Graphics Cards: Massive Price decrease, or am I missing something?

[J-Dude]

Decided I ought to see how the market has changed since I last looked for a new card, since there might be a chance that mine is dying (or the power supply).

And as I browse Newegg.com, trying to see where my 7950gt stands (couldn't find it on Newegg) I see some strange inconsistencies in pricing.

http://www.newegg.com/store/categor...me=Video-Cards-Video-Devices&Tpk=graphic+card

640 MB cards worth less than 512s, the featured EVGA 512 GDDR3 card at the top worth astoundingly less than some of the others. I even saw a full gigabyte card for $100.

What is going on here? What am I missing?

And looking at some of these prices, I wonder, if I become forced to get a new card, just what I should get? I remember how confused I was getting my current card. I just followed the reviews then.

What would you reccomend to someone who wanted to keep up to date with graphics, had a 32 bit Win XP OS, and didn't want to get hosed and unkowingly downgrade to a WORSE card that only LOOKED better?

 

[Brosiris]

Decided I ought to see how the market has changed since I last looked for a new card, since there might be a chance that mine is dying (or the power supply).

And as I browse Newegg.com, trying to see where my 7950gt stands (couldn't find it on Newegg) I see some strange inconsistencies in pricing.

http://www.newegg.com/store/categor...me=Video-Cards-Video-Devices&Tpk=graphic+card

640 MB cards worth less than 512s, the featured EVGA 512 GDDR3 card at the top worth astoundingly less than some of the others. I even saw a full gigabyte card for $100.

What is going on here? What am I missing?

And looking at some of these prices, I wonder, if I become forced to get a new card, just what I should get? I remember how confused I was getting my current card. I just followed the reviews then.

What would you reccomend to someone who wanted to keep up to date with graphics, had a 32 bit Win XP OS, and didn't want to get hosed and unkowingly downgrade to a WORSE card that only LOOKED better?

Amazing isn't it? New cards come out, old cards go cheap cheap. If only it weren't so easy.

It's pretty simple. The cards you're looking at are a slight upgrade from what you currently have. However every few months or so new hardware is being made that better than what's already out. It's been a while since you had to buy a card, so you're is now obsolete, and what was once "new' to you is also obsolete.

If you want something that's going to play all the games you currently play, get the 8800gt 512 if you want something to run crysis full settings

Get this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130368

 

[DiebytheSword]

I can't suggest anything other than an 8800 model either, it's the best there is, but look in your other thread first if you want to save your current equipment.

 

[J-Dude]

The 8800GT tempts me immensely now. Almost to the point where I'm actually HOPING the problem is my graphics card.

I wonder though, why the 512, specifically? The 640 isn't that much more expensive. I do notice it notes a change from 240 bit to 320 bit. This doesn't mean something like, one is for Vista and one is for XP, does it?

 

[Rubycat]

The 8800GT 512's run with the G92 chipsets
-its better than their old 640mb variants-