Getting a new graphic card

They make the 4650 in an AGP version.

 

Indeed, but the difference between those two cards is astronomical. One is a match for an 8600GTS, the other is as good as a 9800GTX+.

 

The 9800GTX possibly, but even the 4850 is slightly worse than the 9800GTX+ / GTS250 in most games, no?

 

No, not really. It usually fares better than the 9800GTX+, maybe about even with the GTS250.

 

Just looked up a review - Seems that the 4850 and the 9800GTX+ are classic examples for showing how games either favour ATI or nVidia; in half the games the 4850 wins by a fair amount and in half the games the 9800GTX+ wins by a fair amount.

What's interesting to note, however, is that in the games the 9800GTX+ lost in, it even lost to the 8800GTX, which is a bit odd...

 

That's because the HD4850 and 9800GTX+ have 512MB of memory vs. the 8800GTX's 768MB.

 

Yeah, but that's the weird thing, it didn't get beaten in the games you'd think so, like Crysis and STALKER - It was ones like CoD4

 

Either way, by far the best performer in that area for the price is the HD4770.

 

Actually, the cheapest 4850s are literally a couple more quid than the 4770s, so at least in the UK right now, they're not.

 

Well anywhere I look it's at least £5, and in power savings alone, substantially more.

 

Well, seen a 4850 for £79, don't know about you and your 4770

But yeah, good point, didn't think about power consumption

 

The stores I know and trust the cheapest I've seen a 4850 for is £83.