Which video card should i get?

[Towne]

Right now I have a geforce 8400 256 or 512mb.

It has 2gbs of ram,
amd dual core 2.5Ghz
with a 420 power supply

which one would be good?

 

[fiftyone]

If you have a good PSU...
8800gt, hands down.

 

[Towne]

What do you mean by PSU?

 

[fiftyone]

Yours has got 420.
If it is of good quality it should just be enough to drive a new graphics card.
I had a 480W but it was really unstable, so I changed it for something a little better.

A random forum link...

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic90799.html

 

[Towne]

Thank you, I will look more into it when I can. I have to go to college lol. Again thank you so much!

 

[Mikhail]

Heres a question

Is one 8800 GT better than two 9600's?

 

[fiftyone]

Absolutely no idea....
Seems like SLI is double the trouble...
Anyhow = http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/graphics-cards/warhammer-mark-of-chaos-v1-6,581.html

No 9600, but its a good start.

EDIT : http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Nvidia-Geforce-9600GT,review-30353-18.html

EDIT EDIT: 9600 in SLI test...http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/geforce_9600_gt_sli_performance/page11.asp

Thanks.

 

[User Name]

A 9600 isn't much cheaper so going SLI with it doesn't equal the same price/performance ratio as one 8800GT. Yes it would be better, but you would HAVE to get a new power supply and possibly a new motherboard (I don't know if you already have an SLI board). You shouldn't have to buy a new power supply with one 8800GT but it would be close.

If you go SLI, I recommend two 8800GT's!

 

[Mikhail]

When I get a thrid job I'll be sure to get two 8800's.

But my old gaming PC has decently died so I am looking to buy a new one. Right now I am looking at ibuypower.com and I can get two 9600 for a resonable price.

 

[Towne]

What is a SLI? My powersupply is 420Wz. My motherboard is ASUS, I got if from mwave

 

[fiftyone]

Buy the card throw it in the box and see if it works.
If the computer starts crashing when you load an intensive game it could well be your PSU.

You may not have any problems whatsoever.

 

[Nagels]

Have you looked at the 7900GTX?

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_7900.html

Have this in another machine (a very basic machine tbh) and have to say it's a superb card.

I have an 8800GTX in this rig but it's a pretty pumped up system, the 7900GTX is a superb investment for a basic rig.

 

[User Name]

When I get a thrid job I'll be sure to get two 8800's.

But my old gaming PC has decently died so I am looking to buy a new one. Right now I am looking at ibuypower.com and I can get two 9600 for a resonable price.

8800 GT's aren't that expensive anymore, although the 9600's have got a lot cheaper lately. Newegg has most of their 9600 GT's at $140, but most of their 8800 GT's are going for $170. After the mail in rebate this one...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130359

...is the same price as a 9600, and this one... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121224http://www.redorchestragame.com/forum/images/editor/createlink.gif

...is cheaper.

@ Towne: SLI is using more than one card in your system linked together. You'd need a board that could accept two (or more) cards to use it. Just get the 8800 GT, it is your best bet.

 

[=GG= Mr Moe]

8800GT, I have two of them

 

[Towne]

what should I get, pci-e or pci? would a pci-e and pci work together with SLI? Will my 8400 work with a 8800? I read one thing where the 8800 card was making a bunch of noise and stuff, is this true for any one? I want to make sure I am getting something good. Should i also get a better powersupply since mine is 420W?

 

[Yoshiro]

Do not buy a PCI video card, you won't find many, and they all suck

PCI-Express is the current video card standard, with PCI-E 2 being the latest version (the 2 slots and the cards that go in them are compatable so don't worry too much over it right now). And no, for SLI I belive you need 2 of the same card, ie: 2 8800 gt's or 2 8400's.

 

[Towne]

my motherboard has only has one pci-e.
Yoshiro, what do you prefer?

 

[fiftyone]

Me's got a Leadtek 8800gt, my M8 has an MSI 8800gt, we are both very pleased.
My next door neighbor has just bought a 9600 (its a girl goddammit).
We are all very happy.

Did you put a 2nd 8800gt in yer box Yosh, did yer?

Towne, the 8800gt is a good deal and as I said before if you have a half decent Power Supply Unit you are good to go.

I ordered the bits and pieces for a young chap through my main man this last Tuesday, I'm going to go fetch it tomorrow morning (I build computers for the local youths).

P5K
E8400 DualCore 2
3go Kingston 800 : ram
Segate/Maxtor 500 HD
Antec 300 box
Antec 500 neo PSU
Hitachi DVD
MSI 8800gt
Vista 32

All these bits are tried and tested and work very well together.

Oh, I forgot to mention the X-Fi Gamer...(ahhh Vista)???

 

[User Name]

what should I get, pci-e or pci? would a pci-e and pci work together with SLI? Will my 8400 work with a 8800? I read one thing where the 8800 card was making a bunch of noise and stuff, is this true for any one? I want to make sure I am getting something good. Should i also get a better powersupply since mine is 420W?

The highest card I know of in PCI is the Geforce 6200, definitely not a gaming card.

SLI will only work between card of the same type, and memory size. It's also a PCI-e exclusive. Since you only have one PCI-e slot this is a non-issue.

One thing that should be noted. The 8800 GT and the 9600 GT are PCI-e 2.0 cards. Some PCI-e 1.0 boards won't work correctly (mostly with older VIA chip sets IIRC) with it. I had this issue with my card. I flashed the card's BIOS to 1.0 and it worked like a charm.

 

[fiftyone]

He has an Asus MB, should be good...