[Exdeus]

Hello all.

I have really lost touch with the PC market as far as the newest technology and what not. I understand that PCI Express is the new stuff, but I currently don't have that, at least I don't believe I do.

I have an ASUS P4P800SE motherboard, and I am currently running a Radeon 9800 Pro on it, and I can tell it is starting to struggle with some of the newer games, and I imagine its the card, because I am running a 3.2ghz P4, 1024mb DDR Dual Chann, 160GB and 260GB 7200RPM Western Digital HD's with a Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS.

Basically, what card would you recommend to me that is affordable and reasonable, as well as current.

I was looking at the ATI Radeon X800XT All-In-Wonder
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814102492

Thanks!

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I think the X800 will start to struggle as well, given that it's no longer a new card. You won't be able to blast Oblivion on that card.

I would wait until DX10 (DirectX 10) cards come out, and then make a purchase (and perhaps upgrade your motherboard too).

[Seven!]

I think the X800 will start to struggle as well, given that it's no longer a new card. You won't be able to blast Oblivion on that card.

I would wait until DX10 (DirectX 10) cards come out, and then make a purchase (and perhaps upgrade your motherboard too).

[warriorscot]

Its still a powerful card though thats not a problem really, oblivion is a poorly coded game and honestly unless your a fanboy of the earlier ones i wouldnt really reccomend it as something spectacular to play on a new pc.

AGP is your problem though you could get a card alot better than the x800 if you had PCI-e, the GS models from nividia are the best bet for powerful relativley current AGP cards at a good price.

But i would wait a while for the summer card releases and get a new mobo while i was at it.

[The Colonel]

I would wait for DX10 first of all. The X800 is a good card and will run most games, but why do you need all in wonder?

[BlackPandemic]

Unless you plan on viewing TV and the like, the extras for the All-In-Wonder is money well wasted. Just get the regular X800XT if you can't wait for DX10 to come out.

And yes, although I have the GTO of the X800 I can vouch that Oblivion is poorly coded in that it either doesn't fully utilize the video card or it doesn't read it right (it said the X800GTO should be playing it on high when in reality I should have been on medium )

[warriorscot]

I wouldnt have said it would play it on high its a mid end card thats just bad information but you can tell the difference on a well coded game as they change the settings so they look the best they can on your card, badly coded games like oblivion dont look half as good as they can unless at max settings.

All in wonder is ok if you want to watch tv but you are better with a proper tv card if you want to do the whole tv thing.

[The Colonel]

Hauppage (sp?) FTW!

[Exdeus]

Thanks for the replies so far all!

My only worry with the Directx 10 cards and the new motherboards is simply the cost. I don't have 200-300 to drop on a motherboard, then another 400-500 on the top of the line newest videocard. Those prices are insanely high anyways. I was hoping to keep my total cost under 300, while getting a card that can run any program that is out today plus the ones in the next 6 months or so.

Im not worried about Oblivion as I don't play it, but I do play things like Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, I want to get the new Band of Brothers, etc.

[warriorscot]

Ghost recon plays really well alot better on my system than obnlivion does its a well made game, its what bf2 should have been like.

Well mtoherboards dont ususally run 200-300 even the top of the range ones are usually only about 100-150. And you dnot need to get top of the range cards there will be mid range cards from dx10 as well in the 175-250 range. but dx9 cards will reduce in price as well when the dx10 cards and there will be a new version of dx9 as well to bridge the gap between 9 and 10.

[Anton1382]

I recommend any nVidia card that is better than a 6600GT. They can cost [bleep] little as $99, and as much as $599.99. I trust nVidia. nVidia has some neat features like nView Pureview, and Shader 2.0.

Here is a link: http://www.nvidia.com

[warriorscot]

Lol, you just listed one bad feature(well at least inferior) and one old feature.