Evaluating graphics cards from two decades is really a dicey prospect. Direct evaluations aren't very helpful due to the main difference in technology in between each generation. The benchmarks used--for example 3DMark06--can differ extremely between versions. They're best accustomed to compare cards in the same generation, which are invariably in line with the same technology, different only in things like speed and bandwidth. Nvidia's 7600GT and ATI's HD 3650 support different versions of DirectX (Microsoft's three dimensional programming API) 9. and 10.1, correspondingly.
Nvidia 7600GT
The Nvidia 7600GT graphics card was launched in the year 2006. It offered competitive performance in the market segment, outmatching ATI's equivalent card at that time. A second hand 7600GT at the end of 2009 still outmatches most contemporary low-finish cards, although the upper midrange market leaves it far behind. But it's useless around the small (but growing) quantity of games that support DirectX 10 solely. On games developed in its era, it works equally the reduced finish of midrange cards.
ATI HD 3650
The ATI HD 3650 is really a modern mainstream card. It runs about $50 to $100 by December 2009 and supports DirectX 10.1. It is not a higher-finish card, however it can run just about all modern games at medium-detail levels, though high-detail framerates is going to be subpar. The greatest benefit of the HD 3650 is its reasonable cost to performance ratio. Additionally, it offers ATI's devoted video decoder, AVIVO, which assists high-definition video on computer systems with reduced processors.
Ways to use Old Cards
Older cards could be helpful in a few programs. The 7600 GT are available in AGP (Advanced Graphic Port) and PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) 1. variants. As the 3650 are available in AGP versions, ATI does not support it, and does not regularly update motorists for this. In addition, the 3650 is going to be hobbled through the slow CPU and bus speeds AGP and PCIe 1. computer systems possess. It won't succeed. This is when older cards like the 7600GT would be the superior choice.
Availability
While a mature card like the 7600GT has an excellent role to fill, it's no more being offered at retail. The HD 3650 continues to be available. That will not continue for lengthy, since it's successor, the ATI HD 4650, is quickly changing the mainstream versions. Worse, the majority of the PCIe 3650s are utilizing regular-system memory rather than graphics memory, which cripples performance. The AGP version includes a special role to fill as it is the only real AGP card in the generation. Expect the AGP version to be with for some time.
Main Point Here
If you're able to locate one in an auction or perhaps in online classifieds, the 7600GT is most likely the greater option for AGP cards. For PCI Express, the HD 3650 may be the obvious champion due to its DirectX 10 support, but only when you'll find among the uncrippled versions which use proper graphics memory. While either card is suitable for older machines, neither has any company being set up in a pc built after 2008, as cheaper and faster options exist. Steer clear of the PCIe form of the 7900GT entirely.
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