Advice

[JackyBryant]

With cost factored in, what are your thoughts on the best available graphics card out there to run this next generation of games? I'm really partial right now to the 9800 Pro 256MB, but what do you guys think?

[Nomadd]

Depends on how much you've got to spend. I guess based on price my thinking would go something like (cheapest to most expensive):

9800 Pro (but 128MB, not a 256MB, unless I could find it REAL cheap)
6800NU
6800GT/X800Pro
6800Ultra/X800XTPE

Really depends on how much you want to spend? If I really was looking at 'next gen games' as you put it, I wouldn't start below a 6800NU - unless money really was a factor. Oh, and you've got a fast enough PC to really drive a 'next gen.' card?

Nomadd

[ed^chigliak]

128mb 9800pro will run the next crop of games well enough at medium settings with 1024x768 for £125 from lowestonweb. Not the best choice if you plan on getting a TFT because the native resolution can be quite high so the 9800pro is not neccessarily going to be enough to guarantee good frame rates at the native resolution.

If you are considering 9800pro 256mb then really for the money you would be better looking at getting a 6800NU unless you can find a bargain.

6800GT or X800pro for around £280 mark will allow you to run higher resolutions and pretty much every game on a 17" TFT at the native resolution. Ideally suited to the new A64 CPU's which are just awsome for gaming.

[mike_w]

Don't forget that you'll need a hefty CPU as well to get the most out of the new generation of graphics cards (X800, 6800). If your CPU, and the rest of the system, can't keep up with the graphics card, then there is little point in buying it.

[Mblaster]

I would surgest the 6800GT if you budget is big enough as it will provide a great experience in all of todays games and up and coming games as well. If you don't wanna spend that much then the 6800(NU) would be a better choice over the 9800 Pro as there is very little price difference between the two.

[Leo]

If you're running an a64 system.. a GT if u can afford it.

Older Barton/P4 system ... 9800Pro 128MB (best bang for buck).

No point in getting anything faster as one of ur components will usually be acting as the bottleneck.

[Nomadd]

re: "If you're running an a64 system: a GT if u can afford it. ...Older Barton/P4 system: 9800Pro 128MB. No point in getting anything faster as one of ur components will usually be acting as the bottleneck."

<sarcasm mode on>
Damn, I'm running one of those 'older P4' systems' and I bought a GT. What a fool I was! My cheap P4 (running @3.5GHz) was *half* the price of the A64 3400 at the time (three months ago.) And all I get from it is a lousy 12,500+ in 3DMark03. And those next gen games like Doom3 and FarCry? All they do is run super smooth at high res and high quality with high AA and high AF. Again, what a shambles. Should've bought a 9800 Pro for this 'old' system. LOL.

<sarcasm mode off>
Dude, you need to take the AMD fanboy hat off once in awhile. :-) I've nothing against AMD - built tons of systems using their CPUs - but to lump 'P4' in the pile with 'Older Barton' and therefore recommend '9800 Pro' is just plain stupid.

Nomadd

[Leo]

<super sarcasm mode on>
Before you jump to conclusions, and accuse me of being a Fanboy, did u even care to check any facts or even enquire what system I was running. As it happens, I am an Intel man myself (and have been for quite some time now), and run a 3 GHZ SL6WU Malay clocked to 3.9 Ghz on air cooling. Got nothing against AMD or Intel myself either, but if u look around a bit, you can see that the A64's easily rule the P4 for gaming, and in benchmarks using Ultra's or XT's, the P4 often proves to be the bottleneck in the system (unless you're running the Extremely Expensive Edition). I run a 6800GT on this system myself, and get abt 13000 3dmark03 so obviously not cpu limited, but that is due to the clocks I have achieved. Most people who ask these sort of questions (no offence intended to the thread starter) arent the most hardcore of overclockers anyway, and for them running a P4 cpu at stock, a 9800Pro will suffice for the time being, except in maybe Doom3 though even that runs at 1024x768 @ high quality silky smooth.
<super sarcasm mode off>

Next time you accuse someone of being a fanboy, get your facts straight. Its become a fad these days to label people based on what advice they give, sheesh

[joely]

handbags ladies

[Nomadd]

re: "Before you jump to conclusions, and accuse me of being a Fanboy, did u even care to check any facts or even enquire what system I was running."

Er, should I have checked you shoe size as well? We don't need to check your PC specs, just the content of your posts. And it's your post's content I was commenting on, not your machine specs. And your post's content was plain dumb. You PC specs don't change that, son.

re: "Got nothing against AMD or Intel myself either, but if u look around a bit, you can see that the A64's easily rule the P4 for gaming"

You need to learn to read charts, and stop taking eveything at face value. Yes, AMD 64s in gaming are strong - but *I never claimed they weren't.* Yes, if you run *ANY* older games (UT/Quake 1/2/3, COD, RtcW, UT2004 - still on a mainly DX7/8 engine, etc.) at *LOW* resolutions with *NO AA* and *LOW AF* you may see a CPU dependency - *AMD or Intel*. And the AMDs look nice at 504 fps v Intel at 499 fps, but it doesn't make any real-world difference. So, ramp up the eye-candy - at least 1280x1024x4AAx8AF - and use a modern game that actually tests the card (FarCry/Doom3/etc.) and the CPU is *NOT* the bottleneck - the graphics card is. And the idea that a P4 - mine at 3.5 and your's at 3.9, for christs sake - is going to be holding you back so much you should really only invest in a "9800 Pro" is plain stupid ( i.e. what you suggested in your post.)

re: "and for them running a P4 cpu at stock, a 9800Pro will suffice for the time being, except in maybe Doom3 though even that runs at 1024x768 @ high quality silky smooth."

But he didn't mention his CPU at all. If you had answered his post INTELLIGENTLY, by stating: "...a 9800Pro will suffice for the time being, except in maybe Doom3 though even that runs at 1024x768 @ high quality silky smooth." Which ALMOST was what you did say... Except you started lumping *ALL* P4s and 9800 Pro's together as 'old systems' and not worthy of a 6800GT! And you and I know that isn't true - as we both have speedy P4s with 6800GTs. So I guess my question is: When did you stop taking your own advice? Although thank god you did. Just make sure other people don't take it, please.

re: "Next time you accuse someone of being a fanboy, get your facts straight."

Again, if you bother to read - the very skill you accuse me of lacking, even though I did reply to your post directly - I put a 'smilely' after the fanboy comment. And it had 'sarcasm mode off' before it. Chill, dude. And my facts are straight, it's just you don't bother to read them. Maybe it would help if I posted my machine specs for you to read? No, wait, that would be plain stupid, wouldn't it.

re: "Its become a fad these days to label people based on what advice they give, sheesh"

Correct. And I have labelled you on just that. What's wrong with that? Why are you so scared at having to defend your own - daft - advice? Advice like 'don't buy a 6800GT to waste on an 'older system' like a P4; just get a 9800 Pro.' needs challenging, whether it's a 'fad' or not. And like you just said, you didn't even bother following your own advice. Enough said.

re: "handbags ladies"

Mine's a nice pink one with roses. :-) Must add it to my machine specs so Leo can check it each time I post. :-)

Cheers,

Nomadd

[joely]

you went for the pink with roses? wow thats a risky choice, i have the blue with sequins as it has double purse rate technology and lipstick underun protection!

[Nomadd]

re: "i have the blue with sequins as it has double purse rate technology and lipstick underun protection!"

Madam, I challenge you to a duel!! :-)

Nomadd

[joely]

challenge accepted, now where did i put my best eye liner?

[Stewart]

Best value for money overall - 9800pro.

Best Value of the 4 'Next Gen' cards - 6800GT.

My Choice If You've Got The Cash - X800XT-PE.

Nomadd - Any chance you can use the proper quote tags please mate? It makes your posts hard to read without them. Cheers.