New Graphics card

[kanonfodda]

Hi guys, thought I would get some information from the fountain of knowledge that is Freddyshouse.

I'm looking to upgrade my GFX card (currently have a 9600 pro). Money is not something ihave a lot of at the moment, so don't want to spend too much.

I've been looking at this

OcUK - powercolor

Would value your opinions (229 inc vat, little more than I want to spend, but I can't find anything else half decent at a reasonable price).

Other options, opinions etc all welcome.

Cheers guys

 

[DaGaffer]

I'd be interested in people's opinions on this as well (I really need a gfx card upgrade), and is the one shown measurably better than the MSI one shown further down the page, which is the same spec but cheaper.

 

[Clown]

It's a good card, but try and stretch to the VIVO. Then you can soft-mod it into an X800XT, which is an even better card. This is about £260 from that shop. I got a 6800GT for £250, but only because it was cheaper. This can be overclocked to 6800 Ultra speeds easily.

If you really can't stretch that much more, then don't fret. It's still a good card. Most graphics cards are the same, regardless of the manufacturer - they just change the cooler and maybe the RAM is different. If you aren't going to be overclocking then it shouldn't make much of a difference.

What games do you guys play (or plan to play)?

 

[DaGaffer]

What games do you guys play (or plan to play)?

Still playing DC, waiting for BF2...

 

[kanonfodda]

playing GC atm, will be looking to play HL2 dm and far cry.

Then one I was looking at is the powercooler x800 pro for £229 inc vat, the VIVO one is £260 inc vat, so not that much more.

The "soft" upgrade though, can go horribly wrong if I remember right?

 

[Tom]

I'd vote for the 6800GT if you can afford it. Superb, although mine came with a vacuum cleaner for a fan (changed to a Zalman flower).

 

[Clown]

Only if your computer has a power cut halfway through flashing the BIOS

 

[DaGaffer]

I'd vote for the 6800GT if you can afford it. Superb, although mine came with a vacuum cleaner for a fan (changed to a Zalman flower).

By choice I'd go with nVidia (I'm currently running a 5700) but I'd heard the 6800GT was a. a power hog, and, b. most versions run hot and have big fans, making them dead noisy. I've seen a Gigabyte 'fanless' 6800GT but I'm worried my case won't be ideal from a cooling POV (its a Vaio).

 

[kanonfodda]

playing GC atm, will be looking to play HL2 dm and far cry.

Then one I was looking at is the powercooler x800 pro for £229 inc vat, the VIVO one is £260 inc vat, so not that much more.

The "soft" upgrade though, can go horribly wrong if I remember right?

 

[PLightstar]

I got a GT with a icecooler fan on it, and its quite quiet Im not worried about power as I have a 550W power supply. paid around £200 on eBay for it incl the cooler.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

By choice I'd go with nVidia (I'm currently running a 5700) but I'd heard the 6800GT was a. a power hog, and, b. most versions run hot and have big fans, making them dead noisy. I've seen a Gigabyte 'fanless' 6800GT but I'm worried my case won't be ideal from a cooling POV (its a Vaio).

I bought that fan, it is wide, taking up an extra slot. It plays everything I've thrown at it so far. It makes no noise at all, nada, zilch My one fan, the Zalman cpu 120mm throws extra air over it too. Quiet is the way forward.

 

[kanonfodda]

Thanks for the info guys, I shall let you know which one I get, and how it performs

 

[Ch3tan]

x800XL has been getting better reviews than the 6800Gt, especially as it is slightly cheaper.