Best Nvidia or ATI card I can get for $300?

[noir]

I've got a pair of 6800 GTX SLI and I'm looking to upgrade. What's the best card I can get around the $300 price range? My goal is to 4 box on the same rig.

[bugilt]

You can buy 2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150304&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3watch&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3watch-_-Video+Cards-_-XFX-_-14150304

[tigger2577]

AIT's lates card 4850 $199 according to reviews the best on the marked for that price range blows all other away

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129112

[The_Whack]

AIT's lates card 4850 $199 according to reviews the best on the marked for that price range blows all other away

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129112Agreed. If I didnt just buy a 8800 GTS I would have bought 2 of the 4850's.

[noir]

I saw that, looking around. But how does it compare to say a 9800 GTX OC'd to 760 Mhz core? I can find one for around the same price as the ATI card.

[tigger2577]

I saw that, looking around. But how does it compare to say a 9800 GTX OC'd to 760 Mhz core? I can find one for around the same price as the ATI card.

according to everything I have read it the 4850 will beat any 9800gx out there and if you go for the 4870 (300) I have read it wil bet even teh 9800GTX x2

[noir]

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/amd_radeon_hd_4850_geforce_9800_gtx+/

That says the reclocked 9800 GTX+ (~$230) will smoke the 4850. The 760 MHz core 9800 GTX is even faster than the 9800 GTX+, and costs the same. And it's overclocking friendly.

From what I've read, the 4850 doesn't handle overclocking well at all. The only plus I've seen: lower power consumption and the need for only one power supply plug, not two.

[tigger2577]

as your artical states the new 9800 GXT+ and the ATI 4850 are about equal, it all depends on what games you want to play. But I will tell you this (can not fine the artical now) but the ATI 4850 will scale much much better when/if you go crossfire vs the 9800 GXT+. So it all comes down to personal preference.

[Bollwerk]

For $300, the 4870 is the best card, especially at higher resolutions.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341

For the record, I'm not a fanboi of either ATI or Nvidia. I'm currently using an 8800GTX.

[Icetech]

i just installed a 4850 today, moving up from a 8800gts, no more stutter in shat... 35-45fps in shat, which the 8800 couldn't get near.. love the card... and the picture quality is better than the 9800gtx's i have sold.. no suprise there though:)

The only downside to the card is that it comes stock running the fan at 27% which had me at 80c... i bumped it to 50% and am at 40c with 700 clock:)

[Mac]

Sorry for the noob hardware question here, but I have an 8800gts running two 24" monitors, I wanted to get another monitor and do the two portrait monitors on each side of the main as some have set up here. If I wanted to go with another card, would it be an issue to keep the 8800gts and add the ATI 4850, or would it cause problems having the two diff brands together and should just get another 8800gts?