Find The Right Graphics Cards

Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT

It can't hang with ATI's faster (and wider) Radeon X1900 XT in performance, but if you're building a small PC or you're concerned about noise levels, the GeForce 7950 distinguishes itself as the only single-slot 3D card in its price range. If efficiency is more important than speed, Nvidia makes it easy.

Specs: NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT, 2048 x 1536 / 85 Hz, 512 MB, PC

ATI Radeon X1650 Pro (dual link)

We don't recommend paying even $125 for this new budget 3D card from ATI, but assuming you can find it for $100 or less, the Radeon X1650 Pro will meet your Windows Vista and basic gaming needs without overheating your PC or your wallet.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1650 Pro, 512 MB, PC, 2

PNY Verto GeForce 7900 GS

Featuring Nvidia's latest midrange GPU, the $200 PNY Verto GeForce 7900 GS offers a strong bang for the buck compared to its ATI rival. We recommend it if you are looking to play 3D games on an LCD monitor, aren't too concerned about sky-high frame rates, and won't be bothered if a next-gen replacement emerges in the coming months.

Specs: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS, 2560 x 1600, 256 MB, PC

ATI Radeon X1300 XT

ATI's Radeon lineup features a confusing array of cards. The budget Radeon X1300 XT is a good card for the money, but we recommend the faster Radeon X1650 Pro because it costs only $10 more.

Specs: PC

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX (512MB)

ATI's Radeon X1950 XTX is the fastest single-chip 3D card that you can buy. Unfortunately, with Windows Vista and its accompanying gaming technology, it's going to become obsolete in just five months. ATI adjusted the price of the Radeon X1950 XTX accordingly, but at $450, it's still not an insignificant purchase. We recommend it only if money is no object.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1950 CrossFire, 2560 x 1600, 512 MB, PC, 2

ATI Theater 650 Pro

Though it improves upon the category leader, with CableCard's technology for PCs on the horizon, ATI's latest TV tuner chip, the Theater 650 Pro, is only a stopgap solution for those looking to add TV to their PC.

Specs: PC

Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX2

Nvidia's GeForce 7950 GX2 should have been an Editors' Choice contender. It brings two graphics processors to a single slot, costs half as much as similarly fast setups, and lays the groundwork for do-it-yourself Quad SLI. But the gap between this chip generation and the next is too close, so we recommend you pass on the 7950 GX2.

Specs: PC

PNY Verto GeForce 7900 GTX Limited Edition (PCI-E, 512MB)

PNY's highest-end 3D card is overclocked and comes with a few helpful accessories. We just wish that it included a game or two, as a $500 graphics card isn't very useful if you don't have anything to play with it.

Specs: nVidia GeForce 7900 GTX, 2560 x 1600, 512 MB, PC, 2

ATI Radeon X1800 GTO

Its sub-$300 price makes the Radeon X1800 GTO tempting, but its performance isn't compelling enough, and upgrading to two cards is expensive and inefficient, thanks to ATI's clunky CrossFire technology.

Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT (256MB)

The GeForce 7600 GT is a powerful, affordable 3D card. If you're looking for a stopgap graphics card to hold you over until Vista and Direct X 10, you won't be disappointed.

Specs: RAMDAC 400 MHz, 2560 x 1600, 256 MB / 256 MB (max), PC, Mac, Linux

Nvidia GeForce 7900 GT (256MB)

Nvidia's GeForce 7900 GT is the current 3D graphics price-performance leader, but a lack of image-quality features hurts its outlook for some current high-end games, as does the forthcoming glut of upcoming titles.

Specs: 2560 x 1600, 256 MB / 256 MB (max), PC, Mac

ATI Radeon X1900 XTX (512MB)

If you're looking for a single high-end 3D card, the Radeon X1900 XTX shows a lot of promise. If you have dreams of upgrading to a dual-card configuration, stay far, far away.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1900 XTX, 512 MB / 512 MB (max), PC, 2

Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX (512MB)

The GeForce 7900 GTX offers excellent visual quality and lets you crank the settings on just about any game. Though it's expensive, it costs significantly less than the previous generation of top-end 3D cards.

Specs: 2560 x 1600, 512 MB / 512 MB (max), PC, Mac

ATI All-In-Wonder X1900

If you're looking for 3D graphics and a TV tuner in a single card, ATI's new All-In-Wonder X1900 looks like the new leader of the pack.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1900, 2560 x 1600 / 60 Hz, 256 MB, PC, 2

ATI Radeon X1900 XT CrossFire Edition (512MB, PCI)

ATI's newest high-end 3D cards race to the top of the 3D performance charts. Too bad doubling them up is still a hassle.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1900, 2560 x 1600, 512 MB / 512 MB (max), PC

ATI All-In-Wonder X800 XL (256MB, PCI)

The ATI All-In-Wonder X800 XL will have you gaming, watching TV, and listening to FM radio, but it doesn't stand out in any one area.

Specs: ATI Radeon X800 XL, 2048 x 1536 / 85 Hz, 256 MB, PC, 2

PNY Verto GeForce 7800 GT (256MB)

With a couple of exceptions, PNY's Verto GeForce 7800 GT card provides everything we like to see from a 3D-card package, including fast performance.

Specs: NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT, 2560 x 1600 / 85 Hz, 256 MB, PC, 2

ATI Radeon X1300 (256 MB, PCI)

ATI's Radeon X1300 series isn't suited for gaming, even by a low-end card's standards. Fortunately, its video capabilities save it from the trash heap.

Specs: ATI RADEON X1300, 256 MB

ATI Radeon X1800 CrossFire Edition (512MB, PCI)

ATI's next-gen family of high-end graphics cards is fast, but the cards are not as elegantly designed as Nvidia's competing GeForce 7800 series.

Specs: ATI RADEON X1800, 256 MB, PC, 2

ATI Radeon X1800 XT (256MB, PCI)

ATI's next-gen family of high-end graphics cards is fast, but the cards are not as elegantly designed as Nvidia's competing GeForce 7800 series.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1800 GTO, 256 MB, PC, 2