GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

So I’ve been digging through these reviews and doing some side-by-side comparisons. Honestly, it looks like that Radeon HD 6850 isn't even that much better than the GTX 460 1GB; in some games, the 768MB version actually comes out on top. Then again, in other titles, they both end up pulling the same numbers. At the end of the day, we're talking a difference of just a few FPS, which isn't exactly a game-changer.
The 6870 is a different story—it's significantly better. Since it's priced similarly to the GTX 460 1GB (at least it was a couple of weeks ago), it definitely justifies its performance for the money. Still, the GTX 470 manages to beat it in certain games, though $133 it’s also roughly more expensive.

Everything really just boils down to how these prices settle. Man, what a headache trying to shop right now, especially when I'm this impatient. 😁 I totally rushed into this 😁 .

It’s worth mentioning that in quite a few of the benchmarks, the Radeon HD 6850 actually showed up with 1120 Stock Symbol instead of the expected 960SP... though, naturally, AMD is out there insisting that this was all just some unintentional oversight on their part 😁

by the way, if you happen to pick up an Radeon HD 6850 that turns out to have those 1120SP units, they suggest you should just head back to the retailer to swap it out so you can get the proper version with the lower SP count 😬

I am currently in search of a PCI-e graphics card.

Operating System: Windows XP

Processor: AMD 2.2 GHz

I am currently looking at a set of RAM—specifically, two 1GB sticks of Kingmax running at 800 MHz.

Monitor setup: Samsung 19", topping out at a 1440x900 resolution.

My previous graphics card was an ATI x1650 with 512 MB of VRAM—but apparently, a lightning strike decided to end its life last night. 😢 It handled Call of Duty 2 and 4 without any issues—along with Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, Medieval II: Total War, and even the first F.E.A.R. plus its expansions...

What should I be looking at? Honestly, I’m open to suggestions—I wouldn't mind picking up something used if the deal is right.

Recommendations? I suppose we should start there. Given the breadth of the current market, what exactly are we looking to achieve? Are we discussing hardware specifications, software configurations, or perhaps something else entirely? Please, provide some context so we can have a meaningful discussion.
Thanks.

Ask wiredmarlin5 about the 4830..
He’s actually one of the moderators here on the forum...

Here’s a snippet from his listing..
I've got the box, receipt, and a warranty valid until Feb 5, 2011. Picked it up at Best Buy. It's the dual-slot version.
Never overclocked it, just saw how far it could go. From stock 575/900, I hit 700/1000.

Price $160. Shipping via USPS.
Feel free to haggle a bit 😬

http://www.pohrani.com/?1B/vC/4Z42QAvf/16102010457.jpg
http://www.pohrani.com/?24/H3/3H5eD0HF/16102010462.jpg

@ wiredmarlin5.. hope this doesn't break any rules🤣

Other options: 8800gt, 4850, 5670 (brand new for $600, maybe used too), 9800gt, or a GTS 250 (a bit overkill, but why not if you find one)?

So, can you actually run an 8x AGP graphics card on a motherboard that only has a 4x slot?

Timothy Brown71 said:Can you actually run an 8x AGP card in a motherboard with just a 4x slot?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Will_an_8x..._a_4x_AGP_slot

I’m looking for some expert advice on picking out a new graphics card!
Here’s what my current rig looks like:
Gigabyte GA-M6ISME-S2L motherboard
Athlon 64 X2 4000+, 2.1GHz
Sapphire Radeon HD 3650 with 512MB DDR2
4GB of DDR2 RAM at 667MHz
Corsair CX400 power supply
My resolution is set to 1680x1050
Mainly playing World of Warcraft and PES 2010
The big goal here is to get WoW running smoothly—ideally hitting at least 30+ FPS during 25-man raids.
Or, if you think it makes more sense, maybe I should look into upgrading this setup differently? Like, perhaps swapping out parts or even just putting together a couple of different builds to compare.
I’m planning to spend a maximum of $333

You could grab some faster RAM at 800MHz—though honestly, who needs it?
Maybe sell off your current CPU and pick up something beefier... I think you can find a decent upgrade for around $300/$117 (like an Athlon 64 5600+ if I remember right, maybe even a 6000+?)
Or just go for a better GPU. I already mentioned the HD4830, 3870, 8800GT, or 9800GT...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/amd-athlon-64-x2-5000
http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing

👍

current build:

ASUS M2N68-AM SE2 with some integrated graphics I don't even touch
AMD ATHLON 64 X2 5000+, 2.6 GHZ
GEFORCE 8500GT 512 mb
3 gb ram ddr 2
400 w power supply
19" monitor

what can I actually squeeze out of this thing? 🙂

Take a quick look at the last few posts above...
Basically, everyone’s just recycling the same old builds, so you might as well pick from one of the setups crimsonstag84 and I already laid out for you.

Emily Sullivan5 said:Specs:

ASUS M2N68-AM SE2 with some integrated graphics I don't really use
AMD ATHLON 64 X2 5000+, 2.6 GHZ
GEFORCE 8500GT 512 mb
3 gb ram ddr 2
400 w power supply
19" monitor

What could I actually fit in here? 🙂

This might be just about right:

http://www.craigslist.org/video-card-listing-example

Just let us know the brand on that power supply. I'd hate to think it's some random junk or something like Codegen, MS COM, or Inter-Tech—those cheap pieces of tin.😁

@ crimsonstag84... why not just grab a brand new 5670 512mb gddr5 for $200 👍
?

crimsonstag84 said:Check this out, perfect timing:

http://www.craigslist.com/listing/graphics-card-ad-1846151

Just tell us what the power supply brand is. I really hope it isn't some bottom-of-the-barrel junk like Codegen, MS COM, Inter-Tech, or those other cheap pieces of trash you find at a flea market. 😁

It's a delta Electronics DPS 400WB C—that's literally all the info I've got. 🙂

Bryan Evans77 said:@ crimsonstag84... you could just pick up a brand new 5670 512mb gddr5 for about $200 👍

I mean, that’s probably the smartest move, honestly. It saves you from having to swap out the power supply, and the HD 5670 is pretty low on power consumption anyway.👍

http://www.newegg.com/product_info.php?c...oducts_id=8107

crimsonstag84 said:Honestly, I think keeping the current power supply is the move. That Radeon 5670 doesn't pull much juice anyway. 👍

We've got options here too... cheaper than that site.

The pricier version
The budget version

🤣

Bryan Evans77 said:We have them here too... actually cheaper than over there..

The pricier version
The budget version

🤣

Maybe he should just grab it from the local shop nearby if he doesn't care about $8.25 😁

Hey there.
So, I'm looking for some advice on which graphics card I should pick up for about $250.

Motherboard - ASROCK 890FX Deluxe3, AMD 890FX/850, DDR3, sound, S-ATA, RAID, G-LAN, PCI-E, CrossfireX, USB 3.0, ATX, s. AM3

Processor - AMD Athlon ii x4 640 box, s. AM3, 3.0GHz, 2MB c.

Power Supply - 500W, LC POWER Office Series, ATX v2.2, 120mm fan, PFC

RAM - 4GB

Thanks in advance! 😉

ps. looking for something that isn't too noisy 🙂.

Bad timing on the GPU... just hang in there for a bit longer. In a month or maybe six weeks, once prices drop, you should be able to grab something like an HD 5770 for what you're paying now. Right now, you'd just be settling for a much slower, weaker card like an HD 5670...

btw, that power supply of yours isn't exactly top-tier...

brightlynx3 said:Hey there.
I was hoping to get some advice on which GPU I should pick up for about $250.

Motherboard - ASROCK 890 FX Deluxe3, AMD 890 FX/850, DDR3, audio, S-ATA, RAID, G-LAN, PCI-E, CrossfireX, USB 3.0, ATX, s. AM3

CPU - AMD Athlon ii x4 640 box, s. AM3, 3.0GHz, 2MB c.

PSU - 500W, LC POWER Office Series, ATX v2.2, 120mm fan, PFC

RAM - 4GB

Thanks in advance 😉

p.s. maybe something that isn't super loud 🙂

What's the point of a board like that? 😕

I mean, I guess you aren't planning on overclocking to 3.8 GHz, right? 😛

1 x AMD Athlon ii x4 640 processor, socket AM3, BOX, 2Mb cache, 95W
1 x PointOfView NV GTS450 1024MB 783/3608 128bita, 2xDVI, miniHDMI
1 x SILVERSTONE Strider 500W, Essential ST50F-ES AC 90-264V, 47/63Hz
1 x Gigabyte 870A-UD3 rev 2.1, AMD 870+SB850, S. AM3, 6xSATA 3.0
1 x DDR3 4GB (2x2GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz, FLFE

$1104