Graphics card choice... aaargh!

[tensim]

Yep, I'm banging my head against a wall... What blingin graphics card should I go with for my new system????

I've decided on the following setup so far:

Antec P182, Abit IP-35 PRO, Intel Q6600, Enermax 525W MODU82+, OCZ Vendetta 2 cooler, 4GB of OCZ PC2-6400C5 Gold DDR2, WD6400AAKS HD, Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit.

For a display I'm torn between the Dell 2408WFP or maybe the Hazro HZ24W (I do a lot of photo editing in addition to playing around with games, so colour accuracy is important for me... so no cheap TN panelled LCD for me :-(

Now I just need to pick a graphics card... What I'm wondering is: does anyone know what the near-term future holds for graphics cards? Any major releases scheduled within the next 3 months or so that promise some sort of quantum leap in GPU performance? I'm happy to wait a little if there is something close on the horizon... I'll buy a 'cheap' 8800GT to get me through

If not, then what should I go for with a budget of around £200 or thereabouts? Can stretch a little to say £250 if it's absolutely worth it... What I don't want is to spend £250 and then see something come out in less than 6 months time that totally blows it out of the water! I'd rather spend <£150 (if it'll do an adequate job that is) and save the £100 for the new tech (if it's coming)

cheers chaps, appreciate your advice as always Once I've built my system and know a bit more I look forward to providing useful advice myself, (though of course, there's going to be A LOT of questions once I try to put this together, and then there's the issue of overclocking it!! LOT's of questions coming I'm sure! )

Simon

[Hicks12]

I think amd are releasing their new cards around july(not sure though) but they are set to be good so far as i know. Nvidia are planning on releasing their "new"(how many times have we heard this ?) 9900 series which might be good, but wouldnt except a jump judging by what they have done with the current lot.

If you can wait id say wait, 8800GT is a good card anyways and the 8800GTS is just slightly better but worth the price still.

[tensim]

OK... been hunting around a bit and found the following:

Asus EN8800GTS: &#163;153.00
Asus EN8800GTX: &#163;185.38

so &#163;32.38 difference between these two cards... which is the better choice for a 24" monitor? The GTX is older tech than the GTS is that right? Does it make a difference?

Which would you get? Or would you spend another &#163;60 on top of the GTX and go for the Radeon HD3870 X2 (&#163;246.74)...

cheers

[staffsMike]

on a 24" the GTX still seems to prove the better card.

[Mithrandir]

XFX 8800gtx XT for &#163;176 from Microdirect

[tensim]

Quite a few people seem to recommend against XFX... is there any reason? What's ASUS like in comparison?

cheers

[Mithrandir]

Quite a few people seem to recommend against XFX... is there any reason? What's ASUS like in comparison?

cheers

Ive been reading that too lately (especially with the 8800gs offer from saverstore)
Personally I have no experience from either.

[hermeticist]

My twopence worth (actually &#163;186.81inc vat & Del.):

Inno3D 9800GTX 512MB DDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer