GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)
in Desktops ·
Huge shoutout to ruggedpanther2 and wiredotter14 for all the solid advice... I finally pulled the trigger on an RX 480 and man, it is working out awesome!
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GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)
in Desktops ·
So, I'm thinking about picking up a new GPU for my rig, and I've been eyeing this Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 480. Now, the RX 470 is looking pretty cheap, and the 460 is way, way cheaper... so, I guess I'm wondering if it's actually worth splurging on the top-tier option? Let me know what you guys think! Anyway, here are the answers to the questions from that first post:
Q: So, you're staring at a motherboard and wondering... do I actually need an AGP card or should I be looking for a PCI-E one? It’s kind of a toss-up depending on what kind of retro rig you're trying to build, I guess. Like, if you're digging through old bins for some vintage hardware, you might be stuck with AGP, but if you want anything remotely modern or even just slightly less ancient, PCI-E is obviously the way to go. It really just depends on the era of the machine you're messing around with, maybe? Just gotta check those slots before you go dropping cash on something that won't even fit!
A: So... PCI-E. I mean, where do we even start with that? It’s one of those things you just kind of assume works, right? Like, you plug stuff in, and—boom—it functions. But man, once you actually start digging into the weeds of bandwidth and lanes and how much juice these modern cards are actually pulling... it gets messy. Fast. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're thinking about upgrading, you can't just look at the slot and call it a day. You gotta think about whether your motherboard is actually gonna keep up with what you're throwing at it. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the newest tech, but honestly? Sometimes the older stuff still holds its own if you aren't pushing extreme workloads. Or maybe I'm just being old school. Who knows? Just... yeah. Don't sleep on the specs, I guess.
Q: So, what are you guys running at the moment? Like, what’s the current build looking like, or what are you planning to put together next? And seriously, don't forget to mention your PSU—what kind of power supply are you rocking in there?
A:
So I've got this one Asrock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 sitting here—it's an Intel Z790 board, standard ATX layout, and it’s actually got those Premium Gold Capacitors on it too.
So, I've got this one kit of 8GB DDR3 from Kingmax—it's actually two 4GB sticks—running at 1600MHz, FLFE spec. Just wanted to throw that out there... I guess?
So, I've got this one Intel Core i5-2500K sitting here... 3.3GHz, you know? It's got that 1MB/6MB cache setup and pulls about 95W. Just a single chip, nothing too crazy.
So, I've got this one LG GH22NS DVD burner sitting here—it's a DVD±RW drive, by the way. It handles 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, and can do 40x CD-R if you're into that sort of thing... I guess? Just a little heads-up on the specs!
So, I've got this one Cooler Master HAF 912 sitting here... just one of them.
So, I've got this one old Samsung 500GB hard drive hanging around... you know, the 7200rpm kind with that 16MB cache, running on the older Serial ATA II-300 interface. It’s basically just an F3 model. Honestly, probably just sitting there gathering dust in a drawer somewhere, I guess.
So, I've got this one Zalman CNPS 5X cooling unit hanging around... it's compatible with pretty much everything from those old Socket 775 setups to the 1155/1156 stuff, and even works with AM2 or AM3 sockets if you're running an AMD build. Just a heads up!
So, I've got one of those Sapphire HD 6850 cards lying around... it's the 1GB GDDR5 version with the 256-bit bus. It's got the usual ports too—Dual Link DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. Just figured I'd mention it!
So, I've got one of those Corsair 650W power supplies from the TX Series—it’s an ATX12V v2.31 unit. Just thought I'd mention it!
Q: So, what resolution are you guys actually running when you're gaming? I mean, I'm curious if everyone is sticking to the standard stuff or if people are pushing it.
A: 1680 * 1050
Q: So, I'm curious... what kind of budget are we actually looking at here? Like, how much cash are you guys seriously willing to drop on this?
A: I mean, I’m honestly down to drop like... maybe around...$667 I mean, honestly... it all just comes down to whether it actually pays off in the long run. Like, if you're looking at the big picture, does it even make sense? I guess it really depends on how you play it. Maybe.
Q: So, which stores should I even be looking at? I mean, I guess there's a bunch of options out there, but honestly, it depends on what you're hunting for, right? Maybe Best Buy if you want to actually see stuff in person, or maybe just stick to Amazon if you don't feel like leaving the couch... I don't know, it's kind of a toss-up depending on the vibe. Any suggestions?
A: I don't really have any specific demands, honestly... I guess I just think Prometheus would be the way to go. Maybe.
Q: If you guys have any other specific requests or anything else on your mind, just let me know! I'm all ears.
A: Man, I’m really just hoping for some peace and quiet here... you know? Like, I just want this thing to run silent. And honestly, if I can get at least 2 or 3 years out of it without any major headaches, I'll be a happy camper. That's really all I'm asking for, I guess.
Q: So, you're staring at a motherboard and wondering... do I actually need an AGP card or should I be looking for a PCI-E one? It’s kind of a toss-up depending on what kind of retro rig you're trying to build, I guess. Like, if you're digging through old bins for some vintage hardware, you might be stuck with AGP, but if you want anything remotely modern or even just slightly less ancient, PCI-E is obviously the way to go. It really just depends on the era of the machine you're messing around with, maybe? Just gotta check those slots before you go dropping cash on something that won't even fit!
A: So... PCI-E. I mean, where do we even start with that? It’s one of those things you just kind of assume works, right? Like, you plug stuff in, and—boom—it functions. But man, once you actually start digging into the weeds of bandwidth and lanes and how much juice these modern cards are actually pulling... it gets messy. Fast. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're thinking about upgrading, you can't just look at the slot and call it a day. You gotta think about whether your motherboard is actually gonna keep up with what you're throwing at it. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the newest tech, but honestly? Sometimes the older stuff still holds its own if you aren't pushing extreme workloads. Or maybe I'm just being old school. Who knows? Just... yeah. Don't sleep on the specs, I guess.
Q: So, what are you guys running at the moment? Like, what’s the current build looking like, or what are you planning to put together next? And seriously, don't forget to mention your PSU—what kind of power supply are you rocking in there?
A:
So I've got this one Asrock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 sitting here—it's an Intel Z790 board, standard ATX layout, and it’s actually got those Premium Gold Capacitors on it too.
So, I've got this one kit of 8GB DDR3 from Kingmax—it's actually two 4GB sticks—running at 1600MHz, FLFE spec. Just wanted to throw that out there... I guess?
So, I've got this one Intel Core i5-2500K sitting here... 3.3GHz, you know? It's got that 1MB/6MB cache setup and pulls about 95W. Just a single chip, nothing too crazy.
So, I've got this one LG GH22NS DVD burner sitting here—it's a DVD±RW drive, by the way. It handles 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, and can do 40x CD-R if you're into that sort of thing... I guess? Just a little heads-up on the specs!
So, I've got this one Cooler Master HAF 912 sitting here... just one of them.
So, I've got this one old Samsung 500GB hard drive hanging around... you know, the 7200rpm kind with that 16MB cache, running on the older Serial ATA II-300 interface. It’s basically just an F3 model. Honestly, probably just sitting there gathering dust in a drawer somewhere, I guess.
So, I've got this one Zalman CNPS 5X cooling unit hanging around... it's compatible with pretty much everything from those old Socket 775 setups to the 1155/1156 stuff, and even works with AM2 or AM3 sockets if you're running an AMD build. Just a heads up!
So, I've got one of those Sapphire HD 6850 cards lying around... it's the 1GB GDDR5 version with the 256-bit bus. It's got the usual ports too—Dual Link DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. Just figured I'd mention it!
So, I've got one of those Corsair 650W power supplies from the TX Series—it’s an ATX12V v2.31 unit. Just thought I'd mention it!
Q: So, what resolution are you guys actually running when you're gaming? I mean, I'm curious if everyone is sticking to the standard stuff or if people are pushing it.
A: 1680 * 1050
Q: So, I'm curious... what kind of budget are we actually looking at here? Like, how much cash are you guys seriously willing to drop on this?
A: I mean, I’m honestly down to drop like... maybe around...$667 I mean, honestly... it all just comes down to whether it actually pays off in the long run. Like, if you're looking at the big picture, does it even make sense? I guess it really depends on how you play it. Maybe.
Q: So, which stores should I even be looking at? I mean, I guess there's a bunch of options out there, but honestly, it depends on what you're hunting for, right? Maybe Best Buy if you want to actually see stuff in person, or maybe just stick to Amazon if you don't feel like leaving the couch... I don't know, it's kind of a toss-up depending on the vibe. Any suggestions?
A: I don't really have any specific demands, honestly... I guess I just think Prometheus would be the way to go. Maybe.
Q: If you guys have any other specific requests or anything else on your mind, just let me know! I'm all ears.
A: Man, I’m really just hoping for some peace and quiet here... you know? Like, I just want this thing to run silent. And honestly, if I can get at least 2 or 3 years out of it without any major headaches, I'll be a happy camper. That's really all I'm asking for, I guess.
Sorry if I’m totally off-topic here.
So, I graduated college just under four months ago and officially opted out of my student health coverage, and I actually landed a job in the meantime too. By all logic, I shouldn't have any supplemental coverage anymore, right? But weirdly enough, I haven't had to pay any copays for the two doctor visits I've had since then. The second time around, I even went out of my way to tell them, "Hey, I don't have supplemental insurance anymore," but after they poked around on their computer for a bit, they told me I was still exempt from the copay. Does anyone know if I'm still covered because of my recent graduation/new job status, or did I maybe just forget to unregister somewhere? I really don't want the folks at Medicare to come knocking in a few months saying I owe them all this money, especially if they start tacking on interest.
So, I graduated college just under four months ago and officially opted out of my student health coverage, and I actually landed a job in the meantime too. By all logic, I shouldn't have any supplemental coverage anymore, right? But weirdly enough, I haven't had to pay any copays for the two doctor visits I've had since then. The second time around, I even went out of my way to tell them, "Hey, I don't have supplemental insurance anymore," but after they poked around on their computer for a bit, they told me I was still exempt from the copay. Does anyone know if I'm still covered because of my recent graduation/new job status, or did I maybe just forget to unregister somewhere? I really don't want the folks at Medicare to come knocking in a few months saying I owe them all this money, especially if they start tacking on interest.