The Low End

We are still waiting for ATI’s HyperMemory video cards, unfortunately. While we do have samples in the lab, it seems that a ship date for these cards is still several weeks (months?) away – longer than what we expected. We are also very confused by the message sent by NVIDIA regarding their TurboCache video cards. We saw very good availability on TurboCache video cards in March, but now it seems that those same video cards are much drier. We still recommend the $60 TurboCache cards over the ATI offerings right now, but that could all change if HyperMemory turns out to hold its own.


You’ll notice that we don’t have many recommendations for low end AGP video cards. To be honest, there really aren’t any. At this point, a low end AMD VIA motherboard with rudimentary integrated graphics are probably best if you decide to go the Sempron route. As most AGP video cards have increased in price over the last few weeks, it would be cheaper to get a low end nForce4 Socket 754 [RTPE: nForce4 754] motherboard and a TurboCache video card instead of an nForce3 motherboard and a Radeon 9550.


Let’s hope by this time next month, we will have more options to go with on the low end spectrum (particularly from ATI)!

GPU Mid-range
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  • cryptonomicon - Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - link

    neat stuff.

    hard to decide between 6600GT and 9800pro as it just dropped in price. i'll have to do some benchmark comparisons against price ratios.
  • semo - Wednesday, April 27, 2005 - link

    yep

    €428 = $553 according to this site: www.xe.com/ucc/
  • KristopherKubicki - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    patrick0: I am not 100% sure of the exchange rate, but I know the USD against the Euro is not favorable. €428 is definitely more than $459.

    Kristopher
  • EODetroit - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    Its a shame about Newegg, they used to allow negative reviews. I remember shopping for a DVD burner back when they were new and expensive, and people who write stuff like "This burner sucks, avoid it at all costs! Newegg rocks, they got it to me in 2 days, but don't buy this burner, it sucks!". Those reviews were really helpful. But now you don't see anything negative so you can't trust the reviews any more :(. I still shop at Newegg all the time but I don't recommend them to all my friends like I used to 'cause of this.
  • junyor22 - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    On page 4 they mention a 256MB 6600GT offering from MSI...
    The link actualy goes to a 128MB version of this card and looking at MSI's website
    http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_list.asp?clas...

    They don't offer this card. Only a 256MB AGP 6600 (non GT)

  • patrick0 - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    Forget about the $70-$120, that's what alcohol is doing :)

    Still the X850XT PE is about $40 cheaper.
  • patrick0 - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    I really don't understand why you always compare prices of these expensive stores.

    A Radeon X850XT for $460, I can buy one for €378 (GeCube) or €385 (PowerColor)
    Radeon X850XT PE for $459, I can buy one for €428

    Even if you have to pay international shipment, over $70-$120 diference will make up for that.

    I suppose you can buy in the USA for these prices as well. For those who care, these are prices of a store in Barcelona (Spain)
  • Phiro - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    Hey, where's the regular 6600's? Don't they fill the gap between the $180 6600GT and the $100 6200?
  • Souka - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    Pretty useless article.... my opinion... nuff said.
  • intellon - Monday, April 25, 2005 - link

    I'm a student and I have a P4-2.8GHz 533FSB with 512mb RDRAM and an AGP 9700 pro AND it's a Dell!!!(please spare the bashing)
    now strictly economically, should I bother to replace 9700pro with a X800XL or a BFG-6800GT OC (Both can be had for $500 here in Canada) or should I dump the dell and build my own PCI-e rig?
    Note: Money matters. So need the total cost to be minimum in the end.

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