[zrush]

I would like to keep things under $160. Mail-in rebates are fine. Here are the few I've come up with so far. I'm wondering which one is the best to go with (best bang for the buck), and if there are any better alternatives. I'm not running the infamous Crysis, or worrying about max anti-analising and high levels of anisotropic filtering, but I would like to run regular, non-benchmarkey games at nice settings.

BFG Tech GeForce 8800GTS (G92)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814143119

Zotac GeForce 9600 GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814500019

Sapphire Toxic Radeon HD 3870
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102732

Windows XP
Intel C2D 2.5 GHz
4 (3 ) GBs ram
500 watt PSU (Antec NeoPower... I read somewhere that it actually operates at 550)
PCIe 2.0 x16

[meat_helmet]

This one is much better than all of those:

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100245L Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

[zrush]

The radeon looks nice. Is it a problem that the core clock is a lot lower than the other cards?

Also, I found two more cards that are about $50 cheaper. Thoughts?

Newegg.com - ZOTAC ZT-88TES3P-FCP GeForce 8800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - XFX PVT98GYDLU GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

[meat_helmet]

Have u read any reviews?? The HD4850 is two generations newer than the cards you just mentioned (they are basically the same)...clocks dont mean anything...framerates do.

[Trotter]

1. HD4870 X2
2. GTX 280
3 9800GX2
4. HD4870
5. GTX 260
6. HD3870 X2
7. 8800Ultra
8. HD4850
9. 9800GTX+
10. 9800GTX
11. 8800GTX
12. 8800GTS 512MB (G92 Revision)
13. 8800GT 512MB
14. 8800GT 1GB
15. HD2900XT 1GB
16. HD2900Pro 1GB
17. HD3870 512MB

Graphics card Rankings

[Redmo0n]

WoW that ranking surprised me. Honestly thought the 9800GTX+ was better than the 4850.

[zrush]

Thanks. That list is great.

It looks like I'll be going ATI for the price/performance ratio, and either the 4850 or the 3870 based on what I can afford.

[Redmo0n]

4850.

If your going to go for something different then look at the 4870. 3870x2 is outdated.

[zrush]

I don't think my PSU would be able to support the 4870. Plus, it's about a hundred bucks over my budget.

Quick question. Does 1gb of memory make that much of a difference? I found this card

Newegg.com - PALiT NE/960TSX0202 GeForce 9600GT SONIC 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Which as 1GB at 2k, has a higher core clock, but is low on "stream processors" whatever those are.

[vernong1992]

1gb Cards actually decrease performance than the 512mb counterpart, because the 256bit interface cannot handle all that RAM