GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Timothy Kim60 said:New or used?
Which specific power supply are you running?

I’m concerned that your CPU is going to bottleneck every card in that tier—whether it's new or used—when it comes to modern titles.

new

The power supply is an MS Pro 550 w ATX P4

Oh, and I neglected to mention one crucial detail: I am not a "gamer." I don't need a rig built for high-resolution competitive play.
It would be sufficient if I could run something like the latest FIFA 15, but that's really all I need. 😁
Most of my work involves graphic design, so I have no intention of swapping out my processor since its current performance is perfectly adequate for my needs.

And thank you for the response. 👍

http://www.nabava.net/search.php?tp=0&q=r7+250+gddr5

Honestly, any card below this one is just throwing money down the drain, so you might as well aim for this. And seriously, make sure you grab the GDDR5 version, even if it has less VRAM.

How old is your power supply? Because your next upgrade might actually need to be a new PSU.

Hey,
I could use some help picking out a new GPU.
Here’s what I’m running:
GA-P43-DS3 PCIe 2.0
Intel Quad Q9300 @ 3GHz OC
8GB DDR2 800MHz
500W PSU
So, here's the deal.
I'm looking for something that can handle playing FIFA 15 on my Full HD TV via HDMI...
Right now, I'm torn between a new msi-r7 360 2gb ddr5$333 or an ASUS R7 265 2gb ddr5$433..
Not sure which one is better—the MSI is newer and cheaper, but it looks like it might be weaker performance-wise... plus it supports DirectX 12, while the 265 doesn't seem to have that support.
I wouldn't go for anything too powerful because of the bottlenecking—maybe just this: PCI-E XFX AMD RADEON R9 270 DD edition, 2GB DDR5$433 (though I have no idea how bad that bottleneck would be)

Any advice?
Thanks.

Thomas Diaz53 said:Hey,
I need some help picking out a new GPU.
My current rig:
ga-p43-ds3 pcie 2.0
intel quad q9300 oc.3ghz
8gb ddr2 800hz
psu 500w
So here's the thing.
I'm looking at cards that can run FIFA 15 on my full HD TV via HDMI...
My choices are a new msi-r7 360 2gb ddr5$333 or an asus r7 265 2gb ddr5$433..
Not sure which is better. This MSI is newer and cheaper, but looks weaker on performance... though it has DirectX 12, while the 265 doesn't seem to have it..
I wouldn't go much higher because of bottlenecking.. maybe just: PCI-E XFX AMD RADEON R9 270 DD edition, 2GB DDR5 $433 (not sure how bad the bottleneck would be?)

Help me out..
Thanks.

What kind of 500W PSU? A 500W from Corsair isn't the same as one from MS or similar brands..
If you don't know, open the side panel and read it.
There’s going to be some bottlenecking, but nothing crazy. Also, why are you limiting yourself to just those two cards?

Assuming your power supply can handle it:

I’ve got a Fortron Hex Plus 500 w 80 sitting in my rig—picked it up from a buddy when he was offloading his old PC.
-It’s not just about picking between those two cards; I'm working with a tight budget here... >links and Best Buy
And obviously, it comes down to the cash. I want something reasonable—somewhere around $500 max—but it actually needs to handle what I do. I’m looking to play FIFA 15, 16, and 17 at 1080p...
I'm not entirely sure what the hardware requirements for FIFA 17 will look like down the road, but I'd like to be ready when it drops.
Next year, I'll probably scrape together enough to upgrade the motherboard, CPU, and DDR3... but I can't swing that right now. I think this quad core can hold out for at least one more year.
The plan is to just move the GPU over to a new build later on... keeping the old power supply for now.

Thomas Diaz53 said:I've got a Fortron Hex Plus 500 w 80 that I picked up from a buddy when he was offloading his rig.
-It’s not just about the two GPUs; I'm working with a tight budget here using Best Buy and Newegg sites..>links and ekupi>..

And obviously, the cash factor. I want something decent but not overpriced, maybe around $500 max, that actually handles what I need—Full HD gaming for FIFA 15, 16, and 17..
I'm not sure how demanding FIFA 17 will be down the road, but I want to be ready when it hits..
Next year, I'll scrape together enough for a new motherboard, CPU, and DDR3... but right now? No way. I figure this Quad can limp along for at least another year...
If I just swap the GPU over to a new build later, I'd keep the old power supply..

Best Buy and Newegg:
Best Buy's selection is basically a junk drawer.
GPU
Solid card, supports DirectX 12... perfect for Full HD, and easy to move to a new rig later.😳

crimsonstag84 said:Assuming your power supply isn't the issue:

http://www.newegg.com/vga-sapphire-r7...uefi-bulk.aspx

🙂

http://www.bestbuy.com/?name=graphics-card-051.806.949

It’s cheaper and packs more punch—plus, those 3xx series clocks and drivers are a total breeze to work with. Just keep in mind the R7 370 is basically just a rebrand of the R7 265.

The silver lining with rebrands is that you get long-term driver support for the GPU architecture, whereas Nvidia tends to drop Kepler cards pretty quickly once new titles hit the shelves. Those "exclusive" drivers for the 390 are really just window dressing for the launch; there's no reason the previous generation should be left in the dust since the hardware is essentially identical.

Timothy Kim60 said:🙂

http://www.amazon.com/graphics-card-deals

Cheaper and stronger. Those clock speeds and those 3xx series drivers are total garbage. The R7 370 is basically just a rebrand of the R7 265.

The upside to rebrands is that the GPU gets long-term driver support. Nvidia, on the other hand, pretty much dumped their Kepler cards right when new games started coming out.

True, but there's no DX 12 support 😳, or rather, you'll only have partial support
.

It will support the API itself, just like DX 10 GPUs work with DX 11. Manufacturers already said they will release WDDM 2 (DX 12) drivers for all of currently sold hardware when DX 12 comes out. But it will not support D3D Feature Level 12 _0. So, it will work, and you will get all the performance optimisation benefits from DX 12, but your won't get any of the new fancy graphical technology, like more advanced shaders, real time global illumination and other fancy stuff that is rumored (because Feature Level 12 _0 is still under NDA) to be included.

fra What i understand , The Maxwell v2 (960, 970 and 980) and the new R9 390/390X is as close to full Feature Level 12 _0 support as you can get. Nvidia Nor AMD say anything Beyond "we have new tech from FL 12_0 implemented already" - whether everything that FL 12_0 will have is already present, or there are some tech that they don't support, they don't say, because again, NDA.

I’m looking over the specs for that msi-r7 360 2 you linked...
I saw something similar at Best Buy, though it was pricier:

and

but honestly, that MSI one seems like the better build...
Anyway...

What's your take on how much life this card actually has left given the rest of my setup?

Robert Rodriguez2 said:That's true, but there is no DirectX 12 support 😳, meaning any support will only be partial
.

🙂

Feature levels remain identical across rebrands

http://wccftech.com/amd-confirms-gcn...-120-gcn-1112/

http://wccftech.com/directx-12-suppo...-3-intels-rov/

TL;DR: So summarizing, all IHVs fully and completely support the DirectX 12 API. No hardware vendor can claim 100% support of all specifications and the differences are usually negligible in nature. That said, if one is deciding by features observable by the end user and gaming experience, the slight advantage and edge goes to Nvidia with its Feature level 12_1 support. Keep in mind however, that developers usually code for the lowest common denominator, which means Nvidia’s edge depends entirely on how many devs use it.

Every GPU that offers even minimal DirectX 12 support—specifically Nvidia cards from the 4xx series onwards and AMD cards starting from the HD 7000 series—will benefit from its primary Feature: reduced CPU overhead. Everything else is just fine-tuning that depends on individual game developers, and honestly, much of it might just be clever marketing. Regardless, Nvidia looks the most cutting-edge with their 12.1 support.

I’m also getting the feeling that this XFX AMD Radeon R9 270 DD edition actually holds more weight than those R7 370s or even the R7 265 cards when it comes to DirectX 12...
but man, I can't wrap my head around whether this XFX card will actually get DirectX 12 support—and if that's going to be a dealbreaker for the FIFA 17 minimum requirements. Now I've gotta figure that out myself...

So you're telling me I should pick up an Nvidia card at those prices... even though I'm not exactly... well, I've always been an AMD guy.

Thomas Diaz53 said:I also get the feeling this XFX AMD Radeon R9 270 DD edition might actually outperform those 370 cards—you know, the ones with DirectX 12 support like the 265...
But here's my dilemma: I can't figure out if this XFX card will ever actually get DirectX 12 support, and if that's going to be a dealbreaker for the FIFA 17 minimum requirements. Now, you tell me how to solve that one...

I just posted the Link above. Ultimately, we are looking at some pretty old hardware here (the 370 is basically the third iteration of GCN 1.0). Because both the 270 and the 370 belong to the same generation, they both share the same DirectX 12 Feature level, specifically 11_1.

Thomas Diaz53 said:So, should I just grab an Nvidia card for the price you guys are suggesting? Even though I'm not exactly... well, I've always been an AMD guy.

Just hold out for the GTX 950 instead; you'll be making a much smarter move when it drops (supposedly in about 2 or 3 weeks).

Timothy Kim60 said:🙂

http://www.bestbuy.com/product-details/graphics-card

It’s cheaper and more powerful—plus those 3xx series drivers are basically useless. I think the R7 370 is just a rebranded R7 265 anyway.

Thomas Diaz53: I missed out on the R9 270; everywhere else it's slightly more expensive than the R7 370, except at Best Buy. 😬I guess you have to forgive me, considering which store we're talking about.🤣

So you're telling me my GTX 450 actually supports DirectX 12?😲

Honestly, I’m not patient enough to sit around waiting for the price of that GTX 950 to drop—who knows what it'll end up costing anyway.
I'm debating whether to just grab this R9 270 instead. It’s definitely punchier than that MSI R7 370 with its DirectX 12 support, but the R9 is two years older while the MSI has three...
Plus, if you look at the minimum requirements for FIFA 16, it clearly asks for DirectX 11. http://fifa16news.com/fifa-16-minimu...rediction.html
Which basically means FIFA 17 probably won't demand DirectX 12 either... lol

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Man, I wish! If only my GTX 450 actually supported DirectX 12.😲

It looks like this was actually announced a year or two ago. Word is we’re looking at an 11.0 release, or potentially some 11.1 feature-level updates. 🙂

By the way, what do you think? 🙂

Thomas Diaz53 said:I honestly don't have the patience to sit around waiting for that GTX 950 anymore, especially since I have no idea what kind of price tag it's actually going to carry.
Should I go with this R9 270? It definitely packs more punch than that MSI 370, which at least supports DirectX 12. However, the R9 270 is two years older, whereas the MSI has only been around for three.
Wait, if you look at the minimum requirements for FIFA 16, it says DirectX 11. http://fifa16news.com/fifa-16-minimu...rediction.html
What does it even mean when someone says FIFA 17 probably won't even need DirectX 12? lol

You missed the point entirely, even though it was explained perfectly clearly.

The R9 270 supports DirectX 12.
The R9 270 and the R9 370 share the exact same feature level within DirectX 12 because they belong to the same generation; essentially, the 370 is just a rebranded version of the 265.
Let’s be realistic here: games aren't going to flip a switch overnight and become DirectX 12 exclusive, nor is every single title ever released going to require it.
If a game requires DirectX 12, it’s going to run on any card that supports DirectX 12. It isn't like one specific feature level will work while another fails completely. At most—and that's assuming higher feature levels aren't just marketing fluff like we saw with the whole DirectX 10 era—you might just find yourself unable to toggle certain graphical settings in specific titles. Since Pro Evolution Soccer isn't exactly pushing the envelope of cutting-edge technology, I'm fairly certain we won't see anything out of the ordinary there.

Man, I was thinking...😬...as long as I'm happy👍

Thomas Diaz53 said:What kind of performance gains are we looking at with my current setup?

The main advantage here is how Vulkan manages resources more efficiently; it streamlines the communication between the GPU and the CPU, which significantly cuts down on bottlenecks. You might see a nice boost, especially since cards even weaker than a GTX 750 Ti are sitting at the same price point right now. 🤷

Nowadays, the real bottleneck isn't the hardware—it's the software. In your case, it's poor game optimization. As long as they finish the game and rush out a sequel, you're stuck dealing with outdated APIs like DX11 versus these newer standards.

If you can hold out for the GTX 960, do it. It’ll likely land in a similar price bracket to an HD 7770.