spb251272 said:
An 8800GTS 320 would be good for that resolution, and would allow max settings in your games, although that ATI card on the post above sure is cheap!!
honestly thats the kinda thing that persaudes people to part with more cash than they need to. sure a 8800gts 320 would be faster than 1950pro/xt at 1280x1024, but i don't think i could name a single game, maybe oblivion, which would run at better quality settings on the 8800gts and suddenly be playable. *** 1900/1950 series in general all offer more than enough juice to run ANY game at maximum quality at more than playable fps. the only place last gen suffers is a few games at 1600x1200 but mostly at 1920x1200. for instance, due to the insane amount of dynamic lighting used(which is HDR) in stalker a not great looking engine takes an insane amount of power to run with HDR in full, i get 200fps without 60-80for with it on with a 8800gtx. but a 1900xt allows you to run stalker, one of the most demanding games with HDR enabled, in full quality at 1600x1200, and pretty decent framerate at 1920x1200.
the 320gts i keep telling everyone is a very very silly card. it has the core power to run any current game at way over acceptable framerates at 1920x1200, but the memory means its SLOWER than a 256mb x1900xt at that resolution. so why buy it, either stump up fairly little extra for the 640mb version or save your money.
you will have a load more FPS with a 8800gts over a x1900pro/xt at 1280x1024, but your gaming experience will not change at all. 60-90fps doesn't matter.
also worth noting that a x1950pro is £100 now and won't lose value quickly at all, where as a 8800series card will depreciate much faster. if you bought a x1950 now, you could probo sell it on in 6 months for a £30 loss, at that point the 8900 series will be out, or whatever they call it, the R600 and the 8800gts will all go down in value hugely. I would say that 1950pro would make an excellent value stop gap card until all the new cards are out(even if just 2 months for all the R600's) and for all the new prices to spread out.