EVGA e-GeForce 6600 Graphics Card

[bbstackerf]

I just went from an 64 mb integrated grafix to a new computer that came with the X600 Pro Video Card. Obviously I saw a marked improvement in FS over the old one. But I guess I'm greedy. Circuit city has the GeForce 6600 on sale for $149 and I'm just wondering if it's going to be worth it to spend a buck 50 for it or should I wait till I have more mullah and go for something even better. Don't get me wrong, the X600 works pretty good, but when I go for more 3D cloud coverage or more AI traffic I get some stutter. Would the 6600 cure my woes?

I use my home PC just for gaming and 90% of the time just for FS - all the "grown up" crap happens on the wife's puter.

Thanks in advance
Keni

PS I appreciate any advise, but please just comment on if the 6600 would be worth it or something in the $150 range. I can't afford to spend more right now so telling to get something that costs 300 or 400 doesn't help.

Thanks again.

Update:

Just got the go-ahead from the wife to go as high as $400 for a new card. I know that's probably still shy for what most will say is the best to get, but now I think I will be like a kid in a candy store this weekend. Best Buy and Circuit City here I come...

Keni

[GunnerMan]

Ok 400$ is good, I don't know your system specs so I don't know if a big bad video card would be the best upgrade or if you have AGP or PCI-E but let me show you what you can get for 400$.... also I dont think you will see to much improvement going from a X600 to 6600.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814143042 This is a 7800GT made by BFG (there are numerous other brands if you prefer but I like BFG as it comes pre overclocked and a no strings lifetime warrantee.) This card falls just short of its 500$ counterpart. Very good buy for the money. This card can handle any game you throw at it today at max settings.

If you want to go the ATI road you can get an X800XT or the like but I personaly would stick with the 7800 series.

Also btw dont buy from Worst Buy or Circut City, you can buy online for much cheaper. Prices at my local Best buy are outrageous compared to the online retailers and getting run down by a bunch of "wannabe geeks" isint the best thing in the world either.

Also one last note, the video card will help out rendering those 3dclouds better but the AI is pretty CPU dependant, they use very little GPU power.  

[bbstackerf]

Thanks for the advice Gunner. So I took so long to get back to ya. Been kinda busy here at the real job. I finaly decided to upgrade my monitor instead of a grafix card. That will have to wait till the bday. Maybe

I upgraded to a Samsung 19" LCD from the 17" I had that came with my old pc. What a difference 2 inches makes. (I think I heard that somewhere before)


Keni

[ctjoyce]

You should sell your old one, and use the cash for a new card

Cheers
Cameron

[bbstackerf]

Would be an excellent idea, Cameron, but the was a catch. I promised the old one to her so she could  replace the crappy CRT she has at work. She's a crafty one.

Keni

[Gary R.]

My advice is this....... stay away from the chain stores.  Online buying can save you money but you are still stuck with the old gear.  Do this.  Go in your phonebook and look up all the small PC shops in your area.  A good many small independant PC dealers like the one I use for instance will do trade ups on hardware in much the same way that car dealers have been doing for years.  Also, many of those shops buy their hardware on-line as well which saves money over the chain stores.  So, you do two things at once here.  You save money by getting cash credit for your old stuff ( they will do rebuilds with old stuff) and you no longer have the old stuff cluttering up your storage.  PC gear is much less of an economic sink hole when you trade in your old hardware.