Best Cheap GPU

[LilBuddy]

I currently have a Radeon X300 and it plays S.T.A.L.K.E.R. like crap. I don't play many games but I'd like to play some every now and then. I don't really want to spend very much on a card either since I just got done building my system. What card would play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (and other new games) if I wanted to at ok settings?

I was thinking about this 8500GT because it is only $30 AR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143104

[freakdiablo]

I wouldnt trust anything below the 8600 series to give you anything decent. My laptop and its 8600M GS (even though the mobile series is a little lower spec then its desktop equivelent, the 8600m GS shouls be around an 8500) has trouble running STALKER at lower settings. Theres this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150258) for $75, and it may give you slightly better performance. But if you are willing to wait a little you can get a 9600 which gives an ATI 3850/70 a run for the money for supposedly less.

[White_Pawn]

+1 to wait for the 9600GT.

However... otherwise... x1950pro, hd3650, hd3850, 8600gt, 7900gs etc.

[Shiggity]

I would save up for the 9600GT, you'll be disapointed that you spent even 50 dollars on a card that is pretty much obsolete already.

The 9600GT will also hold it's value really well for a decent amount of time, re-selling this card will be very easy if you want to do so in the future (like a year down the road when you want to upgrade again etc).

It would be a shame to put such a poor GPU into such a nice system you just built.

[LilBuddy]

More of a shame than the X300? I'm thinking I have the WORST PCIx graphics card they make.

[Shiggity]

This one is sold out, but it's amazing

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102725

[LilBuddy]

This one is sold out, but it's amazing

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102725

Define amazing. What kind of scores will it get and how will S.T.A.L.K.E.R. run on it? I'm also interested in the new Unreal Tournament.

[NettieZoom]

This is too funny....As I was reading this my son is sitting across the room playing Stalker on my old Dell 1.7m laptop with a 9600pro video card, he is complaining that he is not getting over 15fps or some such thing hehe.

If you will be playing Crysis and the other new top notch games coming out soon then I would indeed wait for the 9600GT or get a 8800GT etc but if you just want the ability to play the average game fine then a 7900GT/GS, 8600GTS or 1950pro would do just fine and save a whole lot of cash.

[Shiggity]

Define amazing. What kind of scores will it get and how will S.T.A.L.K.E.R. run on it? I'm also interested in the new Unreal Tournament.

Best value @ around 100$ atm.

[LilBuddy]

I guess I'll wait for the 9600GT to come out and see how much they go for. If it is around $150 I might just splurge and get it. The last graphics card I bought was a 9800pro back in August of 2004. Someone gave me this X300 from a Dell just because I needed a PCIx

[LilBuddy]

How big of a diff would there be on the 3650 with DDR2 instead of DDR3?

[EchoTheDolphin]

More of a shame than the X300? I'm thinking I have the WORST PCIx graphics card they make.

There's a difference between PCIx and PCI-E be sure to note that because they're not at all the same.

[TheGreySpectre]

9600s are going for around 180-200 right now, wait a couple days and I would guess a couple will shop up more in the $150-$160 range


http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=9600GT&x=0&y=0