[redsniper]

I got Oblivion recently for my birthday and although my comp can handle it well enough, it still stutters quite a lot plus I'd like to be able to use HDR. I currently have an X800 XL and I'm looking for a good PCIe card in the $250-$300 range. The X1800 GTO looks kinda nice, but I'm not sure if it would be that much of a step up from what I already have and the X1800 XT is just really expensive. Also, I'm not familiar with nvidia's current cards at all. I've also heard about this new R600 chipset that ATI is coming out with soon and that it should cause current prices to drop; maybe it would be better to wait until then. So HLP, share your infinite wisdom.

[Flipside]

From personal experience, I used to use GeForce cards exclusively, I found the last high-power GeForce I had, which was a 9600, had a terrible heating problem, so I splashed out on an X1600, and haven't looked back. The card has been pretty much hassle-free and the graphics are very smooth even with heavy shader use. From my own point of view, I'd look more favourably at ATI cards. The X1800 would probably be a good bet, if it performs along the same lines.

[CP5670]

It's a bit over your price range, but this is the deal in video cards right now if the rebate is factored in:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102025

R600 probably won't be out until the Christmas period. Nvidia's G80 will come earlier, but is still some months off.

[redsniper]

OMFG

[neoterran]

I found the last high-power GeForce I had, which was a 9600, had a terrible heating problem

That might be because that card is 2 generations from being released.

[Ghostavo]

ZOMG!!! Flipside is from the future!!

[Flipside]

Damn my secret is out

He did say safety not garaunteed....

Seriously though, I meant 6600

[Sandwich]

It's a bit over your price range, but this is the deal in video cards right now if the rebate is factored in:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102025

That card, in Israel, costs around $670.

[CP5670]

Well, it looks like they sold out on those for now. There are a few others for around $350 but without the rebate.

The prices on these cards are dropping like crazy, about $80 in just the last month. And I thought the XTX I got for $410 two months ago was a great deal.

That card, in Israel, costs around $670.

It seems that the computer hardware prices I hear about everywhere else in the world are much higher than what we get around here, even when adjusted for purchasing parity. Not sure why.

[redsniper]

yeah, they're out of stock for now but they give an ETA of July 17 for the next batch.

[GodisanAtheist]

Your best bet for the current gen of cards is the 7900GT KO from EVGA. Fairly cheap (~$300 American), extremely powerful (10% more powerful than a 7800GTX), uses little power, low heat, nice fan and heat shroud.

While ATI did serve up the most powerful cards this gen, they are large, hot, loud and ungainly. Many take up 2 slots, while the 7900GT only occupies one.

I'm in much the same situation as you. I got a X800 Vanilla this christmas, and by next Christmas or summer I'll probably upgrade to the current high end.

Don't pick up the 1st gen DX10 cards, as DX10 is a huge leap from previous DX generations and has a good margin for error (New geometry shaders, Unified shader architexture, Vista only etc).

[CP5670]

He said he's looking to play Oblivion, where the X1900XT is over twice as fast (more if you take into account the whole AF issue with the Geforce 7 cards).

Even in general though, at the current prices that 7900GT KO card will only be worth it if you do the 1.4V pencil mod and push it way up. You also need to make sure you get one of the fixed, newer revision ones that just came out a few days ago. The stock X1800/X1900 cooler is definitely loud (and there are no good aftermarket ones), but the stock 7900GT one is only slightly better.

[Descenterace]

The ultimate solution to the problem of loud fans: a stupidly-overspec watercooling system. Mine can dissipate about twice the attached computer's current peak output without the use of fans; that'll cope with even a new ATI card. With the fans... I'm not sure. It might be able to handle as much as 5KW with all three radiator fans at full speed.

[CmdKewin]

Not to disappoint anyone.... But I recently went from a Radeon 9600 Pro to an X1900XT (512 MB version) CrossFire Setup... Put that with my 20 inches widescreen monitor and guess what it gives.  8)

So, as always, it all depends on how much you want to spend. If you want to stay in the same range price as the X800, the X1800 series is really a no brainer. If you can spend more... get your hands on an Nvidia 7900GTX ASAP. Performance is just slightly inferior to Ati's top, X1900XTX (we are talking of less than a hundred 3DMark points) but it surely isn't as loud as the latter. Only major drawback... good luck in finding one: it's an extremely hard card to find.

p.s.: I got the X1900XT just because the X1900XTX does not come in CrossFire Edition. And getting a 650 $ card and not being able to pair it with a little sister is pointless.

[CP5670]

What do you think of Crossfire? I used to have an SLI setup but found that SLI is still basically a beta technology and has lots of weird problems. I have no experience with Crossfire though.

It's easy to find the 7900GTXs around here, but at $420 you're paying a lot just for the quiet cooler. They're quite a bit slower than the X1900s when you factor in their AF problem and the ATI 6.6 drivers, anywhere between 15% and 80% in minimum framerates depending on the game, and more importantly the 7900GTs can be modded into similar cards for half the price.

If you want to cut down on the noise, you could try replacing the stock coolers with the popular Accelero X2s. Those are cheap (about $20 around here) and cool the cards just as well the stock coolers, but with practically no noise. Although I don't like them since they don't exhaust the air out of the case; it gets blown onto the motherboard of all places. The best solution is probably water, like Descenterace said.

I personally don't mind the noise much, as the ATI cooler is quiet enough in Windows and I use closed headphones for games anyway. The card sounds like a turbine at the constant 80% load speed I use, but I can't hear it.

[CmdKewin]

What do you think of Crossfire? I used to have an SLI setup but found that SLI is still basically a beta technology and has lots of weird problems. I have no experience with Crossfire though.

Yea. I've heard that, and I documented myseld a lot before buying. On the average, I'd say my CrossFire experience until now has been positive. Never had a chance to play with a SLI setup yet. Other than that, you really need a game which does support it, otherwise it won't matter. I could have spent less money, I know, since SLI ready games are still few. But would have it been wise to get "outdated" components? I don't think so. This PC is going to last like my previous one. Around 4 years.

It's easy to find the 7900GTXs around here, but at $420 you're paying a lot just for the quiet cooler. They're quite a bit slower than the X1900s when you factor in their AF problem and the ATI 6.6 drivers, anywhere between 15% and 80% in minimum framerates depending on the game, and more importantly the 7900GTs can be modded into similar cards for half the price.

Uhm. Well, basically I wanted to get away from ATI, altought I've owned one since the early RAGE days. But that was before the X1900XTX came out.

If you want to cut down on the noise, you could try replacing the stock coolers with the popular Accelero X2s. Those are cheap (about $20 around here) and cool the cards just as well the stock coolers, but with practically no noise. Although I don't like them since they don't exhaust the air out of the case; it gets blown onto the motherboard of all places. The best solution is probably water, like Descenterace said.

I'm going to have a look at those. Water cooling on the cpu already helped, but an improvement is always an improvement.

I personally don't mind the noise much, as the ATI cooler is quiet enough in Windows and I use closed headphones for games anyway. The card sounds like a turbine at the constant 80% load speed I use, but I can't hear it.

Right Guess I could live with that. I was just pointing one of the main differences between current top cards. At least, the most immediate one.

[CP5670]

Yea. I've heard that, and I documented myseld a lot before buying. On the average, I'd say my CrossFire experience until now has been positive. Never had a chance to play with a SLI setup yet. Other than that, you really need a game which does support it, otherwise it won't matter. I could have spent less money, I know, since SLI ready games are still few. But would have it been wise to get "outdated" components? I don't think so. This PC is going to last like my previous one. Around 4 years.

With SLI, I found that even in most of the games that ostensibly support it, vsync does not work and it causes a strange effect where the game subjectively feels a lot choppier than the framerate would indicate, almost down to the level of a single card. I think the only games where SLI actually worked correctly for me were the modern OpenGL ones, basically Doom 3, Quake 4 and Riddick.

It does make sense to just go all out if you intend to keep the computer for a long time. I guess my computer stuff generally doesn't last more than eight months before it goes on ebay and I upgrade.

Uhm. Well, basically I wanted to get away from ATI, altought I've owned one since the early RAGE days. But that was before the X1900XTX came out.

heh, I am actually in the opposite situation, this is my first ATI card since an old Rage Pro eight years ago. I've always used 3dfx and Nvidia stuff otherwise. Having used both sides' cards from this generation though, I slightly prefer ATI just for their features and drivers, even if the speed differences are left aside.

The one thing I do like about the Nvidia cards are their AA modes. ATI cards only go up to 6x multi AA, while Nvidia cards have four modes above that with supersampling components. They are too slow in current games and most don't work with OpenGL, but look fantastic in older D3D games. It's a pity that with the 7 series cards, this is offset by the bad default AF quality.

[Ulala]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127212

 

[CP5670]

Decent price, but I wouldn't recommend it given the SLI problems I mentioned. And in any case two 7900GTs are only $30 more and can overclock much higher.

[edit] actually, scratch that, they're $70 less.

[Ulala]

Exactly. That card is ridiculous. Well, okay, if someone gave it to me for free I'd take it but.. not under any other circumstances.