GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Is it actually true that having a beefy graphics card doesn't mean much if the CPU just can't keep up? Like, if it's too weak? I was talking to a buddy about picking up this, but he told me the card wouldn't even matter because my Intel Core 2 Duo E5700 is way too slow to handle it... is there any truth to that? 🙂

It'll run just fine; it's not like the GPU is powerful enough to outrun your CPU anyway.

Alright... but let's be real here, the fact remains that pairing a powerhouse GPU with a weak processor isn't going to do much for you—especially when you're looking at those frustratingly low FPS numbers in games, right?

True, you can't really get anywhere without a decent CPU 🙂

He could probably handle running a 6770 just fine.

So, would it actually be worth picking up this used card here...$167 I mean, it isn't breaking the bank, and honestly, the specs look decent enough...

Jeffrey Peterson said:this

It’s a solid buy, honestly. I guess you won't find much better for $167, though that one-year warranty is a little underwhelming 😛

Why does this warranty feel like such a total scam?

Will find a 5670 🙂

The ATI Radeon HD 5670 actually uses GDDR3 memory 🙂

The 512MB DDR5 version is objectively more powerful than the 240, regardless of what anyone says.

And they’re nearly impossible to track down now... 🙄 I remember about six months back, I used to see that specific 512MB DDR5 model popping up all over the online retailers, but lately? Gone. Just vanished from the shelves...

Greetings,
It seems my time has finally come to upgrade my PC components, so I figured it would be wise to poll the community on what I should actually buy. The specific part I’m hunting for is a graphics card, because the one currently sitting in my rig is frankly pathetic and utterly useless. :P To be perfectly honest, I haven't the slightest clue where to even begin looking when it comes to GPUs. About a year ago, I picked up a budget pre-built tower that came loaded with these specs:

- MSI GF615M-P33 motherboard
- ATI Radeon HD 6450
- AMD Athlon II X3 450, 3.20GHz
- 4GB DDR3 (I have no idea what the brand or clock speed is, and since it's still under warranty for a few more months, I don't want to risk opening 😁 )
- A mediocre 230V power supply, brand unknown🙂
- 21.5" Samsung SA300 monitor (this wasn't part of the original bundle; I picked it up separately recently 🙂 )

Once I swapped out my old 15" monitor for this 21.5" model, I realized pretty quickly that this configuration isn't capable of pushing anything meaningful at higher resolutions. Furthermore, plenty of self-proclaimed "tech experts" have informed me that this current graphics card is absolutely not meant for gaming, so I am turning to the experienced gamers and enthusiasts here to suggest a suitable GPU for this setup. My budget is capped at a modest $500! Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to reply! 😁

Your power supply might not actually be total junk... just tell me the wattage instead of the voltage, for crying out loud xD—or better yet, just give me the amperage...
Let's just assume for a second you have a decent enough power supply, maybe somewhere in the 400-500W range.
http://www.newegg.com/p/details...viddispl/42150
This card is slightly overclocked... plus it's got massive cooling with three fans. 🙂

I'll probably crack open the box tomorrow and let you know if I accidentally reported the wattage instead of the voltage :P Regarding the graphics card, there's a comment stating, "The card requires two 6-pin PCI-E connectors!" From what I understand, those are just the cables running from the power supply directly into the video card (two of them, in this instance), right? Also, is there any way for me to figure out exactly which power supply I need or what might actually fit inside my case if this current one doesn't cut it? Thanks again! 🙂

Here’s a look at the PSU, and honestly, it doesn't look like there's a short anywhere. :P http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/a...9585132399.jpg
Can anyone tell me if I can actually pair with a power supply like this?

Maybe you should just change it yourself.

silverpilot78 said:......So, I'm looking for a graphics card ...... My budget is a modest $500!

XFX AMD Radeon HD 6870 graphics card, 1GB DDR5, DualDVI, HDMI, miniDP
$428

560W Power Supply, LC POWER Silent Giant GREEN POWER LC6560GP3 V2.3, 140mm fan.
$117

TOTAL:

$545

Portio

I think you'll definitely notice the difference compared to what you're currently running 🙂

mellowraven8 said:I suspect you might actually notice a difference compared to what you're currently using 🙂

🤣😂

An Radeon HD 6450 pulling 20 FPS on 🤦Aliens vs. Predator at max settings and that resolution? No way.

Everyone knows the Radeon HD 6450 is bottom-of-the-barrel stuff by now, even if it isn't ancient yet, while the XFX AMD Radeon HD 6870 sits firmly in today's mid-range tier.

The user is going to feel that performance gap big time,
and honestly, it’ll probably be even more noticeable than what you see on HWCompare.