Help me choose. . .

[Admiral Huddy]

I've decided I'm not upgrading to Vista until at least the Autumn but i do need to upgrade my graphics card..

I have three options..

1. Buy a second 7800GTX to run in SLi.. My mobo suports SLi but only 8x rather than the full 16x. the 32x came out much later.

2. But a new single Connect 3D X1950 XT and sell my 7800GTX

3. Go for a new 8800GTX knowing I won't be able to use it's full capabilities and there could be something different by the time I'm using Vista.

Which option?

 

[Defcon5]

Option 2, thats what id do anyway

 

[easyrider]

8800GTS for 195

 

[semi-pro waster]

8800GTS for 195

I'd pick this option and sell your 7800GTX for as much as you can so hopefully it won't cost that much as an upgrade.

 

[mishima]

I would go for option 4 (my option): Buy an X1950 Pro/XT second hand to last you til Autumn.

You should be able to find one (256MB) for £80-£110. That way you can put something towards what is the best around Autumn '07. I think it would be pretty pointless buying a brand new card for 7months of usage.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

I hadn't thought of the GTS option

Cheers

 

[J.D]

What resolution do you play at Huddy?. If it's 1600x1200 and higher then get the BFG 8800GTS 640mb. Yes it's dearer but that means you'll get a little more back on it than the 320mb version. If under 1600x1200 resolutions then stick with 320mb version. Remember to check out the warranties on the cards you view. There's 3 versions of the 8800GTS 640Mb version on OCUK. One has 1 year warranty, the next has 2 year warranty and the BFG one has the lifetime one and is only about £13 dearer than the 1 year warranty card. .

 

[Duff-Man]

8800GTS for 195

This seems the best option.

Also, remember that DX10 isn't supported by any games yet anyway. Also, when it is you won't be seeing massive changes in graphical quality, rather improvements in performance as DX10 allows different paths for shaders (and potentially allows longer shaders, but we don't realistically have the hardware performance to take advantage of that yet).

Anyway, what I'm saying is that you should probably buy for performance rather than for compatability with the new standard. That said, the GTS at £195 seems the price-performance sweetspot for the mid-high end market at the moment.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

8800GTS for 195

Definately.

Also as above, the GTS is not just a Dx10 card, its also got absolutely staggering Dx9 performance as well, the GTS and GTX can't be touched in Dx9.

Trouble with buying an x1950pro/XT now though is hes buying a doorstop, never going to be able to shift those in Autumn, you can't even shift them now thanks to the 320mb GTS coming out at sub £200, my mates gave up trying to get rid of his x1900 XTX, he had in MM and was dropping the price everyday, but he just cant shift it, zero interest as no one wants them now thanks to the 320mb GTS as said, you may as well forget about selling your pro's/XT's now, as they only worth about £60-£70 now if that, so i wouldn't bother, you can buy a new pro for just over a ton, and the XT is now down to £135 from about £186, so 2nd hand prices will be nothing now.

 

[J.D]

Definately.

Also as above, the GTS is not just a Dx10 card, its also got absolutely staggering Dx9 performance as well, the GTS and GTX can't be touched in Dx9.

Trouble with buying an x1950pro/XT now though is hes buying a doorstop, never going to be able to shift those in Autumn, you can't even shift them now thanks to the 320mb GTS coming out at sub £200, my mates gave up trying to get rid of his x1900 XTX, he had in MM and was dropping the price everyday, but he just cant shift it, zero interest as no one wants them now thanks to the 320mb GTS as said, you may as well forget about selling your pro's/XT's now, as they only worth about £60-£70 now if that, so i wouldn't bother, you can buy a new pro for just over a ton, and the XT is now down to £135 from about £186, so 2nd hand prices will be nothing now.

Your nearly right. 1900XT 512mb, boxed and everything included. Went for £130 . 2 days ago. .

8800 anything beats it and it is stupid in buying one of these at the moment but people are still paying nearly double what you predicted in the second hand sale. Your friend is just unlucky. I'll post what I got for my card when it's gone.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Ouch my mate will be a bit miffed then, he dropped the price of his XTX to £130, and he still couldn't shift it.

EDIT: Ouch just had a look, he went down to £125 and still had ziltch interest.

 

[J.D]

Ouch my mate will be a bit miffed then, he dropped the price of his XTX to £130, and he still couldn't shift it.

Ow . I really hope your friend gets shot of it soon. I sit in disgust at my old tech card now lol. Pre G80 I stroked it twice in the morning and twice at night . Wouldn't **** on it if it was on fire now hehehe. Just kidding, great card still but when 8800GTS is to be had it's like trading Jennifer Anniston for Angelina Jo Lee and no I don't want to be Brad Pitt except for having the bragging rights of nailing those two hotties.

Woah went a bit off topic there, sorry.

It went on that famous auction site, can't remember the name . (wink, nudge)

I'm putting my x1900 up tonight and I'll just have to do away on a 3700+ @ 2.9Ghz, twinx 2x512mb Corsair with LED and a 9800pro on MSI Neo2 Plat for a few weeks. I've already sold this PC to my mother so she can have 2 in her new house but I can use it till I get my 8800GTS 640mb or 8900.

You sure the 8900 is out in a few weeks?. The 9800 pro is about 1/4 of the power of the x1900 . Gaming will be a bit limited for a few weeks but I love Call of Duty online and the 9800 can pee all over it hehe(without aa/af )

 

[kingo15]

i have the connect 3d x1950xtx im happy with the card apart from the noisy car engine of a fan that keeps reving up when your playing 3d games.

i shall be getting a new one fan for it soon.

but apart from that im happy with and may even go crossfire when the house stops sucking all my money