Best Mid Range Card

[RoBo]

You play games (8800GTS and up) or you don't (8500GT for 62$). Anything in between is just plain retarded.

 

[hunter33]

You play games (8800GTS and up) or you don't (8500GT for 62$). Anything in between is just plain retarded.

LOL

 

[Oeleo]

I'm playing Oblivion on the system in my signature (8600GTS OC) at 1920X1200 and Medium settings. Looks fine to me...

 

[buckeye25osu]

Good god, a card that is $250 - $300 is NOT mid-range.

 

[jmackay]

Good god, a card that is $250 - $300 is NOT mid-range.

Then what exactly IS middle when bottom = $40ish, top = $600?

Whats that??

$320...

Hell lets take out the ultra, and say $500 GTX = top

Hmm... $270

Guess that $250 card IS mid-range after all

 

[Choppyferrari]

Finding the elusive mid-range...

8400gs
8500gt
8600gt
8600gts 675 Mhz
8600gts 720 Mhz

8800GTS 320 Mb
8800GTS 640 Mb
8800GTX
8800 Ultra

...Wow, this is tougher than where's Waldo...

And $270 = mid-range?! Wow, Nvidia must love you.

 

[Methos]

I think the point is if you want to game, but can't afford a 8800GTS or better, you should probably be looking at a last gen product to get the most for your money. 19xx or 79xx doesn't matter, but the ATi products are a little cheaper and more easily available. 8600 and 2600 are both lame ducks.

 

[RoBo]

I think the point is if you want to game, but can't afford a 8800GTS or better, you should probably be looking at a last gen product to get the most for your money. 19xx or 79xx doesn't matter, but the ATi products are a little cheaper and more easily available. 8600 and 2600 are both lame ducks.

Agreed.

8600 and 2600 are pretty shit.

 

[jmackay]

Finding the elusive mid-range...

8400gs
8500gt
8600gt
8600gts 675 Mhz
8600gts 720 Mhz

8800GTS 320 Mb
8800GTS 640 Mb
8800GTX
8800 Ultra

...Wow, this is tougher than where's Waldo...

And $270 = mid-range?! Wow, Nvidia must love you.

Cute, I like how you have the 8600 in there 3 times at different speeds. Guess we should include all the different OC variations of the 8800 series as well? Now take out the 2nd clocked 8600gts (even though gts is just OCed GT...), and what is at the middle? The 8600GTS and the 8800GTS 320mb. Wow MID(dle) range card.. Amazing.

And welcome to computer gaming, mid range = $250+

Many new computers / users buying computers are getting 20"+ LCD screens. Hell we got a cheap new computer at my work for a few hundred from dell, and it came with a 22" screen.

To run games on those computers at the NATIVE resolution, you need a $250+ card.

Thats just how computers evolve bud, hate to break it to you.

Years ago 1600x1200 was High end, now its middle. 1280x1024 is low end for monitor resolution.

 

[RoBo]

And welcome to computer gaming, mid range = $250+

That's sure the greatest downside.

 

[Choppyferrari]

Cute, I like how you have the 8600 in there 3 times at different speeds. Guess we should include all the different OC variations of the 8800 series as well? Now take out the 2nd clocked 8600gts (even though gts is just OCed GT...), and what is at the middle? The 8600GTS and the 8800GTS 320mb. Wow MID(dle) range card.. Amazing.

And welcome to computer gaming, mid range = $250+

Many new computers / users buying computers are getting 20"+ LCD screens. Hell we got a cheap new computer at my work for a few hundred from dell, and it came with a 22" screen.

To run games on those computers at the NATIVE resolution, you need a $250+ card.

I'm aware that the 8600gt/8600gts use the same core, but that isn't really the point. Nvidia has the the 8600gt and the 8600gts listed separately.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce8.html

When it comes to determining middle range cards, you must be right and Nvidia must be wrong. I guess Nvidia still hasn't learned that everybody games on a 22" screen

 

[Cyant]

So if you can't afford a 8800gts you just shouldn't game?

No, just buy a Playstation 2. It has a TON of great games and it's cheap. You probably can't finish them all before you die.

 

[not1germ]

I think what is mid range is a little subjective.

For me:

<$100 is low end
$100 to $200 is mid range
$200 to $300 is hign end
$300+ is hardcore

Obviously, this shifts upward for those with more money.

 

[jmackay]

I'm aware that the 8600gt/8600gts use the same core, but that isn't really the point. Nvidia has the the 8600gt and the 8600gts listed separately.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce8.html

When it comes to determining middle range cards, you must be right and Nvidia must be wrong. I guess Nvidia still hasn't learned that everybody games on a 22" screen

Learn to read. I said take out the 2nd GTS

8600gt
8600gts 675 Mhz
8600gts 720 Mhz

So what does that leave us with?

8400gs
8500gt
8600gt
8600gts
8800GTS 320 Mb
8800GTS 640 Mb
8800GTX
8800 Ultra

What two cards are in the middle?

8600gts and 8800gts 320mb.

 

[Choppyferrari]

I can't read that well, my screen is only 19 inches.

If you take away the 2nd 8600GTS, you should take away one of the 8800GTS's as well, since the April drivers have made them almost identical in performance at most resolutions.

The two 8600GTS's on the other hand do have different performance and are priced differently for that reason.

 

[jmackay]

I can't read that well, my screen is only 19 inches.

If you take away the 2nd 8600GTS, you should take away one of the 8800GTS's as well, since the April drivers have made them almost identical in performance at most resolutions.

The two 8600GTS's on the other hand do have different performance and are priced differently for that reason.

Please explain where you see TWO 8600GTS cards on the nvidia page you linked to. (http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce8.html)

I see two 8800gts (640mb and 320mb).

You are just talking about using an OCed 8600GTS, which hell there are plenty factory OCed 8800gts as well, so lets add them all in too.

I guess you missed the [H] reviews that show the limitations in only having 320mb of memory vs the 640mb card eh?

The 320mb is mid-range, it is enough to power mid range monitors (20-22") such as those found on mid range computers.

The 640mb is mid-high range because it offers decent performance on larger monitors or higher graphic settings on 20/22" monitors.

Also no one would game on the 8400GS its basically integrated graphics w/ DX10 support and (I'm hoping and guessing) hardware decoding for movie playback.

Oh, and since you seem to have forgotten what middle (mid-range) means: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=middle

 

[Snowdog]

looking for a video card and wondering what is the best bang for buck in the mid range area at this time. thx

Really these terms like midrange have to go, they are completely subjective. There was another post asking for a low range. I wondered did he mean $40, $60, $80, $100, $120...

These posts would be better with Best graphics card under $200. That would end a lot of pointless bickering about what low-mid-high range is...

 

[MrCrispy]

I tend to agree that pc gaming is getting too rich for my blood. I mean, the reason I want to build my own pc (and the reason I'm here) is partly to get a high performance gaming box, but its mostly to get the satisfaction from choosing and customizing it myself and enjoying the process.

However, doing it just to play the latest games requires more money and effort than we should put up with. Its a never ending cycle - cpu, cooling, video cards, sound cards, huge lcd and then the cycle repeats itself. Sure, pc games are better looking and bigger than ever, but I'm not sure they're more fun, and that's what its all about.

If all you want is to play games (and not just a specific game), get a console which are in essence subsidized high end pc's.

 

[RussianHAXOR]

I think what is mid range is a little subjective.

For me:

<$100 is low end
$100 to $200 is mid range
$200 to $300 is hign end
$300+ is hardcore

Obviously, this shifts upward for those with more money.

8800GTS 320MB superclocked is hardcore?

 

[Methos]

Really these terms like midrange have to go, they are completely subjective. There was another post asking for a low range. I wondered did he mean $40, $60, $80, $100, $120...

These posts would be better with Best graphics card under $200. That would end a lot of pointless bickering about what low-mid-high range is...

This person is correct. My personal opinion is that 300USD has left the midrange price market, but obviously not all of us will agree with that. Most people are looking to meet a budget, and knowing that budget would make these threads so much less stressful.

The 640mb is mid-high range...

And lol at mid-high range. Are you just going to invent a new 'range' for every nvidia variation that comes along? What's next? For chrissakes, stop. Please.

 

[Shoot'em up Bob]

8800GTS 320MB superclocked is hardcore?

Uh yea bit head. You're definently hardcore if you don't think shelling out $300 bucks on a video card isn't.

Personally, I just picked up a 7900 gs for $100 which I thought was a great deal at 44 gb/sec of bandwith. That'll hold me until the 9800's come out. Then I can pick up the 8800 ultra for $300.

I still remember paying $300 for a BFG 6800 OC (vanilla). That one still hurts a bit. 2-1/2 years later and you can get them for $40.

 

[jmackay]

This person is correct. My personal opinion is that 300USD has left the midrange price market, but obviously not all of us will agree with that. Most people are looking to meet a budget, and knowing that budget would make these threads so much less stressful.

Thats all it is, YOUR opinion. Facts are, middle range cards cost $220-300.

And lol at mid-high range. Are you just going to invent a new 'range' for every nvidia variation that comes along? What's next? For chrissakes, stop. Please.

Well if the 640mb card isn't middle-high, what is it exactly? High?
Then what about GTX? Higher?
Ultra? Highest?

I swear, so many people don't know wtf "mid(dle)" stands for anymore.

 

[ScretHate]

Wow, you guys sure are fervent about your video card price ranges. LOL

 

[nwo4life022]

guys i need a little help...i just installed windows xp on my new machine that i posted earlier in the thread and im having problems...i keep getting windows delay write failed when i try to install programs and even says my disk is full during setup...also when i set things up like i want, i reboot and everything resets on me...ive never seen anything like this on a fresh format but its driving me crazy...any help would be appreciated