Noob - need help choosing!

C

Camberwell

Gawd
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
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I am looking to buy my first graphics card to start playing games with my new rig (see sig) with 32-bit XP Pro. My monitor's max resolution is 1280x024 (I will be upgrading, but not this year). I won't be playing Crysis, or anything that resource-hungry, and I am on a budget. Also, no SLI or Crossfire. Over here in Europe, I have found that what I can afford comes down to these 3:

7900GTX 512Mb
7950 GX2 1Gb (over budget but doable if it's worth it)
HD3850 512Mb

Can anyone tell me what would best suit the rig that I have? Or should I be looking at other cards if these ones are overkill for my monitor? Thanks for any advice!
 
i choo choo choose you!


it's too bad you don't have the cash to go to the 3870, i'd say go with that... 3850 is awesome too tho. definitely that over the other too schlubs. he he.
 
nubycanube, good advice! i'd love to try one of them out, seem like winners/.
 
The 3850 would be great, and much better then the 7900s.

I'm sure that the 'on sale' guy is American and is used to sites like newegg. Those of us outside of the US tend not to be so lucky.
 
8800GT or 9600GT or 3870 or 3850 (512mb) or 3850 (256mb) - in that order :)
 
SharpieFiend said:
The 3850 would be great, and much better then the 7900s.

I'm sure that the 'on sale' guy is American and is used to sites like newegg. Those of us outside of the US tend not to be so lucky.
Click to expand...

True, unfortunately. 9600GT or 8800GT are more than double (or even triple) my budget, and the 3870 is out of reach too, so it looks like I'll try to find a 3850 (512Mb) that I can afford.....thanks for the advice!
 
What is your budget?

8600GT<8800GS<3850 512<9600GT<3870<8800GT 512<8800GTS 512<3870X2<8800GTX

At 1280x1024, the 8800GS might be pretty sweet.
 
Actually the 'on sale guy' is from Canada but I do use my local wholesaler NCIX for my pricing, which gives newegg a good run for the money. It's strange that in Europe the 9600 GT would be so much more expensive then the 3850, when the suggested retail prices are supposed to be about the same.
It looks like the 3850 512 MB and the 9600 GT are both around 90 pounds at cclonline.
 
My budget is around 100 euros. I am looking to buy second hand, and there are just not that many 9600GT's around in my price range, and the 8800GT's are also still too expensive (at least 200 euros, as I mentioned), much as I'd like to get one.

I looked at cclonline (I am a Brit but I live in The Netherlands) and that 90 pounds is ex taxes and for me, ex shipping, which puts it out of reach. The cheapest 9600GT in this country is 150 euros ex shipping, and I really can't stretch to that as I spent all my money on the upgrades in my sig!

That leaves 7900GTX 512Mb, or the 3850 256Mb (edited, just double checked the prices and can't find the 3850 512Mb for 100 euros)....I can wait a few weeks though, to see if the prices come down any more, but I think that these two are realistically the most likely candidates that I can afford....
 
Camberwell said:
I am looking to buy my first graphics card to start playing games with my new rig (see sig) with 32-bit XP Pro. My monitor's max resolution is 1280x024 (I will be upgrading, but not this year). I won't be playing Crysis, or anything that resource-hungry, and I am on a budget. Also, no SLI or Crossfire. Over here in Europe, I have found that what I can afford comes down to these 3:

7900GTX 512Mb
7950 GX2 1Gb (over budget but doable if it's worth it)
HD3850 512Mb

Can anyone tell me what would best suit the rig that I have? Or should I be looking at other cards if these ones are overkill for my monitor? Thanks for any advice!
Click to expand...

Gigabyte 3870 on Newegg for $179.99. Thats the best deal your going to find.
 
Camberwell said:
That leaves 7900GTX 512Mb, or the 3850 256Mb (edited, just double checked the prices and can't find the 3850 512Mb for 100 euros)....I can wait a few weeks though, to see if the prices come down any more, but I think that these two are realistically the most likely candidates that I can afford....
Click to expand...

3850 - its a good step up from the 7900
 
Camberwell said:
Unfortunately they don't ship to Europe....I tried to buy my mobo from them!
Click to expand...

Damn bro, that is just not right.

All them Americans going to the Netherlands to get a taste of their cheap "coffee". You would figure that you could get one of them to bring you over a cheap 9600GT for 100Euros ;)
 
SpeedyVV said:
Damn bro, that is just not right.

All them Americans going to the Netherlands to get a taste of their cheap "coffee". You would figure that you could get one of them to bring you over a cheap 9600GT for 100Euros ;)
Click to expand...

Now there's a great idea!! :D
 
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