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Old Sep 24, 2006, 11:31 PM   #1
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What To Buy?

As you can see from my specs below, my graphics cards are limiting my rig (can't see more ram being needed, and once I put my new fan in the cpu is getting some more overclocking), so I am thinking of selling them and upgrading, but I have two concerns:
I really want to spend about £115, but if it's worth it I can get £155 MAX, and shortly (ie around Christmas) I will be getting a large 20-odd inch monitor, which may make a difference

I was thinking of a 7600GT - but I don't know which one to get (brand), does one oc "better" or have a better fan, or am I better off with the cheapest?

Could I get a 7800GT(/X) for that price? Would I be safe with an eBay card that's 2nd hand?

As I have an SLi mobo should I get 2 6800GT's? Or would that be to expensive(/slow)

Can anyone help?
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 11:46 AM   #2
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my word of advice:
Get rid of ur 6600 gt's.And buy a 7600 gt.Or wait for the x1650 xt(not pro,XT).
The x1650 xt would be the best buy when it comes out.If u can't wait get the 7600 gt.
And getting a 2nd hand 7800 gtx wouldn't be a great idea.Although its performance> 7600gt.And how much is the 7800 gtx anyway?(just curious)
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 12:32 PM   #3
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System Specs

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Would you consider saving your money till the DX10 cards are out?
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 03:42 PM   #4
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System Specs

best bang for the buck is the 7600GT. they go for around $200 (USD) and have really good specs for their price. not only that, one 7600GT will walk all over your OCed 6600GTs in SLI .

i wouldn't wait for a dx10 card. it's still a way's away, and not only that, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the dx10 anyways until both the OS and the game(s) you'll be playing support dx10. remember, the gfx card(s), OS, and game all need to support dx10 in order to use dx10 . and dx10 will be Vista exclusive only......just some FYI if you didn't already know .
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 04:14 PM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #5
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i was thinking of the 7600's, but i thought that the 7900GS is £140, normally i spit on GS', but that is a gooooo price, so would that be much faster than a 7600?
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 05:47 PM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #6
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http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=465741 - its a 7900GS for £140 (excluding P+P), and comes with a free copy of HL2 - do i go for it?
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 08:42 PM   #7
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System Specs

YES! get that one!

well, it's a GS model, yet it has 20 pipes and is 256bit memory interface. those are GT specs normally. But hey, even if it isn't a GT, you still get hl2 for free .
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 09:36 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CDsDontBurn View Post
YES! get that one!

well, it's a GS model, yet it has 20 pipes and is 256bit memory interface. those are GT specs normally. But hey, even if it isn't a GT, you still get hl2 for free .
Agreed except on the HL2 note lol if the card sucks what good is HL2?
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 09:48 PM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by H3X4D3C1M4L View Post
Agreed except on the HL2 note lol if the card sucks what good is HL2?
i used to play the HL2 demo on my 9600XT - so that will do it fine!

plus - i posted on overclock.net:
Quote:
Originally Posted by NuclearCrap
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-XFX-GEFORC...QQcmdZViewItem

That 7900GS performs better than a 7800GT and almost a 7800GTX, a great buy for the money.

Oh great what have I done.........another XFX to you and your dad's collection.
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 11:26 PM   #10
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System Specs

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Is the speed difference between 2 6600gt abd 1 7900GS so big to worth the purshase?
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The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis
This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm
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Old Sep 25, 2006, 11:56 PM   #11
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System Specs

well, the 6600GT has 500/1Ghz clock speeds, but is 128bit memory interface, most are 128Mb in memory size, have 8 pixel pipelines, and do only OpenGL 1.5.

the 7900GS is a 450/1.3Ghz clock speeds, but it has 256bit memory interface, has 256Mb of video memory, has 20 pixel pipelines, and supports OpenGL 2.0.

so, when a card has slightly lower clock speeds, but twice the amount of memory bandwith, and twice the amount of video memory, supports a newer version of OpenGL, supports both HDR and SM3.0, is still cheaper than two 6600GTs in SLI, and has the power to outperform two 6600GTs in SLI, then ya. a single 7900GS is a no brainer .
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Old Sep 26, 2006, 01:14 AM   #12
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Ok.... I would still get an ATI card, but I guess the others give good advice on this. :-p
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The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis
This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm
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Old Sep 26, 2006, 06:02 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueMak View Post
Ok.... I would still get an ATI card, but I guess the others give good advice on this. :-p
i'd rather be in green bliss, than a red hell .

hahahah. i think i'm beginning to be an nVidiot
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Old Sep 26, 2006, 08:19 AM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #14
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well i have just inherited another £45 (sorry to move the goalposts - but that makes my budget £195, as i have spent some of it) - that makes it £195, i was gonna get a 7900GS, but i then realized i had entered the GT range, and i wondered which one is best (ie if there is any difference at all!)
XFX GeForce 7900GT 256MB DDR3 PCIE Dual DVI - http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...11137,43990000

Gainward GeForce 7900GT Bliss Golden Sample GPU Clockspeed 550 MHz 256MB PCIE Dual DVI VO - http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...11137,43990000

Inno 3D NVIDIA Geforce 7900GT 256MB TV DVI PCI-E - http://www.savastore.com/productinfo...=0&rstrat=3165

XFX 7900GT 470M 256MB DUAL DVI+VIVO PCI-E - http://www.savastore.com/productinfo...=0&rstrat=3165

XFX 7900GT 520M 256MB DUAL DVI - Extreme Edition PCI-E - http://www.savastore.com/productinfo...=0&rstrat=3165

I assume that the Gainward and XFX "Extreme" are factory overclocked

I Also found a few 7950GT's for sale - which is a little more, but i can afford it (ie about a £5!), are they actually any quicker? will it bottle neck my 4000?

DabsValue NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT 512MB DDR3 PCI-E 2xDVI
- http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...11137,43990000

Gainward GeForce 7950GT Golden Sample 256MB PCIE Dual DVI - http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...11137,43990000

What should i get?
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Old Sep 26, 2006, 08:36 AM   #15
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System Specs

Just a note to the 2.0 opengl support, no games atm. uses opengl 2.0, so dont expect anything amazing there
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Old Sep 27, 2006, 04:43 PM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #16
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just bought the Gainward card, the DabsValue card was out of stock and my SLi is playing up again, just seen a 6600GT go for £45, so i shouldn't be that bad off!
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Old Oct 1, 2006, 01:03 AM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #17
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its here, its overclocked and its quick as ****!
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