Video Card

Is now a good time to buy a high end video card?

I am seeing some good deals on ATI 9800 Pro 128 cards on Ebay.

I think I read somewhere (THG?) that the next gen cards are coming in April.

Thanks.

If you don''t need a new one right now for any certain game then I would wait until the next cards release for an even better price. I am guessing you will be able to get a Radeon 9800 Pro for $150 to $200 in April or May if you watch the deals close enough.

That word ''need'' is a wonderful paradox isn''t it...

OK. I will try and hold-off, but if I see a good deal before then I will crack.

What card are you currently using and what games are you playing?

Currently playing UT2K4 & BF:V soon to be Farcry & WoW.
Always playing diablo 2, civ3 (obviously not an issue)

My system is:
AMD 2500+
ASUS N-force 2 board
512mb 3200 - not dual channel yet
ASUS Geforce FX 5200 128mb

I can play all the games ''OK'' but I am always seeking better performance. Since hanging out here you guys have really put the bug in my to start playing online more, and I have a real weakness for ''keeping up with the Jones'' when it comes to PC stuff.

Oy lordy... with all the evil, negative, hateful invictives hurled at the FX 5200, I would say grab you a 9800 Pro today and go nuts. Seriously, that FX 5200 is the most maligned peice of video card hooey I''ve seen.

Hmm, possibly you could upgrade now then. How good are the deals on ebay for the 9800 Pro?

The 5200
card sux no doubt.

A quick search reveals 9800 pros have sold for between 200 and 250 USD lately.

Well, just recently they were going for $200 at I believe CompUSA. Maybe you could get in on one of those deals or just watch Ebay the next week until you snag one for $200.

If you want to get a nVidia card with great performance that''s cheaper than the 9800 Pro , the 5900 XT gets rave reviews (lowest price was $179 at NewEgg).

I''ve got the 9600SE, which gives me what I need-great framerates with most games (look, nothing runs halo well, okay?), DX9, smooth performance. With Omega''s drivers, the thing fairly rocks!

So put away the comparison tests, and figure out what you really need, then go buy that.

Edited: My leet spellink.

Yeah, I''m still using a Ti4600.. I''m really hoping to hold out for a next-gen card, since I''ve been using this one for 2 years.

I know I could investigate this myself, but anyone want to give a quick answer? What''s the difference between the 9800 Pro and the 9800XT? I could of sworn I saw them both for 200 bucks (same price) at Bestbuy.

9800 Pro XT is the 9800 Pro 256mb card clocked faster for both core and memory.

Thats it..

And about two hundred dollars.

Doesn''t the XT also include the OverDrive software to automatically (if very conservatively) overclock your video card?

I thought the XT was supposed to be better (and more expensive), but this is what confused me. A 128mb XT version? I guess it''s probably just the 9800 Pro.

"Propagandalf" wrote:

I thought the XT was supposed to be better (and more expensive), but this is what confused me. A 128mb XT version? I guess it''s probably just the 9800 Pro.

Talk about muddying the waters, just wait until the 64MB 9800 XT Pro comes out.

"Propagandalf" wrote:

I thought the XT was supposed to be better (and more expensive), but this is what confused me. A 128mb XT version? I guess it''s probably just the 9800 Pro.

No thats the 9600XT which is akin to what the 9800 XT is to the 9800 Pro.. a faster version of the 9600 Pro

"KillerTomato" wrote:

Doesn''t the XT also include the OverDrive software to automatically (if very conservatively) overclock your video card?

Yes... but this is basically a software feature that utilizes the built in temperature sensor on the XT cards..

Its nothing special really since any ATI card can easily be overclocked with any amount of free tools..

If you have a 9800 Pro 256mb videocard overclock to 9800XT levels you essentially have a 9800XT (minus the temp. sensor)

Oh damn, my bad. I need to read more closely. It''s a 9600.

Good info though, thanks.

I''ve got my heart set on the 9800 Pro. Now I just need to find the right price. Thanks for the help fellas!

If you need a card now get the best you can afford.

You can always wait for something new to come out for the prices to drop. This is constantly happening and I believe it is a law that as soon as you buy something the price has to drop any way.

If though you are going to buy the top end video card I would say wait at this time as they are suppose to be releasing the next generation soon.

If you do not need a card now I would wait till the next gen comes out then you can get 9700 or even 9800 cheaper.

I just upgraded to a 9600 from my geforce4 Ti 4400. I really was hurting and I found the 9600 Pro (half to make sure you get the one with the higher memory speed though) to be good performance for the price.

--edit--

opps you posted while I did so ignore most what I said since you are set on getting 9800

I''ve got my heart set on the 9800 Pro. Now I just need to find the right price. Thanks for the help fellas!

Keep us updated on how you like the card.

I had an FX5200 that came with a pre-built computer I bought a while back. After doing a few benchmarks I tossed it and put in my old TI4400. The FX5200 really didn''t socre much better on 3DMark than the GF2 GTS in my roomates computer. That thing is garbage, go buy a TI4600 and get over twice the performance.

I have been living with the 5200 for so long it has tainted my soul and I don''t even know what performance is anymore. That''s why i need the new card now, redemption is at hand! ...at least that''s what I tell myself...

Oh you kids...
I''m running a 9000 pro now, and I''m starting to suffer. Trying to hold out for a month or two once the new ones come out, I really have a hard time paying 200 bucks for a video card.

"baggachipz" wrote:

Oh you kids...
I''m running a 9000 pro now, and I''m starting to suffer.

Damn, are you serious? That''s what I''m about to buy.

I really have a hard time paying 200 bucks for a video card.

For gamers, skimping on the video card is the worst possible place. You would be better off with a hamburger quality processer and a Filet Mignon video card, than the reverse. Your load times will be longer, but your framerates will be better.

"Gorack" wrote:

For gamers, skimping on the video card is the worst possible place. You would be better off with a hamburger quality processer and a Filet Mignon video card, than the reverse. Your load times will be longer, but your framerates will be better.

I have an Athlon XP 1500+ and only 512 MB of DDR266, so it''s not like I''ve committed the gamer sin of fast processor and slow vid card. I fully understand that the processor is rarely the bottleneck for anything for the average user/gamer. I still have a hard time paying 200 bucks for a video card, but am even stingier when it comes to RAM and processor

Your better off spending $150-160 for a 9600XT or a 5900XT

9000/9200 brand new are a waste of money...unless its in your laptop of course