which video card should i buy

[stevebro6510]

hi all. i just found a great deal on some graphics cards. "XFX PV-T43G-UDF3 GeForce 6600 GT PCI Express 256MB DDR3 Video Card w/HDTV-Out & Dual DVI Retail" now this gc comes overclocked from the factory. i dont remember the exact speed but its over 1ghz memory speed. these cards are sli capable. i can buy these cards for $170 a pop. but the newer 7000 series cards are double that price. does anyone think that it would be a bad choice for me to go with the 6600 xfx for half the price of a 7000 series. obviously the 7000's are better but if i run 2 6600's i should be good for a couple years of gaming on high settings i would think. and in a couple years ill be building a new rig anyways. so the bottom line question is should i jump at this deal and buy 2 cards or should i save up for the 7000 series. im not rich, but im a gamer. any suggestions or responses will be much appreciated.

[jfk]

One 7800GT or GTX will outperform two 6600GT's. I'd buy the 7800's, one now and one in a few months when they are cheaper. JMO.

[stevebro6510]

ok, the 7800's perform much better, but will 2 6800's get me through the next 2 years comfortably?
thanx again :)

[blue60007]

Is this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150099) the card you are looking at? I wouldn't really say the price you are getting is a good deal (since it's the same here).

A 7800GT will outform dual 6600GTs by a mile and a half. In fact, even a single 6800GT would outperform it half the time.

For $300 ($40 less than dual 6600GT's) you can get this 7800GT (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130256). Like said, a single one of these will outperform the dual 6600GTs, and you'll have the option of adding another in a year or two.

Think about what you just said - the 7800's are much faster, but double the cost of a 6600GT; now if you wanted to get two 6600GTs, wouldn't that make the dual cards more expensive? You don't have to have dual cards.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/02/vga_charts_viii/page5.html

[rspassey]

Interesting Link Blue, correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like a single 7800gtx beat two in SLI... I don't see how that is possible, but I didn't take time to read the entire article, perhaps I missed something related to AA and AF or resolution used on single and dual graphics cards.

[blue60007]

Interesting Link Blue, correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like a single 7800gtx beat two in SLI... I don't see how that is possible, but I didn't take time to read the entire article, perhaps I missed something related to AA and AF or resolution used on single and dual graphics cards.

Looks like the same for all SLI rigs, but just for that game. The drivers probably aren't profiled or optimized for the game in SLI, or the other way around.

[rspassey]

Yeah, I found this in the same article which shows that most get quite a large % of performace increase in terms of FPS.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/02/vga_charts_viii/page20.html

And Quake 4 getting 500+ FPS... incredible!

[stevebro6510]

my decision is made :) 7800 here i come:)

[rspassey]

my decision is made :) 7800 here i come:)

Good choice. I am sure it will meet all your needs and more. That also leaves you with an option to toss in a second one down the road.

[stevebro6510]

thanks guys, i am going to order the 7800 as soon as i get paid. im glad i started this thread. thanx again