How to buy a video card?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maciek
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Maciek

Hello everybody!
I asked this question already on alt.com.hardware.video but got no answer
for few days so I am posting it here.
I would like to buy a video card in USA.
I am targetting Sapphire Radeon 9800 pro.
Here in Poland prices for this video card start from 300$. I found on
http://www.allstarshop.com that the card can be bought for 209$. Quite a
difference.
I have a friend in Chicago and she will help me but I would like a few
pieces of advice from You.

1) Where it is best(cheapest) to buy a video card? Is
http://www.allstarshop.com OK? Or should my frient try some local shop.

2) How much it will cost to sent a video card to Poland and how should it be
done? I am thinking about some 'tricks' that will make sending cheaper and
help avoid customs control.

3) I know that right now new video cards will appear on the market - how
much time should will it take for the prices to drop? Will the drop be
significant?

4) How should I tell her to test the card before she sends it? Do You think
running a 3d game is enough? Maybe some heavy testing software for few hours
to make sure the card is OK?

Thank You very much in advance for any help/advice!
Maciek
 
Hello everybody!
I asked this question already on alt.com.hardware.video but got no answer
for few days so I am posting it here.
I would like to buy a video card in USA.
I am targetting Sapphire Radeon 9800 pro.
Here in Poland prices for this video card start from 300$. I found on
http://www.allstarshop.com that the card can be bought for 209$. Quite a
difference.
I have a friend in Chicago and she will help me but I would like a few
pieces of advice from You.

1) Where it is best(cheapest) to buy a video card? Is
http://www.allstarshop.com OK? Or should my frient try some local shop.
Click to expand...

The cheapest Ive seen it is $199 so I really doubt you are going to
find it for a lot lower than 209.
2) How much it will cost to sent a video card to Poland and how should it be
done? I am thinking about some 'tricks' that will make sending cheaper and
help avoid customs control.
Click to expand...

I have no idea. In the US - the continental contiguous states - the
shipping can be fairly low and similar prices amongst the lowest cost
options for private and US postal service. For faster service its much
more. And for places like hawaii - still in the USbut overseas , the
cost is way higher for the private companies vs the lowest cost for US
postal service.

Cant you just go to the Fedex site or UPS and the USPS site and get
all their rates?

3) I know that right now new video cards will appear on the market - how
much time should will it take for the prices to drop? Will the drop be
significant?
Click to expand...

Thats a tough one. Usually you would see the same card just drop lower
and lower. I expected to see the same 9500 pro with 8 pipes down in
the $120 range a while back but ATI started doing the substitution
thing. Anytime a card starts hitting the lower than $200 range they
seem to phase them out and create a cheapo card to replace them.

So possibly never? But on the other hand who knows the 9800 pro has
been sticking around for a while now though they havent hit the
magical $150 range so I cant say if they will be phased out or not.
4) How should I tell her to test the card before she sends it? Do You think
running a 3d game is enough? Maybe some heavy testing software for few hours
to make sure the card is OK?
Click to expand...

Sure but usually the main gripe is it works or it doesnt. If it works
then usually the other gripes have to do with drivers or some
incompatibility.

And she could actually screw it up if she is really not a computer
type of person. You know its not quite in the slot , kind of at an
angle or something or static electricty or stepping on it after taking
it out of the box or something.
 
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