8600gt or 2600xt?

[-maddog-]

Which of these card would be better for a card that is under $60? I plan to use it for Oblivion, BF2, and Orange Box on a 3ghz p4; 2GB ram.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130085
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814241064

 

[blazed]

Both are very simmilar, but I think the 8600GT will perform a bit better for gaming, 2600 has the advantage for HD video.

 

[NettieZoom]

+1 for the 8600GT though in all honesty it is not a very good card even at that price.
I would save a lil bit more and get a 8800GS as it is about twice the performance of the 8600GT/HD2600 and does not cost all that much more.

You can pick up a 8800GT 512mb for $125 after $25 mail in rebate, which would ofcourse destroy the above hehe.

 

[blazed]

8800GT 512mb will be alot faster then both, more then double the performance. Where can you get one for $125 though? Cheapest I've seen is $150 after $25 MIR.

 

[Old Thrashbarg]

I would save a lil bit more and get a 8800GS

I wouldn't bother with that one. The 9600GT 512mb edges out the 384mb 8800GS for about the same price... and that 8800GT you mentioned would do a bit better still, again within the same price range. Unless of course you can find a smoking deal on an 8800GS... I suppose it's possible, since it's pretty close to EOL.

Also, it kinda depends what resolutions are gonna be used... you'd have to crank it up pretty high to see the full benefit of an 8800GT or 9600GT on a 3ghz P4.

Really, though, for $60 or less an 8600GT is a pretty good value, especially if you get an overclockable one. Or, if you don't mind dealing with rebates, you could split the difference and get an 8600GTS for $70.

 

[NettieZoom]

The 8800GS can be had for $95 or so, sure the 9600GT is as good or better but it also costs alot more.
The 9600GT is junk for its price as you can pick up a 8800GT for a few bucks more and the 9600GT is a serious underpeformer intended to fool the non enthusiasts into thinking it is a better card because of its name being 9600 which is higher then the 8800 series LOL.

He was thinking of getting a $60 card so I wanted to throw the 8800GS out there as it is not a bad card for its price range.

 

[Shell]

8600GTS>2600XT>8600GT

But for the love of god, you can get soo much better... the budget card to get is currently the 9600GT.

 

[-maddog-]

If going for a higher end card (8800gt), will my current processor be a bottleneck?

 

[blazed]

Yea it definetly would, anything over an 3850 or 8800 GS aka 9600 GSO is a waste of money, even that is kind of pushing it.

 

[moocow]

Either card will be fine for what you want to play. Now if you want the card to last you're going to have to drop a bit more cash and get something faster.

 

[NettieZoom]

Yea it definetly would, anything over an 3850 or 8800 GS aka 9600 GSO is a waste of money, even that is kind of pushing it.

It is not necessarily a waste of money.
First off you would have the card already for when you upgrade the CPU down the road.
Bottlenecking is rather complicated, if you play at higher resolutions with some eye candy alot more of the load is shifted to the GPU. It all depends on how you play.

I would suggest not going cheap on the video card as it always comes back to bite you later on when you bring home that shiny new game and it lags hehe.

 

[Old Thrashbarg]

He was thinking of getting a $60 card so I wanted to throw the 8800GS out there as it is not a bad card for its price range.

I just hadn't seen it for less than $120 or so. For $95, you're right, it might be an alright option.

As for bottlenecking... it really depends what resolution and quality settings you want to use. If you game at 1280x1024 without much eye candy, then yeah, the power of an 8800GT or even a HD3850 is gonna be kinda pointless. But start jacking it up to 1680x1050 or 1920X1200 at high quality with AA and such, and even on a 3ghz P4 a higher end card is gonna show its advantages.

Still though, I dunno if it's worth it to you, considering those higher-end cards are double your intended budget anyhow. I have an 8600GT and it works fine for casual gaming. It usually won't let me turn up the quality settings all the way in most games, but performance is satisfactory at 1280x960 (my normal desktop resolution) or 1152x864. Overall, I'm happy with it for the $65 I paid.

Another thing to consider, though: Anyone know when the 9500GT is gonna be out? It's basically a die-shrunk 8600GT/GTS and will prolly fall into the sub-$100 price point. Should be nice and overclockable, plus lower power draw than the 8600-series.

 

[-maddog-]

Will this psu handle the 8600gt?
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4700/sm/techov.htm#wp1053452

 

[gaminfool]

IMO a 400watt psu is a min for a gaming rig, yes you can go lower but a dec3nt 400watt psu is obtainable for under 30 bux
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023 ok under 35 bux

 

[ratbuddy]

The 9600GT is junk for its price as you can pick up a 8800GT for a few bucks more and the 9600GT is a serious underpeformer intended to fool the non enthusiasts into thinking it is a better card because of its name being 9600 which is higher then the 8800 series LOL.

Wait, what? No way. 9600GT is one of the best cards for the money. It's only a little behind the 8800GT and costs $30-$40 less..

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

what res you plan to play as i know TF2 wont do too well if anything high on an 8600GT.. at least it doesnt on my overclocked 7600GT.

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

Wait, what? No way. 9600GT is one of the best cards for the money. It's only a little behind the 8800GT and costs $30-$40 less..

ya was thinking that, the 9600GT often holds it own againts the 8800GT, but the price has come back up on it to like $180 - $200, when they were having sales before with the card around $150 it was the best thing going.

 

[ratbuddy]

ya was thinking that, the 9600GT often holds it own againts the 8800GT, but the price has come back up on it to like $180 - $200, when they were having sales before with the card around $150 it was the best thing going.

The 9600GT could be had for as low as $110 AR. I didn't know it was back up to $200..

edit: I just checked the egg, and you can get them starting at $120 after rebate. There's a real nice one for $125 that appears to have an Accelero already mounted..

 

[-maddog-]

I will be playing at 1280x1024 probably. So my current psu will not handle the card? The system has 2x1gb ram, 1 7200rpm hd, and a 3ghz p4.

 

[ratbuddy]

That PSU appears to have a max of 22 amps on the 12v rails. It'd be fine with a 9600GT, though you will be running it somewhere near the edge of it's abilities.. The PSU is rated at 264 watts on the 12v, and the 9600GT alone draws up to 95 watts before OCing..