Need advice on Updgrade From 2 X1800GTO's

[Skriger]

Hey guys. I have finally hit the wall of being fed up with making my X1800GTO's work properly in Crossfire. Now, I'm running a Abit Aw8D Mobo ; Intel 3.2 p4 with HT; 4Ghz Gskill ddr667 oc'ed to 800; Now, I want to switch to Nvidia mainly for my next build theme. My future ideas will be consisting watercooling at least the video cards, in a full tower ol server case im going to convert. But at the meantime i want to start picking up my vid cards because of issues with Crossfire working with .. well pretty much any game.

I have been looking at getting one 8600 GT 512MB for now (this mobo only crossfire, lookin at an asus sli board later.) I havent gotten Nvidia ever, i've been an ATI user since they bought Voodoo back in the days. SO what is a good company to buy from with the most potential with Overclocking? Is perhaps an 8800 a better long term card to get? I really only wish to spend under $200US.

((p.s. x1800GTO is compared to about a 7600 GT))

Specs on my vid cards at this moment ATI X1800GTO 256MB
GPU clock 550MHz (default 500)
Mem clock 600Mhz (default 495)
Bandwidth 30GB/s (default 30GB/s)

the nvidia is: XFX 8600 GT 512MB
Core clock 540MHz
Stream Processors 32
Memory Clock 1400MHz
Memory Size 512MB
Memory Interface 128-bit
Memory Type GDDR3

Ideas?

[crenn]

Save up and pick up a 3870 or a 8800GT.

[Spawn-Inc]

my 8800GT 256mb superclocked can handle crysis at all medium settings. i have the evga version which i would recommend as you can "step-up" the card if its not as fast as you want. you have 90 days from the purchase date.

i have volt modded mine which is as simple as using a pencil.

[Ap1thy]

3850 512mb version.. good overclocking, runs fairly cool

[Skriger]

8800GT's i find are PCIE 2.0 cards.. cant do that at this moment unless someone wants to purchase my Abit aw8d mobo.

[Spawn-Inc]

it will still work with pcie 16x, even then it doesn't run at those speeds.

[Ap1thy]

i dont think any cards can even max out pcie16x's bandwidth right yet, itll just be in the future when pcie2.0 really becomes noticable, kinda light agp with 4x and 8x

[BerticusPryme]

I was given 2 512mb 8600gt so i out them in my rig with sli and they run beautiful. i mean they really do. I play crysis on full with no lag. and the 90 day program is a bonus.

[DZ469]

if youre gonna just get one card, then either save some more money and
get an 8800GT 512 (or 256 if youre so inclined), or get a Radeon 3850. Those
are the 2 best options right now, I think.

[khalie]

I think at the moment 8800gt and HD 3850 are the best buys for money