Midrange card. Suggestions?

[Jonnycat]

Here's one (x1900GT) a friend of mine is looking at right now, and it's in your price range.

 

[Tatty_Two]

X1650XT, X1950GT or X1950PRO. These cards all got dongle-less Crossfire and can do physics. I wouldn't touch the 7900GS with a 10 foot pole because its such a lackluster product in terms of performance with newer rendering methods.

7600GT would get blown out of the water by the X1650XT without a sweat.
X1950GT would murder the 7900GS (which it wasn't even designed to be better than), the X1950PRO would tear the 7900GT and in some cases even the 7950GT, undoubtedly also be more powerful than the 7800GT/GTX.

You need to pop down the doctors and get a reality injection, firstly the 1950Pro aint nowhere near the 7950Gt, I spose if you dug around for long enuff you might find the odd test that it would but across the board the 7950GT is a fair distance in front, the 1950Pro is, as i said earlier a little faster than the GS and a fair bit in some tests (but loses some too!) but you are forgetting the fact that the GS is cheaper, when you get to overclocking, yes I know that most dont overclock.....but most of us here DO, the 7900GS/GT overclock like madmen and are more than a match for it's overclocked ATi counterparts.

Ati's architecture is perfect for shader intensive games and also has the HDR/AA option also but in some modern games the extra pipes of the GS/GT are in it's favour, if you look at Oblivion for example, ATi wipes the floor with NVidia, but look at Fear and NVidia comes out the best.

My point here is, in my opinion ATi generally are my card of preference and I have a green and a red but when someone asks for advice I try and give UNBIASED non fanboy info, you will see from my previous post that I recommended that if he had the money get the 1950Pro, if he wanted to stay within budget.....get the 7900GS....both good cards.

Last point, if the 1950Pro is that good, how come in 3D Mark 2005 my 1800XT beats it?........cause the 1950Pro dont overclock as well as a 1800XT! There are a few in TPU with single core processors who are hitting 11000+ with an 1800XT.

 

[Wile E]

Last point, if the 1950Pro is that good, how come in 3D Mark 2005 my 1800XT beats it?........cause the 1950Pro dont overclock as well as a 1800XT! There are a few in TPU with single core processors who are hitting 11000+ with an 1800XT.

Just wanted to add, once you turn on AA and AF, the X1800XT pulls ahead of the 1950Pro even faster.

 

[tkpenalty]

Um... guys X1800XT costs like $90USD more than the X1950PRO

and tatty_one, can you read? In some cases, not all cases gawd... people read the whole post!

 

[Wile E]

Um... guys X1800XT costs like $90USD more than the X1950PRO

No it doesn't. If you can still find one, it goes for almost the same price as a 1950Pro. Mine was $160 after a mail in rebate. And that was months ago.

 

[trt740]

A x1800xt is faster than a x1950 pro, and a x1900gt and even in oblivion it can beat a x1900xt Tatty one is correct I've had all the cards listed , and it kinda baffles people. They hope that in future it will be slower because the x1800xt only has 16 shader to a x1900xts 48 and the x1950 pros 36 and that it will lose out but so far its not the case. read this benchmark tkpenalty and bro your a great guy but do some research before you question a true super geek like Tatty_One.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/406/7/

 

[trt740]

I just looked on ebay the average x1800xt is going from about 140.00 to 200.00

 

[AshenSugar]

the 1950pro would be better in SHADER BASED GAMES, same deal with the 1900gt and 1950gt, they have more shader units then the 7900/7950, if the games heavy on shaders they have an advantege.

and the perf diffrances here are hardly huge, far smaller then some would imply, you make it sound likethe 7900gt is 100fps faster then the x1950gt or 1900gt, and well thats bs.

yall need a reality check, and the x1650 is around 122-130bucks on the egg, for its price its a great buy, 8pipes 32 shaders, and kicks 7600gt arse

 

[trt740]

then why doesn't it beat the x1800xt in Fear shader intense game or Oblivion ultima shader intense game right now. How do you figure a x1650xt beat the arse off a 7600gt not in any review I read here is one now http://www.legitreviews.com/article/411/5/ here is another review where the x1650xt just edges a 7600gt but barely by like 1 or 2 frames http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx

here is yet another review where they are neck and neck a x1650xt hardly kills a 7600gt and it does not justify the price difference and i'm a AMD/ATI fan boy

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/radeon-x1650xt_7.html

 

[Beomagi]

The x1650 is 12 shaders, on 4 pipes, and falters on heavy texture areas. It's quite a powerful card as long as the texture units are not maxed out.

here's and example on the x1600xt
http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/articles/show/732/3

note that there's areas where when the 4 tmu's are taxed, the card falls behind - even under 6600gt levels.

the x1650 is a speed bump - i'd LOVE it to have 8 pipes with 24 shaders - that would be awesome, but it isnt.
While the price isn't bad, it's advantage over the $90 overclocked 7600gt isn't enough.

 

[Johhny B]

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments. Right now (until the 31st that is) it looks like the 7900 gs at $150 after rebate is the way to go. Otherwise for $190-200 after rebate I would probably go for the 7950 gt.

After checking out the database at GPUreview.com (thanks for the link) I would have to say that the ATI based cards over all can't compete with the nVidea cards when it comes to price versus performance.

Edit: There are a few exeptions though. There is quite a big gap in the price range above the 7950 gt that the x1900xt and the x1950xt fit nicely into.

 

[Beomagi]

i'd say if you're looking that high, the x1950xt.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102067

It's 256MB, but memory speed is above that of the x1900xtx which competes directly against the 7900gtx. The core speed is 25MHz less than the x1900xtx, but easily hits higher speeds.

under that price range, I'd agree on the sentiment that nvidia's cards have a price advantage for now.

 

[Zubasa]

The X1650XT is 8 pipes and 24 pixel shaders, get it right guys
The X1650Pro = X1600XT has 4 pipes 12 pixel shaders.

 

[trt740]

why not get a x1800xt 512 for around 160 its faster than all the 7600 7900 except the 7950 which its a tie with


here is one now a refurbished one http://cgi.ebay.com/ATI-Radeon-X180...ryZ40158QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Grings]

xfx's 256meg xxx 7900gs whupped the powercolour x1950pro512meg in every test in last months custom pc (a u.k. magazine) and was cheaper. you may say dont trust a magazines review, but theyre far less biased than most of these posts

and a 1650xt kicking a 7600gt's arse? not likely, and 7600's overclock better

 

[Beomagi]

The X1650XT is 8 pipes and 24 pixel shaders, get it right guys
The X1650Pro = X1600XT has 4 pipes 12 pixel shaders.

skip a beat in this game and it haunts you!
damn you're right - that is pretty sweet.

looks pretty good vs the 7600gt too. but not too bad a beating. Still For $90, the 7600gt hold better value NOW. heavier pixelshader games may shift it.

 

[cdawall]

7900gs is still the best choice

 

[Tatty_Two]

the 1950pro would be better in SHADER BASED GAMES, same deal with the 1900gt and 1950gt, they have more shader units then the 7900/7950, if the games heavy on shaders they have an advantege.

and the perf diffrances here are hardly huge, far smaller then some would imply, you make it sound likethe 7900gt is 100fps faster then the x1950gt or 1900gt, and well thats bs.

yall need a reality check, and the x1650 is around 122-130bucks on the egg, for its price its a great buy, 8pipes 32 shaders, and kicks 7600gt arse

I said that in my last post vis a vis ATi rulz shader games and TBH as you have said (and I agree) there is not enuff difference between the likes of the 7900GT/GS/1950Pro/1800XT to warrant significant argument, thats where the price and "bang for buck" come in.

With regards the 1650, again I agree but his budget is a bit more than that which will get him a 7900GS (but not a 1950Pro) and thats the reason I recommended it (see my first post), the 7900GS is faster than the 1650, but as I said, so that I could remain unbiased in my advice.....the GS wont give simultaneous HDR/AA.

Ohhh and stop stealin me punchlines!!!

 

[Tatty_Two]

Um... guys X1800XT costs like $90USD more than the X1950PRO

and tatty_one, can you read? In some cases, not all cases gawd... people read the whole post!

Lol yes I can read and TBH I am struggling to find any test that it's beaten in, I am not suggeting there arent....just that I cannot find one, read 5 reviews now!

TK, you must admit tho, U did get a little bit into "fanboy" mode in that previous post......

 

[Tatty_Two]

xfx's 256meg xxx 7900gs whupped the powercolour x1950pro512meg in every test in last months custom pc (a u.k. magazine) and was cheaper. you may say dont trust a magazines review, but theyre far less biased than most of these posts

and a 1650xt kicking a 7600gt's arse? not likely, and 7600's overclock better

except mine of course (the unbiased posts that is!)

 

[Tatty_Two]

A x1800xt is faster than a x1950 pro, and a x1900gt and even in oblivion it can beat a x1900xt Tatty one is correct I've had all the cards listed , and it kinda baffles people. They hope that in future it will be slower because the x1800xt only has 16 shader to a x1900xts 48 and the x1950 pros 36 and that it will lose out but so far its not the case. read this benchmark tkpenalty and bro your a great guy but do some research before you question a true super geek like Tatty_One.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/406/7/

Not too sure I like that "supergeek" thing there m8, I am 46.....my Geekish days are long over

 

[Tatty_Two]

On a more serious note, a little off topic but not as we have all been fighting corners, can I ask your opinions of the 1950XT, I have just warrant returned my 1800XT.....yeah I know funny ha ha, she just didnt like a 760 core and 1880 memory on 1.6V (I think it was), got bored one day last week and as I have the 7900GTO decided to play, it worked for a while!

Anyways, as connect 3D dont manufacture the 1800XT any longer, the closest card price wise to replace what I paid for the 1800XT is the 256MB 1950XT, now I am in a bit of a dilemma, I game in 1600 x 1050 so I know there are some benefits from have my trusty and cheap 7900GTO 512MB that TBH is a pocket rocket, it cost me the same as the 1950Pro cost at launch in the UK ie £150, so anyways, back to the dilemma, I know (I think) that the 1950XT will be a bit quicker......non fanboy views appreciated.......the IQ will be better, tho TBH this cards IQ is easily as good as the 1800XT was truly but do I stick with the GTO and 512MB or go for the 1950XT if it is indeed faster, am asking because I do not know a lot about the 1950XT but PLEASE consider the GTO as a 7900GTX as it is running faster than GTX speeds.

 

[trt740]

tatty it not much faster than my x1900xt its just a supped up version of It and your 7900gto matches it over clocked.

 

[tkpenalty]

Just get a gpu thats a x1k series, it will do you fine anyway. 7 Series is teh_suck in the future as it isn't capable of anything DX10. x1k can do physics

 

[Tatty_Two]

Will get a DX10 card to do DX10 once a few games are out and Vista is properly established, this is a freebie replacement for my 1800XT so I need to know for DX9 which is the better to keep, and which is the better to give away.

All this DX10 talk makes me a bit twitchy, cant see nothing to play yet that uses the technology. Will probably get one in the summer.