Sparkle Cards

[Val155]

Hi guys,

I'm looking at buying a Sparkle Geforce 8500GT Video Card (link is below). I had two questions for you pros, is Sparkle a decent brand and is this card PCI or PCI Express... I can't tell. I'm looking for a cheap card that will allow me to use Directx10 and the new pixel shader settings. I'm trying to hold off from buying a new PC since mine is 5yrs old and I need it to hold out for at least another 6mo to a year.

Any advice or knowledge you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3422142&CatId=319

[JonSimonzi]

That is PCI card, I have never heard of the brand Sparkle, and I wouldn't recommend spending $100 on that card.

For under $100, I'd personally get this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127372) here. Much better than that 8500GT. Most of the people here would tell you to save a bit more money and get something better though.

[mars-bar-man]

The 9500 may be better but its still best left on the shelf, have you thought of an old(ish) 3850?

[Val155]

I don't have a PCI Express slot on my MB...only PCI and AGP. Does the 3850 support DX10 and the new pixel shader settings that new games are requiring?

[Albyno]

i have seen sparkle before...but not since Ti4600 days

that being the case i would not go with them

[mars-bar-man]

they do a AGP version of the 3850, and yes it does support all the DX10 lovelyness, it will be a struggle but DEFINEATLY better than a 9500...

[BossBorot]

the 3850 supports dx10.1, which no current nvidia card can claim, and should be a big performance boost from whatever you have in there currently. Also the 3850 is more powerful then the 8500gt and thus would prob have more resell value as well as cost more.

[BossBorot]

Also as for sparkle they are one of the top dogs in europe and make great cards with retolled coolers and pcbs similar to gainward/palit. However due to the higher quality you usually pay more for them compaired to reference cards.

[Badbonji]

The HD3850 is the best possible AGP card that you can get.

[Satsumomo]

This is a sort of Necro, but today I saw these cards on Newegg, and was checking if anyone had commented on them.

I'd say they're pretty darn sexy!

Pics:

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/4789/sparklehq7.th.jpg (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sparklehq7.jpg)

All looks no go? I don't know :P The display might be handy.

[jason4207]

Nice coolers! I'd like to see a review. That one w/ the purple fans has 4 huge heatpipes!

The LCD readout is cool as well.