Posts by Ryan Thomas60

Timothy Kim60 said:That HD7770 is definitely the better call. Right when it launched, it was pretty much on par with the HD6850, but that 7xxx series really stepped up its game with driver updates over the years. Plus, it pulls less power than the 6850 or 6870, supports DX12 to help with bottlenecks, and it's just a newer card overall...

Bottlenecks aside, you're way better off grabbing a stronger used GPU. You can always upgrade your CPU later or swap it into a newer rig down the road. Honestly, dropping 500-$200 on some old DDR3 card is just a waste of money—I mean, those weak GT 730s or even an R7 240, even if they have DDR5. The only perk is the warranty...

From the new stuff I linked, the cheapest option was that R7 250 DDR5 (from Centro or Futura), and it’s actually an MSI with a 3-year warranty. Shipping is about 30-$13, and you can pay cash on delivery, which is great because they're super reliable if you ever need to return something.

I think I'll go with the R7. Thanks so much for all the help, everyone!

Robert Rodriguez2 said:That CPU is definitely going to bottleneck you, plus you'll need a way beefier power supply.

In that case, maybe I should just grab this one:

I'd really prefer buying from a shop in Miami just to make the warranty stuff easier...

Timothy Kim60 said:I found 3 interesting options (all of them are beefier than an R7 250 ddr5)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-16097799
http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-15645620
http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-15564187

Definitely check on the warranty for those last two. For the first two, you'll probably need to swap out the power supply too. That third one from the list above would work even on a cheap no-name PSU, but it might not be worth it... they really should drop the price. Honestly, the HD7770 is the best deal and definitely the strongest...

As for a power supply you could grab for around 100 bucks right here in Split County$50...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/computer-case-listing-13756616

Check these out: 1. ATI Sapphire HD 6850 1GB DDR5 256 bit - $167
2. ATI HD 6870 1GB DDR5 - $167
3. Vapor X Radeon HD 4870 1GB DDR5 256 bit - $133

Timothy Kim60 said:The thing is, buying new GPUs at those prices just isn't worth it—the price-to-performance ratio is honestly tragic. I'm exaggerating, but you could get way more bang for your buck elsewhere. Sure, your CPU might bottleneck certain games with a better card, and you'd have to worry about your power supply, but you get my drift...

It’d be awesome if shipping could reach at least this area (maybe 30-$13 days delivery). If it absolutely has to be new and arrive by $200, then maybe this one (if it shows up in the link), but honestly? You'd probably be better off telling us which county you're in so we can hunt for used stuff like an HD5670, 6670, gt 640, HD7730, HD7750, or a gtx 650 (all DDR5 versions). They're all stronger than what you listed, they sip power, and they support DX11 (some even DX12!). You might even snag one for $250-$100 if you're lucky...

Miami, Florida. Used is fine as long as there's still some kind of warranty left!

crimsonstag84 said:Are you looking to play games? If you live in a big city, you could probably score a used CPU, GPU, and power supply combo in person for maybe $600...$233.

Otherwise, check this out:

The processor might be a bit too weak for it, though the power supply should be fine even if it's not great.

It's definitely for gaming, and I know the rest of the build is pretty weak. Plus, this card is basically at the bottom end of the budget for actual gaming. I just want to get the most bang for my buck!

I don't live near a major metro area, so I don't have many options for used gear... and honestly, I'd rather not deal with buying electronics from strangers online without any guarantees.

Hey there!

Intel Pentium E2200 @ 2.20 GHz 2 processor
2GB RAM
400W MS power supply

Old 8500GT graphics card.

I could really use some suggestions for something new to upgrade $200...