£150 - £200 GBP Budget For A Graphics Card

[Daz]

hey,

a mate has asked me to build a spec for a computer for him. And i've worked out with the budget (~£800 GBP) that i can afford to allocate about £150-200 on a graphics card.

I haven't chosen the mobo yet, but i'm planning for one that supports PCI-E.

Although the graphics card is the thing thats worrying me, i haven't really kept up to date with them and i don't really know whats best.... ATI?.... Nvidia?

Anyways, i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on the best one available for around that price? It needs to be able to play Doom 3 though.

Thanks

Daz

 

[Rob]

Ok, can you list everything else you have picked? Including the PSU as if you find a cheap 6800GT it is going to need power.

 

[Rob]

http://ezpcshop.com/acatalog/XFX_Nvidia_Graphics_Cards.html#aPV-T45G-UDF7

£235.00 at that website , however if you are willing to pay that ...

Get

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=10601&&source=Dealtime

£239.00

The 7800GT will perform with a 7800GTX (My card) at all resolutions, until you start getting at 1600x1200 and higher on your resolution.

Now show your other parts, others here maybe able to advise you on other alternatives that may be better for your mate.

If you get him the 7800GT, you wont need to upgrade that card in ages.

 

[Daz]

well the thing is i haven't actually selected the rest of the parts yet, i just wanted to get some kind of idea with what to go for. I was thinking a little cheaper than that if it's possible?

 

[Rob]

My suggestion is select your parts first, then see what you have. There may be cheaper and perhaps better alternatives which would allow for my room to be spent on a top card since I get the feeling it is a gaming PC.

 

[Daz]

yeah it is mainly for gaming.

i'll sort out everything else out over the weekend probably when i have time.

thanks for all the help so far Rob

 

[Rob]

With the processor, try and pick an AMD Venice 3000 or 3200. Anything else is not worth it as these two are very good overclockers and you can just use stock cooling or get an AC Freezer 64 where you could very easily get a 3200 running at 2.7ghz, 2.8ghz without pushing its voltage up much.

 

[Daz]

they were actually the two i was thinking of, though on microdirect.co.uk they had a 3400 Venice OEM for like £5 more than the 3200 Venice...

 

[Rob]

Are you thinking of using mircodirect as the place to get your parts from? if yes, thats a great help so we know a price list atleast.

 

[Rob]

3400? Think you are confused.

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/productlister.aspx?GroupID=980

Those are all the Venice core chips on a 939Socket.

 

[Rob]

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=9392&GroupID=980

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=9393&GroupID=980

They are the ones I am talking about, great overclockers.

 

[Daz]

ah. they must have run out of stock of the 3400 OEMs. my dad ordered one of them just yesterday.