Mid-Range Graphics
Getting back to cards that are worth discussing, we come to the mid-range market. Several of these cards will match or even exceed the performance of more expensive "high-end" cards, offering great performance for their current pricing.
Performance-wise, the 7600 GT falls right in between the GeForce 6800 GS and the 7800 GT. This card was launched to replace the already very successful 6600 GT. Of all the mid-range cards listed here, this is one of the best options. For about $169, the EVGA GeForce 7600GT KO 256MB [RTPE: 256-P2-N554] can be sitting in your rig. You will find that the 6800 GS already performs better than the ATI X1600 XT, and since the 7600 GT is priced about the same and performs even faster, we would highly suggest you go with this offering from NVIDIA. If you're thinking of building a budget gaming system, you can get an idea of the performance offered by the 7600 GT in our recent Budget Buyers Guide article.
If you're looking to save some money, you might be tempted to go with the 7600 GS instead. Clock speeds are significantly lower (400/800 vs. 560/1400), however, so the extra $50 is probably a reasonable investment for gaming. Still, the lower clock speeds do come with one advantage: noise levels. You can pick up the fanless EVGA GeForce 7600GS 256MB [RTPE: 256-P2-N549] for $100 after a $15 mail-in rebate.
Since the 7600 GT cards are able to perform slightly better than the 6800 GS at a lower cost, the smart answer is to go with the 7600 GT. However, since the 7600 GT doesn't come in AGP format, the 6800 GS is a possibility for those without PCI-E motherboards. Unfortunately, the single 6800 GS card that is showing today is the PNY GeForce 6800GS Overclocked 256MB [RTPE: VCG6800SXPB]. This is a PCI-E card and it's on sale for an even $200; all of the AGP offerings are out of stock, and it's doubtful we'll see more. You could go with a stock 6800 card for $236 or the 7800 GS for an additional $45, but really you should start to look at upgrading to a PCI-E system if you're going to spend over $200 on a graphics card.
For AGP users, the 6600 GT is still an excellent choice considering its price and performance. You can't really get a card that performs better without also upping your budget quite a bit. However, for PCI-E users, we would suggest a 7600 GT. Sure, you can pick up the Leadtek GeForce 6600GT 128MB [RTPE: PX6600GT TDH] for $110, but for an additional $60 for the 7600 GT we mentioned above, you get about 50 to 75% more performance.
While it costs a bit more than the 7600 GT, the X1800 GTO is a great competitor. Depending on the game you're running, the two cards trade place for being the fastest mid-range card. We are only picking up two X1800 GT cards at present, but both are relatively easy to obtain. The Sapphire Radeon X1800 GTO 256MB [RTPE: 100155] is the one to go with, coming in at about $210 shipped.
The X800GT/GTO cards are also decently priced. The PowerColor Radeon X800GTO 256MB VIVO [RTPE: X800GTO256MBDDR3] is near its lowest price to date, priced at about $106 shipped. Not a bad offering at all for a reasonable performing mid-range card. With a bit of overclocking, you can even reach X800 XT performance levels. This is certainly a practical substitute to the 6600 GT/7600 GT, generally beating the former while slightly trailing the latter.
Rather than going with an X1600 or the X700, we feel you'll get more for your money if you spend the few extra dollars and select the 7600 GT as your choice. Gigabyte has an interesting fanless X1600 option that some of you might want to consider. However, with performance generally lower than the 6600 GT, the X1600 offerings really aren't very attractive. We won't even bother to mention any X700 cards - they would make better budget offerings, but they continue to carry their mid-range prices.
Let's move on to the last and final low-end solutions segment.
Getting back to cards that are worth discussing, we come to the mid-range market. Several of these cards will match or even exceed the performance of more expensive "high-end" cards, offering great performance for their current pricing.
Performance-wise, the 7600 GT falls right in between the GeForce 6800 GS and the 7800 GT. This card was launched to replace the already very successful 6600 GT. Of all the mid-range cards listed here, this is one of the best options. For about $169, the EVGA GeForce 7600GT KO 256MB [RTPE: 256-P2-N554] can be sitting in your rig. You will find that the 6800 GS already performs better than the ATI X1600 XT, and since the 7600 GT is priced about the same and performs even faster, we would highly suggest you go with this offering from NVIDIA. If you're thinking of building a budget gaming system, you can get an idea of the performance offered by the 7600 GT in our recent Budget Buyers Guide article.
If you're looking to save some money, you might be tempted to go with the 7600 GS instead. Clock speeds are significantly lower (400/800 vs. 560/1400), however, so the extra $50 is probably a reasonable investment for gaming. Still, the lower clock speeds do come with one advantage: noise levels. You can pick up the fanless EVGA GeForce 7600GS 256MB [RTPE: 256-P2-N549] for $100 after a $15 mail-in rebate.
Since the 7600 GT cards are able to perform slightly better than the 6800 GS at a lower cost, the smart answer is to go with the 7600 GT. However, since the 7600 GT doesn't come in AGP format, the 6800 GS is a possibility for those without PCI-E motherboards. Unfortunately, the single 6800 GS card that is showing today is the PNY GeForce 6800GS Overclocked 256MB [RTPE: VCG6800SXPB]. This is a PCI-E card and it's on sale for an even $200; all of the AGP offerings are out of stock, and it's doubtful we'll see more. You could go with a stock 6800 card for $236 or the 7800 GS for an additional $45, but really you should start to look at upgrading to a PCI-E system if you're going to spend over $200 on a graphics card.
For AGP users, the 6600 GT is still an excellent choice considering its price and performance. You can't really get a card that performs better without also upping your budget quite a bit. However, for PCI-E users, we would suggest a 7600 GT. Sure, you can pick up the Leadtek GeForce 6600GT 128MB [RTPE: PX6600GT TDH] for $110, but for an additional $60 for the 7600 GT we mentioned above, you get about 50 to 75% more performance.
While it costs a bit more than the 7600 GT, the X1800 GTO is a great competitor. Depending on the game you're running, the two cards trade place for being the fastest mid-range card. We are only picking up two X1800 GT cards at present, but both are relatively easy to obtain. The Sapphire Radeon X1800 GTO 256MB [RTPE: 100155] is the one to go with, coming in at about $210 shipped.
The X800GT/GTO cards are also decently priced. The PowerColor Radeon X800GTO 256MB VIVO [RTPE: X800GTO256MBDDR3] is near its lowest price to date, priced at about $106 shipped. Not a bad offering at all for a reasonable performing mid-range card. With a bit of overclocking, you can even reach X800 XT performance levels. This is certainly a practical substitute to the 6600 GT/7600 GT, generally beating the former while slightly trailing the latter.
Rather than going with an X1600 or the X700, we feel you'll get more for your money if you spend the few extra dollars and select the 7600 GT as your choice. Gigabyte has an interesting fanless X1600 option that some of you might want to consider. However, with performance generally lower than the 6600 GT, the X1600 offerings really aren't very attractive. We won't even bother to mention any X700 cards - they would make better budget offerings, but they continue to carry their mid-range prices.
Let's move on to the last and final low-end solutions segment.
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bongbong - Sunday, July 23, 2006 - link
The fastest 7300GT with ddr3 1400 mhtz meory is faster than a 6600GT and a 6800 and its price a bit lower than the geforce 6600GT so go for it.Its a mid end car masquearading as low end card.
bongbong - Sunday, July 23, 2006 - link
There are lots of reviews on the web of the ddr3 powered 7300GT whose memory clocks at default of 1400 mhtz.It beats the 7600 GS whose memory is at 800 mhtz.
The only 7600 that can beat the 7300 gt with ddr 1400 mhtz memory would be the 7600 GST
which has the extra t and 1400 mhtz gdd3 memory also.
It is however expensive in my country where a 25 usdollar difference in price from the 7300 GT (both 256mb versions at gd3 1400mhtz) is substantially felt by filipinos.
Also the 7300 GT by Inno3d overclocks up to 1600 mhtz mem and 600 core.
Just ggogle for inno3d 7300 GT ddr3 reviews or look up www.trustedreviews.com
Im suprised these hi speed 7300 GTs arent widely available in America.
They are very much worth the hype.
dstigue - Saturday, July 15, 2006 - link
You're right about the 7900gt's needing to be moved down to high end but I think the x1800xt's should be too. x1800xt's compete very well with the x1900gt's and at a better price point I might add. Those three cards are in a deathlock as far as price/performance goes. I picked up a x1800xt 512 for $300 with $20 mail in rebate on newegg. And I will tell you I am very happy with my purchase. But I don't think my system is ultra high end either.Ozo - Thursday, July 13, 2006 - link
Why don't you guys include the Gainward BLISS 7800GS+?This thing is basically a 7900GT, and Overclockers UK will ship to the US. I didn't even realize this card existed until I started looking for dual-DVI to drive two big flat panels, and stumbled across references in newsgroups. Very sweet card. It already has an Arctic Cooler.
Yes, I know $445 (delivered) is a lot, but this will extend the life of my S754 system for yet another year. Switching MB's, memory, I/O cards, re-installing XP, etc. is a major hassle when all I need is a faster graphics card.
BTW, I love your guides. Very useful - Thank you!!
jluquette - Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - link
I'm curious to know what the difference between some of the different models (from the same manufacturer) of X1900 XT are. For example, Sapphire has 3 different X1900 XT models listed at newegg; model numbers:100149L $355
100149 $389
100149SR $399
Newegg's comparison chart between the three can be found here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductCompare.asp?S...">http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductCo...25%2CN82...
These are all X1900 XTs; not AIWs, not GTs, not XTXs and not Crossfires. They're all X1900 XTs with the same core and memory clocks--yet for some reason there's a $50 price span. Sapphire doesn't list anything helpful to differentiating these models--so does anyone know what the differences might be for $50? Is it possibly the software bundle that's different? Or the accessory packs?
On one hand, the memory and clock speeds are the same--and so is the pipeline count--so I feel confident that these cards should be equivalent in performance. But on the other hand, what could possibly prompt a $50 increase from the low end to the high end?
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Joe
rrcn - Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - link
From what I can tell: 100149L is the retail version of 100149, which is OEM. 100149SR is the same as 100149L, except 100149SR has a greater software bundle.Hope that helps.
Haider Farhan
erple2 - Thursday, July 13, 2006 - link
One other difference I've noticed: the 100149SR comes with 2x DVI to VGA adapters. Whether it's an oversight on the listing of the 100149L, I don't know.jluquette - Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - link
Thanks!It looks like you're right. Looking through the supplied pictures shows that the SR comes with the game select disc among other software goodies. However, I'm confused as to why the OEM version of the card is ~$30 more expensive than the retail version (before rebate)--and nearly $60 more expensive after rebate.
In general, isn't the retail version of anything supposed to be more expensive than the OEM version? The retail version is supposedly the same as the OEM version, just boxed up and fancy, right?
Joe
rrcn - Thursday, July 13, 2006 - link
Correct. I was pondering the same thing, why that OEM card is more expensive than the retail version. It could definitely be a pricing mistake, I'm positive it's happened before. I wouldn't stress over it...obviously go with the retail version. ;-)
Correct again. ;-) Sometimes though, the OEM will be just the card -- no power adapter, dongles, etc. Always read the "what's included" portion before buying.
Haider Farhan
unclebud - Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - link
"However, with performance generally lower than the 6600 GT, the X1600 offerings really aren't very attractive."to somebody biased towards nvidia perhaps :/
i have a friend playing wow on nvidia 6600. don't see a bit of difference, except that his dvd drive stopped working
"Rather than going with an X1600 or the X700, we feel you'll get more for your money if you spend the few extra dollars and select the 7600 GT as your choice."
how is paying twice the price a "few dollars more"? in what universe?
"This is a truly buggy situation. Windows does not pick it up as a Sapphire using drivers provided by Sapphire,"
this is like what i experienced with the 3dfuzion (3dfuzjunk imo) 6200 pci that i bought. i will just have to reflash the bios and reload windows, because the pci bus is tarfed now and the second monitor ouput on the 5500 pci i swapped back doesn't work now either
i agree sapphire drivers are junk! some of the discs they ship with their cards are completely out of date. sorry, i know this doesn't help, but rest assured i feel the same pain... good luck. maybe try driver cleaner (althought that hasn't helped me either)