Currently the best video card right now is the GeForce 8800GTX. Nvidia or ATI may soon release something better, so it may not be top dog for long.
If you're thinking of getting it, make sure your computer is compatible and can handle it. If you need help with that, just ask (and post your full system specifications).
The best video cards for the money. From Under $100 to $600 in PCI-e and AGP formats. Up to date prices in US Dollars, but should scale to blank around the world.
atm? nVidia GeForce 8800GTX in SLi, however soon AMD (formerly ATi) will bring out the "R600" - aka the x2900XTX, which will HAVE to be quicker (simply because its been developed hard, rather than the quick 8800's), because AMD are going poor atm, and if they dont get this card to pay off and be the "enthusiast choice", then they are scuppered, and AMD's dogged reputation (which was only brought about by the great C2D lineup from Intel) will be carried over to ex ATI
I'm not liking the look of the R600, I'd asphyxiate from having to keep a separate generator in my room to power it. I've only just got my PC silent, having to crank fans up and use ceramic plating to remove all that heat doesn't appeal.
the R600 is a bit of a misnomer, there will be a few GFX cards based on the R600 core - the low-end cards (the ATi equivalent of your 7100/7300/7500) for the OEM/Budget gamer mark, the mid-range, both upper and lower, and the high-end cards.
AMD want to release ALL of their cards at the same time (unlike nVidia, who rushed the high-end cards to get the expensive GTX out first, getting all the people who wanted something quick to get one, and then lured the nay-sayers with the slightly cheaper GTS - now they must take those people that cannot afford the GTS with the 8600/8500 - ah, the sweet smell of money making )
[OT]
how about pizza?
apparently there is a company up in new york that has a $1000 pizza.. and no its not any larger than an average pizza, and dont expect gold on it either!
expect some fish and some fish eggs though
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Moving on to the CPU side, For now again The top dog is intel Its highest is the Q series Quad core Cpu's but don't think you actually need "4cores" but for video editing its cool and its pricey too. If you are on a budget get core2 dou from Newegg.com and it doesnt matter which one because intel has unlocked its cores that means you can overclock the HECK out of it
I don't see how it's a misnomer. Sure it's also called the R600 family, but when talking about specific cards the R600 only refers to the high end ones. Also I'm not sure if they're still going to be releasing it all at once (though it should be within a month or so) based on a few issues here and there.
Also, if they make the high end, release it, then chop up the high end (disabling stuff, etc.) and then refining that, it almost doesn't make sense to wait for the low end stuff to be ready before releasing what you already have.
Sorry, but after seeing this, I had to post something for you guys. New Yorkers can have their yuppie expensive pizza. I have this place just 45 minutes from me...
I've never eaten there, but many from work have on their way to hunting camp. No one at work has eaten the 6 pounder, but a VERY large guy at work said he tried the 2 pounder and couldn't eat it all, LOL. They say all the rest of the menu is awesome as well. Very good food.
That girl was actually 96 pounds to be exact, I do believe (before she at the burger, LOL)
The "top dog" is afaik AMD, as the FX-74 were marginally quicker (if exorbitantly overpriced) isn't it? also, the X6800 is a faster dual core, and the QX6600 has double the cores, but they run slower. Hopefully after the Q3 intel Price drops they'll be running at $266 for retailers - lets just hope they dont put too much markup on!
ONLY The X (For eXtreme) series from Intel have unlocked multi's, btw, but you can still overclock a LOT out of the E4300, E6300, E6400 (To a lesser degree), E6600 and E6700 (although tends to reach the same clocks as an E6600, so pretty pointless)
ah, thanks for the insight, didn't know that!
i used to have SLi, with 2x 6600GT's, it SUCKED, and i never got it running stably, i'm not the only one.
Financially, you should ONLY go SLi if you either get the cards VERY cheap (like 65% of their normal price), or if they are THE fastest cards you can buy, otherwise you could sell your current card and get something thats usually a fair bit faster - and DX10 compatible, with the 8600's releasing
The FX-74 is only marginally faster stock. A MODERATELY overclocked Intel Quad core can easily beat them as the FX Quad's barely overclock at all before they hit a boundary. The Intel Quad's overclock extremely well just like all the other Core 2 Duo's.
Best CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme
(Any Intel Core 2 Duo is great value)
-------------Intel Core 2 Duo------------------------------
Best Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-965P-DS4 (SLI)
Best Value Motherboard - Intel DG965OT (you can have intergrated graphics or have a graphics card on the board)
-------------AMD Althlon 64 X2----------------------------
Best Motherboard (with SLI) - Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5
Best Value Motherboard (with SLI) - ABIT KN9 SLI
(no SLI) - Gigabyte GA M55PLUS-S3G
Huh? Since when is the FX-74 a fast gaming CPU? If it were out before Conroe then yes, but it wasn't.
Plus, if you actually build a Quad FX (2 dual core Athlon FX's), the power consumption under load is ridiculous. AnandTech quoted 456W for the Quad FX system, versus 263W for a quad-core Intel box.
If you're going AMD, the FX series is a complete waste, much in the same way the Extreme series is a waste. Better off going with the 6000+ (basically the same thing as the FX74), or its direct competitor, the E6600. With the price cuts coming up, they're going to be about identical in terms of price and performance.