GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

crimsonstag84 said:http://www.ebay.com/itm/power-supply-listing-example
http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example

THX. So, I guess it won't work without a new power supply? I wonder why Dell would use such low-quality units that can't even handle what looks like a 65W R7 250, if I'm not mistaken.
THX.

Is this rig actually compatible with an ATX power supply regarding the connectors? And more importantly, will the PSU even fit inside the case? That’s something you’d need to double-check.

It probably would work. It’ll suit you just fine, whether you're running games on an HD 5670 DDR5, an HD 6670 DDR5, a GTX 650, an HD 7750, or an HD 7730.

wiredotter14 said:Is this computer compatible with a standard ATX power supply (in terms of connectors), and will the PSU actually fit inside? That should probably be verified.

We just finished looking over the open chassis. From what I can see, the power supply seems to be the same size as the one in my home PC. The only difference is that there is a small fan built into it—I'd guess it's an 80mm. Also, the components are laid out differently than they would be in a typical American desktop setup.🙂
Good grief, everything is completely backwards.

I'm picking up an R7 250 from eBay tomorrow. Hopefully, nothing comes smoking out of the power supply.🤔

Honestly, given how much power this card pulls, you could probably fit two Panasonic remote control batteries in there just to keep it running 😁

swiftfalcon89 said:Considering how much power that GPU pulls, you could probably run two Panasonic AA batteries just to keep a TV remote alive. 😁

Facts.

neonpuma7 said:Just finished peeking inside this open case. From what I can tell, the power supply is standard size, pretty much like the one in my desktop at home. The only difference is there's this tiny little fan built right into it—looks like an 80mm. Other than that, the component layout is just completely flipped compared to a normal PC. 🙂
Goddammit, everything is just working against me.

Getting an R7 250 off Craigslist tomorrow. Hopefully that power supply isn't about to go up in smoke. 🤔

Look, if you actually end up needing to swap out that power supply, just double-check the motherboard first. Make sure it has standard connectors and isn't some mythical nonsense.

wiredotter14 said:exactly

I suppose if you happen to need to swap out the power supply, you might want to check whether the motherboard uses standard connectors or some mythical proprietary ones.

We have already checked; it has a standard NYC power connector for the board and a standard 4-pin CPU connector on the motherboard.

swiftfalcon89 said:Given how much power that GPU draws, I guess two Panasonic remote control batteries could probably keep it running.😁

It is strange to think we would turn a business workstation into a gaming rig. By the way, a friend bought this back in 2008, and I probably shouldn't even mention how much he paid for it.😁

I do like the case; Dell did a very nice job with it. Everything feels high-quality, though everything seems to be reversed, almost as if I am looking at a mirror image of a normal PC.🙂

haha, I’ve got two HP office machines with solid chassis, great airflow, decent CPU coolers, and i5 processors, but unfortunately, swapping out the power supply is impossible because of the proprietary connectors. That pretty much leaves me stuck with a GTX 750 Ti.

wiredotter14 said:lol, I've got two office HPs with solid cases, great airflow, decent coolers, and i5 chips, but the power supplies have proprietary connectors. That basically locks me into using a GTX 750Ti.

So what? 😁 A 750Ti still holds its own. 😁

Hey there,

I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card, maybe around the $160-$$600 mark. It looks like the GTX 960 and the R9 380 are the top contenders in that price bracket right now if you're buying new. Any thoughts on which one I should grab? Right now, I'm running an HD 7850 that I've overclocked to perform like a 7870... I am a little worried about whether my power supply can actually handle an R9 380, though. I've heard those things are total power hogs. My current 450W Corsair PSU handles this overclocked 7850 just fine alongside my AMD FX-6350 proc...

So, here's what I'm wondering:
Between those two cards, since they're basically the same price, which one is the better bet?
Is there anything used out there in this price range that would be a massive upgrade over both?
Should I even bother buying anything right now? Or is it smarter to wait until the fall when all the new cards are supposed to drop... maybe prices will dip then?

One more thing—has anyone here ordered stuff online from shops in the EU and had it shipped to the US without getting hit with a $30 shipping fee? Any recommendations for a solid online retailer based in the EU?

Thanks in advance!

If waiting was ever worth it, I guess this is the moment... by the end of summer, we should see almost all the next-gen cards hit the shelves (along with those cheaper rebrands), and honestly, the GTX 960 / R9 380 aren't offering much of an upgrade over an overclocked HD 7850 anyway.

If you're worried about your power supply, I’d honestly just go with the GTX 960. You can grab the version from Gigabyte that comes with dual fans, and it actually carries a three-year warranty $0.60

Robert Rodriguez2 said:So, what's the problem? 😁 The 750 Ti is a beast. 😁

It’s all just filler at this point. Back then, I had half of another build—a 7850 and an i3—just sitting in a drawer, so I didn't bother upgrading that HPa. I just threw that spare parts together instead. But if I ever decide I need a second gaming rig, that’s the move: slap a 750Ti into a Sandy Bridge i5 build. 😁
I'm looking through some used hardware listings on this site. Just scanning the inventory to see what's actually worth the money.

That HP is solid. The PSU can handle just about any GPU you throw at it via the PCIe slot, and it's a full-size unit too. ☕

I'm ready. Send over the text.
This kind of deal only makes sense for people who need a machine with a legitimate Windows license pre-installed—especially if they plan on dropping in a decent GPU like a 750Ti later on.

Hey everyone, I think it’s finally time to upgrade my GPU, but I’m totally torn on whether I should pull the trigger on something brand new or just hunt down a solid used deal—honestly, what do you guys think is the smarter move? ?
I'm currently running a Seasonic SS-430GB 80+ Bronze PSU, an AMD 6790K quad core overclocked to 4.3GHz, and 8GB of RAM.

or maybe just shell out a little more

wiredotter14 said:or maybe just shell out a little more cash

http://www.futura-it.us/catalog/computer...gv-n950oc-2gd/

Honestly, that middle option is really tripping me up, 😁 because how do the performance numbers actually stack up between them? They both seem pretty much in the same ballpark, though I have a feeling the GTX 950 should be pulling ahead a bit...
And seriously, how much of a difference does having a 128-bit vs. a 256-bit bus actually make?
I'm planning on playing at 1050p (since I don't want to go full FHD yet), though right now I'm stuck at 768p... so it won't be 1080p unless I hook it up to the TV
I mean, if it can handle 720p, then fine, but if it can't, I might as well aim for at least a GTX 960...

They’re pretty much neck and neck (though the GTX 950 might pull ahead slightly depending on the specific game or which driver version you're running), but honestly, the biggest selling point here is that the other one comes with a longer warranty. Either way, both cards represent the absolute ceiling for your CPU, so you really can't go wrong with whichever one you pick.

The GTX 960 is clearly in a different league entirely; you can't even put it in the same conversation as the R9 270 (which is just a rebranded HD 7870)

Even if we pretend the 270 and the GTX 950 are in the same ballpark, I'd say that 12-month warranty makes those $33 worth it. It’s about the peace of mind, plus you might actually want to resell it in a year without some guy complaining it died on him.

Plus, the GTX 950 pulls less power.

Not even close; we're looking at somewhere around ~120w +/-

I feel like we might be overstating the power draw issues with Intel cards... it seems more applicable to the R9 390/390 x when you compare them to the GTX 970/980.

R7 265 ~ 120W
R9 270 ~ 130W
R9 280/R9 380 ~ 180W