Best video card for $500 or less?

[stream]

Nvidia 6800
ATI x800
3dlabs VP990 and the VP880

Any others? Thanks guys.

-Jesse

[808smokey]

Nvidia 6800

that's my choice

[rallynavvie]

I'm going with the 6800. It and the X800 are very close on marks with the latter getting the edge in AA. I'd venture to say the X800 is better for gaming but the 6800 would make a better combo card for gaming and workstation apps because of its engine and drivers. I would not get anything other than an ATi, nVidia, or Matrox video card unless you're getting a Wildcat or Fire card for a workstation.

[Hardcoreruss]

If you ask me nvidia are shite, ati all the way, go for the x800

[tmaxwell2435]

The 6800 is a great card with two exceptions.

1. Needs a 430W power supply. ( Has two molex connectors)
2. Needs two slots ( the fan intrudes on the second slot)


Other than that it is an awsome card.

[Hardcoreruss]

Most high end graphics cards take up two slots (the agp and one pci) my 9800 does.

[rallynavvie]

THG said the 6800 required a 480w power supply and two power cables from different rails but actually consumed less power than the X800 which only requires a 430w and one power cable. I wonder why they don't make them with the extra finger for AGP Pro so that they can get a little more juice from the motherboard?

I don't like how they take up a PCI slot though. I only have 4 as it is. At least with this new board the one adjacent to the AGP slot isn't one of my PCI-X slots like it was with the 2460. Still most newer video cards say they only take up one slot but try to fit a PCI card in next to the HSF on most. Also consider that if you do get one in there how much room is there for the GPU HSF to work properly.