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Help me choose a gfx card

Jonny69

Jonny69

Jonny69

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Hi chaps, as is usually the case it's been a while since I got a graphics card and I'm completely bewildered with all the X1800's 1900's 7800's GTX etc :D I've no idea about the differences between crossfire or sli or if I'll need it.

If I rough out the rest of the specs could you please recommend me some cards.

PCI Express, single 19" flat panel, will be used for flight sims but generally day to day internet browsing and office work so it must be silent or at least very quiet.

So what can it be, one good card or two cheaper ones in sli/crossfire?

Budget: around £150 but I'd be interested to see either side of this figure.

Edit, and should I be choosing a particular speed processor to match the card so there isn't a bottleneck? I was thinking AMD 64 route.
 
Last edited:
Jonny69 said:
Hi chaps, as is usually the case it's been a while since I got a graphics card and I'm completely bewildered with all the X1800's 1900's 7800's GTX etc :D I've no idea about the differences between crossfire or sli or if I'll need it.

If I rough out the rest of the specs could you please recommend me some cards.

PCI Express, single 19" flat panel, will be used for flight sims but generally day to day internet browsing and office work so it must be silent or at least very quiet.

So what can it be, one good card or two cheaper ones in sli/crossfire?

Budget: around £150 but I'd be interested to see either side of this figure.

Edit, and should I be choosing a particular speed processor to match the card so there isn't a bottleneck? I was thinking AMD 64 route.
Click to expand...

I can recommend the X1800XT - it's on 'This week only' too at the moment!

...although not excessivley quiet. I don't notice it though 'cause i use headphones.....
 
Definitely get one fast card over two slower ones.

The X1800XT is an awesome card for the price & whilst not really loud, if youre after quiet card then the HIS ATI Radeon X1900 GT ICEQ 3 SILENT Heatpipe 256MB may be the better card to go for.


As for CPU, it all comes down to price. But say anything A64 3500+ or quicker should match pretty well with any of the cards in your budget.
 
Cool, ordered the X1800XT on 'this week only'.

It's in a decent Antec case with a silent hdd and cooler so it should at least soak up some of the noise. You can change the coolers on these anyway can't you?
 
I wouldn't imagine that the cooler would have to be replaced, unless u doing some serious overclocking or need absolute silence. I'm just saying for the extra £20 there is the option to go for a superior graphics card. It is probably quiter than the x1800xt with stock cooling anyway.
 
wizardmaxx said:
I wouldn't imagine that the cooler would have to be replaced, unless u doing some serious overclocking or need absolute silence. I'm just saying for the extra £20 there is the option to go for a superior graphics card. It is probably quiter than the x1800xt with stock cooling anyway.
Click to expand...

Its exactly the same cooler m8. X1800XT=X1900XT.

X1900GT Different/redesigned cooler that generates less noise.
 
the stock cooler is fine (although i dont use it) and the overclocked x1800xt isnt as fast as a 1900...

just
 
I would have to say that the X1800 plus a good cooler is the best performance card available for this sort of money and OcUK have it at a cracking price. I am personally using one at the moment and I was amazed after owning an X1900XT-X just how good this card is even at 1920x1200. The Nvidia cards might be good but reliablity would be my main concern.
 
Too late for an X1900 anyway, I ordered the X1800XT this morning. Still cracking value though and I think my customer is going to be blown away with the system.
 
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