Radeon or Nvidia?

[Razors Edge]

I've had very powerdfull cards from both Nvida and ATI, but Witch one now?

For my newest system i'm building. I can't decide. A Radeon x1900 at Bestbuy is $199. That seems good enough to play oblivion at highest detail. But For $199 is there an Nvidia that is better?

[Indybird]

Assuming thats 256MB or better and PCI-Express, you won't find a better deal than that... ;)

[Silenced_Coyote]

You won't be able to set the graphics quality on highest and with all the eye candy enabled. Frame rates will drop really low outdoors.
http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/08/09/a_tale_of_two_gts/page8.html

[Slug Toy]

well still, for the $200, the x1900 is hard to beat right now. similar priced nvidia hardware probably cant touch it.

maybe wait a month? i hear that nvidia is rolling out their new stuff in september. it might be interesting to see what happens.

[monoflap]

Have you considered buying from newegg? They are almost always the better deal.

[qoou]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130035

[Indybird]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130035
I saw that card when I checked also, but I didn't recommend it because it is recertified. I've bought two recertified items (graphics card, hard drive), one was missing cables and the other was dead...
Stick with what you found.

[.Maleficus.]

I like nVidia, but I've only experience ATi once at my friends house.

And I also don't know if you will find a better deal than the X1900, unless you do find a deal on an online store.

[monoflap]

If your going with a dual card set up, or plan to. I would go Nvidia.

[simon275]

Yes the Nvidia SLI platform is much more powerful and easier to come by then a cross fire set up as you have to by a special crossfire card. While with SLI you just need two of the same card.

[Kaky]

I will an was always going the nVidia way lol :)

[Razors Edge]

Like I said, I'm not a graphics junkie, I don't want top line, I just want somthing that will run oblivion. I'm accualyl considering an x1600 AGP for $140 on newegg.

[monoflap]

Unfortunatley, to run oblivion at decent framerates without the graphics being on absolute low, your going to have to get something at least near high end. And please tell me your not stuck with agp like I am! :(

[Razors Edge]

Unfortinitley I am. The best I could find was a x1600, And we AGP gamers are dying. They Stopped manufacturing AGP cards.

[.Maleficus.]

What model X1600 are you looking at? I don't know how it compares to this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814143069), but this might be worth checking out.

[Razors Edge]

It looks good, But I need one that takes up two slots, Becuase I am a person who cannot stand without proper cooling.

[Indybird]

Try this. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161005)
Its 512MB, Dual Slot Cooler, and its decently priced. ;)

[Slug Toy]

yes the x1600pro is probably what you're going to have to settle for. take comfort in the fact that it has three shaders per pipeline though, so its not just a cut and dry 12 pipeline performance issue. the biggest bummer is the DDR2 memory, and the 128 bit interface. that is probably the most crippling factor, but not the end of the world.

if you could get an AGP x1600xt... that solves a couple problems because it bumps the clocks up a bit, and uses DDR3 memory. but they dont make AGP x1600xt's.

[The Black Pumpkin]

I think I remember them making a 7800GT for AGP, though I can't remember where I saw it. Would be a little more expensive, but would definitely run Oblivion. If it exists.

[Razors Edge]

Yes the one that IndyBird posted was the one I was looking at. I love it. It has a nice dual slot cooler, and 512 RAM.

[Indybird]

I think I remember them making a 7800GT for AGP, though I can't remember where I saw it. Would be a little more expensive, but would definitely run Oblivion. If it exists.
Wow, I wish I could find that! I'd buy it for my second comp...

[Silenced_Coyote]

I don't see any 7800 GT cards but they do sell 7800 GS cards.

[The Black Pumpkin]

Indeed, it is GS, my bad. I found six of them at Newegg, here's (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130274) what I would buy if I had the money. :D

eVGA is my favorite video brand. :)

[Razors Edge]

I like BFG Tech :)

[monoflap]

One question, rather than buying a new card, why don't you just save up and upgrade your mobo?