2GHz box - video card?

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Windfire

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I've got a 2GHz box (512MB RAM, new HDs, TI4400, AGP 4x slot) and I'm wanting to update the graphics to something a little better. It's an old Gateway 2GHz box with RAMBUS memory.

This is a secondary machine (for the kids) and I know it isn't worth investing in. But, for ~80 I can nearly triple video performance. At one time the Leadtech TI4400 was state-of-the-art, that is no longer the case.

The two cards I'm considering are:

1 - ATI 9800 Pro (~$79 at NewEgg)

2 - Nvidia 6600GT ($ tbd)


Which would you recommend? Others? I'm not inclined to spend more than $100.
 
my previous rig: 1.4G P4, 1G rdram, 9700 pro (128M) worked beautifully. i can't remember now, but i think i was only running 4xAGP (8xAGP card, but only 4x on mboard...like you)

anyway i ran most everything (1024x768) with most game settings on highest with some exceptions (medium). right up till i built my new rig in march of '06.

anyway i loved the 9700 pro for other reasons as well. i never had any game issues others Nvidia users seemed to have.

later in it's life, i had to squeeze every bit of potential out of the rig by killing of unnecessary procs, etc...but it always performed great! (still does when i fire it up)
 
Uttar said:
My vote goes to the 7600GS instead :)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814143054R&ATT=14-143-054R&CMP=OTC-Froogle


Uttar
Click to expand...
He is looking for a AGP card, not a PCI-E card.

Its going to be hard to find a 6600GS AGP under $100 or a X1600 AGP. There are X1300 AGP for under $100 and 6200 AGPs.

For something faster, you going to have to get a open box/referb from newegg.

edit

I did find a X1600 AGP under $100 but not a 6600 AGP or 7600gs AGP under $100.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102665R


More ram might help but Rambus is hard to find. Do you know if you have any empty rimm slots? I might be able to find 128 meg rimms for very cheap used.
 
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{Sniping}Waste said:
More ram might help but Rambus is hard to find. Do you know if you have any empty rimm slots? I might be able to find 128 meg rimms for very cheap used.
Click to expand...

Rambus is too much, and to be honest, most anything I would run on it will be fine with 512MB. Thanks for the offered help though.

I'll look into the 6600GS and x1600 as well (AGP being a requirement of course).

I think the ATI 9800 Pro is the cheapest for bang/buck at $80. However, I'm not jumping this instant, so I'll keep my eyes out.
 
Windfire said:
Rambus is too much, and to be honest, most anything I would run on it will be fine with 512MB. Thanks for the offered help though.

I'll look into the 6600GS and x1600 as well (AGP being a requirement of course).

I think the ATI 9800 Pro is the cheapest for bang/buck at $80. However, I'm not jumping this instant, so I'll keep my eyes out.
Click to expand...

There are computer fairs in Dallas were I live twice a month and I remember seeing used 128 meg rimms for around $10 to $15 each.
 
I'd look for a used 6800. The regular, 12-pipe, 256-bit memory bus, 325MHz core and 350MHz DDR RAM (700MHz effective) one. I was offered one for $80 not two weeks ago, so it's in your ballpark. It'll slightly outperform a 6600GT and draw less power than probably everything comparable, save the 7600GS.

I'd say go for a new 7600GS, but they're relatively pricey and I think they come with small and so probably whiny fans on the AGP versions (rather than blissful passive cooling of the PCIe versions).

Yeah, I definitely wouldn't sink more than $100 into that system.
 
Pete said:
I'd look for a used 6800. The regular, 12-pipe, 256-bit memory bus, 325MHz core and 350MHz DDR RAM (700MHz effective) one. I was offered one for $80 not two weeks ago, so it's in your ballpark. It'll slightly outperform a 6600GT and draw less power than probably everything comparable, save the 7600GS.

I'd say go for a new 7600GS, but they're relatively pricey and I think they come with small and so probably whiny fans on the AGP versions (rather than blissful passive cooling of the PCIe versions).

Yeah, I definitely wouldn't sink more than $100 into that system.
Click to expand...

I've found 7600GS for around $120 (a bit more than I want spend on this system--agreed).

I've got the 6800GT in my 3GHz box now. Great card, I just haven't found it for a good price. My primary concern with buying a used card is buying someone's OC'd mess. I wouldn't gain much if I got a board for $80 and then had it lock-up because of prior OCing.
 
7600GS definitely comes in AGP. 6600GT is the lowest I would go. Some nice prices on X1600PRO with a rebate (Newegg).

You might want to look up X800XL AGP too, or any of the AGP X8x0 series. Well, watch out for some of the low-end X800s. They made some cruddy 8pipe models I think.
 
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Okay, this is what I finally did... I could not find the right price/performance I wanted for the 2GHz box, so I upgraded my 3GHz box and cascaded the video from it it to the 2GHZ.

New Card:

Saphire x1950 Pro 512MB AGP for $249:
http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/simprod.asp?ad=fg&pid=16749

This will allow me to move my 6800GT 256MB AGP card to the 2GHz box.


You can find a review of the Saphire here:
http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/Sapphire X1950Pro AGP/index.php

I don't plan to do any OCing so this will work fine.
 
{Sniping}Waste said:
I did find a vender that has rambus rimms for $20 for 128 meg rimm and $35 for 256 meg rimms. There used but in good shape.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but the kids can live with 512MB for now. :) I figure in Q1 2008 I'll be buying a hot new beast at which point they'll get my 3GHz box.
 
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