GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Your setup looks really solid... you might be able to squeeze some extra performance out of that CPU via overclocking if you haven't already. You've got an awesome motherboard, though I guess you'll need a decent cooler to handle it.

My processor is currently clocked in at 4.2 GHz, and I've got the Alpenfohn cooler keeping everything nice and steady.

That should be able to push just about anything. What resolution and refresh rate are you running on your monitor?

So, I'm looking at a BenQ 1080 p setup running at 144Hz. If I pull the trigger on a GTX 1080, am I pretty much set for a few years when it comes to smooth gaming? My main hesitation is the price tag, though—it looks like the GTX 1080 starts around $550. I noticed this one Gigabit model is sitting at about $565, while the G1 gaming edition is an extra $25 on top of that because it boasts a 64 MHz boost. Is it just that clock speed difference making it pricier, or is there some other hidden factor I should be looking out for?

Not really, since bumping up the power limit in MSI Afterburner usually just results in everyone boosting their clock speeds by about 100MHz (anywhere from 2000-2100MHz). I guess the G1 gaming edition has a slightly better cooler, so maybe you'll get an extra 50MHz out of it, but that's pretty much it. Besides, 1080s are fairly cool chips anyway, so it's probably not even necessary.

wiredotter14 said:If you're playing in a league where money is on the line, then yeah, it makes sense.

It’s not really just about being in a pro league. I mean, there are plenty of people who just set aside a specific budget for whatever they want to spend.
If I decide to drop some cash on $1333, fine. But "stretching" the budget by an extra $167—that's not exactly pocket change.
If that were the case, people would be jumping from $2,000 to $2,500+ without even blinking.
I remember when the 970 first dropped, maybe two years ago? It was around $3,200 back then and even that felt like a massive stretch for me. I wouldn't have paid a cent more; I would've just waited for the price to tank.
Of course, there are always people for whom none of this matters and they don't care about the cost at all.

Drew Sanchez82, it all comes down to the math because it makes sense within that price bracket. Besides, the guy was asking if stepping up to a slightly pricier GTX1070 is actually worth it. So, if $167 isn't going to break the bank, then yeah, go for it. If it's going to blow a hole in his wallet, he doesn't even have a choice.

Hey everyone

Wondering if anyone else is dealing with the same headache.
I’ve been playing BF1 and I'm getting these massive FPS drops. It stays around 100-120, then suddenly tanks down to like 20 FPS before bouncing back to normal. I've tried everything—messing with graphics settings, scaling, even overclocking... it's not about chasing higher numbers anymore, it's just about getting some actual stability. Temps look fine, though.

Windows 10,
i7 6700k
Asus gtx 1070
Maximus hero8
Ram 32gb 3200mhz
H100i
Evo 960 nvme windows
Windows evo 850 ssd where the game is installed
Adus pg279q

It could be an issue with the server itself. Also, try switching over to DX11, since DX12 might actually be what's causing the trouble.

Tested both DX12 and 11—no real difference. I'm gonna try turning off ShadowPlay next.

Nathan Castillo16 said:.... it isn't about higher FPS, it's about stability.
win 10,

Why didn't you just stick with Win7? If you're running 64-bit, that was easily the most stable version.
Everything new is garbage—unstable, loaded with spyware, and nothing but trouble. The newer the Windows release, the more background connections they open up to clog your bandwidth and mess with your PC. It's by design from Microsoft, and the government wants that level of control too.

😬

Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-DGS
Processor: AMD Athlon x4 740
Memory: 4 GB DDR3 (running at 666 MHz?)
Current GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6450

I'm looking to grab something new that can actually deliver decent performance at, say, 1280 x 1024. I mostly dive into games like Divinity : original sin, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland 2, and stuff in that vein. Isometric RPG-ov are my bread and butter, though I might jump into a strategy game like Starcraft II. once in a while. A lot of what I play is older, so most titles run fine, but I’m really hoping to get through these *newer* ones without a slideshow.

This Radeon 6450 is absolutely killing me; it’s struggling even at 1024 x 768 in D:OS 2. Honestly, there's a good chance the rest of my hardware isn't exactly top-tier either.

Does anyone have any (ideally budget-friendly) recommendations?

Hey everyone,
So, I've been hunting around for a GTX 1060 6GB—just trying to figure out which one to pull the trigger on. From what I can see, there are at least ten different versions out there, and the prices seem to swing by about $50 depending on the model. Could someone help me make sense of this? Any specific recommendations on which one is actually worth picking up?
THX!

neonjackal2 said:Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-DGS
Processor: AMD Athlon x4 740 (FM2)
Memory: 4 GB DDR3 (666 MHz?)
Current GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6450

I'm looking for an upgrade that can provide decent performance at something like 1280 x 1024 for games like Divinity : original sin, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland 2, and things in that vein. I mostly stick to isometric RPG-ov, maybe the occasional strategy game like Starcraft II.. A lot of what I play is older, so most of it runs fine, but I'm hoping for something better for these *newer* titles.

This Radeon 6450 isn't really cutting it; it struggles even at 1024 x 768 in D:OS 2. It’s also possible the rest of my hardware isn't much to write home about.

Does anyone have any (budget-friendly) recommendations?

Maybe check out the used market... this looks like a pretty solid deal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example

Kyle Martin67 said:Hey everyone,
I'm hunting for a GTX 1060 with 6GB of memory. I noticed there are at least 10 different versions available, and they all seem to vary by about $30-$50. Could someone explain the differences or recommend one?
Thanks!

Just grab the cheapest one that has a three-year warranty and dual fans. That's probably all you need to know.

crimsonstag84 said:Look, just hit up the used market... you can find some killer deals if you know where to look:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example

Thanks! If I strike out on this one, what kind of alternatives should I be hunting for in that same ballpark? Honestly, everything I've read about this card makes it look pretty sweet. If it can handle those games people mentioned, it *should* crush whatever I'm playing without breaking a sweat.

Thanks again.

I've got an HD 7850 2GB (around $150), an HD 7870 (which is basically the same as an R9 270), a GTX 660 Ti (up to $183 maybe?), and a GTX 950 (maybe up to $200)

So, I'm rocking a Pentium G4560, 16 GB of RAM at 2400MHz (2x8 GB sticks), an R7 260X, and a 120 GB SSD. I was actually hunting around here for GPU recommendations a while back, but every time I pulled the trigger to order something, the shops would hit me up saying they were out of stock. You know how it is—everything went haywire because of those crypto miners and all that nonsense. So, instead, I just picked up a PS4 and an Xbox 360 and had a blast for a while😁. But now, I’ve jumped into PES 2018 on PC, and it is absolutely killing me that I can't crank up the resolution or the details to 1920/1080. Same deal with FIFA; I could handle it fine on the '17 version, but this one is way more demanding, and my graphics card hasn't changed. I started putting money aside for a GTX 1050 Ti, but honestly, I'm thinking about grabbing something cheaper for now until I can afford the "real" upgrade. It's driving me nuts because PES has never looked better, yet I can't even get it to run at 720p with low settings without hitting this super irritating lag😵. I can find a 7870 $133, an R9 270 $183, or even an R9 280 $267 locally. I might be able to haggle the price down a bit, but I'm really wondering if any of these would actually be a noticeable step up from my current R7 260X. Also, my PC keeps throwing some weird error whenever I reboot, though everything else seems to be running okay. Man, I wish PES was still a mediocre game, but this version is easily the best soccer sim I've played, so it's hard to just sit here waiting to save up that extra $400 when I'm dying to play. I'm mostly looking at two options right now: a Sapphire 7870 or an xfx R9 270. I've spent plenty of time gaming on $40 budget rigs in the past, so I truly value any advice you guys have—just please don't tell me to stop playing altogether😵😁

That 7870 is a solid choice for $133. It’s definitely a noticeable step up from yours, though I'm not entirely certain if you'll be able to maintain max settings at 1920x1080 while keeping a steady 60fps lock. If you want to play it safe, the R9 280 (hd7950) would be the more reliable bet here.

The 7870 and R9 270 are basically the same thing in different boxes, and neither really moves the needle much compared to your Nvidia GTX 260:

https://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1044?vs=1080

Now, the 280 is a whole different beast:

https://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1044?vs=1332

I guess I don't quite get why you're having issues, though. From what I've seen on YouTube, people seem to be running those just fine with a 750Ti—which is roughly where your GPU sits: