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Please could you help with graphics card selection (clueless newbie here)

KatanaDV20

KatanaDV20

KatanaDV20

Soldato
Joined
17 Apr 2006
Posts
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3rd rock...
Hello all :)

Nice forums you got goin' here. I was wondering if I could ask for some graphics card upgrade advice as I am totally and utterly lost when it comes to making a decision as there seem to be trillions of them out there.

I want it mostly to boost performance in MS Flight Simulator 2004 & GTA San Andreas as currently I have to run both of them with all the visual eye-candy turned down (wheres the fun in that) so they end up looking like old Nintendo games :(

My budget is £160.

I am very interested in the PowerColor ATI Radeon X850 XT 256MB GDDR3 TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express) which I have found in the Overclockers graphics card section (its the 6th card down if you want to have a look):
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/X800PCI_Series.html

Is this a good choice for me?

I have posted the data from a CPU-Z extract below. I have the PCI Express interface & 1GB of RAM (2 extra slots remaining) Im desperate to kick out this X300 and not have my games look like a slideshow anymore :(

CPU-Z Dump (sorry for the URLs, it said Im not allowed to post images)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c23.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c22.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c21.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c1.jpg

I would be grateful for any advice, thanks very much :)
 
On that budget I'd quite quickly recommend the GeForce 7600GT 256mb available on ocuk. It is about par with the X850XT in raw power but also has added features such as SM3.0 but FS2004 doesn't use that feature anyway. The card itself runs cooler and has a very low power consumption :)

If I've counted right, 9th one down. Leadtek Geforce 7600GT 256mb
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/7300___7600_Series.html

Mul
 
Hi!

Welcome to the forums :)

I'd also go for the 7600GT for that budget

As for posting pictures, just enclose the URL of your file between
tags, eg:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c1.jpg[ /IMG]

(without the space between "[" and "/IMG]").

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/ThrottleUp/c1.jpg
 
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Thank you all for your replies, Im checking out that card now, cool its a bit cheaper as well! I've had ATI cards in every computer I've owned so tend to focus on just that company. So thanks for pointing me to the 7600GT :) Will make a decision soon! I want the card to be FSX-capable (the game comes out in Xmas) so I'd long since decided not to skimp on a new one!

BTW could you please explain what "SM3.0" is
icon_redface.gif


ajgoodfellow - yes I did add the
approved by the moderators remove some...etc" So I did that and the post went ahead! Maybe the mods will only let me post images once I've been here awhile ;)
 
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Welcome to the forums. :)

You can post screenshots, the images the warning was on about are the smilies, you can only post a certain amount of them, screenshots are fine. :)

Id also suggest the 7600 GT for that budget also.
 
easyrider said:
Another vote for the 7600 GT, at this price ,there aint much to touch it :)
Click to expand...

Apart from the X1800GTO ;)
Which has similar performance most of the time, but 256mbit memory interface instead of the 128mbit on the 7600GT, so should make for better framerates with AA/AF on, (more eye candy) ;)
 
Vogon....hmmmmm....!!!

Now look what you went and did :cool: Im checking out the X1800s now....you mean if I suffer for a little more time and save another £40 odd I can snag a much much more capable card?

Well everyone...should I go for the 7600GT (which I can buy this second) or hang on for a bit and when Im a little richer go for that X1800 class of card?

Am I also right in saying that my computer will have a "limit" on the power of the graphics I will get (ie: there must be a graphics card specification where my computer just cant take advantage of its capabilities due to the processor, RAM etc) but Im guessing that the extreme hi-end card range..

Decisions....
 
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Not me ;)
Seriously, I think the X1800GTO may be better for the reason stated (and costs the same) but the 7600GT is a good card too, my point may just be theoretical, have a search for reviews comparing the two and see if that helps.

I dont think either will disapoint TBH

The card will have to be signed for, so it wont land on your mat with a bump (Just fly around in the back of a van doing 90 :D :p)

Edit .. the X1800GTO is the same price give or take a few quid, its the XT that is another £30 more ... but it depends on if you can stretch to it, IMO it would be a far more powerfull card for just another £30, but you have to stop somewere (if only I took my own advice :D)
 
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KatanaDV20 said:
Vogon....hmmmmm....!!!

Now look what you went and did :cool: Im checking out the X1800s now....you mean if I suffer for a little more time and save another £40 odd I can snag a much much more capable card?

Well everyone...should I go for the 7600GT (which I can buy this second) or hang on for a bit and when Im a little richer go for that X1800 class of card?

Am I also right in saying that my computer will have a "limit" on the power of the graphics I will get (ie: there must be a graphics card specification where my computer just cant take advantage of its capabilities due to the processor, RAM etc) but Im guessing that the extreme hi-end card range..

Decisions....
Click to expand...



recorded delivery, you collect it and sign for it, however, you can still throw it on the floor if you want the effect :D

edit: beaten, by an alien no less :( :D
 
Vogon said:
Apart from the X1800GTO ;)
Which has similar performance most of the time, but 256mbit memory interface instead of the 128mbit on the 7600GT, so should make for better framerates with AA/AF on, (more eye candy) ;)
Click to expand...


considering the overclockabilty of the 7600GT 128 bit or not the GT still pulls ahead,
 
You all rule :) I never anticipated such a response and Im glad I found this forum now hee hee. Thanks very much for all your advice, you have done your bit and now I gotta do mine. The cards are pretty evenly matched and I suppose now its down to noise-levels, tweakability and the game they bundle with the card.

Already I can see that the Nvidia card has a Lifetime Warranty....Im looking at them both on OcUK and reading the comparision (thanx sunlitsix!) Hey that Guru3D site is awesome...
 
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ihatelag Im checking it out now!

I have a 350W PSU, would it be able to support the power consumption of either of either of those cards?
 
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