Graphic card upgrade, please help!

[Pozer]

Have a secondary machine running...

newest Nforce2 chipset mb.
SB Audigy1
1 Gig pc2700
athlonXP 3200 400bus 2.2ghz
Ati 9500/np pipes unlocked/OC'd and running as a 9700pro.

Thinking about upgrading the graphics card to play newer games a little better.

- I will mainly play all games at 1024x768 noAA noAF
- I want a card that has 256 megs of ram. Im a texture whore. Newer games limit texture res on my 128meg card.

Kinda on the fence between a 6800gt or a x800xl. I can get either for around $240. I know I'll be CPU limited but will I be so limited that i would see little difference? I assume the 6600gt would be a good fit but I want more than 128megs of ram and the 256meg versions are about $200. Id rather spend a little more for the 6800gt or x800.

Any recommendations?

 

[rockfish]

hmmm I would look around on ebay for a x800xl if i were you, but i think that you also should consider looking on ebay for a x700pro/xt its not a bad priced card.

Unless you want features like Shader Model 3 you should go for a 128mb 6600gt who cares about memory these day's? if you want to but a 256mb 6600gt it doesnt relly matter but all the extra memory does is run games at a higher resolution's with rubbish frame rates where the 128mb 6600gt's run out of puff..

 

[Smak]

I would definately look on ebay, I got myself a Gainward 6800GT Golden Sample brand new for £185 and that was about 3 months ago. Plus I managed to clock this card to 430/1150 no problem which are higher clocks than the ultra. Runs pretty much every game out there no prob with high settings, AA & Af etc....