GeForce 8800 GTS

Codename: G80, 90-nanometer technology 96 Universal Shader Units, 54 Texture Units, 20 Raster Operator Units 320-bit memory bus 500-Mhz core, 800-Mhz DDR (1600 Mhz Effective) Memory

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 X1950 XTX and even the dual-GPU 7950 GX2 in many cases. This is an excellent card, and for those of you who can afford it and play your games at high resolutions, it won't disappoint. .

Best PCI Express Card For £450 / €600+

GeForce 8800 GTX

Codename: G80, 90-nanometer technology 128 Universal Shader Units, 64 Texture Units, 24 Raster Operator Units 384-bit memory bus 575-Mhz core, 900-Mhz DDR (1800-Mhz effective) Memory

The fastest video card in the world - that's exactly what the GeForce 8800 GTX is. It's also the most expensive, but it's no surprise that ultimate performance comes with a price, is it? In all honesty, the 20% cheaper 8800 GS would probably serve anyone well, but if you've got money to burn, and you will only settle for the best of the best, this is the card for you.

Best AGP Card For Under £100 / €100: TIE

GeForce 6600

Codename: NV43, 100 nanometer technology 8 pipeline 128-bit memory bus 300-Mhz core, 275-Mhz DDR ( 550-Mhz effective) Memory

The eight-pipeline 6600 architecture has proven itself in the GeForce 6600 GT. Deprived of the Gut's higher memory speeds, this is still probably the most powerful AGP/PCI-e card for the price online, and can be overclocked to good effect. Be wary of the 6600LE, which has 200-MHz DDR (400MHz effective) memory that cripples the card.

Radeon X700

Codename: RV410, 100 nanometer technology eight pipelines 128-bit memory bus 400-MHz core, 300-MHz DDR ( 600-MHz effective) Memory

The X700 might not have the newest technology, but it probably has the best frame rates of any new AGP card in the low end of the market. With a higher clock speed than the 6600, it's a bit faster at most things, but it doesn't really dominate. Both of these cards are good choices, just don't expect any miracles out of them. Most new games should be playable at 1024x768, although with the tougher titles you might have to lower some settings. Also, keep an eye out for the GeForce 6600 GT in this segment. They can be found for the same price with rebates, and they outperform the heck out of both the X700 and 6600.

Ironically, we found these cards cheaper in Euro than Sterling, so it might be worth your while in the UK to order from Ireland or the continent.

Best AGP Card For ~£110 / €200

Radeon X850 PRO

Codename: R530, 90-nanometer technology 12 Pixel Shaders, six Vertex Shaders, 12 Texture Units, 12 Raster Operations Processors 256-bit memory bus 520-MHz core, 540-MHz DDR (1400-MHz effective) Memory

The old X850 PRO has resurfaced in AGP circles, and delivers very, very respectable performance for the older interface. The 7600 GS and X1650 PRO cannot really compete with the raw power of the X850 PRO.