Which graphics card

[VINTAR]

I need help.

I am going to upgrade to a new core to quad system.

I am on a tight budget and wondered should I buy an Nvidia 9600GT 512MB or cough up the extra +-$50 for the 9800GT.

Is there a big enough performance boost to warrant the extra dough?

There is a third option, an Nvidia 9600GSO 768MB for the same price as the 9600GT 512MB????

Any views welcome

[EggChen]

Get the best you can afford!! Even at the expense of the processor, which you can usually overclock easily(especially dual/quad core Intel chips).

I'd go for the 9800 out of those you listed, it seems to be a nice "sweet spot" for Nvidia at the moment. My bro got one recently, paired with my old dual core 6600 and 2 gigs of DDR667, it runs everything he throws at it, with a couple of exceptions. GTA IV for example he has on medium textures and mostly high settings (that is way higher than a 360 according to the devs). Very few people can max GTA IV at high res, the engine has plenty of headroom for future technology. My quad core GTX280 system played this with everything maxed, and was smooth, but I sometimes got "out of VGA memory" errors, even with 1Gb on the card!! I dropped the textures to medium, and it was flawless afterwards. The other one was Dead Space, which is almost maxed, couple of settings at one below max.

Games maxed on my bro's without problem.

Gears of War
Fallout 3
Far Cry 2
BF2 (obviously!!)
Bioshock
Call of Duty 4
Stalker

ket would have an idea on ATI.

Edit: I'd actually probably try to cut other areas and get a GT260.... you can always buy more RAM later

[VINTAR]

Thanks Eggchen.

The GT260 is beyond my reach at the moment and RAM is cheap enough.

I dont think I do enough Gaming to warrant anything more than a 9800GT at the moment anyhow.

I will Defo get the quad core CPU so I dont need to upgrade for a while. Core i7 920 is not badly priced, but as you know that would require another total overhaul (LGA1366, DDR3 and all that jazz) which I will look into when the time comes (hopefully not soon ).

Thanks for the advice, I think I will take it and get the 9800GT.

[ket]

9800GT hands down. Thats the minimum class of graphics card these days to play modern games even on moderate settings with a good framerate. Your alternatives would be a GTX260 Core 216 55nm, or, even a HD3850\70. The HD cards are VERY cheap to pick up, and once you have OCd them you get some very respectable numbers out of them and their well capable of playing games like Crysis Warhead @ 1600*1200 with medium-high settings, which is still as good as any other card can handle at the moment. If none of those cards take your fancy, moving slightly higher up the chain is the HD4830 and HD4850, both very capable cards at a very good price, OC them, and you have yourself a card that will keep pace nicely in any game for some time.

[audioave10]

WOW...Newegg in the US has the (216) GTX 260 for $230 before a $30 rebate. MSI brand - I hate rebates...their made to fail.
However, good price.

[rockingmtranch]

WOW...Newegg in the US has the (216) GTX 260 for $230 before a $30 rebate. MSI brand - I hate rebates...their made to fail.
However, good price.

Yes. Even without the rebate, that isn't too shabby. I paid $260 for my (192) 260 back a couple months ago. But that was at BestBuy and anyone that knows them knows they are a bit higher (even though charging a huge percent restock fee for returned merchandise should keep the costs of items down).

[VINTAR]

Well guys, I bought an Nvidia 9800GT this weekend

Thanks for all your advice. I went to specifically buy the Ausu P5Q motherboard and they were out of stock.

Left the shop with a Graphics card (couldnt leave empty handed )

Forgot to mention what a beast this card is, I had to LOL when I put it next to my FX5500, makes my old card look like the size of a RAM module

This is the one I got :

http://www.protac.com.au/products/F98GT512.jpg

[Nightwatch]

Congratulation son your new card, 9800GTX is a very good one. And, yeah, it is big. lol.

[VINTAR]

Congratulation son

Thanks DAD

Yep it surely is a beast.

A need some more advice. The system I`m going for is :

Asus P5Q Mobo
Core 2 Quad 2.66
4 GIGS DDR800
Nvidia 9800GT
Harddrive
DVD-RW
Bla bla bla

Would I need more than a 470 PSU.

Reason I ask is that I bought one on the same day, it came with a case for only $30 (I wont be overclocking anything at this stage)

[Nightwatch]

Congratulation son

Thanks DAD

Yep it surely is a beast.

|I'll be damned. LMAO Where the hell did that "s" come in for of "on" when I was trying to write (apparently not so successfully ) congratulations on your new card?? Well, you're welcome, anyway.

A need some more advice. The system I`m going for is :
Asus P5Q Mobo
Core 2 Quad 2.66
4 GIGS DDR800
Nvidia 9800GT
Harddrive
DVD-RW
Bla bla bla

Would I need more than a 470 PSU.
Reason I ask is that I bought one on the same day, it came with a case for only $30 (I wont be overclocking anything at this stage)

9800GTX is reported to drain 215Watts at load times and the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 2.66GHz is reported to need a 95 Watts and the rest of your system seem to be demanding around 180-200W, and all of them is on 12V rail. So, in order to operate without glitches and more seriously system lock-ups (and worse: component failures due to the stress of getting low power) you would need a PSU that gives a minimum of 480 -510 watts juice to the system on -be careful: 12 volt rail only.

I hardly think that your 470 Watts PSU can give all its power on 12v rail, that's impossible.
PSUs do give 5v and 3v rail voltages for other, increasingly less used, components. But in a PC, as you'd know, most of the power is required for components that work on 12 v rail, like CPU, GPU, RAMs, HDD, Mobo, Fans, etc.

New Graphics cards (including yours) require a separate 12v rail to feed them.
When getting a PSU, it's best to get the one that offers at least 2x12v rails and with at least 22 Amps on each rail, totalling 12V1+12V2= not less than 32 Amp. (in PSU config they can't offer 22+22=44 Amp; when it's asked in bulk, total output of 12v Amp drops.)

So, although what you've got now may seem cheap, it may (and quite possibly will) hurt your other very expensive components in the long run. A PSU, though not always appreciated, is one of the most important elements in a PC. It's the food, lol, without it we all die.

I would recommend that you should consider getting a 600+watts (more the better) PSU which offers at least 2x12v rails and above 32 Amps in total, not less then 23 Amps on each on those both (or more, better) 12v rails.

(PS: as info: getting a, say, 1000Watts PSU doesn't mean that it'll burn constantly 1000Watts. that's the maximum power. PCs on idle and on small work use much less power. But when the spike is needed, it should be provided as well... otherwise they will suffocate.)

[VINTAR]

Thaks for the reply dad

Yeah I agree it probably wont do for what I will be wanting in the end.

It was a nice case anyway so worth the money.

Now that I am upgarding, I have alot of spare parts and will probably use that PSU in another PC for my wife as I`m tired of sharing

[Nightwatch]

Yeah, having two PCs (one high, one low spec for daily use) is always a good idea.
When I've build my next PC in a month or two, I'll keep this one as well. It's still working OK, but getting a bit too tired and left behind the times now. (pentium D shows its age a bit, though it's 4 GHz, -3.4 OC'd to 4) But will do great for daily stuff and internet.

[ket]

I agree with Nightwatch, get a GOOD PSU thats at least around 600w. Cheap PSU = expect it to blow up and take your puter with it.