Best AGP card ?

[forbdwiz]

What is the best AGP card for the money out of X800 GTO, X1650 PRO, X850 PRO and the 7600 GS ?

Plz consider all aspects of the card in terms of OCing and unlocking as well. This is essentially my last AGP card and it will be primarily used for gaming and designing.

 

[pauldh]

The X850 pro is easily the best stock performer in that group. It also OC's well and has been known to unlock to 16 pipes (don't count on it though).

 

[prozac26]

What Paul said.

 

[cleeve]

Ditto to Paul-o

 

[NaDa]

The X800GTO and the PRO have been known to unlock but I wouldnt count on that.

Take the X850Pro.

 

[corpclegg]

i was considering the same thing. the 7600 gt is always out and its over priced. if it was as cheap as the pcie version thats what i would get, but since it isnt i think im getting the x850. my first time with ati, {crosses fingers} :|

 

[mpjesse]

Keep in mind that the x8xx series ATI cards do not support Shader Model 3.0. If that's important, go w/ the 7600GS. If it isn't, then stick w/ the x850xt.

Me personally, Shader Model 3.0 is important. SM2.0 looks like ass compared to 3.0.

 

[forbdwiz]

I am not the kinda guy who prioritizes with visuals. My major aim is to get as much fps as possible and do it with the least money as far as possible. Looking at it from that perspective is the x850 the way to go or is there something else lurking out there for us AGPers in our last stand ?

EDIT: Incase I wasn't clear I meant to say that I am more geared to silky ultra smooth gameplay than visuals. If the card can pull of both without suffering a hit in the FPS department, I'm all for it. That is essentially the card I am looking for neatly packed in a new <$200 package or an OEM version.

 

[pauldh]

Sub $200 AGP...go for a 7600GT. It's got near top of the line AGP performance, SM3.0, and is in your price range. If that is out of budget or impossible to find, go for the X850 pro.

Personally, I can't say I see any real difference in SM2.0 vs SM3.0 (in the games I play) beside the method of HDR used in Oblivion. Most effects used in current games look no diffferent in SM2.0. When the time comes that SM3.0's features are exploited more or are a must, a card like a 6600GT, 6800GS AGP, or 7600GS will be reduced to such low fps anyway. Already these cards kinda blow for Oblivion, and they crawl running HDR in Farcry. (Certainly not the smooth gameplay you desire)


TO demonstrate, look at the 12 current games listed in this link below.
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/digest3d/0906/itogi-video-gallery.html

You can click on a game and then on the cards to compare screenshots of the X850 pro to a Sm3.0 7800GTX, X1900XTX, & 6800GT. Besides HDR lighting in Oblivion and the water in AOE3, I don't see a difference. Anyway, I personally think chosing a slower 7600GS over a X850 pro for Sm3.0 is a big mistake. The 7600GT is another story as it's got more power to run eye candy.

 

[pervertfreak]

Hey dude, NO LIE I heard that they may be making an AGP version of the new X1950XT Pro sometime soon. I read it on a forum at dailytech.com (I think that's where it was) I'm hoping and praying that it's true. But I'm running an AGP X800XT PE and it pretty much rocks.

 

[forbdwiz]

I'm looking to play most of my games at 1024x768 nothing higher than that. In terms of looks...I don't really mind no AA or AF if that end's up pulling the most FPS out of the card. Will the 7600GT truly blow away the x850 ?

 

[Mach5Motorsport]

Hey dude, NO LIE I heard that they may be making an AGP version of the new X1950XT Pro sometime soon. I read it on a forum at dailytech.com (I think that's where it was) I'm hoping and praying that it's true.

Let's all wait to see if Diamond Multimedia makes good on their press release. I too would be interested seeing how a x1900 card would play on the AGP slot.

 

[Mach5Motorsport]

When you find a card with similar performance AND SM 3.0 support for $100...yeah, that will get my attention. Until then, I'm happy with my tweaked 6800GS.

Oh well everyone just make sure to ignore my find Rolling Eyes the last time I posted about that card I got the same no responses so from now know I will no better than to waste my time

 

[pervertfreak]

Hey dude, NO LIE I heard that they may be making an AGP version of the new X1950XT Pro sometime soon. I read it on a forum at dailytech.com (I think that's where it was) I'm hoping and praying that it's true.

Let's all wait to see if Diamond Multimedia makes good on their press release. I too would be interested seeing how a x1900 card would play on the AGP slot.
Actually, I'm sorry and sad to say that I did a little research on the possibility of an AGP X1950 and it sounds like it's just a nasty rumor. I'm still gonna keep my fingers crossed but I don't think it's gonna happen.

 

[wimcle]

the x850 pro VIVO make sure it has the yellow audio connector at the end of the card

bios mod

 

[forbdwiz]

Is it a guaranteed unlock or is it more down to luck ?

 

[pauldh]

Rob, nice card for $125 if you get 16 pipes. But that makes it a X800XL = to a X850 pro ($130). And If you get a R430 core on the GTO, it's surely not going to do X850XT clock speeds. R480 is a different story of course. Still a good card for the money like the X850 pro.

 

[Mach5Motorsport]

Is it a guaranteed unlock or is it more down to luck ?

the later

with ATi there is a slew of x800/850 GPUs with differnent cores. the 850 pro and the 850 xt share the same GPU (R481). so you "might" be able to tweak a Pro into an XT.

x800 series cores are numerous: 800XL is R430, x800 GTO is R480, and the x800 Pro and x800 XT are both R420. R430 core doesn't clock as high as the R480. You might be able to unlock all the pipes on an x800GTO for a full 16, but you are not going to "tweak" an x800 into an "equivalent" x850XT, no way.

Might come close oc'd an x800XT, but nothing is a sure thing. If you try, I would opt for genuine ATi card. Vendors like Sapphire, HIS, PowerColor never seemed to oc'd as well. probably by ATi design.

 

[raven_87]

How is a BIOS flash risky? As long as its the same memory config and core should be fine. Not many X800GTO's were R480's. Just ask GW with his experiences.

Tbh, its a toss up. The R430 is hit and miss with overclocking, and the R480 is a bitch to find....so take your pick.

 

[oz42]

As a former sufferer of said dilema, I am obligated to share my solution: The best AGP video card to buy right now is a PCI-Express video card.

Flame away, I've got my reasons (I know its OT, but hold the judgement for a sec).

We all know that pci-ex versions of the same card sell cheaper because they make more, law of economics, yadda yadda.

And rather than buying a fancy video card for your old computer until part of it finally dies (like say, the motherboard itself).

My solution to said problem was simple: pawn off the AGP boards now, and find a pci-express solution for your chip/ram/etc.

You may claim these solutions do not exist, but I've managed to stuff an old s478 P4E and s754 A64 into pci-ex boards (P4RD1-MX, Infinity NF4X). Same chip, same ddr1 ram, same drives, same/better overclocking, just 2 bits get tossed in the lake (board, vid card...)

Granted the OP didn't mention what chip he had, but if you like gaming, then you want a slick video card, and well, why buy a slick video card for a dying computer/dead socket(???). I say, find a new board, and get a heavy duty video card that can be moved to your new core2duo rig next year (or am3 if it proves itself beyond word processing).

As for saying I smoke crack and post OT, umm, yeah, any x8xx card gets my vote, x1600 gets thumbs down, and the 7600gs is 'meh', sm3 without the power to use it sounds like 64bit windows hype to me

 

[deerhunter716]

I love my 7800GS; it kicks ass!

 

[raven_87]

How is a BIOS flash risky?

:roll: I know you didnt just ask that?

Yeah. I did just ask that. However it was rather rhetorical provided the conditions I listed are met. So I would like for you too explain how you feel it is truely that risky... :idea:

*tip* Read my full post next time.

 

[slicessoul]

Gainward 7800GS Goldensample. Unlocked 20 pipelines. It's the fastest AGP card ever.

To bad i only got XFX 7800GS EE.

 

[forbdwiz]

So possibly Rob's solution seems to be the most viable and with future prospects. Might I ask how did you manage to pull of such a large OC ?? Was it with stock cooling ? Anyone mind telling me the difference between the R430 and the R480 core other than the higher clock speeds through the R480 ?

 

[cleeve]

Gainward 7800GS Goldensample. Unlocked 20 pipelines. It's the fastest AGP card ever.

Actually, the newer 7800GS+ from gainward is a 7900 GT with 24 pipes...