Help me choose my vid card

[maddpaky]

Right now, I have a Gateway GT5432, specs are here (http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/1009464/1009464sp2.shtml)

Im upgrading so I can start gaming on it. I'm getting these 2 things to start off with: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817148027
(power supply) and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820231098 for a total of 3 gigs of ram.

Im stuck, however, as to which video card to get. These are my four main choices:

BFG 7950gt
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?ATT=14143090&CMP=AFC-SlickDeals&Item=N82E16814143090

Saphhire x1950xt
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?ATT=14102067&CMP=AFC-SlickDeals&Item=N82E16814102067

MSI 8600gts OC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127284

And the RX2600xt by MSI, which is on the frontpage as possibly having the fastest clock speed

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127303

I hope you can get a sense of my budget ( around 170 ish). I have a 17 inch flat panel moniter, at 1280x1024, and dont plan on upgrading soon. I play most modern games like Oblivion, BF2, BF2142, HL2, Halo 2 Vista, FEAR, and hopefully get into Shadowrun. DX10 is not absolutely necessary but would be very nice to have.

Which one of those would you recommend? Or any other suggestions? Oh yeah, and my credit cards automatically adds an extra year of warranty coverage, so warranty isn't that big of a deal.

[Mike]

Go with the x1950 or the 7950...forget about the x2600, it's a piece of shit...

If you're at all interested in dx10, the 8600gts is a good option there, but it won't be quite as fast (though, on your screen probably fast enough).

[maddpaky]

thanks, so im either going with the 8600gts or the x1950xt

as for the ram, ill have two 512s at 533mhz PC4200, and two new 1 gig ram pieces at 800mhz PC6400. How should I load them into the slots

Right now, my 512s are in the first two slots, and the last two slots are open. Should I just put the new ram into the open slots? Should I take out the 512s, put them in the two last slots, and put the new ram into the first 2 slots?
Or should i put it in as 512 in the first slot, 1 gig in the sec, 512 in the third, and 1 gig in the last? Or 1 gig, 512, 1 gig, 512?

I hope that made sense.

Thanks