upgrade to X800GTO AGP, or X800GTO2

Hi guys, I haven't been keeping up with the latest hardware for some time now, I'm considering upgrading my video card to run NFS: Most Wanted at better graphics. Right now I'm using my A64 rig on my sig. to game, I'm not looking for much, I just want 1280x1024 with 4x AA and most of the graphics near high, and some room for games in the next 2.5 years to be playable at 1280x1024 with 2xAA and medium details for the future. I have about $670CAD, which is about $590USD.
If I can avoid it, I don't want to spend more than I need to achieve this. I'm going to upgrade to at least 1G of ram (OCZ premier series) at least, if not 2G depending on which option I go. I found someone to take my 512MB of ram, so I only have to spend about $70 CAD on the ram upgrade.
Since I'm limited to agp, I can either go X800GTO or 6800GS, but the 6800GS AGP seems to be a little weaker than its PCI-Ex brother so I'm thinking X800GTO might be a little faster. Either of them would cost me $250CAD including tax and everything.
I can also get a A8N-E so I get PCI-Ex and now I can pick up a X800GTO2 and try to unlock that to X850XT speeds. I get more flexibility for later, but I don't know if it's worth an extra $140CAD to get the new motherboard.
I can also probably get my friend which works at ATI to get a X1800XL for about $350CAD, but I also don't want to trouble my friend if the benefits aren't that big.
So there's a lot of choices, just wondering what people think?
Keep in mind that 7800GT AGP is also coming out around $400CAD next week or so.

Lastly, keep in mind that my 350Antec smartpower will probably have to go if I get the X1800XL. I have very little peripherals so I don't think the X800GTOs will require more power. I got 21A on the 12V rail.

i would recommend....

Socket 939 PCI-Express Board - EPoX EP-9NPA3ULTRA $85
Power Supply - Fortron Bluestorm 500 $70-$80
Video Card - X1800XL or XT or X1900XL or XT $400+

that way you should be set for quite a while i mean that gives you the ability for future upgrades, sell off your old Board, psu and video card and makes up for some cash your upgrading with. agp is all but dead

Fr3@k3r said:

i would recommend....

Socket 939 PCI-Express Board - EPoX EP-9NPA3ULTRA $85
Power Supply - Fortron Bluestorm 500 $70-$80
Video Card - X1800XL or XT or X1900XL or XT $400+

that way you should be set for quite a while i mean that gives you the ability for future upgrades, sell off your old Board, psu and video card and makes up for some cash your upgrading with. agp is all but dead

Click to expand...

I doubt I can get much money for the PSU and Mobo, the old VC, i can give to my bro. So it'll be in good hands.

i know you wouldnt, it was just a recommendation to shave some of the cost off

If you must stay with AGP then consider the 6800GS. One of the most powerful AGP cards for the money. You can't get the X800GTO² in AGP.

Oh i know you can't, as I've state above, if I get the new mobo A8N-E, then I can get the X800GTO2.

Ok my friend can get a Radeon® X1800 XL 256MB PCI Express for $249 CAD cause he works there. If I choose to spend $140 to upgrade to the new Mobo.

or he can get me a AIW X800XT AGP for $249CAD. I'm thinking the X1800XL is probably worth the extra $140.

From what I can see is, X800XT and X1800XL are pretty much on par in terms of frames, but X1800XL's got the HDR and SM3.0 and I'd be getter an extra PCI-e mobo if I go that route. What do you guys thinks?

Your cheapest upgrade for better game performance is the 6800GS. Nice overclocking AGP card.

If going PCI-e, the GTO2.

Ok my friend can get a Radeon® X1800 XL 256MB PCI Express for $249 CAD cause he works there.

Click to expand...

Are you sure it's not the 800 XL? $249 for the 1800 XL series is a dam good price. Definate that route if for the 1800 XL if you have the money to upgrade the mobo, cpu, etc.

800 XT is NOT par with the 1800 XL. ATI Radeon X1800 XL is at lease 10% faster than ATI Radeon X850 XT P.E, about 20% faster than the X800XT.

It's definitely X1800XL for 249. From all the game benches I saw (from Toms), max spread between the two were 10fps. Granted that's more than 10% cause on those benchies, both of them scored around 30+/-10fps.

I asked my friend to get me the AIW X800XT instead, cause there's no end in how much more you can get for an extra $100. I can get an extra gig of ram on top of the 1G I ordered, i can get a new PSU, i can get a SATAII drive, or a raptor, I can pick up two to put them in raid, I can buy a dual core... So I decided that's it... I'll pick up a dual core at the end of the year and then this will give me all the housepower for 2.5 years, then I'll do a full upgrade. Thanks a lot guys.

The X1800 XL with the new ATI driver is about equivalent to the 7800GTX. Here is a review before the new driver is available. The new driver boose performance on 3Dmark05 by about 5%. Making it equilvalent to the 7800GTX.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/229/7

X1800XL for $249 CAD? DEFINETLY!!!