What Graphics Card?

[beezlebubsbum]

My mate has a ATI Radeon VE 16mb video card. He wants to get a new one, but there are so many out there that it is hard to choose. He has $200USD to spend on a new card, so we want to make sure that the card he chooses has some real "bang-for-buck" performance. That's where you people are always handy, would you people recommend some cards in that price range? If you could also tell us what not to get, or some bad, or good, experiences with them, then that would be great!

[maccorin]

Nvidia FX5700 if you want maximum performance for the $$$ and don't mind closed source drivers

[beezlebubsbum]

thanks for that! Has anyone tried alternative graphics cards like the S3 DeltaChrome? Or the matrox perhelia? I want to be alternative!

[maccorin]

if you wanna go alternative, try matrox, _very_ good (and free as in freedom) drivers for linux IIRC

[janne_oksanen]

From what I have hear nvidia still has by far the best drivers for Linux. Just in case your friend wants to play in Linux as I do.

[maccorin]

matrox drivers are just as good as nvidias technically... and better philosophically, nvidia just has better hardware (for gaming).

[beezlebubsbum]

has anyone tried the xabre 600?