Looking for a cheap card..

[GuruJockStrap]

My 6800GT is basically going to waste as I haven't played a game on my PC since the begining of December and have no intentions to do so in the near future, so I'm going to sell it and buy a cheap card.

Bit confused as to what to get from ATI and Nvidia's offerings.

My needs are:

1. Has to be AGP
2. Silent. Passive would be great but its going into a toasty Shuttle so I don't want it to overheat. Don't find a heatsink/fan as long as its quiet.
3. Has to be able to handle my 2005FPW's Widescreen resolution of 1680x1050 with ease and no slow down in 2D
4. Will be watching DVD's and other media on the PC so image quality/performance has to be good with software DVD players and video playback in general
5. £50 or under please

What should I get?

[Smokey21]

Well if it's for DvD's and 2d, then ATI would be better, as there far ahead of Nvidia in terms of DvD playback. Can't remember the link, but last week saw a CPU usage whilst watching a DvD, a X1900XT was less than half the % of the 7800.

Im not totally clued up on cards this cheap, but a quick look at OCUK, suggests a 9550 is about right for your price range.

[jimborae]

Radeon 9600 256mb, passive, small, cheap & can go 1680x1050, quality is exceptional when using dvi

[Rhyth]

I would stick with the card you have and just replace the cooler with a more efficient and quieter one. 6800GT's have been used succesfully in shuttles before. You can also get nvidias dvd decoding software from scan which is good.http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=160673

Your card is roughly valued around £50 to £100 pounds 2nd hand?

[Smokey21]

He'd get close to 100quid for a 6800GT. No point in keeping it, and buying software, if he doesn't game.

[Rhyth]

If £100 is a sure bet, fair enough

[schmunk]

You'll get roughly £150 (inc del.) for an AGP 6800GT - check the FS/FT forum here.

[Rhyth]

£150 for a 2nd hand 6800GT AGP, thats great! I bought my 7800GT for £185 inc vat, but if thats the case I agree sell it.
Doh, gfx card prices will always amaze me ignor me Jock

[schmunk]

£150 for a 2nd hand 6800GT AGP, thats great! I bought my 7800GT for £185 inc vat, but if thats the case I agree sell it.
Doh, gfx card prices will always amaze me ignor me Jock

Ah, but yours is PCIe - AGP prices have really held up at the top end, because there's no downwards pressure from new developments. The new 7800GS may change this a little, but only if there are any available.

I'm just glad of my new X800Pro@XT for £110!

[Rhyth]

Ah, but yours is PCIe - AGP prices have really held up at the top end, because there's no downwards pressure from new developments. The new 7800GS may change this a little, but only if there are any available.

Ah I see, thanks mate.

I'm just glad of my new X800Pro@XT for £110!

Yeah what a bargain, was that one of the vivo hard mods?

[GuruJockStrap]

I ordered an Asus 6200 128MB from Scan the other night for £33. Its a half height card thats cooled passively.

Always been satisfied with the DVD playback of my 6800GT and seeing as it was originally touted as having so many transistors for hardware accelerating that turned out to be false, the 6200 should be better as its based on the core that fixed this problem.

Also noticed 6800GT prices on Ebay for around the £150 mark so not a bad downgrade if you ask me!

[teachmech]

Scan sell a 6200 for £33.66 passively cooled
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...Thumbnails=yes
and free delivery

Sorry didn't read your post throughly enough you've alreday ordered said card.
dooh!

[schmunk]

Ah I see, thanks mate.

Yeah what a bargain, was that one of the vivo hard mods?

Yep - I bought it on here from a guy who I guess has just upgraded to something even more super.

[GuruJockStrap]

All installed and running.

Nice to see idle gpu temps of 38oC rather than 70oC+ of the 6800GT in this Shuttle. hopefully amounts to a whole lot less heat being generated inside.

Will probably add some Arctic Silver 5 at a later date to further improve temps but for now it'll do.

[zhenboy]

Get a passive cooled x700 or a 6600

They are the cheapest mid-range cards.

Good performance for any 2D tasks n DVD playback.

[GuruJockStrap]

This £33 6200 is doing everything I'm asking of it with ease and obviously apart from the poo gaming performance, I can't tell the difference between this and the previous 6800GT.