Buying a graphics card

chubbyjoe · 31-03-2005 10:57am #1

Hi, I am looking to buy a graphics card. I have a maximum budget of €200. I cannot go over this amount.
I have been looking at Komplett as the place to buy as I have gotten stuff off them before and was happy with their service/price etc.

My spec currently is as follows P4 3.00ghz/256mb memory/geforce MX64 gfx card/

I have shortlisted a number of AGP boards I am interested in and was wondering do any of you have an opinion about which is the best one?

Club3D GeForce 6600GT, 128MB GDDR3, 128bit, AGP, GPU 500MHz, Retail
Komplett #: 307919 / CGN-G668TVD
Availability: 17 stocked €195.00

Gainward GeForce 6600 256MB DDR 3,6ns AGP, "Ultra/1780 Golden" TV/DVI, Retail
Komplett #: 305562 / 471846200-6657
Availability: 17 pcs 2005-03-29 (unconfirmed) €169.00

PowerColor Radeon 9800 PRO 128MB DDR AGP, ATI 9800PRO, DVI-I, TV-Out, Retail
Komplett #: 120304 / R98-PC3
Availability: 50-99 stocked €199.00

Sapphire All in Wonder Radeon 9800 SE, 128MB DDR,AGP,DVI-I,TV-Out, Full-Retail
Komplett #: 307807 / 21024-01-41
Availability: 4 stocked €185.00

Sapphire Radeon 9800 Atlantis PRO 128MB AGP,256bit bus,DVI-I,TV-Out, Lite-Retail
Komplett #: 122901 / 21016-00-20
Availability: 100+ stocked €177.00

XFX GeForce 6600 256MB DDR AGP, Tv-Out, Dual-DVI, Retail
Komplett #: 306430 / PVT43KUDF7
Availability: 37 stocked €176.01

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

WizZard · 31-03-2005 11:01am

Get this one: (it's the fastest and best)

Club3D GeForce 6600GT, 128MB GDDR3, 128bit, AGP, GPU 500MHz, Retail
Komplett #: 307919 / CGN-G668TVD
Availability: 17 stocked €195.00

Or possibly one of these , if you want to go cheaper: (nearly as fast as the GT)

Gainward GeForce 6600 256MB DDR 3,6ns AGP, "Ultra/1780 Golden" TV/DVI, Retail
Komplett #: 305562 / 471846200-6657
Availability: 17 pcs 2005-03-29 (unconfirmed) €169.00

XFX GeForce 6600 256MB DDR AGP, Tv-Out, Dual-DVI, Retail
Komplett #: 306430 / PVT43KUDF7
Availability: 37 stocked €176.01

Don't get a 9800, last years technology at least.

Ciaran500 · 31-03-2005 11:02am

6600GT is the best out of those.

Khannie · 31-03-2005 11:08am

Ciaran500 wrote:

6600GT is the best out of those.

Have to agree with the lads there....9800 is old news at this stage (I have one...and it's still grand for me though...).

If I were to choose from that group it would be the 6600GT.

Dinner · 31-03-2005 12:17pm

I'm looking to buy a 6600GT too, and I was wondering would it work on a P4,2.8Ghz 1.25 g RAM .

Club3D GeForce 6600GT,
128MB GDDR3, 128bit, AGP, GPU 500MHz, Retail

Even though it says Club 3D is it NVidia still?

HungryJoey · 31-03-2005 12:24pm

Yes....Its nVidia stilll... Just Club3D manufactures the card with thenVidia chip on it. I think i might change to a 6600GT If i RMA my9800 , ugghhh so much hassle but i dont know if i would go for a Club 3D 6600GT...Dont know much about them. I would go for a gainward golden sample i know its more expensive but its quality. But if 200 is the limit go for it then. Nice card still.

Khannie · 31-03-2005 1:57pm

Arabel wrote:

I'm looking to buy a 6600GT too, and I was wondering would it work on a P4,2.8Ghz 1.25 g RAM .

Should be fine yeah. Once you have the correct slot (probably AGP) and enough juice in your PSU.

It will be a /little bit/ CPU limited (i.e. it would work better with a faster CPU) but that's not the end of the world.

unklerosco · 31-03-2005 2:15pm

U could always buy second hand... ie. My BFG 6600gtoc.. comes factory overclocked @ 525mhz(500mhz norm) and has a lifetime warranty which includes overclocking. Afaik they're the fastest 6600gts u can get, some reviews have had the core upto 600mhz.... Great cards, i'd get more ram too if i was you. 256mb ram is very little, i was using 512mb for a while n upgraded to a gig last night, makes quite a difference..

unkel · 31-03-2005 3:29pm

I would have said 6600GT too, but if you are limited to spending €200 on your pc and want to get better gaming performance, you shouldn't

You are way short on memory. Buy a cheap stick of 512mb and buy a second hand 9800pro / xt which should keep you within budget. Doing this will give you much better gaming performance on the current games than just buying a 6600gt...

Jammer · 31-03-2005 3:33pm

i bought a 256mb X800XT recently, and am a bit dissapointed in it to be honest, it plays HL2 with a bit more detail, but games like Battlefield/Painkiller/MotoGP look the same as my 9800Pro...

I'd go with unkel's advice, another stick of 512 and a 9800Pro!

Dinner · 31-03-2005 3:40pm

Khannie wrote:

Should be fine yeah. Once you have the correct slot (probably AGP) and enough juice in your PSU.

It will be a /little bit/ CPU limited (i.e. it would work better with a faster CPU) but that's not the end of the world.

I have the AGP slot. The PSU was the thing I was worried about, I think I'm working with a 230V at the moment. Would that work OK?

Mutant_Fruit · 31-03-2005 5:11pm

Jammer wrote:

i bought a 256mb X800XT recently, and am a bit dissapointed in it to be honest, it plays HL2 with a bit more detail, but games like Battlefield/Painkiller/MotoGP look the same as my 9800Pro...

Maybe thats because they're on max quality even on the 9800pro. You're games aren't going to look "better" with a newer graphics card as such. You're just going to be able to play them at a higher res, and with more FPS.

Its only when newer games come out that you'll notice the benefits. Tbph, a 9800pro isn't a patch on a 256mb x800XT. If you're taht disappointed in it, i'll buy you a 9800XT and take the x800 off your hands

For example, take a look at this doom3 benchmark. You'll see the x800XT is about 2.5 times faster than the 9800XT....

EDIT: 230V means its able to run off irish power sockets, which are at 230 volts. What wattage is the PSU, and what brand (if you know).

Wertz · 31-03-2005 5:53pm

I'm in a similar market for a new card to match my new 2001fp (well in fact to run it at it's native res).
Current system specs are 2.4g P4, 768mb RAM all running on a dell mobo/PSU (250 watts or so?)
The 6600 looks like it's my thing, but am I gonna be bothered by power problems? I've already avoided the 9800 due to my doubts on the PSU's ability to power it sufficiently...

Oh, the pc isn't used for gaming lately (simply not enough time these days) but I'd like to have the option. Main concern is a 1600*1200 resolution card...

Dinner · 31-03-2005 5:54pm

Mutant_Fruit wrote:

EDIT: 230V means its able to run off irish power sockets, which are at 230 volts. What wattage is the PSU, and what brand (if you know).

How do you check the voltage of it? Is it on the side of the PSU or do you have to get some sort of equipment?

dearg_doom · 31-03-2005 8:36pm

unklerosco wrote:

U could always buy second hand... ie. My BFG 6600gtoc.. comes factory overclocked @ 525mhz(500mhz norm) and has a lifetime warranty which includes overclocking. Afaik they're the fastest 6600gts u can get, some reviews have had the core upto 600mhz.... Great cards, i'd get more ram too if i was you. 256mb ram is very little, i was using 512mb for a while n upgraded to a gig last night, makes quite a difference..

Where did you get that sweet card, and how much?

/Sorry for the O/T:)

Mutant_Fruit · 31-03-2005 9:42pm

Arabel wrote:

How do you check the voltage of it? Is it on the side of the PSU or do you have to get some sort of equipment?

No no no, you need to check the wattage of it. It should be printed on the side of the PSU.

Dinner · 31-03-2005 9:46pm

Mutant_Fruit wrote:

No no no, you need to check the wattage of it. It should be printed on the side of the PSU.

My bad, sorry. I'll open it up again tomorrow and have a look.
Thanks

chubbyjoe · 01-04-2005 9:14am

Hi,
Took the plunge and went for the 6600GT. Thanks for the advice

Buying a graphics card

Comments