Best bang for your buck: video cards <$200

[dparm]

I've got $200 to spend on a PCI-E video card. What's the best bang for my buck going to be? I intend to use it for gaming (Quake 4, UT2004, FEAR, BF2, Far Cry, and whatever else might come in the future).

I've narrowed it down to:

-eVGA Geforce 6600GT $175 @ NewEgg
256MB, 1GHz memory clock, 500MHz core clock, 8 pixel pipelines

-Sapphire Radeon X800GTO $179 @ TigerDirect
256MB, 980MHz memory clock, 400MHz core clock, 12 pixel pipelines

Are there any others I should consider? I'm partial to ATI, FWIW. My mobo does not support Crossfire or SLI.

[amccabe]

6800GS is the best card at the $200 price point. It is a new card that NVidia released for the holidays to compete with the X850.

It has 12 pixel pipelines, but otherwise is identical to the 6800GT. Newegg has had them around $200 since they were introduced. They may get cheaper after Christmas too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130258

[amccabe]

If you like ATI, it looks like the POWERCOLOR X800GTO 16256MBDDR3 Radeon X800GTO 256MB is the one to go with. It has 16 pixel pipelines unlocked instead of 12 and 980/400. It is $185 on Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131424

I did more research about the 6800GS and it actually has the fastest core (425) of all 6800 cards. It performs about the same as the 6800GT. The 6800GS isn't a competitor to the X850 - it trumps the X800s, but falls short of the X850s.

[abudhu]

6800GS for sure. If you want to be even more technical, it has been proven that ATI slogan of "SM 3.0 done right" is utter BS. They screwed up in so many ways. I also Believe, but am unsure that the 6800GS is based on the NV41 architecture, whereas the 6800NU (the exact same card with a lower clock) is based on the NV40 architecture. The other nice thing about the 6800GS is that is has the ability to be put into an SLI rig. So when the prices drop just put another one in there and your good to go. ATI's Crossfire hasn't had enough reviews, or generated enough press for me to go deep into it or figure out if it is as good, but who knows. Nvidia is currently on a winning streak, so I'd stick with them.

[dparm]

Amit, as I said, I do not have an SLi or Crossfire board so that feature is irrelevant.

Thanks for the link to that X800GTO, Andrew. I'm eyeing that one now. But I just dropped $250 on a BenQ 19" LCD monitor...so the tax refund will buy the video card.

[abudhu]

Amit, as I said, I do not have an SLi or Crossfire board so that feature is irrelevant.

Thanks for the link to that X800GTO, Andrew. I'm eyeing that one now. But I just dropped $250 on a BenQ 19" LCD monitor...so the tax refund will buy the video card.

I guess I missed the part where you mentioned that. Either way, it doesn't matter, because the 6800GS is still one of the single best Bang for you Buck Video Cards out there right now.

[dparm]

Ended up ordering an XFX GeForce 6800 GS from NewEgg. XFX overclocks theirs from the factory by about 15%. $199. Thanks for all the info, guys.

[abudhu]

*Claps* Good choice.

Have you see the ~900 Dollar Dual 7800GTX?! All I have to say is "Wow" Whoever buys that card has far too much money.

[dparm]

The power consumption is just ridiculous.

BTW Amit, I cancelled my 6800 GS order...New Egg had a deal for a Sapphire X800 XL 512MB card for $215 after rebates.

[abudhu]

Haha. Just so long as you get a video card I'll be happy. *Claps again*

[dparm]

Grr, that card was backordered. Switched back to an eVGA 6800 GS OC (490 core/1100 memory) for $199. Thanks for informing me 3 days after I order, NewEgg....

[Unregistered]

hows the Nvidia Geforce 7300 LE compare? The 256 mb one