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MooreDogger

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Joined
Jul 13, 2005
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Hello, I'm new to this forum and I need some buying advise. I have the opporunity to get a really good deal on a new ati video card. I have 3 options for the cards: the AGP version of the x800 xl and the x850 xt, and the PCI-e version of the x800 xl. My current system is a 2700+ and a 9500pro. The way I see it I have 2 options that are within my budget (although #2 is a little bit of a stretch):

1) Buy the x850 xt and use it with my current system
or
2) Buy the PCI-e x800 xl, a 3000+, an MSI Neo4, and some OCZ memory.

Judging from some 3DMark scores the 2 systems would perform fairly close to each other (ie 12000 in 3dmark2k3 for the new system vs 11000 in 2dmark2k3 for the old system with new card). So that leaves me with this question: "Will I still be able to buy an AGP mobo that will handle a fast CPU when I go to upgrade my CPU/mobo or would I be better of getting a more upgradable system now and taking the extra financial hit?". Any thoughts would be much appreciated,
MooreDogger
 
I would definitely go with the 2nd option. You won't gain a big difference with the x850, the x800xl will play all current games just fine. And you will gain overall system performance by going to the 3000+.

Many agree that AGP is dying. While it still may be possible to buy a new AGP board in the future, they will be hard to find and may not be as high a quality as the PCIe boards. (I saw a P4 motherboard with ISA slots).
 
The X800XL PCIe woud be my choice. The X850XT while faster its not worth the money since you would be going AGP. PCIe is the future too.
 
I would. I was in the exact same boat - I needed to upgrade for BF 2 becuase my old Barton and 9500 pro was not cutting it. I would up with the rig in my sig for the amount stated, and I could have done much better with I wasnt impatent about it. The X800 XL is nice - I dont game at high res but it lets me run any AF or AA in Bf 2 I want without any problems.

For me, a last parting shot at S754 and AGP was the way to go. In 2 years when this system is not cutting it, 939 stuff will be dirt cheap.
 
I'd like to propose option 3 and hear what you guys have to say.

3) Buy the X850XT PE now and then buy the rest of the system around Christmas when its cheaper and I have more money.

I know it doesn't solve the whole dead platform thing but it seems to me that it would be a decent system. I just checked some more 3dmark 2k5 scores and my system with the x850xtpe scores within 400 points of the option 2 system. iIve been kinda out of touch with the whole comp tech lately, but isn't 3dmark 2k5 supposed to model technology that hasn't come out yet in games? I donno. Hopefully someone can set me straight with this.

Anyways, it seems like a pretty unanamous (SP?) crowd so this will be my last question and then i'll probably end up going with option 2. Thanks again
 
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