What are good graphic cards around?

[Asher]

I've got a quad-core Core 2 Extreme...do you think I'd buy an 8600 GTS?

Personally, I wouldn't buy it. But I would buy it over a last-gen card with lacking featuresets. Just like somebody would be better off buying an X1600 a year ago versus an Radeon 9800 XT.

You can't even use the 9800XT in most new games coming out today. Same will be the case with a 7900GS or X1900XT in a year from today.

[Aeson]

Originally posted by Asher
I've got a quad-core Core 2 Extreme...do you think I'd buy an 8600 GTS?

I just wanted you to get all insulted-like about the 8600 GTS even being considered part of your rig.

Personally, I wouldn't buy it. But I would buy it over a last-gen card with lacking featuresets.

The featureset shouldn't even be considered in this case. If DX10 matters to you, save the money until a real option (and something you'll use it for) comes out, or pay more for something that will at least work for now.

Just like somebody would be better off buying an X1600 a year ago versus an Radeon 9800 XT.

The Radeon 9800 XT was not faster than the X1600 at anything. It's been a while, but I think the X1600 was something like 2x the card the 9800 XT was. I think the 9800XT was also one of those cards that held onto it's premium cost even long after it became low-end crap. So it wouldn't have even been competitive in a price:performance context.

Of course you're better off buying a graphics card which is better in every category.

In the case of the 8600GTS though... the new generation card often gets beat in DX9 games by cards which cost less, and doesn't currently have a legitimate use for it's DX10 feature set to justifty it being bought.

You can't even use the 9800XT in most new games coming out today. Same will be the case with a 7900GS or X1900XT in a year from today.

As long as developers include DX9 support, the 7900GS and X1900 PRO will give similar, if not better, results in those games. I wouldn't expect developers to lock out DX9 cards anytime soon. Definitely not this year.

But, like I said, I wouldn't recommend any of them. They are bargain-bin cards right now, that's obviously not going to get better with time.

[Maniac]

WTF Asher??

[pg]

I think it'd make the most sense for any gamer to get the 8800GTS provided you have a good CPU. The preformance is just so much better. Then again slightly updated geforce series is due soon(Nov?).

[halfapple111]

I think 8600 GTS, 8800 GTS both good. But I like 8800 GTS better. I am considerating about buying a 8800 GTS.
I find a review of XFX GeForce 8800, It said DirectX 10 Will be good choice for Vista and DirectX 10 games 320MB enough for today's games. XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 580M XXX, 320MB GDDR3 is clearly the winner for games and synthetic benchmarks. The best of all is the fact that 320 MB almost never limits your game play.
The review is from:

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37910

Recently I found a pretty deal for 8800GTS, it is $280 instead of $320.
Here is the deal:

http://dealstudio.com/viewtopic.php?t=29625

I plan to buy this one, are there any suggestions? I want to know if it is a wise choise.
Hey, Lonestar, you have 8800 GTS. How is it in your computer?
Thanks for your reply..

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Asher

I just think it's ridiculous to buy a card to play today's games and not tomorrow. You may as well save up the money to buy a more capable card, one with features that will be useful in a year rather than useless.

I tend to view it this way as well but even you would have to admit it's not black and white - it depends on personal factors like what games you want to play that are out now and coming out in the near future.

My last couple of cards have been high end ones (just not the highest as you really get ripped off there imo) but before that when cash was more of an issue I tended to do my homework and buy budget cards more often. It depends on the state of the market but 10 years or so ago you could make real savings this way if you were willing to put up with the hassle.