BEST PCI-E CARD FOR £175 (inc VAT):

GeForce 8800 GTS (320MB version)

The GeForce 8800 GTS is the little brother of the 8800 GTX, and both are based on the same Nvidia next-generation DirectX 10 GPU. The 8800 GTS is slightly crippled compared to the GTX, but it will still beat powerhouse cards like the dual-GPU 7950 GX2 in many cases. At £185 this card really brings outstanding performance for your money, and at 1600x1200 or below it usually isn’t notably slower than its 640MB 8800 GTS cousin that costs almost £40 more.

Best PCI-E Card For £225 (inc VAT): Tie

GeForce 8800 GTS (640MB version)

The GeForce 8800 GTS is the little brother of the 8800 GTX, and both are based on the same Nvidia next-generation DirectX 10 GPU. The 8800 GTS is slightly crippled compared to the GTX, but it will still beat powerhouse cards like the dual-GPU 7950 GX2 in many cases. The biggest downside to the 8800 GTS 640MB is that it’s cheaper 320MB cousin offers very close performance for much less scratch. However, if you plan to play your games at high resolutions 1600x1200 or above, it’s worth the extra money for the 640MB version.

Radeon HD X2900 XT

The Radeon HD 2900 XT debuted with mediocre performance compared to the Geforce 8800 GTS 640, especially where price is concerned. But ATI has stepped up to the plate and introduced fresh drivers that really bring out the 2900’s potential, even allowing it to challenge the 8800 GTX in some arenas. With this in mind, the 8800 GTS 640MB is still a great card and can challenge the 2900 XT in some titles, and on average you will find the 8800 GTS for substantially less money. With this in mind, both cards are recommended in this price segment.

Best PCI-E Card For £300 (inc VAT):

GeForce 8800 GTX

The introduction of the 8800 Ultra – essentially an overclocked 8800 GTX – relegated the GTX to the second-fastest-videocard-in-the-world status. But with the low-priced 8800 Ultras starting at the £400 mark, it really is hard to justify an extra £100 for an overclock.

In all honesty, even the £125 cheaper 8800 GTS 320MB would probably serve anyone well at resolutions below 1600x1200. But if you’ve got money to burn, play at high resolutions, and will only settle for the top of the line - this is the card for you.