Need Graphics Card Advice

[redpin]

Hi guys, i need some advice as it's going to be the first time i upgrade my PC (normally i just buy a new PC each time i want to upgrade)

I want to purchase a card for around about the £100-200 mark (inc Vat) the one i'm looking into purchasing atm is OcUK GeForce 8800 which costs £170

My Computer specs are:-

Processor:
AMD Athlon™ 64 3500+
Memory:
1024MB DDR400
Hard Drive:
160GB Serial ATA
Video Card:
512MB GeForce 7300GS PCI-X

Cheers

 

[Vertigo]

Go for it! That 8800GTS is by far your best bet at that budget. It'll work well with your existing kit and will only improve as and when you upgrade your mobo & processor in the future.

 

[redpin]

Cheers m8

 

[darkgen]

I'd say definately so,

I got my 8800 gts (640mb) today, and I have to say I am stunned how much of a performance boost I've got from it coming from a 7900 gt.

Really really happy, especially so considering I have a 4800+ running at stock and generally play at 1680x1050.

Oblivion with all eye candy maxed at a res of 1440 runs at 40/50fps (outside) compared to 14/30 I was getting from a 7900gt and S.T.A.L.K.E.R is now playable

Cheers, Paul.

 

[jongeeone]

the 8800 series is the best your money can buy at this moment in time

 

[redpin]

Awesome, i just had a look at this http://www23.tomshardware.com/charts16/740-722-275.png

I can see it's a massive improvement compared to what i'm currently using (which is at the bottom of the chart) :

 

[drunkenmaster]

yep, to be fair its a good card and no offence, but your current card is just terrible

but blindly saying to get an expensive card isn't very good advice. what monitor do you have, as resolution you'll be using is the first thing that is needed to decide what card you want. if you've got a 1280x1024 resolution tft screen then while a8800gts is faster, theres not a single game you can't play at 1280x1024 with a £100 x1950 pro which would just make the 8800gts an utter waste of money.

assuming you want to play current games aswell, you should be looking towards 2gigs of mem, another gig shouldn't be more than £40, and maybe for some games on their way in the next 6months/year you will definately want/need a dual core. you should be able to for under £100 get a dual core and another gig of mem, in 6 months running a brand new game, crysis, alan wake the 8800gts will not do anything as that game will definately want 2gigs and dual core to run well. 2gigs, a 3800/4200+ X2 and a x1950pro will most likely play alan wake and crysis a lot better than a 3500+/1gig mem and a 8800gts.

 

[Baker]

not necessarily....think of dx10....