Graphics What PCI-e card should I get?

I have an Ab9 QuadGT mb, and I've been using my friends geforce 8800 GTS, but now he needs it back so I'm gonna need to get one of my own. Main game I play at the moment is just Warhammer online, but I'd still like to get a card atleast as good as the old 8800GTS that I'm giving up. I'm not sure if my board supports PCI-e 2.0 or not, how do I tell?

Any suggestions as to what card I should get? I'd like to stay under $300. Thanks for any advice.

 

According to specs, your motherboard is a PCI-e 1.0 board.

PCI-e 2.0 cards are backwards compatible with PCI-e 1.0 slots, so you will be okay with a 2.0 card...

For under $300, you can get a very nice card anymore, assuming your PSU has the cables to support it.

I personally would recommend an ATI HD 4850... They're about $155 to $195 depending on which you get, they have the same single 6 pin connector on the card as the 8800GTS you were using had, and they outperform a 9800GTX. They're great bang for the buck.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...109631&Description=hd4850&bop=And&Order=PRICE

There are two versions, a 512MB card, and a 1GB card... If you can afford it, go for the 1GB card.

The Sapphire 1GB card is out of stock at the moment, but it's almost $30 cheaper than the rest of the 1GBs.

As for nVidia cards, someone with more knowledge than myself should comment on them, I don't keep up with them anymore (yes, I'm something of an ATI fanboy).

 

I second Jared,

the 4850 should play your MMOs fine and everything else at a good frame and res too, also if I'm not mistaken ATi's GPU transcoding software (avivo?) is free whilst Nvidia's Badaboom transcoder is not.

I might get one come to think of it

 

another one for the 4850!

 

+1 to the HD4850 suggestion.

 

4850 etc

 

+1 for the HD4850, I've got a Powercolor PCS+ that still needs testing

 

Yep, 4850 is a nice card.
Go for the 1GB card to future-proof your system better.
Also, the Asus 512MB one in that list is clocked the highest, but the Asus 1GB one should allow the most room for overclocking (should you ever want to).

 

aye i have a hd4850 too great card plays everything i want it to

 

I'm making a difference, I'll suggest a 4830. It's cheaper and can be overclocked with ease to the speeds of the 4850.

 

4850 is a great card......but if you were happy with the 8800 and depending what res your gaming at get yourself a 4830, i'd say the powercolor version or the HIS, the MSI version is really nice with samsung memory rated to 1GHZ and a custom 4:1 power phase....4830 runs much cooler and quieter the 4850 and OC's like a demon, standard 4830 outperforms 8800/9800's and just falls short of 4850 but OC that lil card and it does OC very well especially the powercolor version
stock 4830 beats a 8800GT with 100Mhz OC across the board, Powercolor 4830 OC'd with tray tools stomps on 4850

"PowerColor’s 4830 affords high overclocking potential in conjunction with Tray Tools and it has the convenience of wielding DVI, HDMI, and VGA outputs without the need for an adapter. The card also has an excellent, quiet GPU cooler." qutoed from below url
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/4830-radeon-crossfire,2098.html

and if you need a lil more throw in another 4830 in CF

so pick up the powercolor 4830 for 80-90quid, OC with traytools, and save yourself 60quid as IMO the only 4850's worth getting are the toxic, iceq4 or pcs which come with high price tag and on the side you have the bonus of DVI, VGA and HDMI with true 7.1 audio passthrew