Posts by Raymond Long89

@ James Morris4
Thanks again for the advice. I spent some time hitting up shops around town today and stumbled upon a Sapphire Vapor-X priced at $185. It comes with a standard two-year warranty, of course. On the other hand, the MSI 4890 Cyclone is slightly cheaper at $175 and actually carries a three-year warranty. So, I'm stuck deciding between these two or just holding out a bit longer, hoping prices for the HD5850 stabilize in the next couple of months.
I know the Sapphire Vapor-X is a proven winner, so I'm leaning heavily toward pulling the trigger on that one. But we'll see.

James Morris4
Thanks for the reply. I've got a solid deal on this MSI HD 4890 Cyclone for $175, which is making me hesitate. On the other hand, I can grab this GTX MSI 260 Twin Frozr for $155. Those are pretty great prices here in the States, so I'm really torn on which direction to go.
That MSI HD 4890 Cyclone comes in three flavors: 850, 880, and 1000 MHz. The one I’m eyeing is the 880 MHz version. The manufacturer's website talks it up quite a bit—claims the cooler is top-tier, keeps temps much lower than competitors, and uses military-grade transistors built to handle the heat.
The problem is, I haven't found a single actual user online who's running this specific model to give me some real-world feedback.
So, I'm still stuck. The MSI GTX 275 Twin Frozr I'd actually pull the trigger on is retailing for about $220 around here, which is just too steep for my budget.
I also had people suggest the Sapphire Toxic 4890, but that’s sitting at $215. They did recommend the Sapphire Vapor-X 4890 instead; it's a bit more reasonable at $185, which is within my reach.
As for the HD5850, it won't drop below $240, so that's out of the question for now. It's way too expensive.
What would you do if you were in my shoes? Which of these four should I pick?
1. MSI HD 4890 Cyclone
2. Sapphire HD 4890 Vapor-X
3. Some cheap Gigabyte GTX 275—maybe I could snag it for $185. Can you swap out the cooler on that Gigabyte model? Here's the link:
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/gigab...mp_vga/16/1603
4. MSI GTX 260 Twin Frozr.
Those are my options. My wishlist says one thing, but reality is telling me something else.
Best.

I need some help picking out a graphics card. I'm torn between two specific models and could use your input.
1.MSI Quiet AMD Cyclone HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 HDMI
link-
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DN%26um%3D1

2.MSI launches its new GTX 260 Twin Frozr card
link

http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/12694/34/

So, these are the two I'm looking at. I've read good things about the MSI GTX 275 Twin Frozr being a great card, so I'm assuming the GTX 260 is just as solid.
Regarding the MSI HD 4890, I honestly don't know anything about it. I'd love some advice. Specifically, how is the cooling on this one? Does it stay cool, are the fans loud, and does it have fan speed control?
Also, how's the overclocking potential?
I realize these two aren't in the exact same class, but I still want to hear your thoughts on which to pick.
Here's the rest of my build:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 overclocked to 3.8 GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q-E
RAM: 2x2GB Kingston HyperX 1066 DDR2
Hard Drive: WD 750 Caviar Black 32MB
PSU: Chieftec CFT 650 CS-650 W
DVD Drive: Samsung
Case: Chieftec Dragon Big Tower
Monitors: Samsung T220 and a Samsung LE40F86BDX 40 inch LCD
Which of these two cards would pair best with my current setup?
I have until Saturday to decide. I'm definitely pulling the trigger this Saturday.
The HD 4890 is $15 more than the GTX 260, but money isn't an issue.
What’s your advice? If you recommend one over the other, please tell me why.
I'll be using the card for gaming and watching HD movies, and I plan to run both monitors simultaneously.
Both cards look beastly with their coolers, but I have no idea which one has the superior thermal design or better overclocking headroom.
Hope I'm not boring you guys with all this.
Best regards.

I think I see where this is going now. I’m going to pick up a more budget-friendly version, either the GTX 275 or the HD 4890. Honestly, there's no point in throwing money away on the high-end models. Either way, thanks for the help. Cheers.

James Morris4@ So you’re saying there isn't much of a meaningful difference between the high-end and the budget GTX 275? For me, cooling is the dealbreaker. My case is tucked away into a shelf, so the airflow is pretty cramped. I’m running a Chieftec Dragon big tower, but since it’s shoved into a tight spot, the air just doesn't move well enough.
I did see on the website that this MSI 275 Twin Frozr has an excellent cooling solution, but I haven't heard much about the others.
Do you know anything about how the EVGA GTX 275 handles cooling and overclocking? That's actually my top choice right now.

So, I’m weighing my options on which card to pick up. I'm also wondering if right now is actually the best time to buy, considering new stuff is dropping soon. I have a few specific models in mind, so I’d love some recommendations on what would pair best with my current setup. Here’s what I’m running:
CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8500 overclocked to 3.8GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q-E
RAM: 2x2GB Kingston HyperX at 1066MHz
PSU: Chieftec CFT650-CS 650W
Hard Drive: WD Caviar Black 750GB
I'm looking closely at these models:
1. MSI
GeForce GTX 275 896MB GDDR3 N275GTX Twin Frozr OC - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/msi/g...mp_vga/24/1591

2. GIGABYTE
Radeon HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 GV-R489OC-1GD - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/gigab...mp_vga/16/1744

3. SAPPHIRE
Radeon HD 4890 2GB GDDR5 11150-09-20R Vapor-X - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/sapph...p_vga/130/1762

4. SAPPHIRE
Radeon HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 11150-01-20R Toxic - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/sapph...p_vga/130/1648

What’s the smartest move for this build? Cooling is a huge priority for me, so which of these handles heat the best? Also, is the MSI GTX 275 actually more powerful than the HD 4890 models listed? If it is, by what percentage?
That’s the gist of it. Open to other suggestions if you know a better card out there.
Cheers.