the 8800 and the 9600 are essentially the same card
No, the 8800GTS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_8_Series#8800_GTS
Has at best an G92 core (but G80 is also possible) whereas the 9600GT has a G94. Granted though I haven't checked the performance of both against eachother (only the 8800GTS 320 versus the 9600GT 1 Gb of which the latter should be slower then its 512Mb counterpart, at which point the 9600GT still wins) or know the advances between those two. You'd have to put ur card and 'his' 9600GT against eachother though to give any proper comparison (especially if either of them OC well). Pretty much the only card in the 9 series that isn't a rebranded 8 series IS the 9600GT
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Now if he would be building a full gaming system I can understand the suggestions to spend a lot (more). But frankly I don't think that is what he wants, setting a budget of 50 pounds (70 - 80 euros?). In that price range the best you will get IS a 9600GT IMHO (staying in the Nvidia camp anyway) if you can find one around that price.
Personally I am building a gaming system (I bought an e4500 I OCed it to 3GHz now with a 1500MHz FSB @ 1,33V
, staying at 50 degrees using orthos) but simply waiting it out right now video card wise, seeing what to get after the holidays as normally there are some pricedrops then in the higher segments. That also because of the new procedes for the new nvidia cards coming around then (55nm versus 65nm now). Sticking with my 7900GT until then
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QUOTEI gues it'll just become a case of "for just a little more you can..." and we'll end up with some twit suggesting a HD4870 X2