GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Noise isn't really my main concern; I could live with the sound of an old 4870. So, what’s the move? I’m not strictly tied to these three options—I'm open to Nvidia or whatever else is out there. I just want something that won't break the bank and can handle games from the last few years.

Between the R9 270 and the XFX model, go with the XFX ($433 at Micro Center)

But more importantly, what kind of games are you actually planning to play? For most modern AAA titles, both of these cards are going to be a major bottleneck. For instance, if you take an Athlon 955 (3.2GHz) paired with an HD7850 2GB—which is roughly similar to an R7 260X, just slightly weaker—and try running Watch Dogs 1.03, you'll run into trouble. That game is notoriously poorly optimized and puts a massive strain on the CPU. click - check out the GPU usage here; ideally, you want that hitting the ceiling (just ignore the last four bars since they aren't from the actual gameplay)

Honestly, it all boils down to your library. There are certain games where even an HD7970 (like an R9 280X) wouldn't even hit a bottleneck because the CPU is doing all the heavy lifting anyway.

2015, Battlefield, Call of Duty, GTA if it ever actually hits the streets...

Gregory Hayes87 said:Back in 2015, titles like Battlefield, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, or GTA if it ever actually drops...

If you aren't chasing ultra settings or high resolutions, an R7 260X would actually hold its own.

But your CPU might end up being the bottleneck here.

What's the point of even shopping at Best Buy if I can't get a fair deal without feeling like I'm just throwing money down the drain?

Gregory Hayes87 said:What's the point of Best Buy then? I don't want to throw money away if I can't actually get my money's worth.

Your best bet would be the R9 270. It's a step up from the 265.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/123456789

I was looking at this listing and started wondering if it actually makes more sense to just grab this used card instead of hunting for something newer...

Gregory Hayes87 said:2015... between Battlefield, Call of Duty, and GTA—if that even ever actually happens...

Looking at the big picture, the R9 270 is actually a solid choice for... $433 Look, it’s pretty obvious: if you're running a Phenom at stock settings, you're going to run headfirst into a massive bottleneck in certain titles. It's just basic math. However, in other games—as I've mentioned before—you'll actually find yourself running things significantly smoother without any issues at all.

I can't speak to NBA—I’ve never played it, and I couldn't find any decent CPU benchmarks online for it. However, you could definitely run Call of Duty: Black Ops II smoothly with that setup, based on what we know. ovogaAs well as, and also... Battlefield 3 i Battlefield 4 In single-player mode, having a more powerful GPU makes a world of difference, but multiplayer is an entirely different beast. In that scenario, you're going to run into a CPU bottleneck instead.

Honestly, picking up an R7 265 or a GTX 750 Ti just isn't worth the headache. They’re priced way too close to the R9 270 to make any sense. If you're looking at the lower end of the spectrum, the only real option is the R7 260X—but even then, with the dollar being as strong as it is right now, those prices have spiked so much they've become practically ridiculous.

Sam Murphy said:I've got an XFX graphics card up for grabs on Craigslist. It's an R9 270, currently sitting in my rig. Everything is working perfectly fine, just looking to move it along. If you're interested, shoot me a message.

Is it actually worth picking up this used one?

Look, there isn't any fresh stock coming in, and there's nothing else new on the market either, so you might as well just grab it.

If you think an R9 270 can handle 60 FPS, you’re dreaming.
thanks everyone

If you're looking to pay in installments, check this out:

http://www.bestbuy.com/graphics-cards...price&order=ASC

Since the price is the same whether you pay cash or use financing, I guess it ends up being a bit cheaper that way.

Hey everyone!
I could really use some advice—I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card.
Budget is around $333!
Here's what I'm running right now:
NVIDIA GeForce GT 730
Intel Core i3-4130 3.80 GHz
8 GB RAM
500 GB HDD
400 W Spira power supply
Running at 1280x1024 resolution

Robin Fisher86 said:Hey everyone!
I need some advice; I'm looking for a new graphics card.
Budget is $333!
Here are my specs:
NVIDIA GeForce GT 730
Intel Core i3-4130 3.80 ghz
8 GB RAM
500 GB HDD
400 W Spira power supply
Resolution 1280x1024

Hmm, you have a weak power supply, first of all. Go ahead and open the case and check exactly what model it is. Also, you need to tell us exactly which card you currently have—there's a huge difference between a 7750 and a 7790 (you just wrote "7700 series"). In principle, it's really not worth buying any new card if your budget is only $333. If you actually have a 7790, which is basically an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti, that's currently costing slightly less than $333. Your only real option would be to grab something used, like a 270X. CLICK However, the power supply is going to be an issue there too because Spira isn't known for making high-quality products. First, give us the exact names of your graphics card and power supply, then we can go from there. 🙂

Are you running an NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 or a 7750? (Check Speccy or GPU-Z). If it’s a 7750, is it the DDR3 or DDR5 version?

Unfortunately, even with a few hundred bucks, you can only pick up an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB—which is basically just a tweaked NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti anyway. You won't see much of a performance jump unless you're currently stuck with a 7750 DDR3.

Also, you're going to need a better power supply than that no-name unit you've got. In that case, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 is probably your best bet since it pulls less power.

EDIT

If he actually happens to have an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti, then upgrading is definitely not worth his money. But then again, if he had that, he wouldn't be complaining about the resolution in the first place.🤷
The power supply is Spira—it's junk no matter how you look at it.

I took a closer look, but there's nothing written on the power supply itself—maybe it's on the other side that I can't see. I really don't want to tear everything apart or pull it completely out of the case; I'm not exactly a tech expert and I'd rather not risk breaking something.
The GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 with 1GB of GDDR5.
The motherboard is an ASUS M5A78L, if that helps at all.

In that case, it's really not worth overhauling everything just for $333 comparison.

With the money you'd spend on those high-end cards, you could probably pick up something decent on the used market anyway—not that your current power supply could even handle it

https://www.amazon.com/product/B00...m&code=F308040

That power supply is a complete joke. It’s been $50 entire cycles now, featuring passive PFC and only one single SATA connector 😱. You can't mess around with stuff like this; it's barely enough to support the PC you're running. Honestly, in today's market, a single SATA connector wouldn't even cut it for a basic Microsoft Office machine...

My honest advice? Get rid of it as soon as possible...

Robin Fisher86, isn't the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 enough for that resolution?

It might be smarter to invest in a better power supply first, and maybe grab an aftermarket cooler for that CPU if you haven't already—especially if it's getting too loud...

Your CPU is solid and you've got 8GB of RAM, so just swap out the power supply now. That way, you can save up for a new monitor later, and then you'll be all set to upgrade to some more serious graphics cards.

I don't want to clutter things up by starting a whole new thread, so I'll just drop this here...
Are these temps actually normal for my CPU and GPU while I'm gaming?
OS
Windows 8.1 64-bit
Processor
Intel Core i3-4130 65°C
32nm tech
Memory
6.00GB Dual-channel DDR3 @ 665MHz (8-8-8-24)
Motherboard
ASRock FM2A78M-HD + (CPUSocket) 30°C
Graphics
LG TV (1920x1080@60Hz)
1024MB ATI NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 (Sapphire/PCPartner) 87°C
Storage
465GB Seagate Mobile HDD (SATA) 25°C
Optical Drives
LG DVD Writer
Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio
Power Supply: Hexa + 500

Does anyone know a better way to check temperatures than using Speccy? This thing is alright, but I feel like I'm flying blind sometimes.
Also, would I even notice a decent jump in performance if I picked up a new graphics card?
I mostly just play FIFA 15 and honestly, nothing else really catches my eye. 😁
edit: if it's worth the hassle, I could probably swing maybe $130 $500 for a new card.

The temps are too high for the processor, and while they're borderline for the graphics card, they're still way too high. This isn't normal behavior...

http://www.amazon.com/details/product-link-placeholder

Maybe try using CPUID Hardware Monitor to check those temperatures.

I spent some time cleaning out my rig this morning and man, there was a literal mountain of dust in there. Everything except the case and the GPU is about six months old. Regarding that card you suggested—are we actually going to see a noticeable jump compared to what I’m running right now? Lately, when I'm playing FIFA 15, I get these weird stutters, almost like a live broadcast lagging out, and then it just loses that smooth flow entirely. I'm starting to worry my processor might be the culprit. I just ran Mozzila and the temps are sitting around 45-50°C.