suggestions?? i use my system for all different things from general
use to gaming to digital photo editing.

Doesn't matter for compatibility. Nvidia has tho, announced that
matched mobo+card can enable an effectively higher busspeed between the mobo
& the card, in particular the FX series cards as I recall. Is this worth
worrying about with the newer generation cards? I'd say no.

PNY Verto 6800 GT 256MB (what does the GT stand for??)

I have this, it's great. GT means it has 16pipelines instead of 12 in
the non-GT. This is the card I recommend, though the plain 6800 is decent
and Rivatuner can enable the extra 4 pipelines for a free upgrade.

rms