Best Video Card Under $200...

[stangjason]

preferably from NewEgg but I'll consider other places. Right now I'm considering the 3870 vs the 8800 GTS that are under $200 from NewEgg. Oh yeah I don't mind overclocking and flashing the bios if it gives the card an added advantage exceeding its price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%204017&bop=And&Page=2

thanks,
jason

[technoViking]

probably a 9600gt

[Evilsizer]

9600GT = 3870 in performacne.
unless your a die hard ati fan, i cant see going with the 3870 now..

[Firestrider]

If you can get a 8800gts 512mb for < $200 than get that.

[ps2cho]

You may also want to consider the 8800GS as its VERY cheap ($110 AR!) and is a great budget card. Its not far off the 9600GT if you read the reviews.

[freakdiablo]

Yeah, the 9600GT or maybe one of the 8800GT's. The 8800GTSs on there are the older GPUs, and you'd actually get better performance from the GTs

[Brolloks]

I would take the 8800GT over the 9600GT any day for < $200, no doubt

[DarkhovaOC]

If you go to this website using a computer with Vista Ultimate u can choose a 8800gts 512 w/crysis for 250,8800GT w/crysis 199 or just a 8800gt 189...I ordered mine and got the 8800gt with crysis for 208 shipped.. and u order straight from evga so its safe.....its a offer that microsoft and evga are giving to vista ultimate users but u can just use a friends comp or something to order it if u dont have vista ultimate.. http://www.ultimatepc.com/#extras/products/exc_evga

Go to the website using Internet explorer cause it has to validate ur windows to make sure u have vista ultimate before u can checkout....

[chrome-187]

i'd take a 3870 over a 9600gt anyday...i say 3870

[nasvemos671]

dang an 8800 gt for under 200 dollars I would go for that in a heart beat. I bought both of mine for I wanna say 280 a few months ago. Oh well such is the nature of the beast

[Mathis]

Wow I really like the website there for the evga+crysis offer. If i was still in that position I would definitely consider that. I'm assuming the GTS there is not the updated core.

3870 is good too, but I pushed my single visiontek to its absolute functional limits and I don't think my performance matched what people are describing for the 9600gt or even 8800gt for that matter with the same exact memory-mb-cpu combo I have.

[technoViking]

I didnt realize the 8800gt's drop in price that much!

for sure, if you could buy a card, get an 8800gt if the price is right, I'm so so happy with mine and it overclocks like a beast.

[Shell]

Here's 3 options:

8800GT - $225($190 AMR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500007

ATi 3870 - $190($170 AMR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127315

9600GT - $175($135 AMR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133216

In terms of performance it's 8800GT > 3870 > 9600GT.

The 3870 is a bit faster then the 9600(2%) and is great at HTPC.
And the 8800GT is a few % faster then the 3870, the one I linked has SPDIF in so HDMI actually works with sound.

[Albuquerque]

As an owner of two 3870's, I say the absolute best bang for your buck right now is the 9600GT.

I'm not sure what reviews Shell was reading, but the 9600 is at least equal to the 3870, and in many cases is considerably faster. Oh, and it's cheaper too. Want to read just about every review available on the 9600? Go read this thread on Beyond3D (http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=46933) as the very first post has pretty much every linked article pertaining to reviews of the 9600.

The performance slide really goes something like this; 8800GT > 9600GT > 3870.

[Pandam00nium]

NCIX has a XFX8800GT for $163 AR..

http://www.ncixus.com/products/26780/PVT88PYDF4/XFX/

Save about $30, and OC it yourself. :P

[Shell]

As an owner of two 3870's, I say the absolute best bang for your buck right now is the 9600GT.
I'm not sure what reviews Shell was reading, but the 9600 is at least equal to the 3870, and in many cases is considerably faster. Oh, and it's cheaper too. Want to read just about every review available on the 9600? Go read this thread on Beyond3D (http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=46933) as the very first post has pretty much every linked article pertaining to reviews of the 9600.
The performance slide really goes something like this; 8800GT > 9600GT > 3870. There were two computers at the shop that were completely identical* running a 9600GT and a 3870, the 3870 was a hair faster against the 660MHz 9600 GT in 3DM06 and Crysis at 1280x1024 with 4xAA 16xAS. Crysis was going 36 vs 38, 3DMARK06 was ~11.8 vs ~12

*C2D e6600
2 x 1 GB MUSHKIN DDR2-800 4-4-4-10
GIGABYTE DS3 P35
SEAGATE 7200.11 500GB
XP Pro(32-bit, same SP2 image)
Different case and PSU

My friend has the same thing with an 8800GTS 320MB, he's had it for a while.

[chrome-187]

NCIX has a XFX8800GT for $163 AR..

http://www.ncixus.com/products/26780/PVT88PYDF4/XFX/

Save about $30, and OC it yourself. :P

actually $173 AR and shipping...but that is still a good deal for a 8800... i wonder how long it takes for xfx to send back your rebate...msi takes about 6-8 months...if they anything like that look else where

[mkoersvelt]

Great thread guys.
I'm looking for a ATI card as well.
When you talk of the 9600GT is that PCI-express?? Or, AGP??
I'm thinking PCI is the way to fly??

Cheers.

[Pandam00nium]

Great thread guys.
I'm looking for a ATI card as well.
When you talk of the 9600GT is that PCI-express?? Or, AGP??
I'm thinking PCI is the way to fly??

Cheers.

Yup its a PCI-E, and actually its an nvidia card. They just stole the model number from ATI. ;)

[gigabit]

AGP is dead..lol You could find a decent agp 775 / 939 / am2 board if you tried

[mkoersvelt]

AGP is dead..lol You could find a decent agp 775 / 939 / am2 board if you tried

My new rig only has a PCI-express slot.
Not looking for anything AGP. AGP is sure sheap now.

Not sure what to buy yet. My ACER Mobo has an ATI Video chipset on it so
I guess I'll stay with ATI.
1650 Pro? 3870?? Not sure yet???

[stangjason]

What card would play Crysis at max settings at 1680x1050? I'm seeing someone say that Crysis doesn't play max'd out on their Zotac 8800GT and I figure that's one I'd like to play at full res and no lag.

[Brolloks]

What card would play Crysis at max settings at 1680x1050? I'm seeing someone say that Crysis doesn't play max'd out on their Zotac 8800GT and I figure that's one I'd like to play at full res and no lag.

The 8800GTS 512 gives you around 40 FPS at max OC playing at 1680x1050 all high settings, the GT will give around 33 FPS same settings

If you want better FPS then get GTS SLI or the 3870X2 or 9800 GX2

[stangjason]

The 8800GTS 512 gives you around 40 FPS at max OC playing at 1680x1050 all high settings, the GT will give around 33 FPS same settings

If you want better FPS then get GTS SLI or the 3870X2 or 9800 GX2

I take it the 8800GTS 512mb is the newer one and better than the old 8800GTS 640mb. Correct?

[Hazaro]

Yup

[MadMan007]

I would take the 8800GT over the 9600GT any day for < $200, no doubt

To be honest they're pretty darn close in many reviews. You always have to take a close look at settings such as the overall system, OS, and AA/AF settings to make sure though. In quite a few reviews the 9600GT is within spitting distance of the 8800GT. At this point I'd consider the 8800GT not the best option, if I was buying right now I'd get a 9600GT for <$150 or an 8800GTS, the 8800GT doesn't offer enough over the 9600GT imo.

[Douken]

There is a 8800GT priced at $180 in the egg but is only 256MB

PS: :welcome: to the forums

[Pandam00nium]

To be honest they're pretty darn close in many reviews. You always have to take a close look at settings such as the overall system, OS, and AA/AF settings to make sure though. In quite a few reviews the 9600GT is within spitting distance of the 8800GT. At this point I'd consider the 8800GT not the best option, if I was buying right now I'd get a 9600GT for <$150 or an 8800GTS, the 8800GT doesn't offer enough over the 9600GT imo.

The reviews I looked at had about a 10% overall performance difference between the two. Its not a huge difference so I think its really based on the resolution you'll be playing on. Go 9600GT for lower res, 8800GT for higher res. You can get a XFX 9600GT from newegg for about $135 using the code from SD+AR, or a 8800GT for around $175 AR. I think thats around 25% price difference or so...

Hopefully that other thread about ATI dropping prices is true cause the 3870 at $160 would be a good price as well.

[chrome-187]

heres a link where the 3870 beats out the 9600 easily.. http://en.expreview.com/2008/02/23/geforce-9600gt-review/?page=11
and another http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/02/21/nvidia_geforce_9600_gt/page13.html http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/02/21/nvidia_geforce_9600_gt/page12.html
and another http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/foxconn_9600gt/9.htm

[stangjason]

There is a 8800GT priced at $180 in the egg but is only 256MB

PS: :welcome: to the forums

Thanks...now I've searched so much I'm kind of thinking about going over my budget, as always, and going with either an 8800GTS 512mb or the 8800GTS 640mb. Right now I'm just a bit confused as to which one is better after a good overclocking.

[Pandam00nium]

Thanks...now I've searched so much I'm kind of thinking about going over my budget, as always, and going with either an 8800GTS 512mb or the 8800GTS 640mb. Right now I'm just a bit confused as to which one is better after a good overclocking.

I'm pretty sure that the 8800 g92 (512MB) outperforms the older 8800 g80 (320/640) cards. So I think its probably better to buy the 512.

Btw chrome your links are screwy. :P

[chrome-187]

I'm pretty sure that the 8800 g92 (512MB) outperforms the older 8800 g80 (320/640) cards. So I think its probably better to buy the 512.

Btw chrome your links are screwy. :P

there now they work....sorry :)

[Sndm3mny]

I would take the 8800GT over the 9600GT any day for < $200, no doubt

yeah i was going to say that because the 9600's kinda suk.... they get like 6k - 7k on 3dmark06