Okay i've finally finished deciding on the console versus PC debate. I'm sticking with my computer

and since Crysis, UT3 and Resistance have pretty much sold the decision for me. So its time for me to upgrade my graphics card to have a run with this stuff. I've pretty much given up on local retailers so i'm lilkely to take the amazon route or go in person abroad and pick up the card personaly.

Purpose wise i'm looking for a card in the mid-top range that will give me a good performance for most games coming out now (ie play on full for UT3 - medium or something for Crysis) and last well for a while.

I don't really have a huge budget and my absolute max would be around BD 150 - R2.8k. I'm not to familair with this stuff so i really would need some help and guidance for this. My knowledge of ATI cards is also zilch so i'm lost.

So far i'm thinking about the following things (BTW i'm gonna be using it with my E6600 and 2GB RAM Vista32 System)

• 8800GT - $300 - for the 512MB Version / $230 for the 256 version. A lot of hype for the card and the price is pretty good
• 8800 GTS - $300 - for the 640MB version, simaler price to the GT, reccomendations?
• 7950 GX2 (1GB) - $200 - last generation card, but whats the difference between dx9 / 10. 1 GB of GDDR3 is a lot and the price is very low for it

i don't know anything about the ATi Cards btw

any help would be much appreciated

cheers

i had a feeling this was coming

Can't really help, but will be following this with more than a passing glance as this will be handy for me too ;P



http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3140

Quite interesting and i reckon that the 8800 GT looks like a good bet

Throw out any other card and stick with the 8800gt 512. I guess any brand that is the cheapest is the route.

second choice if you cash strapped is to get 2x3850's...

What is the performance results btw, i found the 8800 Gt on Anandtech, but it didn't say whether it was the 512 or the 256.

So no ATI alternative here, Sli or crossfire isn't worth it imho as most games do not utilize it properly.

I've been saving and after that fiasco with the 7600 GT when i bought my rig (can't believe i have to upgrade so soon ) I might as well spend more for a better part that wont force me to upgrade so soon.

The price of the 8800 GT is quite nice indeed. Considering it comes close to the GTX and in SLi it completely obliterates it (and cheaper).

How long do you reckon i can manage with the card(s) before forking out again for an upgrade. ie. until the games start running like a slideshow

> 8800 GT (512)
> 8800 GT (256)
> 8800 GTS (640)
> 8800 GTS (320)
> 7950 GX2 (1000)

and just for my intrest

> 8800 GTX
> 8000 Ultra

^^ No chance i can spring for those monsters

Not to be a n00b, but i have 2 doubts

> What does the 512 Mb thingy actually mean / do, its not like RAM where higher means better - since the 8800 GT 512 MB roundly beats the 1 GB 7950 GX2

> Worth getting a superclocked variant? They are about 20 to 30 more

ill get the nvidia 7950 gx2. good performance and not too deadly against your bank account ^_^

Last gen buys are not a good idea:(

Pretty soon DX9 will be obselete and thus so will your card. Short term its fine, long run a big no no

Balls in your court though

Forget the 7950, waste of money.

I just got myself a HD3870, performs just under an 8800GT and is a bit cheaper too. Runs on a 55nm core so it's extremely cool and power-friendly, plus it overclocks pretty damn well. (I've only just started playing around but I'm at 850 on the core from 777 stock and no hassles with heat so far.)

You also have the advantage of the built in HD audio on the card via DVI, assuming you'll ever have the need for it of course.

My plan is to use it for now just to get through the multitude of cool titles out now i.e. Crysis, Bioshock, etc. and then slap in another one for Crossfire when I do a CPU/RAM/mobo upgrade early next year.

If you're going for a single card now you should look at the 8800GT, but I would recommend an after-market cooler for them as they only run a single-slot stock cooler which is pretty crap and damn noisy.

price tag?

HD3870 - between $230 - $270
8800 GT - $230 - $300 (256 MB / 512 MB)

Hmmm.... after market stuff is just going to make my life harder, since getting the card is going to be a pain in the a**, yet alone finding a cooler and fixing it

Damn Bahraini retailers they have nothing

How difficult is it to fix the cooler, as i have had 0 experience with hardware before - apart from cleaning out the dust and crap from the fan and other items.

Lets say that i am not to fit the cooler, would you recommend me going for the 8800 or the 3870?

Single card is all i can budget for atm, i might choose to add a 2nd in the future when i have the money and need for it.

To attach the cooler you'll need some basic hardware knowledge. If you've never changed a CPU cooler, applied/cleaned thermal paste or don't know how to handle components properly then I'd leave it alone.

I personally went for the 3870 because it's cheaper, quieter and chows less power. Therefore it'll make a more sensible choice when I upgrade to a Crossfire setup early next year.

It also has it's own on-board soundcard (yes, on-board the graphics card itself), which has full HDMI output assuming you have an audio setup to handle it.

If you're not worried about overclocking or the sound of a small household vacuum cleaner coming from your case, go for the 8800.

K, either i shall leave it alone or ask someone else who has the know how to do it for me? Any recommendations for a cooler.



Thats good, i don't have the audio atm to even take use of it. (No HDMI anything) but its not out of the question - does it have conventional 3.5 mm outputs as well? and is it better than onboard sound?



i don;t have the know-how to overclock it, and hmmm about the noise - i dunno. I like things quiet, but i'm not sure if its worth spending the extra $$$ for the cooler and to get someone to fit it

The audio is definitely superior to on-board but such quality requires a HDMI connection, thus no headphone jacks.

This is my issue with the 8800GT: you're going to fork out around R2500 for the card and then another R500 for the cooler when you could pay R2000 for a HD3870? Madness.

Sure the 8800GT performs better in most titles (notice I say 'most') but is it worth the price tag?

Oh, and definitely go for a Thermalright or Zalman cooler if you go that route.

No use for me then But def has some value for the future



Here is the problem with "small vaccumn cleaner" how do i know how loud it actually is? But definitely it'll either be 8800 GT w/o cooler or the HD3870. Ur right, no chance that its going to be worth it

Just some questions, seeing as you have the card:
> Can you play UT3 on Full Details without lag?
> Crysis - is it manageable?
> Power consumption? I'm on a 500W PSU and will it suffice?
> How long roughly will it last? ie, until games start running like slideshows?

I'm hoping for atleast 1 year of good stuff and then mebbe 6 - 12 months more of manageability.

Hmmm.... i was just about sold on the 8800 Gt and then i heard about the noise factor.... Now i have toi think this over again. Bah!

there is nothing wrong with loud cards.... Just turn the volume on your speakers UP!!! hehe. Drown it out. Or get a really quiet case.

Haha. I'd rather my set of noise cancelling headphones. My case is by no means quiet and well i shall decide evaluating all of the factors.

Haha, my parents are already complaining about the noise that comes out of my room:

They have no appreciation for Heavy Metal

Loud. Annoyingly loud.

I like a quiet PC, especially when I'm up late and don't want to disturb anyone or I want to let a process run while I'm sleeping.

Yup.


Yup. Playing with almost every setting on HIGH but I'm holding off playing it fully until I get the second card for Crossfire.

You should be running at least 700W these days. Fortunately with the small die size the power consumption of the 3870 should be manageable. Just google it and see how it goes: the 8800 chows substantially more.


No idea. You know how the computer industry works. You'll be fine for a year or two, assuming the rest of your rig keeps up.

me too. So i reckon the scale are tilting towards the 3870 in terms of this. Damn i wish i could see these things in action beforehand.

Ah well i've seen some benchmarks an the card is quite simaler to the 8800 Gt in performance on most things, it even surpasses it at some lower resolutions for some tests.

Its cheaper and i'm not ruling out a crossfire set up though. But for now 1 will have to do. Looks like i;m set.

And yet to add another factor to this whole hunt. The 8800 GTS 512!

despite it being a GTS, its based on the G92 Card and as a result it does pretty comfortably beat the Gt in just about every field.

LINKAGE

Its comptetitive to the 8800 Ultra, and selling for between $290 - $370. Very very interesting, comnsidering the Ultra is somewhere around $800 - two of the 8800 GTS 512's will comfortably destroy it.

So well here is what i am considering at the moment (in order of performance)

1. 8800 GTS 512 MB - Avg. $340 - Its got mosnter performance for the price and the dual slot cooler does mean that it shoulkd be quieter and not be so hot
2. 8800 GT 512 MB - Avg. $300 - Its cheap or what its got. But i don't like a noisy card - so its a trade off in effect.
3. HD3870 - Avg. $260 - Performance is not on par with other two by comparison. But the cost is lower and in effect its also less power hungry - although PSUs are pretty cheap.

Realistically Crossfire or Sli is more or less out of the question as whatever i get - i will have to be content with a single card for quite some time.

Some help please?