Member Avatar for brownyuk

hi. i am not very experienced with computers and i was thinking about buying a new graphics card. i have done some research and i have read that the Gainward GeForce FX5600 is quite a good buy. i am hoping to play some new games on my computer, eg Doom III, Football Manager 2005, and i think my Geforce 2 will not be able to play them. would anyone recommend the Gainward GeForce FX5600 or another equally good or better card at around £70-80. any help would be appreicated. thanks. dan

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A few practical points to help pick a card that actually fits your system and your games, given a budget of about 70-80 pounds.

First, post the missing system details: CPU model/speed, total RAM, motherboard (AGP or PCIe), power supply wattage and available connectors, and your monitor resolution. Those answers change the recommendation more than brand names do, because a slow CPU or weak PSU will bottleneck or block many otherwise-good cards. Thanks to for the starting question, and to and for the value/real-world perspective already shown here.

Checklist and what to expect: confirm slot compatibility and that the card will physically fit and be cooled in your case; check PSU capability (some faster cards need extra power or more overall wattage); aim for at least 128 MB of video RAM if you want decent textures at medium detail; the width of the memory bus affects higher-resolution performance, so verify the vendor specs rather than trusting only the marketing blurb. The Gainward FX5600 you mentioned is a budget/entry 3D card and will be a clear step up from a GeForce2 for less-demanding titles, but for Doom III at higher resolutions or max detail you should target a stronger card. Always install the latest official drivers after fitting the card, and look for independent Doom III benchmarks for any particular model you consider.

If you post your CPU, motherboard, PSU and preferred resolution I can recommend specific models and give realistic frame-rate expectations. In this price band, used higher-end cards often beat new low-end ones, so check local listings and vendor return policies before you buy.

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Member Avatar for Catweazle

The good price/performance points in gaming cards are represented by the following cards, in order from least powerful to most powerful:

Radeon 9600XT
NVidia FX5900XT
Radeon 9800 Pro (256-bit memory interface only. Ensure it is not a bullshit 128-bit memory interface card)
NVidia 6800 GT (256Mb card only)

(Sorry I can't give price points. I'm located in Australia, and prices I provided would be relevent there only. Shop online and use a suitable price locator site to find the best deals available')

Those cards are the ONLY alternatives which can rightfully be claimed as 'Good Value' purchases. The upcoming NVidia 6600GT and perhaps the ATi X700XT might slot in between the 9800 Pro and the 6800GT, when initial release prices drop back a tiny tad.


Edit: Current price points, in Australian dollars. Do the research for currency conversion and market prices in your local area yourself. Prices based on best prices available in Australia at time of writing:

Radeon 9600XT $220
GeForce FX5900XT $300
Radeon 9800 Pro $380
NVidia 6800GT $680

commented: helpful :) +2
Member Avatar for avizion

i have a NVidia 6800 GT and it owns

Member Avatar for Gary King

My nvidia geforce fx 5200 was new when I bought it (I had a geforce mx 440 before that, which SUCKED) and now my current card sucks as well :(

Goes to show that you'll never have the latest and greatest :)

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Video cards ALWAYS suck just after you've purchased them. The price of the unit ALWAYS drops several months after they've been released, and the next, better model is ALWAYS released just after you've bought the latest and greatest available.

But there's another factor that makes it not matter if you're a person who isn't hell-bent on only playing online multiplayer in the latest game out. Games drop in price too, so if you wait until the 'latest' card has becomes yesterday's model and is cheaper, you can get heaps more games to play on it, and do it cheaper!

:D

Member Avatar for mokkema

i have a NVidia 6800 GT and it owns

Oh it owns...and then it owns you...haha

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Member Avatar for Gary King

right.. ok then

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