Which 512 MB video card should I get?

[Freshmixture]

Everyone alright? I need your help. I'm upgrading to a 512 MB AGP video card. The 3 listed are just under $200 at Newegg.com. My computer specs are:

Dell Dimension 8200
Windows XP home edition (SP2)
Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz/400 fsb (Intel Application Accelerator installed)
eVGA Nvidia 6800 AGP 4x 128mb (12 pipes, 6 shaders)--(OCed to 400x780) (driver: 84.56)
1.5gb PC800 RDRAM
Turtle Beach/Santa Cruz sound card
19" widescreen LCD monitor (1440x900 @ 60hz) native resolution.


Heres what I know:

1. All vid cards need at least a 300w PSU--COVERED.
2. Only have used NVIDIA.

Heres what I need to know:

1. How much can I overclock and or tweak these cards?
2. Are these cards fine as is?
3. Is there a better 512 MB video card out there around my price range?
4. Is there a better price elsewhere for these cards?
5. Unsure about the difference in pipeline amount.
6. Unsure about the difference in memory interface "bit" amount.

Here are my card options:

SAPPHIRE Radeon X1600PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card ($138 at Newegg.com)

Pixel Pipelines: 12
Core clock: n/a
Memory Clock: n/a
Memory Size: 512 MB
Memory Interface: 128-bit
Memory Type: GDDR2
RAMDAC: 400 mhz
DirectX: DirectX 9
OpenGL: OpenGL 2.0

ASUS Geforce 6800 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card ($173 at Newegg.com)

Pixel Pipelines: 12
Core clock: 325 mhz
Memory Clock: 540 mhz
Memory Size: 512 MB
Memory Interface: 128-bit
Memory Type: GDDR2
RAMDAC: 400 mhz
DirectX: DirectX 9
OpenGL: OpenGL 1.5

BIOSTAR Geforce 6800XT 512MB 256-bit GDDR2 AGP 4X/8X Video Card ($150 at Newegg.com)

Pixel Pipelines: 8
Core clock: 325 mhz
Memory Clock: 700 mhz
Memory Size: 512 MB
Memory Interface: 256-bit
Memory Type: GDDR2
RAMDAC: 400 mhz
DirectX: DirectX 9
OpenGL: OpenGL 2.0

I thank you all in advance for all you help. Please feel free to direct me to or away from there cards.

Cheers!

Fresh

[LoD]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

None of those cards can take advantage of the extra memory. Its a waste of your money, and your limiting your options by looking only at 512MB cards. The three you have listed are "gimicks" intended to trick buyers like you.

The absolute best AGP card is the 7800GS, and the secondary ones with a more resonable price would be an x850 card, or 6800gs on the low end.

Honestly however you should try and pick up a PCIe based mobo and card.

[firezip]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

get an eVGA 6800gs(AGP) 256mb card. If anything get another gig of ram.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=eVGA+6800gs+agp&btnG=Search+Froogle

[imported_Wreck]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

None of those cards can take advantage of the extra memory. Its a waste of your money, and your limiting your options by looking only at 512MB cards. The three you have listed are "gimicks" intended to trick buyers like you.

The absolute best AGP card is the 7800GS, and the secondary ones with a more resonable price would be an x850 card, or 6800gs on the low end.

Honestly however you should try and pick up a PCIe based mobo and card.

Agreed.

[cloakster]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

to add i would get a new CPU first cuz a 2.0Ghz P4 is gonna bottleneck any card in that price range. its probly bottlenecking the card that u have now

[lonegunm4n]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

to add i would get a new CPU first cuz a 2.0Ghz P4 is gonna bottleneck any card in that price range. its probly bottlenecking the card that u have now

QFT

You'd only see a small boost in performance, but not as big as if you had upgraded your processor.

[LoD]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

Your current 6800 is just as fast as these other cards. Upgrading your entire computer is probably what you need to do, or even just a CPU upgrade. Your system is about as good as its going to ever get as it stands now, a new video card will do little to nothing for you, especially since you already have a decent 6800 card to start with.

6800 is roughly in line with a 6600GT, and its a semi modern AGP card, and with such a slow CPU, 400FSB 2ghz RDRAM P4 there isnt any reason to throw resources at this money pit.

[UNDIESRULES]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

I reckon you should leave the one you have for longer, the gfx card is fine and so's the ram, the cpu is a little outdated but its not worth the money for a few fps.
Save your money until yours really does show its age then do the whole thing.

[cloakster]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

QFT

You'd only see a small boost in performance, but not as big as if you had upgraded your processor.

what does QFT mean?

[imported_Wreck]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

what does QFT mean?

Qutoed For Truth.

[firezip]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

Whats FTW?(for the win?)

[imported_Wreck]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

Whats FTW?(for the win?)

Affirmative.

[cloakster]

Re: Which 512 MB video card should I get?

Affirmative.

isnt it, for those wondering