Upgrade graphics card?

[darkop16]

Im thinking about upgrading my graphics card since the new HD 4870 is only $300. I was planning to wait around Christmas in the hopes that there would be some price drops but there seems to be alot of price drops already.

Also I think my current graphics card is giving out on me. I get weird artifacts in games, such as lines missing (either just blank or replaced with a weird textures like purple stripes) from the loading screens and on maps (in rts's). I don't have any problems on desktop so I guess it's just when the card is tasked. It is not OCed. Ive already tried replacing the thermal compound with as5 and Ive reformatted my computer and installed fresh drivers and defraged all my partitions with no luck. Anyways, I guess Im justifying buying one of these HD 4870 since their so cheap. I can remember paying $450 for my 8800gts 640mb version last year (the beginning of January).

What do you guys think. The HD 4870 would be a nice upgrade or just stick with the 8800gts for now? And the artifacts I can live with. I mean the games don't drop in fps, its just weird artifacts that pop up here and there, but Im afraid the card will give out altogether one day.

Oh, and my sig is slightly incorrect of what I currently have (haven't been here in a while). Ive got a samsung 22" widescreen instead of the two 17"s (using on a lan rig now) and I only use one 250gb hard drive. Sorry about not changing it but I haven't installed the Gimp yet since I reformatted so I can't change it yet.

Thanks,
darkop

edit. Nevermind about the sig, I changed it to text.

 

[Trotter]

Newegg has four 4870s listed, all for 309.99. I just saw a little while ago a pic of the Diamond XOC 4870 here. Seems that non-reference cards are on their way, as well as higher-clocked versions, higher memory versions, and the 4870X2.

It's a good time to be looking for a GFX card, that's for sure... and ATI is really starting to pour it on.

Oh, and it's good to see you back around here.

 

[darkop16]

Thanks for the reply.

I was about to place an order for the HIS 4870 (it was up around 2:00pm eastern time), but newegg took it down sometime after I posted here. Sapphire is still out of sock. I guess Ill wait until the HIS version is back up unless someone can vouch for powercool or visiontek.

edit. Sapphire just came back into stock so I ordered it instead.