So many video cards, so little time.

[snowpunk]

After searching long and hard I am about an hour from buying one of two cards:

eVGA GeForce 6800 256Mb PCI-e

or

eVGA GeForce 6800 128Mb AGP

1) Will I notice a huge difference between 128Mb and 256Mb?
2) Will I notice a huge difference between PCI-e and AGP?
3) Will both be able to be overclocked the same amount?

The 256Mb is $65 more, not to mention I would need to buy a new motherboard, so figure it is $165 more. Is the difference between the two worth $165?

I noticed on eVGA's website that the 128Mb has more memory bandwith than the 256Mb (19.2 Gb/second vs. 22.4 Gb/second)

 

[idiotec]

There is really no performance difference between PCI-e and AGP. I would go with an AGP 6800GT now, and wait to make the switch to PCI-e when you are ready for a whole system upgrade. The GT is a big jump over the vanilla version.

 

[snowpunk]

So do you think a 6600 GT over a 6800 "vanilla"? I still need to know about the 256 vs 128 aspect of it.

 

[PZEROFGH]

i would pick a 6800GT over a 6800 vanilla. and a 6800 over a 6600GT

 

[GuitarFreak1857]

There is really no performance difference between PCI-e and AGP. I would go with an AGP 6800GT now, and wait to make the switch to PCI-e when you are ready for a whole system upgrade. The GT is a big jump over the vanilla version.

how can you say theres no performance, 16X on a PCI-E slot and 4/8X on an AGP slot. don't you think 16 lanes will offer better performance than 4/8 lanes? i do. why wait, i'd get a new mobo and a eVGA 6800GT.

 

[Snake-Eyes]

With PCI-E, you'll be able to upgrade it later on. AGP is dying out, sadly enough.

 

[idiotec]

how can you say theres no performance, 16X on a PCI-E slot and 4/8X on an AGP slot. don't you think 16 lanes will offer better performance than 4/8 lanes? i do. why wait, i'd get a new mobo and a eVGA 6800GT.

Let's say you have a 8 lane freeway compared to a 16 lane freeway, but there are only 7 cars that need to use it, there is no benefit to the extra 8 lanes right? That is basically where we are with the current video cards. They don't max out the bandwidth of AGP 8x at this point, so adding extra 'lanes' doesn't really make s difference.

PCI-e is definately the future so it is definately worth getting at this point to 'future' proof the system, but what I was thinking is if he needs to get a new mobo to get there and money is an issue, I would rather have a higher end AGP card vs a lower end PCI-e card. If money isn't an issue, sh!t, get a 6800GT PCI-e and a new mobo.

 

[Ste]

i would pick a 6800GT over a 6800 vanilla. and a 6800 over a 6600GT

My votes in for the 6800.

 

[Sh0r_ty]

i would go for either the 6600GT or the 6800GT

 

[GuitarFreak1857]

Let's say you have a 8 lane freeway compared to a 16 lane freeway, but there are only 7 cars that need to use it, there is no benefit to the extra 8 lanes right? That is basically where we are with the current video cards. They don't max out the bandwidth of AGP 8x at this point, so adding extra 'lanes' doesn't really make s difference.

PCI-e is definately the future so it is definately worth getting at this point to 'future' proof the system, but what I was thinking is if he needs to get a new mobo to get there and money is an issue, I would rather have a higher end AGP card vs a lower end PCI-e card. If money isn't an issue, sh!t, get a 6800GT PCI-e and a new mobo.

Ok, i see your point. But new games like HL2 and BF2 need more lanes because they are higher priority. I mean if you crank up AA and AP you'll need those extra 8 lanes right? that's my concern, which is why i just got a 7800GTX