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Best Video Cards Under $500

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by ggamer, Aug 5, 2004.

  1. ggamer

    ggamer Guest

    What are the best video cards under $500 and why.

    If Possible list the top 5.

    Thanks


     
  2. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    There are two if you've got $500 to blow,

    nVidia FX6800 Ultra

    ATI X800 XT Platinum

    Both of these double the performance of the last generation cards.


    Best of the last generation,

    nVidia FX5950 Ultra

    ATI Radeon 9800XT
     
  3. ggamer

    ggamer Guest

    Actually, I only have 350 to blow but i know a place called newegg and they are really cheap so i guessed i could get cards from there pretty cheap :p.
     
  4. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    Gotcha!

    In that case I'd recommend the nVidia 6800 (non GT, non Ultra) which starts out at just under $300 and is a great performer. Here's a link ( I love newegg too!):

    *link doesn't work* Just go to neweeg and look for the "6800" chipset under graphics cards.


    I noticed the XFX and Gainward cards both have higher core clocks than the other two :)
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    Last edited: Aug 5, 2004
  5. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Or you can get a 98/59 and put the rest of the cash elsewhere in the system :)
     
  6. ggamer

    ggamer Guest

    praetor

    when u say 98/59 do you mean core 98 mhz and memory 59 mhz? cause that would suck i oced my vid card to : 290 core and 580 memory and there are no graphical tearings or anything :p so i would stick with that

    also what did u use to oc your processor and ram

    and last but not least

    here are my system specs any ideas what i would spend the other money on ?

    3.06 ghz HT P4
    1024 DDR RAM
    32x CD Burner/ DVD Reader Combo
    Floppy Drive
    200 gigs of memory - i have barely used 40...
    17" viewable flat panel
    nvidia gf4 ti 4200 128 DDR RAM oced to specs of 10 mhz lower then core of ti4600 *I think*

    bla bla bla

    thanks
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 6, 2004
  7. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    He's referring to the Radeon 9800 series or the nVidia 59xx series.

    You system specs are very similar to mine and if I had the cash right now I believe I'd be ordering a 6800GT :)
     
  8. ggamer

    ggamer Guest

    So, you lean towards Nvidia?
     
  9. hijacker

    hijacker Guest

  10. ggamer

    ggamer Guest

    Hmm i do not know how that would work. Pipes are physical things. You are basically making it think, you have 8 pipes but it does not. Am i wrong?
     
  11. ggamer

    ggamer Guest

    Why gt over ultra?
     
  12. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Because:
    1. The Ultrais above your price spec
    2. The GT is just a downclocked ultra rather than the baseline 6800 which is not just downclocked but missing 4 pipes too.
     
  13. 2005

    2005 Regular member

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    i would go with the X800.. the ATI cards are increidable.
     
  14. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Got something substantial to back that up? :) It's quite the blanket statement to say that all ATI cards are incredible ... have a look at the X300 and X600....
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    Last edited: Aug 9, 2004
  15. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    I lean towards whatever make will give me the most bang for my buck. I've traditionally run ATI cards but for me nVidia has definitely hit the sweet spot with the 6800GT.
     
  16. 2005

    2005 Regular member

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    Ive run the 9800 pro and its a wonderful card.. they may be pricey but from some of the benchmarks ive seen... it takes the cake. So i expect the same from the X800... ill link you to some benchmarks.
     
  17. 2005

    2005 Regular member

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  18. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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  19. MadSkillz

    MadSkillz Member

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    depenidng on ur money i would say...

    Raedon X800 XT PE ~500
    Geforce 6800 GT ~400
    Geforce 6800 ~300
    Raedon 9800 Pro 128MB ~200
     
  20. 2005

    2005 Regular member

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    from the benchmarks... the 6800 GT is a better card for less money.. benchmarks are perfomance tests and are really reliable unless for some reason the test conditions arent stable.
     

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