Picking out mainstream AGP video card HELP

I currently am running:

Abit NF7-S v2.0
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
1 gig (2x512) Mushkin 3400 Level II
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro (128 meg)

While it is running pretty much everything I want to run I note that with a
few of the newer games I am forced to turn the sliders down a bit in order
to get acceptable frame rates. Time to start thinking about upgrades but
since the gear I already have is about as good as it gets with 32 bits the
only path open is the new 64 bit gear but as I look over the 64bit landscape
everything looks a little TOO new for my taste. Better to wait for the 64bit
OS another generation or two of chipsets before taking the plunge.

While I wait I am stuck with what I have, except for that Radeon 9500 Pro.

I am looking to replace that 9500 with another AGP "mainstream" card costing
no more than $200. When last I bought a video card ATI was on top with the
9500 Pro and NVidia was running a pretty poor second with their mainstream
card. This time around the it seems ATI has stumbled and NVidia is top dog.
This makes the prime candidate in my price range a GForce 6600 GT with
little from ATI close enough to even consider.

Being far from a guru I know better than to buy anything without first
seeking the opinion of the more knowledgable here in the NG. Any advice
would be appreciated.

In alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia, Joe ordered an army of hamsters
to type:

I currently am running:

Abit NF7-S v2.0
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
1 gig (2x512) Mushkin 3400 Level II
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro (128 meg)

While it is running pretty much everything I want to run I note that
with a few of the newer games I am forced to turn the sliders down a
bit in order to get acceptable frame rates. Time to start thinking
about upgrades but since the gear I already have is about as good as
it gets with 32 bits the only path open is the new 64 bit gear but as
I look over the 64bit landscape everything looks a little TOO new for
my taste. Better to wait for the 64bit OS another generation or two of
chipsets before taking the plunge.

While I wait I am stuck with what I have, except for that Radeon 9500
Pro.

I am looking to replace that 9500 with another AGP "mainstream" card
costing no more than $200. When last I bought a video card ATI was on
top with the 9500 Pro and NVidia was running a pretty poor second with
their mainstream card. This time around the it seems ATI has stumbled
and NVidia is top dog. This makes the prime candidate in my price
range a GForce 6600 GT with little from ATI close enough to even
consider.

Being far from a guru I know better than to buy anything without first
seeking the opinion of the more knowledgable here in the NG. Any
advice would be appreciated.






How about going to several stores and looking at the best cards offered for
your budget and then making a decision.

Yes -- 6600GT for the $200 range. I like my MSI. It's one of the quieter
ones.

--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

On Sat, 14 May 2005 19:41:12 -0400, "Joe"
wrote:

I currently am running:

Abit NF7-S v2.0
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
1 gig (2x512) Mushkin 3400 Level II
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro (128 meg)

While it is running pretty much everything I want to run I note that with a
few of the newer games I am forced to turn the sliders down a bit in order
to get acceptable frame rates. Time to start thinking about upgrades but
since the gear I already have is about as good as it gets with 32 bits the
only path open is the new 64 bit gear but as I look over the 64bit landscape
everything looks a little TOO new for my taste. Better to wait for the 64bit
OS another generation or two of chipsets before taking the plunge.

While I wait I am stuck with what I have, except for that Radeon 9500 Pro.

I am looking to replace that 9500 with another AGP "mainstream" card costing
no more than $200. When last I bought a video card ATI was on top with the
9500 Pro and NVidia was running a pretty poor second with their mainstream
card. This time around the it seems ATI has stumbled and NVidia is top dog.
This makes the prime candidate in my price range a GForce 6600 GT with
little from ATI close enough to even consider.

Being far from a guru I know better than to buy anything without first
seeking the opinion of the more knowledgable here in the NG. Any advice
would be appreciated.



You can get the 6600GT for under $200.00 these days. However
Newegg has the non-GT/Ultra 6800 AGP for $209.00, and up. I'm not sure
how much better than a 6600GT it is, but if it's extra 4 pipelines can
be unlocked to give it 16 instead of 12, I'd think it would be a great
card for just over $200.00.

"Joe" wrote in message
news:l0whe.15378$Ay3.10824@lakeread06
I currently am running:

Abit NF7-S v2.0
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
1 gig (2x512) Mushkin 3400 Level II
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro (128 meg)

While it is running pretty much everything I want to run I note that
with a few of the newer games I am forced to turn the sliders down a
bit in order to get acceptable frame rates. Time to start thinking
about upgrades but since the gear I already have is about as good as
it gets with 32 bits the only path open is the new 64 bit gear but as
I look over the 64bit landscape everything looks a little TOO new for
my taste. Better to wait for the 64bit OS another generation or two
of chipsets before taking the plunge.
While I wait I am stuck with what I have, except for that Radeon 9500
Pro.
I am looking to replace that 9500 with another AGP "mainstream" card
costing no more than $200. When last I bought a video card ATI was on
top with the 9500 Pro and NVidia was running a pretty poor second
with their mainstream card. This time around the it seems ATI has
stumbled and NVidia is top dog. This makes the prime candidate in my
price range a GForce 6600 GT with little from ATI close enough to
even consider.
Being far from a guru I know better than to buy anything without first
seeking the opinion of the more knowledgable here in the NG. Any
advice would be appreciated.

The 6600GT AGP replacing a 9500 Pro should fix that problem for you. I
*KNOW* that the 6800 and up would, without a doubt at all. You'd be
hard pressed to find a 6800 for $200 though. The 6600GT is said to be
"the most bang for the buck" right now.

I do kinda regret not having a 6600GT card to play with. I can really
only guess how it stacks up. I pulled out 9800 Pro and FX5900 to drop
in 6800-128 and 6800GT. I can tell you there's a big bold difference
now in XP3000+ 1 gig (9800 to 6800) and P4-3.0 2gigs (FX5900 to 6800GT).
But those two 6800 type cards set me back $300 for the 6800 then 2
months later $400 for the GT.

well, me and my son are *both* happy now
McG.

Thanks all for the info.