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Graphics Card Help - possible buyer's remorse

Discussion in 'Techno-Magic' started by Death Rabbit, Nov 23, 2004.

  1. Death Rabbit

    Death Rabbit Straight, no chaser Adored Veteran Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Remove all ads!
    [​IMG] I recently did my research (heavily) into buying a decent upgrade to my nVidia Ti4200, which has been a great little soldier for the last 2 years (and still is). I wanted the "best bang for my buck," as they say, and I think I found it in an MSI nVidia 5900XT. It rated only negligably lower than the 5950 Ultra, and was half the price. In fact, in terms of the amount/varieties of reviews I read on it, this is easily the most highly praised graphics card I've ever seen. The card works great for gaming - but also, as a graphic designer, I also appreciate that it has video capture and dual monitor support. It's an excellent card, and I've been happy with it so far. I paid $185 for it from NewEgg, the last week of October. Not to shabby.

    That said, not 3 weeks later, nVidia decides to come out with an AGP version of their 6600 GT! Dicks. One review I read says this will most likely be the fastest GPU nVidia will make for AGP motherboards, as the industry is inevitably shifting to PCI-Express. What's worse - I just saw it online for $223 - only slightly more than what I paid for my 5900XT. I just bought a great new motherboard recently (with AGP) and want to keep it, but I also want the best possible AGP card I can get that will last me a year or two at least.

    My question is this - is there really much difference between the two? From what I can tell by the technical specs, everything is the same in the two cards except for the processor architechure (the 6 series) and the memory (DDR vs. GDDR3). Both are 128mb cards.

    I'm considering selling the 5900XT and picking up the 6600GT - but only if I will see a significant boost in performance. Otherwise, I'll just keep what I have and upgrade in a year or two as planned. Any advice is helpful. Also - if anyone else knows of a review/article that specifically compares the two, that'd be helpful.

    Oh yeah - before anyone suggests it, NO I will not try an ATI card instead. I can't stand ATI, have had problems with them in the past, and don't know anyone personally who hasn't had trouble with them as well. nVidia all the way for me.
     
    Death Rabbit, Nov 23, 2004
    #1
  2. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    If you're happy with the card, keep it. I doubt it will make much difference in just a year or two, but I have no concrete data to back up this opinion. :)
     
    Blackthorne TA, Nov 23, 2004
    #2
  3. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Splunge, Nov 23, 2004
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  4. Kovalis Darkfire Gems: 13/31
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    I'm not sure but I think the 6600 might have more pipelines than the 5900. You'd have to check it out...
     
    Kovalis Darkfire, Nov 24, 2004
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  5. Rednik Gems: 21/31
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    Yep, it does have more pipelines, I think it's around 12-16 compared to the 5900's 8 pipelines.

    However, although there are performance gains to be had by switching to the 6600, the 5900 should suffice until you switch to PCI-Express. In the meantime, why waste your money?
     
    Rednik, Nov 24, 2004
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  6. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    DR - I would wait for the price on the 6800GT to come down a bit, (and it will come down) and then spring for that one instead. It is 8X AGP and has 256MB. In the meantime enjoy your FX 5900XT. I'm really pleased with mine. We should talk more about this and liberal, subversive politics over - :beer:
     
    Chandos the Red, Nov 24, 2004
    #6
  7. Bombur

    Bombur I'm always last and I don't like it

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    Death Rabbit: If you want to dump the 5900, doesn't newegg have a 30-day no-questions-asked RMA policy?
     
    Bombur, Nov 24, 2004
    #7
  8. Death Rabbit

    Death Rabbit Straight, no chaser Adored Veteran Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Well - I've decided to enjoy my 5900XT, and buy myself a shiny new 6800 GT when I graduate (spring of next year). I figure by then, the 6800 GT, which is currently about $400, will be significantly less, and well within my pricerange. One year ago, ATI's golden goose, the 9800 Pro, was $420, and now you can easily find it for between $180 and $220. The same will happen with the 6800 GT, I'm sure. Also, by then there will almost certainly be many more manufacturers offering it with nice software bundles as well (currently all you can get is a Doom3 bundle or nothing at all included - and I already have Doom3).

    I wish I was more flush with cash (don't we all!), but I'm just not willing to break that purely psychological $200 barrier on a graphics card. The 5900 is a good card, but not quite as much of a jump from my Ti4200 as I'd expected. However, it does play all the latest games at decent framerates on at least medium quality, which is good enough for me. Doom3 and Far Cry look great, and I'm sure Half-Life2 will as well.

    Besides, the 5900XT is more practical for me right now, anyway. I'll need a good, strong card with dual-monitor support for school (graphic & web design), and the fact that this card also has VIVO and video capture will be immensely helpful for me this next year.

    @ Bombur

    I believe they do - but when I posted this thread, it was day 32. :( ;)

    @ Chandos

    *clink* :beer:
     
    Death Rabbit, Dec 7, 2004
    #8
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