What's the current best budget card?

What video card for a budget system?

  • Total voters
    68
Archaea

Archaea

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Oct 19, 2004
Messages
11,826
I just built a really nice budget system for my wife for less than a couple hundred dollars

AMD 64 3200+ (Running windows XP 64)
1GB PC3700 RAM (2x512)
120GB HD
Case
PSU
Aftermarket cooler

I need to pick out a video card. She certaintly doesn't need a superfast card here. No more than 80 bucks tops is what I'm willing to spend, and I intend to buy used to further shave off the price. Used doesn't matter to me - either it works or it doesn't...If it works it's as good as new in my mind (as far as computer parts go)

I'm thinking about several Nvidia options, but I haven't considered much in the way of ATI.

7300
6600
5900

What would you guys recommend? I'd most like to spend about 50 bucks. She doesn't play intense games and would be gaming at 800x600 on a 17" CRT monitor. Graphic quality would be nice - but resolution doesn't have to be maxed by any means.

Games we will play will be

Dungeon Siege2
Titan Quest
Maybe an RTS game here or there. She's not going to like FPS games or racing games...so I won't have to worry about super smooth frames --- just playable. I've got a 6800 GT right now on my p4 rig and I like it a lot, but that's too much money for her needs.
 
You would be much better off with his card, also, you should just look around the FS forum, because you will find a lot more for your money there. You might even be able to find a 6800ultra on the forums for around $80.

MH
 
at ~$150, an Nvidia 7600gt is an amazing choice. If you are looking for agp, wait a few weeks and the agp GS will be out. It is almost identical to the GT.
 
lloose said:
It is almost identical to the GT.
Click to expand...
I hate to disagree, but I don't think so. Found these on NewEgg:
eVGA 7600GT - GDDR3 @ 1500MHz (overclocked from 1400MHz standard), core 580MHz (standard 560MHz)
Leadtek 7600GS - GDDR2 @ 800MHz, core runs @ 400MHz...

IMO these are not "almost identical"
 
9800 pro or x/t

great cheap cards

Also, i would pick up another 512 of ram, will help a tun
 
Sovereign said:
I hate to disagree, but I don't think so. Found these on NewEgg:
eVGA 7600GT - GDDR3 @ 1500MHz (overclocked from 1400MHz standard), core 580MHz (standard 560MHz)
Leadtek 7600GS - GDDR2 @ 800MHz, core runs @ 400MHz...

IMO these are not "almost identical"
Click to expand...

But the fact that they have the same amount of pipes and is DDR2 leaves a lot for overclocking. I imagine that its not going to be the same size gap that the 6600 and 6600gt had.
 
I choose my card - 6800GS. It's fantastic for the price, and the XFX one trumps most other 6800's on the cheap.
 
cyks said:
TitanQuest will *kill* a budget card...
Click to expand...

No it won't. I'm actually playing Titan Quest on a Ti4200 at 1280x1024 resolution (low settings of course), and the FPS drop is minimal, game very playable. This is after being used to playing the game on a 6800GT.
 
Firebot said:
No it won't. I'm actually playing Titan Quest on a Ti4200 at 1280x1024 resolution (low settings of course), and the FPS drop is minimal, game very playable. This is after being used to playing the game on a 6800GT.
Click to expand...

What framerate are you talking about? give or take a few frames..
 
I just picked up a X800XL from the FS forums for $90 Shipped. This thing blows my old 6600 GT by a huge margin.
Just my 2 cents.
 
Archaea said:
No more than 80 bucks tops is what I'm willing to spend

I'd most like to spend about 50 bucks.
Click to expand...
Well depending on which it is you're probably not going to be going with most of the recommendations above. If you can stretch up to that $80 you could get a x1600pro used would be less than $80 likely. If you only have $50 to spend then the 7300 is about all that's in that price range maybe a used 6600
 
i've seen refurb 7300 in the 50 price range on ebay....and 7600 in the 70/80 price range.

I think I'd prefer to stay Nvidia because I like their drivers better...but I'm just kinda watching ebay refurbs now from the big vendors to get an idea of just how cheap i can purchase something.
 
Yeah if you could find 7600 that would be as good as its going to get for you under $80.

BTW, have you considered giving her your old GT and upgrading your own card?
 
If you're talking PCIe (which I'm assuming) I agree with the $80 x800gto recommendation above.
 
slowbiz said:
I choose my card - 6800GS. It's fantastic for the price, and the XFX one trumps most other 6800's on the cheap.
Click to expand...

I agree, dude! I went from a fx5700 ultra to the 6800 gs... best upgrade i've ever made!
btw, it unlocked all of the shaders too!
 
I'd like to vote, but I can't.

Why? The best budget card in my opinion is the 7600GS with passive heatsink. I'm able to overclock mine to 515MHz Core/440Mhz RAM without changing out the heatsink or adding a fan. This also didn't have an appreciable impact on temperature.

Also at the time, I paid $115.00 shipped.

Here's one for $109.00 with heatsink/fan so it could be overclocked further, after rebate it's only $89.00

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814141031


For those that want silence, here's the MSI model with passive heatsink. This is the same model I own:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127211

Of course if you can't get a 7600 series card, I guess the 7300GT would be king.
 
I'm actually thinking about getting a 6500 from new egg for 35 + 5 shipping - open box.

It's a step up from the dismal 6200. Looks like it should run most anything at 800x600 with medium options - which fits the bill fine with my wife's PC and 17" CRT.

Most importantly it's cheap ---- i could spend 70ish on a 660GT but then why stop there...I could get a 6800GT for 100ish....but why stop there. I could get a 7600GS for 120ish...but why stop there. ;)

Each video card gets me a bit better for a very small amount of money ---- but ultimately - cheap is better for me at this point. I've got my gaming PC and my wife would like to just play the occassion game and surf the web 90% of the time she uses the PC.

So a video card that does most anything at a low res (which is fine) for really cheap (40 bucks) seems like it might not be that bad??!!??
 
Good Thinking, no reason in hell to buy her a new x800gto for surfing the web and light female gaming. Stick to the 50 dollar cards brother!
 
I ended up buying a 7300GS 256 BIT, 256MB card off of a guy on ebay - New in box and BFG to boot for only 34.99 + 9.99 shipping.

45 bucks for a ~$100 dollar card everywhere it's sold is a great deal! - and it's new in box!

The 256MB card can use RAM over the PCI-E slot and make use of additional 256 MB of system RAM for games with large textures.

Anyway...I think this is was a pretty good find. What do you guys think?
 
I wasn't aware the 7300GS was a 256-bit card...I think they were only 128? I hope not 64... Not a bad find anyway though the 7300GT would rock it hard.
 
Firebot said:
No it won't. I'm actually playing Titan Quest on a Ti4200 at 1280x1024 resolution (low settings of course), and the FPS drop is minimal, game very playable. This is after being used to playing the game on a 6800GT.
Click to expand...
Is a Ti4200 even SM2.0? I would venture to guess that you are getting <30 fps and it looks like uber shit. Like I said, *kill*.

I have an AMD X2 4200 (2400mhz) and 2x 7800gt in SLI (440/1.04). I run it at 1280x1024 and get performance on par with Oblivion. That is kill.
 
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