
16 texels per pixel with 8 textures applied per clock

What are the importance of these numbers? What are the most important to look at? What is average?

 

[GripS]

Are you a gamer?

Without going into detail and going from what i've read the Nvidia 6800GT is currently the best bang for the buck.

Going a step lower you might look at the ATI X800XL.

Either of those cards can handle the latest games.

Also I think next gen cards are coming out soon so you might want to wait a couple months or so for the prices to drop.

 

[nubuilder]

I am not a serious gamer. I don't play the major games Doom3, Far Cry, or Half Life 2. I like to play simulators and racing games(NASCAR, Microsoft Flight Simulators & Combat Simulators, Sercret Weapons Over Normandy, etc.)

As you can see, I do not play super graphics hungry games, but I do want to be able to keep up with future games.

My budget is $150 or less. Also, I want 256MB and it has to be AGP.

I am looking at this card:Chaintech GeForce 6600

 

[TypeSK]

it will have to be the 6600 series for that price. if you can wait, prices will prob drop within a couple months now that the 7800 series just came out this past week ....from there, you can prob get the 6800GT for decent price when it does drop

 

[nubuilder]

Is Chaintech a good brand? I was also looking a BFG, PNY, and XFX.

Right now, I could get a 6800GT for $300!

The other card I was looking at was an ATI 9800Pro 256MB AGP is right now $190.

But if prices drop, an ATI Radeon X800 XT 256MB is right now $325.

 

[TypeSK]

id go with nVidia right now.

Chaintech is a good brand.

XFX, i been seeing them lately. but dont know about them. But from what ive seen, they dont seem bad

BFG is what I just got for my 7800GTX. They have a lifetime warranty (as long as you dont OC it and all), whcih is one of the htings that made me get it. But I didnt like the bundle (extras) that came with it though.

but typically, .13 or .09 is good for process technology, id say 256-bit is what you want. and 256MB is what you want for memory.

 

[nubuilder]

So in other words, the 9800Pro has 256-bit and 8 pipelines. The X800 XL has 256-bit and 16 pipelines.

If prices come down, I will deffinitely go with the X800 XL.

 

[TypeSK]

X800XL wont be going down for awhile I think. Their new chip has been delayed. The nVidia chips will go down before they will, and even so, I'd still go with the nVidia.

and are yo utalking X800XT ??

also, a good read:

http://discuss.futuremark.com/forum...654725&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=1

right now, though I think 16 pipelines is a sweetspot. newer ones will have more, but as of now, wont be that useful (32). I believe IIRC, the new 7800GTX has 24? (i prob wrong though as the stat eludes me)

 

[nubuilder]

So for right now, I should go for the 9800 Pro over the 6600. (because of prices)

After all, the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB AGP is $190 and the Chaintech GeForce 6600 256MB AGP is $138. (prices as of 6-26-05)

I think I will wait for the 9800 Pro to come down and buy it.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Triple6]

Or you could look at prices on www.newegg.com : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rtyCodeValue=0&Submit=Property&SubCategory=48

They are a little cheaper and there's other places selling for less. Try Pricewatch.com

 

[nubuilder]

newegg.com has too many. I just want the ATI brand itself. I just think that it might be better coming strait from ATI.

As for price comparing, I use pricewatch.com and pricegrabber.com. I just check ZipZoomFly first because I have ordered from there before.

 

[TypeSK]

sounds like you were already set even before you posted the thread.

but as stated, the 6800GT is the best for the money hands down.