Posts by wanderingbison9

Benjamin Sanders76 said:I’ve been looking around, but I honestly haven't come across a single high-quality video on YouTube covering this specific card yet. :/

Maybe try digging through some written web reviews instead? There's usually a lot of depth in those long-form articles...

velvetlynx3 said:Are you really looking at the RX 6650XT? Everything seems to be listed as "call for price" lately, and we all know exactly what that implies about the current state of the market, don't we?

I’ve been sitting here weighing my options between the 6650 XT and the 6700 XT, but it feels like the ground is constantly shifting under my feet. Isn't it strange how just the other day they were both sitting there in stock for around $2,600, only to seemingly vanish or change price right when you're ready to pull the trigger? $1167 If you're looking at Best Buy or FuturiIT, you have to realize that those budget models move incredibly fast. It’s almost like they barely hit the shelves before they're gone, isn't it? Usually, it just comes down to how quickly things move through the supply chain—if you aren't fast enough to grab them when they land, you'll likely be waiting until after November to see those prices again.

The car is finally sorted out (turns out it was just the battery), $233 which wasn't such a massive hit to the wallet, though I was honestly convinced the battery was still relatively new; this shouldn't really derail my plans to pick up a GPU, but it seems those individual bargain prices have vanished again, leaving nothing behind but the high-end models..

velvetlynx3 said:Around here, the pricing is just confusing and the stock levels are nonexistent; you basically just see retail websites with empty inventory shelves because everything sold out ages ago.

I’m honestly reaching my breaking point today, as I can't seem to track down either a decent monitor or a GPU. Does anyone else feel that frustration regarding next month's outlook? These guys are absolute geniuses, aren't they? They've already pushed my AC installation schedule into 2023—and at a premium price, no less—but that isn't even my biggest headache right now.

It looks like I’ll be looking for deals elsewhere, because I have no intention of handing my money over to these clowns! Maybe they can try selling their overpriced junk once the holidays are over...

I’ve been browsing as well, but I haven't stumbled upon anything better priced... I can't say much about the stock situation since it fluctuates constantly, almost like a force of nature, so it's probably best just to ask. I actually sent an email to Best Buy inquiring about an RX 6700 XT for roughly $1133, and a representative called me back immediately to say if I ordered in the morning, I could pick it up that very afternoon. 😬

P.S. By this afternoon, all the 6650 XTs for $867 and the 6700 XTs for $1167 were completely gone...☕

Benjamin Sanders76 said:Yeah, I agree regarding the US market... I actually just stopped by an electronics store and they had a new 3070ti card in for $2.25!!! Though, I have to admit, I've never even heard of this specific brand before 😁

https://www.palit.com/palit/vgapro.php?id=4306&lang=en

Maybe this is a sign that prices might dip a bit more? I think I'll wait until after New Year's; perhaps they'll release something new then and I can grab it, assuming they drop the price on the 3080ti a little too 😛

Palit has actually been available in our local shops for years now. They even claim to be one of Nvidia's largest AIB partners.
https://www.palit.com/palit/about.php?lang=en

It seems they shouldn't be underestimated: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palit_Microsystems

No matter how much I look, it doesn't seem like regular GPU prices are actually dropping, except for those rare outliers we occasionally see here in the States...
Forget about the US market for a second; that's a whole different beast where massive scale can offset price hikes, plus those figures they quote don't even include tax...

Thanks. I’m planning to call my local mechanic tomorrow to see if they can squeeze me in, and then we'll decide whether to try jump-starting it and drive it over myself, or just call a tow truck at the bank's convenience... finding someone skilled enough to fix it isn't the issue; it's more about how I'm going to get the vehicle there. ☕I have a feeling the whole board would just shut down the moment I tried to turn the ignition.

Alexander Moore67 said:https://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example

$100It features an HDMI port and 2GB of DDR5 memory.

The catch is that this card lacks HEVC or VP9 decoding support... We aren't entirely sure what kind of integrated graphics wearymason4 is running, which makes it hard to pinpoint why he's hitting those video playback issues in the first place. If he's going out to spend money on an upgrade, shouldn't he aim for something that meets his basic needs while still being modern enough to feel somewhat future-proof?

@wearymason4/">@@wearymason4: I just realized, the card is actually a GT1030, not a GTX.

If I can manage to score a starter for around 800 bucks plus some extra sweat equity, maybe I could actually pull together enough to grab a decent graphics card too...😬 I just want to make sure I'm not overextending myself or ending up with something that's way more expensive than it needs to be.

wearymason4 said:Alright, I guess I'll hunt down a GT1030 then.👍

ps: Based on those flickering lights, you're looking at either a loose connection on the terminals or, even worse, a bad connection between the cells inside the battery itself.😢

As far as the terminals go, you can just pop them off the battery, clean the posts and the connectors with a bit of sandpaper, put everything back together, and hope for the best when you try to crank it.

It’s also entirely possible the battery is just drained because a poor connection prevented it from charging properly in the first place; once you get out for a drive for about an hour, you'll know if the battery is actually holding a charge or not.

No, they don't flicker while the ignition is on—everything looks fine until I turn the key to start it, and then with every click you hear, the lights flash on and off. It feels like a relay is skipping or something, since I'm not hearing the starter engage at all. My battery is a Yuasa, maybe two or three years old; my previous one lasted me eleven years and the one before that six, both being Panasonic brands. It started up perfectly this morning and worked a few more times after that, and then suddenly, nothing. Regardless, we'll definitely check the battery; if it starts up once the terminals are cleaned, then we'll know the starter motor is still good.

@velvetlynx3: That color gamut looks fantastic, though I can't seem to adjust the grayscale settings; everything seems inverted compared to mine, which is a little strange... and you mentioned you won't be getting anything until next year? What's stopping you from picking up an RX 6800 before you even get the monitor? If there isn't some crazy sale happening right now, it's unlikely there will be a better one soon, and at this rate, you might as well just treat yourself to that GPU for Christmas.😬

@fadedorca66/">@@fadedorca66: thanks for being so understanding about everything 🙂

@wearymason4/">@@wearymason4: so when I turn the key, the dashboard just flickers on and off with this clicking sound. I can't quite remember if the check engine light comes on when I first turn the ignition, but if it does, wouldn't that point toward a computer issue?

Maybe look for a GTX 1030 if you're just planning on using it for video playback, though you should definitely make sure it has DDR5 RAM and try not to overpay for it, since I'm not entirely sure what they go for brand new these days... If you're looking at those polaris AMD-ice cards, keep in mind they don't decode VP9 (YouTube), so you'll need to rely on your processor for that...

Thanks everyone for all the advice. We tried using the jump starter kit from my Uber driver, but since the battery is about two years old, it didn't do a thing; I don't want to bother anyone to help me jump-start it until Tuesday, so we'll just see what happens. I might try giving the starter motor a few good taps if I can pin it down (it's a 2002 Toyota Corolla), just so I can hopefully make it to the mechanic without needing a tow truck.
We are definitely >-track here, so apologies, but this thread hasn't been very active lately, so I'm hoping the mods will give us a little holiday grace. 🙂

@velvetlynx3/">@@velvetlynx3: That sRGB mode is such a trap; I have it on my monitor, but it really just tweaks the white balance without actually touching the gamut, which leaves everything looking incredibly neon... honestly, trying to use HDR on an IPS panel without any local dimming is just... ugh.

velvetlynx3 said:Talk about bad timing... though I totally get it, we just got hit with a $3,000 repair bill for basically everything at once recently...

I'm facing a different kind of dilemma myself; I have the budget for what I want, but there isn't a monitor out there that hits all my requirements without also demanding a massive upgrade to my GPU (like an RX 6800). So, do I go ahead and pull the trigger on the graphics card now and just wait a few months for the monitor? It’s one of those "sweet troubles" people talk about, isn't it? But honestly, it doesn't feel particularly fun when you're the one deciding... 🙂

So, I headed out for some shopping. Drove, stopped, drove, stopped, drove, stopped, and then suddenly, nothing—it just won't start. Could be the starter or maybe a blown fuse; it’s probably not the battery since the engine isn't even trying to crank. Now I'm stuck in a parking lot, and there's absolutely no way I can get this sorted before Tuesday.
What kind of monitor are we talking about here? Something for gaming? Maybe 4K with a high refresh rate? Surely there's some kind of monitor out there that fits the bill, given how many shapes and sizes they make these days.

@wiredotter14/">@@wiredotter14: Yeah, I definitely mixed things up a bit; I think I totally flipped the logic somewhere and now my head is just spinning... I got tripped up by the higher pixel rate on the NVIDIA RTX 3060 (if you check TechPowerUp), but honestly, the card will probably just sit there idling since it likely crashed 😠

wiredotter14 said:Wait, how does that work?

Is it the XT model? Is there faster VRAM involved here, maybe looking at 280 versus 360 GB/s? I've noticed the price for the NVIDIA RTX 3060 has been climbing steadily since this morning ☕ It looks like I might be forced into making some pretty questionable financial decisions just to keep up...

Look, I’m not just playing around here; I actually need something "professional" grade, and I need it to be ready to go by the start of next year... I honestly doubt we'll see any decent discounts right after the New Year holidays. For pure gaming, the 6650 seems like the much smarter play, especially since the specs show it actually has a better pixel and texture rate than the 6700...

Lawrence Phillips said:Is anyone actually seeing an RX 6700 for $2,250? I can't imagine where you'd even find a deal like that these days, let alone where it would be located.🤔

It seems like you might have been cut off there—did you mean to start a thought or ask a question? I'm here whenever you're ready to dive into a topic. 3$83Oops, my mistake...😬

Alexander Moore67 said:12GB MSI Radeon RX 6750 XT MECH 2x OC DDR6
is at Newegg for about $480

That sounds great, really, but I just don't have the patience for the hassle...😁

Lawrence Phillips said:The 6650 XT? Is that the current sweet spot?

https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu_value.html

If you look back through our discussion, you'll see I was eyeing that card too, but then I started thinking—isn't having "only" 8 GB of VRAM and being stuck with PCIe x8 a bit limiting when I could grab an RX 6700 with 10GB and full PCIe 4.0 x16 bandwidth for $750 maybe... well, then again, does the RX 6700 even make sense if I can pick up an RX 6700 XT for just a few dozen dollars more?

I was looking at the Gigabyte Eagle RX 6700 XT over at Best Buy for $1163, assuming they even have it in stock... I hadn't originally intended to drop that much cash, especially since my whole plan started out with just picking up an RX 6600 for $726... but then again, those performance gains feel like such a safe bet, don't they?
The only thing that's tripping me up is whether there's some sort of catch here, because it seems like most places only offer this card via special order; nobody actually has it sitting on the shelf except for Micro Center, so I wonder if they happen to be the main distributor?

velvetlynx3 said:So, does that mean the 6950 XT is actually the slowest one in this group? 😵

Haha... well, if you take a look at the Fusion tests, specifically at the bottom (just click that little arrow next to Raw Results):

RX 6650 XT:

https://benchmarks.pugetsystems.com/....php?id=116876

RX 6950 XT:

https://benchmarks.pugetsystems.com/....php?id=118565

Now, tell me again how that’s normal; once you account for the average, the Phone composite would practically be identical...