Video Card Selection
 

Okay, I've changed my mind on video card, for those of you who saw my previous post. I'm making this purchase tomorrow, probably. Which of these two cards is a better purchase considering price, performance, and power consumption.

ASUS GeForce 8500GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2
or
MSI Diamond Plus Radeon HD 2600XT 512MB 128-bit GDDR4

I'm thinking the 2600, but I might just be thinking it is better due to the price gap. If it isn't as much better as it is more expensive, let me know. Thanks all, especially Lasereth.

The 2600XT is more on a level competitively with an 8600GT. The 8500GT is an entry level card and not meant for serious gamers or graphics-intensive applications. If you want an even comparison, the 8600 should be more competitive in terms of performance. But between the two given, yeah, the 2600XT is the faster card.

A word of caution, as well; do not fall into the trap of thinking more expensive is always better. In this case it's the truth, but that won't always be the case.

Exactly, which is why I posed the question. I know that often things are cheaper and better, but it is difficult to see that. Thanks.

That particular 2600 XT is a huge ripoff. If you want to know which videocard to buy at which price, check out the videocard buyer's guide at the top of the section.

I'll make it super easy: if you're willing to spend $150 on a videocard, buy the Radeon X1950 Pro. :thumbsup: