GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Wait, so the GTX 1050 Ti and the GTX 1060 haven't even dropped yet?

I see everyone is praising the RX 480 with 8GB, but how much of a difference does that extra VRAM actually make compared to the 4GB model?

From what I've been reading online, most of the heavy-hitting games released so far seem to run just fine on 4GB without any issues.

It’s not just that—for 1080p, you realistically won't need more than 4GB, and if that changes
Look, I honestly think for 1080p gaming, a 4GB GTX 1050 Ti is going to be a much better deal. Even without any overclocking, it should still come out ahead of the RX 480.

So, when is that legendary GTX 1050 Ti actually dropping?

It should have arrived all at once. No telling, but I’m betting it happens soon.

Regarding the AMD RX 480—specifically its max resolution,
I’ve noticed some listings claim a maximum resolution of
4096 x 2160 (which is obviously 4K), yet plenty of others show a lower cap, like
3800 x something... what exactly is going on here? ☕

Robert Rodriguez2 said:For about $30 bucks—and I mean, if you can actually find one at that price point—a used GTX 1050 Ti, especially an aftermarket model, is honestly such a steal... especially once all this ridiculous hype dies down and prices finally stop acting like they're fueled by pure delusion. 👍

What am I even supposed to say? Honestly, I'm at a loss. $867 The price in the link is a bit steep... but yeah, they actually released an 8GB reference model.
Honestly, I think I’ve reached my limit with 4GB—I mean, I’m absolutely done with it. Since I’m not even picking this up for the sake of VR, there's really no point in settling for anything less.
Am I off base here—am I totally missing the mark?

I mean, I’m pretty sure you should probably just hold out for the version that actually comes with the extra power connectors... honestly, why rush into it?
Will it end up being 2x6 or 1x8? Honestly—we'll just have to wait and see.
Hopefully they turn up in time for some overclocking...

So, I’ve been playing around with the boost clock lately—just seeing how far I can push things—and I think my biggest successful hit so far was hitting 1328 MHz... and that was on one of my EVGA cards (the 8GB version).
So, it turns out the priciest reference model is actually an ASUS... which—honestly—is a bit of a curveball, isn't it?

Honestly, most of the links being shared around here are already dead—they've been snapped up or sold out long before you even get a chance to click.😲
The "reward" for all this waiting and sheer patience should be better cooling—and honestly, they better throw in an extra power connector while they're at it.

Thanks for the link to the Newegg listing, but looks like everything is already sold out... though, honestly, I’m not seeing any better cash prices around here right now anyway—and besides, they actually had the 4GB models in stock, too.
I’m struggling a bit with the German on this site—it doesn't exactly offer a built-in translator—so does anyone happen to know what the shipping rates look like for Mindfact?

Does a backplate actually contribute to better cooling? I mean—is it worth shelling out an extra $20 just for the sake of it? (I’m looking for honest opinions here.) Look, I already get the obvious stuff—it adds structural rigidity, protects the PCB, and looks great in a glass case. And sure, theoretically, it can absorb some heat, but in my experience, any practical impact on temps has been almost nonexistent. That said, if it *does* act as a heat spreader, you really have to look at the specific layout of the card—specifically an EVGA model—to see what kind of components are sitting right behind the board. For instance, that particular EVGA (8GB) version with the backplate claims a boost clock of up to 1328 MHz. So, does that extra bit of thermal management actually help hit those speeds, or is it just more marketing fluff? What do you guys think?

So, I’ve got this aging rig running a GTX 560. The GPU finally kicked the bucket on me. Thinking about upgrading the card and just giving away the rest of the PC for free... any suggestions on what I should grab instead? Thanks.

@Paul Thompson37/">@@Paul Thompson37 anything that puts an image on the screen works, though integrated graphics might do the trick if you're lucky. If you’re thinking about stepping it up a bit so you can actually run some games—I guess it depends on what kind of budget we're talking about, and whether you want to go new or scavenge for used parts.

S1hr, you should go ahead and sign up for the PCE program; just drop a question in the UZI discussion thread or shoot them an email directly, and if you decide to register for the PCE, you can actually snag an extra 3% discount on your order.

fadedorca66, I could probably drop 300-$133 on a new one...

Is this actually any good?

Or maybe this one?

I was thinking about pairing it with something like this:

Jeffrey Allen92 said:Is any of this actually good?

Or maybe this one?

I used to have a basic Gainward 650 1GB, sold it for $150, so if you ask me, this is a pretty solid deal.

Those are RMA cards (refurbished replacements). It doesn't explicitly state if they come with any kind of warranty, but honestly, why not just go YOLO and grab the first one? They aren't breaking the bank, and let's be real: anything else you could buy for that price is total garbage for actual gaming—though they'll work fine if you just need an image on the screen.

Alright, can someone actually give me a straight answer? What’s the best move for a used GPU in your opinion? I have zero interest in buying something brand new just to watch the resale value tank in twelve months. I need a graphics card, a motherboard, a CPU, and an SSD. I’m already sitting on a 500W power supply and 8GB of RAM. Any suggestions?

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Jeffrey Allen92 said:

That’s a pretty weak deal... honestly, for $900 you could probably build a whole new rig with an i5 4460, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, and a much better power supply.

Robin Young7 said:Guys, can someone tell me which used GPU would be the best move here? I don't want to buy new just to watch the value tank in a year. I need a graphics card, motherboard, CPU, and an SSD. I already have a 500W PSU and 8GB of RAM.

Budget?

Jeffrey Allen92 said:https://www.newegg.com/p/example-card-V650-4096B-RMA

Is this any good?

https://www.newegg.com/p/example-card-VGA-670-A1-RMA

Or this one?

I was thinking about pairing it with something like this:

https://www.newegg.com/p/example-pc-Gbit00008

Like the guy above said, refurbished isn't a bad deal if the price is right. As for the warranty, you should legally get at least 12 months on used gear in the US.

This PC is a decent price if it comes with Windows and a company is buying it for an office.

For personal use, it’s nothing special. More importantly, you probably won't be able to upgrade the GPU—unless maybe a low-profile card fits in the PCIe slot, but then all those options above are out.

$1000, though maybe a bit more wouldn't hurt.

Robin Young7 said:$1000, though honestly, you might need more.

If you actually plan on gaming, that setup is cutting it way too close. Your best bet is to hunt down a used i5 and a motherboard first. As for the GPU, just hang tight. You might be able to squeeze a new RX 470 into your budget soon, or better yet, plenty of last-gen cards will hit the used market once everyone upgrades to newer stuff.

Going this route would save you the most cash.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/processors/listing-example

edit: I’m guessing your RAM is DDR3, so look for processors starting with 2, 3, or 4 (like an i5 4460).

I’d only care if I were gaming. To be more precise, I’ve got 8GB of Kingston HyperX Fury RAM, maybe 1866MHz? So, basically, I'm just looking for something to keep up, right? Any specific GPUs jump to mind that I should actually look into?

Take this deal above; it's actually a pretty solid offer.

Regarding the GPUs, we already touched on this, but the RX 470 should probably be arriving quite soon.

For an SSD, you could go with the SanDisk X400 256 or maybe something cheaper like the Kingston UV400 240, though that one has a shorter warranty and is a bit slower.