INTRODUCTION
Here is the latest revision, to the Graphic card buying guide i wrote a few months ago. The presentation is exactly the same , and so are the tiers. This guide is for current cards available in the market only. Any future or obsolete products are not taken into consideration here. Also , price wise , the cards have been compared only based on Current INDIAN Prices , the foreign scenario is slightly different because of a difference in pricing strategy .
Index
1. Introduction
2. Low-End Cards - The up to Rs 5000 Segment
3. Mid-Range Budget Cards - The Rs 5,000-10,000 Segment
4. The Mid-Range Performance Cards - The Rs 11,000-20,000 Segment
5. The High-End Segment - The Rs 20,000-30,000 Segment
6. The Extremely High- End Segment - The Rs 30,000 and above segment
7. Summary and The End
Illustrations : Me
[BREAK=Low-End Cards - The up to Rs 4000 Segment]
Low-End Cards - The up to Rs 5000 Segment
Now this segment is for those people who either game very less , or do not want to spend much on gaming systems, and even the bare minimum cards would do. Here, the contenders are
-GeForce 7300GT 512 MB DDR2 – Rs 2000-2500
-GeForce 8400GS 256 MB DDR2 – Rs 1900-2000
-GeForce 8600GT 256 MB DDR3 – Rs 4200-5000
-HD 2600XT 256MB DDR2 - Rs 5000-5500
This range has been shuffled a lot over the past few months. With old cards dropping out of the market like Indian wickets do , there is little choice available here for a serious gamer. But it is
Undeniably the easiest of the choices to make. The 7300GT 512MB is enough for most of the people who want a bare minimum card for their rigs. The ATi 2600XT , though brilliant at HD playback , still has a
unreasonable price/performance ratio, and the 8600GT 256MB DDR3 edition comes out as the clear winner.
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : GeForce 8600GT 256 MB DDR3
RUNNERS-UP : GeForce 7300GT 512 MB DDR2
[BREAK=Mid-Range Budget Cards - The Rs 5,000-10,000 Segment]
Mid-Range Budget Cards - The Rs 5,000-10,000 Segment
This is the segment the Heads of the corporations watch. This is the segment where they make the numbers really matter. Over the past few months , this range lacked a power packed card , as the 8600GT was
now not enough , and the 8600GTS asked too much of a price for the little performance gains it offered. But with the 9 Series , nVidia is set to take over this tier again.
-GeForce 8600GTS 256MB DDR3 – Rs 7500-8500
-GeForce 9600GSO 384Mb DDR3 – Rs 6400-6800
-GeForce 9600GT 512MB DDR3 – Rs 8750-10000
-Radeon X1950PRO 512MB DDR3 - Rs 8250-9500
-HD 3850PRO 512MB DDR3 - Rs 9500-10500
The X1950PRO used to be one of the best VFM cards during its time , but all good things have an end, and the Radeon series is an EOL (End-Of-Life) product.
The HD3850 , though a good performer, is priced way too high for its own good. Another example of the point, why the Indian AMD/ATi heads should start attending MBA classes.
nVidia on the other hand have still better products. The 8600GTS, is a decent card ,though it has stuck to its age old price. nVidia hasn't dropped the prices on it as it has on its other models, maybe keeping it in sync with the 8800GTS 320/640MB models, which still are priced the same.
The 9600GSO , a recently unveiled product , is actually nothing more than a rechristened , a completely unknown 8800GS . But don't let this fool you. This card packs a serious punch. It performs a lot better than a 8600GTS , let alone a 8600GT , and nearly catches up to the 9600GT 512MB . Yet this card has been priced really low , even for the Factory OC'ed products. The card has two versions , a 768MB one, which is slightly priced over the 9600GT , and a 384MB one , which is priced really low. The 384MB card is more than enough for gamers using 17-19" monitors, and can kick serious A$$.
The 9600GT 512MB is a good card , though still not very VFM. Now that the 9600GSO is here , many gamers will be pushed into reconsidering their plans for a 9600GT purchase. Still for people who want all the power they can get for below 10k , the 9600GT is still a good choice.
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : GeForce 9600GSO 384MB ( Factory OC - eVGA or Palit)
RUNNERS-UP : GeForce 9600GT 512MB GeForce 8600GT 256MB DDR3
[BREAK=The Mid-Range Performance Cards - The Rs 11,000-20,000 Segment]
The Mid-Range Performance Cards - The Rs 11,000-20,000 Segment
Now on to the more expensive but better performance segment. Here , the recent nVidia releases have made our choices easy. So let’s get it done with. The cards :
-GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 – Rs 11000-12000
-GeForce 8800GTS 512MB DDR3 - Rs 15000-16000
-GeForce 9800GTX 512MB DDR3 - Rs 19000-20000
-HD 3870 512MB DDR4 – Rs 12000-13000
Again , i'll quote myself , everyone knows the winner here. But still , let's go through the drill.
ATi , same ol' ,same ol'. Good performer , B$ Pricing. To sum it up - Loser.
The GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 , as before is a superb VFM card. Brilliant performance , great price. So a winner. Nothing less. The OC versions are a better buy here , like the MSI , Gigabyte and eVGA ones.
The 8800GTS , though adding to the performance of its little brother , did not hit the right note. Too expensive for the little gains it offers, it ain't that great a choice. but hey , if u want the best performance for your budget, its still a great card. Again, Factory OC versions are recommended.
The 9800GTX , is undoubtedly a good card. Great performer , though not as good a performer as you would expect from a 19k card . The card basically looks like the 8800GTS 512MB revamped , but still is a great card to buy, if you already do not own a 8800GT or a GTS . If you do , hold on to them , and wat for the GT200/HD4xxx to come out.
CONCLUSION
WINNER : GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 OC (MSI/eVGA/GigaByte)
RUNNERS-UP : GeForce 9800GTX 512MB DDR3
[BREAK=The High-End Segment - The Rs 20,000-30,000 Segment]
The High-End Segment - The Rs 20,000-30,000 Segment
For most of us , our folks would throw us on the streets , if you even give them the idea to get a card from this segment. So let me tell you what not to look at if you plan on staying INSIDE your home.
-GeForce 8800GTS 640MB DDR3 – Rs 21000-22000
-GeForce 8800GTX 768MB DDR3 – Rs 23000-25000
-HD 3870X2 1GB DDR4 - Rs 21000-23000
For the first time ever , ATi has a winner in one tier. The 3870X2 gobbles up the competition , has a great price tag , and is a worth buy. Period.
The 8800GTS 640MB , a EOL product, still priced same.Not even worth looking at .
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : HD 3870X2 1GB DDR4 (GeCube/Sapphire)
RUNNERS-UP : 2 x GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 OC SLi
[BREAK=The Extremely High- End Segment - The Rs 30,000 and above segment]
The Extremely High-End Segment - The Rs 30,000 and above segment
For guys who either have access to vaults of major banks, or whose folks have surnames like gates or Ambani's, here is the top of the hill list
-GeForce 8800ULTRA 768MB DDR3 – Rs 30000-33000
-GeForce 9800GX2 1024MB DDR3 - Rs 32000-34000
As you can see over the past few years, the cards placed at the top of the money mountain are never able to give you the performance you desire. The same is the case here. Both the 9800GX2 and the 8800Ultra
(EOL Soon) are very less cost effective.. For the money you are spending on them , you can get a SLi of 8800GT's , even 8800GTS's which will be cheaper, and nearly be able to give the GX2 a run for the money.
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : 2 x GeForce 8800GTS 512MB DDR3 OC SLi
RUNNERS-UP : None
[BREAK=Summary and The End]
Summary and The End
Another revision , another end. Dunno what to say this time except that i hope this guide help's all the Graphic Card buyers . Any suggestions and corrections are welcome . I hope i haven't made any mistakes, if i have i am sorry for those.
Well before i sign off , here is a quick summary of what we saw in the pages above.
Up to 5000 – GeForce 8600GT 512MB DDR3
5000-10000 – GeForce 9600GSO 384MB ( Factory OC - eVGA or Palit)
10000-20000 – GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 OC (eVGA)
20000-30000 – HD 3870X2 1GB DDR4 (GeCube/Sapphire)
30000 and above – 2 x GeForce 8800GTS 512MB DDR3 OC SLi
Hats off to nVidia , for making such great products, and continuing to do so. ATi/AMD/DAAMIT , you can use some personnel stealing to get back on track you know. But seeing how the 3870X2 performs, it seems your brains have been rebooted.
Like everyone , awaiting the launch of the GT2XXs and the HD4XXX , and lets hope we see some Mortal Combat there.
Until LONELY PLANET, For Graphic Cards Part III , your friendly neighborhood Dealer , PhOeNiX
Cheers
Index
1. Introduction
2. Low-End Cards - The up to Rs 5000 Segment
3. Mid-Range Budget Cards - The Rs 5,000-10,000 Segment
4. The Mid-Range Performance Cards - The Rs 11,000-20,000 Segment
5. The High-End Segment - The Rs 20,000-30,000 Segment
6. The Extremely High- End Segment - The Rs 30,000 and above segment
7. Summary and The End
Illustrations : Me
[BREAK=Low-End Cards - The up to Rs 4000 Segment]
Low-End Cards - The up to Rs 5000 Segment
Now this segment is for those people who either game very less , or do not want to spend much on gaming systems, and even the bare minimum cards would do. Here, the contenders are
-GeForce 7300GT 512 MB DDR2 – Rs 2000-2500
-GeForce 8400GS 256 MB DDR2 – Rs 1900-2000
-GeForce 8600GT 256 MB DDR3 – Rs 4200-5000
-HD 2600XT 256MB DDR2 - Rs 5000-5500
This range has been shuffled a lot over the past few months. With old cards dropping out of the market like Indian wickets do , there is little choice available here for a serious gamer. But it is
Undeniably the easiest of the choices to make. The 7300GT 512MB is enough for most of the people who want a bare minimum card for their rigs. The ATi 2600XT , though brilliant at HD playback , still has a
unreasonable price/performance ratio, and the 8600GT 256MB DDR3 edition comes out as the clear winner.
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : GeForce 8600GT 256 MB DDR3
RUNNERS-UP : GeForce 7300GT 512 MB DDR2
[BREAK=Mid-Range Budget Cards - The Rs 5,000-10,000 Segment]
Mid-Range Budget Cards - The Rs 5,000-10,000 Segment
This is the segment the Heads of the corporations watch. This is the segment where they make the numbers really matter. Over the past few months , this range lacked a power packed card , as the 8600GT was
now not enough , and the 8600GTS asked too much of a price for the little performance gains it offered. But with the 9 Series , nVidia is set to take over this tier again.
-GeForce 8600GTS 256MB DDR3 – Rs 7500-8500
-GeForce 9600GSO 384Mb DDR3 – Rs 6400-6800
-GeForce 9600GT 512MB DDR3 – Rs 8750-10000
-Radeon X1950PRO 512MB DDR3 - Rs 8250-9500
-HD 3850PRO 512MB DDR3 - Rs 9500-10500
The X1950PRO used to be one of the best VFM cards during its time , but all good things have an end, and the Radeon series is an EOL (End-Of-Life) product.
The HD3850 , though a good performer, is priced way too high for its own good. Another example of the point, why the Indian AMD/ATi heads should start attending MBA classes.
nVidia on the other hand have still better products. The 8600GTS, is a decent card ,though it has stuck to its age old price. nVidia hasn't dropped the prices on it as it has on its other models, maybe keeping it in sync with the 8800GTS 320/640MB models, which still are priced the same.
The 9600GSO , a recently unveiled product , is actually nothing more than a rechristened , a completely unknown 8800GS . But don't let this fool you. This card packs a serious punch. It performs a lot better than a 8600GTS , let alone a 8600GT , and nearly catches up to the 9600GT 512MB . Yet this card has been priced really low , even for the Factory OC'ed products. The card has two versions , a 768MB one, which is slightly priced over the 9600GT , and a 384MB one , which is priced really low. The 384MB card is more than enough for gamers using 17-19" monitors, and can kick serious A$$.
The 9600GT 512MB is a good card , though still not very VFM. Now that the 9600GSO is here , many gamers will be pushed into reconsidering their plans for a 9600GT purchase. Still for people who want all the power they can get for below 10k , the 9600GT is still a good choice.
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : GeForce 9600GSO 384MB ( Factory OC - eVGA or Palit)
RUNNERS-UP : GeForce 9600GT 512MB GeForce 8600GT 256MB DDR3
[BREAK=The Mid-Range Performance Cards - The Rs 11,000-20,000 Segment]
The Mid-Range Performance Cards - The Rs 11,000-20,000 Segment
Now on to the more expensive but better performance segment. Here , the recent nVidia releases have made our choices easy. So let’s get it done with. The cards :
-GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 – Rs 11000-12000
-GeForce 8800GTS 512MB DDR3 - Rs 15000-16000
-GeForce 9800GTX 512MB DDR3 - Rs 19000-20000
-HD 3870 512MB DDR4 – Rs 12000-13000
Again , i'll quote myself , everyone knows the winner here. But still , let's go through the drill.
ATi , same ol' ,same ol'. Good performer , B$ Pricing. To sum it up - Loser.
The GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 , as before is a superb VFM card. Brilliant performance , great price. So a winner. Nothing less. The OC versions are a better buy here , like the MSI , Gigabyte and eVGA ones.
The 8800GTS , though adding to the performance of its little brother , did not hit the right note. Too expensive for the little gains it offers, it ain't that great a choice. but hey , if u want the best performance for your budget, its still a great card. Again, Factory OC versions are recommended.
The 9800GTX , is undoubtedly a good card. Great performer , though not as good a performer as you would expect from a 19k card . The card basically looks like the 8800GTS 512MB revamped , but still is a great card to buy, if you already do not own a 8800GT or a GTS . If you do , hold on to them , and wat for the GT200/HD4xxx to come out.
CONCLUSION
WINNER : GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 OC (MSI/eVGA/GigaByte)
RUNNERS-UP : GeForce 9800GTX 512MB DDR3
[BREAK=The High-End Segment - The Rs 20,000-30,000 Segment]
The High-End Segment - The Rs 20,000-30,000 Segment
For most of us , our folks would throw us on the streets , if you even give them the idea to get a card from this segment. So let me tell you what not to look at if you plan on staying INSIDE your home.
-GeForce 8800GTS 640MB DDR3 – Rs 21000-22000
-GeForce 8800GTX 768MB DDR3 – Rs 23000-25000
-HD 3870X2 1GB DDR4 - Rs 21000-23000
For the first time ever , ATi has a winner in one tier. The 3870X2 gobbles up the competition , has a great price tag , and is a worth buy. Period.
The 8800GTS 640MB , a EOL product, still priced same.Not even worth looking at .
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : HD 3870X2 1GB DDR4 (GeCube/Sapphire)
RUNNERS-UP : 2 x GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 OC SLi
[BREAK=The Extremely High- End Segment - The Rs 30,000 and above segment]
The Extremely High-End Segment - The Rs 30,000 and above segment
For guys who either have access to vaults of major banks, or whose folks have surnames like gates or Ambani's, here is the top of the hill list
-GeForce 8800ULTRA 768MB DDR3 – Rs 30000-33000
-GeForce 9800GX2 1024MB DDR3 - Rs 32000-34000
As you can see over the past few years, the cards placed at the top of the money mountain are never able to give you the performance you desire. The same is the case here. Both the 9800GX2 and the 8800Ultra
(EOL Soon) are very less cost effective.. For the money you are spending on them , you can get a SLi of 8800GT's , even 8800GTS's which will be cheaper, and nearly be able to give the GX2 a run for the money.
CONCLUSION :
WINNER : 2 x GeForce 8800GTS 512MB DDR3 OC SLi
RUNNERS-UP : None
[BREAK=Summary and The End]
Summary and The End
Another revision , another end. Dunno what to say this time except that i hope this guide help's all the Graphic Card buyers . Any suggestions and corrections are welcome . I hope i haven't made any mistakes, if i have i am sorry for those.
Well before i sign off , here is a quick summary of what we saw in the pages above.
Up to 5000 – GeForce 8600GT 512MB DDR3
5000-10000 – GeForce 9600GSO 384MB ( Factory OC - eVGA or Palit)
10000-20000 – GeForce 8800GT 512MB DDR3 OC (eVGA)
20000-30000 – HD 3870X2 1GB DDR4 (GeCube/Sapphire)
30000 and above – 2 x GeForce 8800GTS 512MB DDR3 OC SLi
Hats off to nVidia , for making such great products, and continuing to do so. ATi/AMD/DAAMIT , you can use some personnel stealing to get back on track you know. But seeing how the 3870X2 performs, it seems your brains have been rebooted.
Like everyone , awaiting the launch of the GT2XXs and the HD4XXX , and lets hope we see some Mortal Combat there.
Until LONELY PLANET, For Graphic Cards Part III , your friendly neighborhood Dealer , PhOeNiX
Cheers
hyeah: Big fan of both supes and batsy!
Very helpful especially for newbies 