Video Card Choice?

[zA.Gosu]

K, as the title says, i play to build a new gaming box. Cost is a factor, so no SLI T.T.

AMD64 3200 s939 (.9nm)
Zalman AlCu cooler (hopeful OC to 2.4-2.6)
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum OR A gigabyte K8NS-Ultra for $100 cheaper (im Aussie) The MSI is about 1.5 times as expensive.
X800XT OR a 6800GT Golden Sample from Gainward OR an Evga 6800GT for $100 cheaper (The x800xt is 825, the golden sample is about $785)
1gb Geil Ultra-X memory (Good buy? It's gone up to 561 DDR at anandtech)
ANtec Plus1000AMG case
Tagan 480w PSU with a few (cant remeber specs but its around 30 amps on 12v rail)
120gb WD Sata drive
Liteon DVD combo drive
XP Home
*SB Audigy 2 ZS
*Logitech Z-5300e speakers
*=already got

Now my question is, what VC should i get. Apparently the XT is a platinum edition, http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog...oducts_id=10022 but for the price, i kind of doubt it. I will mainly play all kinds of games, esp HL2, and other DX9 games, and OGL is not a factor, as DOOM3 Sucks. I want it to last for 2 years of 12*10 gaming with high detail.

SO WHAT VC? I once thought of the GT, but now with this bargain on an xt (pe?) card, i might change my mind. Ideas?

 

[SocketA]

Never, I repeat NEVER pay $700-$800 for a video card! Neither the XT PE or the 6800 series is worth it. Especially when the manufacturer's sugested retail price is around $400-$500. You can save yourself alot of money by purchasing either a X800pro~Vivo or a 6800GT and performing a simple bios flash thus improving performance to XT PE an Ultra standards. By the way, don't expect your cpu to reach 2.6ghz even on water. Only one thread please.

 

[Stereophile]

I just bought a 9800pro a few months ago. After seeing the HL2 performance, very happy I did. I'll upgrade when RTCW 2 and Stalker ship.

 

[legcramp]

Never, I repeat NEVER pay $700-$800 for a video card! Neither the XT PE or the 6800 series is worth it. Especially when the manufacturer's sugested retail price is around $400-$500. You can save yourself alot of money by purchasing either a X800pro~Vivo or a 6800GT and performing a simple bios flash thus improving performance to XT PE an Ultra standards. By the way, don't expect your cpu to reach 2.6ghz even on water. Only one thread please.

2.6 is very possible with the new winchester core.... and is that in canadien or american money? is it's in american.. u need to do ALOT of resreach before paying for something like that.. the MOST u wanna pay for a videocard is 500$ not 700-800..... but i also recommend getting a 6800gt and overclock to ultra or get a x800pro vivo and mod to x800xt....

 

[CATALYST MAKER]

2.6 is very possible with the new winchester core.... and is that in canadien or american money? is it's in american.. u need to do ALOT of resreach before paying for something like that.. the MOST u wanna pay for a videocard is 500$ not 700-800..... but i also recommend getting a 6800gt and overclock to ultra or get a x800pro vivo and mod to x800xt....

I think his link pointed to an Australian site, so I would guess its in Aussie dollars. Not sure what the exchange rate is these days though, so I cant help advice if its a good deal or not.

 

[zA.Gosu]

Well, its Australian dollars. it's hard to get an exchange rate for technology, but 6800gt's go for 700-800, and 1gb of high performance ram is 450, and a A64 3800 is $1000, A64 3200 is $300