This card has it all: affordable price, the best value for money in this round up (by quite a way), very competent performance which will satisfy almost all gamers and a comprehensive bundle including a coupon for a free copy of Half Life 2. If that isn't enough, why not include VIVO support for a bit of weekend video editing.

Very few people would be unhappy to have this in their Christmas stockings.

£140.94 Inc. VAT

http://www.overclockers.co.uk

It's hard to find something good to say about this card, offering the worst value for money out of the round up, almost the same price as the Sparkle 5600 card yet 40% of it's speed and no bundle to speak of. It's no wonder we couldn't find one UK stockist for this card. Because of this, the only price we have is an RRP. If someone did stock this card and perhaps put it in the £60-70 price barrier, it may make a passable OEM card.

£109.99 RRP

Just like the 5200 counterpart, this card is also pretty poor value for money, being priced in between the 9600XT and FX5900 yet with performance almost half that of a £150 9600XT. It's only saving grace is it's VIVO capability and bundle of 3 games. Once again, if we could find a supplier then maybe we wouldn't have to go by an RRP...

£199.99 RRP

The FX 5600 is perfect for the casual gamer and Sparkle are offering a decent specimen at a fair price. This card is the best value for money of all the Nvidia cards in this roundup with the almost essential PowerDVD software included, helping bring down the cost of building a new machine.

£116.91 inc. VAT

http://www.ukgraphicscards.com

An midrange card offering excellent value for money. The passive heatpipe cooler is a major bonus for anyone who likes a quiet computer. This card is the most expensive 9600 pro on sale, but still compares favorably to the Geforce 5600 on value for money.

£147.76 inc. VAT

http://www.overclockers.co.uk

Solid all round performance from a very well respected manufacturer. The sparse bundle is offset by the quiet and effective cooling. Performance is not far off that of the 9600XT, yet costs over £100 more, most probably because of the cost of the extra 128mb RAM.

£252.91 Inc. VAT

http://www.ebuyer.com

The Sparkle 5900 offers an attractive bundle, at a good price. This card represents the bottom of the high end. The only real down side is the high noise level from the single fan. The bundle is good, with a SCART cable being a unique addition that will help first timers get their computer on their TV.

£279.99 Inc Vat.

http://www.ukgraphicscards.com (Currently mislabeled as 5800)

The Radeon 9800 XT is the fastest thing out there, and Asus have done a good job of building a graphics card around it. The twin fans offer decent cooling at a reasonable volume and the slightly inset Molex connector is a nice extra touch that neatens the look of the cables and makes the connection more secure.

The breakout box for VIVO and the coupon for a free copy of Half life 2 are the highlights of the bundled bits and pieces. But at this price, only the rich or the stupid need apply.

£374.83 Inc. VAT

http://www.overclockers.co.uk