9500 vs 9600 vs 9700 - Best Buy w/ Low Bucks..?

Well, my vid card is a old ATI Radeon AIW 7500 64mb so yes, I'm in real need of a upgrade
But I don't have much money to spend which leaves me with little options...
BTW, besides gaming I like to do lots of video editing and CAD too.
So the question is: which Radeon card is the best my little money could buy?
ATI/Saphire/GexCube ?
9500/9600/9700 ?
Pro/XT/SE ?
128/256 mb ?
128/256 bits ?
Omega/Catalyst ?
And which is more overclockeable?
And last but not least: "overclockeable" is really a word?!!
Thanks a lot!

overclockable is the word.

9500NP < 9700
9500NP ~= 9600
9500 Softmodded to a 9700 ~= 9700
9600 < 9700
9600 < 9500 Softmodded to a 9700

The 9600 is most likely going to overclock better, especially if you get a RV360 (9600XT core) in a non XT, since it is a cooler running CPU on a smaller process with less transistors. Of course it has only 4 pipes whereas the 9700 & a Softmodded 9500 (not all 9500s will softmod correctly) has 8.

Oh if you do lots of video editing I'd pounce on this in seconds:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-262R&type=Refurbished

TimoneX said:

Oh if you do lots of video editing I'd pounce on this in seconds:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-262R&type=Refurbished

Click to expand...

Well it's a nice card but I'm giving up on VIVO cards. It's not worth the extra bucks for the VIVO capability...
I mean, a few years back I had a VDR (Video Disc Recorder- Terapin like http://shop.store.yahoo.com/shoptronics/viddisrec.html ) that I sold after I bought this Radeon AIW and you know what?
To my shame I sold the best capture device I had in my hands!!
This Radeon is the 3rd VIVO card I have and no matter what card I have, no matter what rig I put it on and no matter what software I use, nothing compared to that VDR! Period!
It just recorded in near DVD quality, sharpness, depht, and all!

Yeah, I opened it back then and I tell you: it had nothing unusual it was all like outdated but still it had great recording!
Since I realized this I'm trying to buy another one (used this time-it's supposed to be cheaper ).
Then I'll try to put a DVD-R in the place of the stock CD-R or maybe even a HDD drive, who knows...

To each his/her own I guess.

I snatched up an old refurbed AIW 9000pro from newegg a year or so ago for $90ish and couldn't be happier with it's recording capabilities or the included remote wonder. I have it wired to my dolby digital receiver and speakers wired all over the house in seperate zones. So with the remote wonder's RF remote and winamp I have access to about 4000 MP3s anwhere in the house.

TimoneX said:

Oh if you do lots of video editing I'd pounce on this in seconds:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-262R&type=Refurbished

Click to expand...

Ya, but for 30$ more you could get this http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-150-080&depa=1

caincha, if you're really set on the 9700 though, don't buy retail. Buy it used and save , otherwise i'd get the 6600gt. It is much better than the 9700 and only a couple bucks more

C_MAC said:

Ya, but for 30$ more you could get this http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-150-080&depa=1

caincha, if you're really set on the 9700 though, don't buy retail. Buy it used and save , otherwise i'd get the 6600gt. It is much better than the 9700 and only a couple bucks more

Click to expand...

Yeah, I sure do intend on buying a used one so I can get a better deal!
As a matter of fact I´m almost trading my PS2 on a 9800 but I´m not sure about this...
Hope this deal goes ok...

dont trade a ps2!!
buy a used 9700pro or somthing those cards rock!
or a 9600xt they OC very well..