Need help choosing a video card....

[HeatM1ser2k4]

My video card has died, and is still covered under warranty. I was told today that they would probably give me a new card that was at least as fast, if not faster than my current card( XFX 7900GT Xtreme 520 mhz core/1500 mem). I was told that I would probably get either a 7950GT or an 8600GT.I'll list the likely cards they will offer below, and I would need input as to which to choose. I already have a 640MB 8800GTS, so this card will likely be either sold or traded. Which of these would you choose if you were going to sell it?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150229

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150220



Thanks for the feedback!

 

[J-Sap]

8600GT gets my vote.

DX10 is a no brainer in my opinion especially if your gonna sell it.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

Can I get some other opinions? I heard bad things about the 8600 cards---but that might be in comparison to the 8800 series....what would everyone else pick in the comparison between the two cards I origionally listed, and which woyuld perform better?

 

[Thund3rball]

If you just want to sell the replacement card, you'll probably get more for the 8600GT than a 7950GT. Keep the 8800GTS!

 

[SeasonalEclipse]

I think the 7950 MIGHT perform better today, however! In DX10 games the 8600 will kill it.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

ok...I think I have what I need. Thanks

 

[Vipasnipa]

You should ask yourself if you intend to run Vista before you set your sights on an 8600. A 7950GT will easily slaughter the 128 bit bus crippled 8600 in DX9 games.

Also, see this thread: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=509297

 

[Thund3rball]

ok...I think I have what I need. Thanks

So what did you decide?

 

[rainless]

You should ask yourself if you intend to run Vista before you set your sights on an 8600. A 7950GT will easily slaughter the 128 bit bus crippled 8600 in DX9 games.

Also, see this thread: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=509297

You should never entice somebody to get older tech. Even if he doesn't have Vista today he might have it next week, next month, or next year. And what the hell is he going to do when those DX10 games start rolling out? And how well does the 7950GT perform in DX10?

EDIT: Okay... those are abysmally bad scores. Still... nobody knows how that card scores in DX10

From Tomshardware:

With the extra tweaks to the core functionality, die shrink, and higher clock speeds we just assumed performance of that of previous GT versions (6 and 7 series). I will not pass final judgments any of these cards until we conduct all of the tests.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/04/17/geforce_8600/page9.html

I too feel something is up... perhaps a driver issue. Something about these benches and the card's specs don't add up.

 

[Vipasnipa]

You should never entice somebody to get older tech. Even if he doesn't have Vista today he might have it next week, next month, or next year. And what the hell is he going to do when those DX10 games start rolling out? And how well does the 7950GT perform in DX10?

EDIT: Okay... those are abysmally bad scores. Still... nobody knows how that card scores in DX10

From Tomshardware:



http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/04/17/geforce_8600/page9.html

I too feel something is up... perhaps a driver issue. Something about these benches and the card's specs don't add up.

I have to call you out on the first statement. There's something much more significant in this DirectX transition than in previous ones, namely Vista. You MUST run Vista in order to play games in DX10 modes. Most of us educated users are very much not looking forward to the switch. Also, I guarantee you that any major DX10 PC game that comes out in the next year will also have a well developed DX9 rendering path; no publisher is going to allow their developers to lock out such a large established base of Windows XP users by requiring Vista to run their games.

I will be avoiding the Vista switch as long as possible, and I intend to play games like Bioshock and Crysis in DX9, even if by then I have a Nvidia G8X or an ATI R6XX card.

So regarding the thread. If he doesn't want to install Vista, then there isn't much sense in him getting a DX10 card since he wouldn't see any benefits from it, esp since the "old tech" performs better in DX9.

 

[Thund3rball]

I'm confused here... he says he already has an 8800GTS.

I already have a 640MB 8800GTS, so this card will likely be either sold or traded.

WHY would you want to trade/sell the 8800GTS and keep an 8600GT? I can understand if you want the 7950GT for optimum DX9 perfromance & stability now, but why sell the 8800GTS

 

[Vipasnipa]

lol, now I'm confused. If this is the case, ignore everything I've said.

 

[J-Sap]

I believe the whole point was his old 7900GT died and is getting a different card as a replacement that he would sell since he no longer needs it.

He just wanted to know if he should get an 8600GT or a 7950GT as the replacement.

 

[Thund3rball]

OOhhhh, yes... it's just the way it is written sounded like he is selling the 8800 and keeping the replacement (7950 or 8600). But yes you are probably right. He is keeping the 8800 and hocking the replacement. Got it