Roger Scott45 said:I guess I was wondering if I’d actually see a performance boost if I used CrossFire to link two ATI Radeon HD 2600XT 512MB DDR3 cards. I’m already running one, so I was thinking about just picking up another one. Would that be similar to having some kind of graphics card with 1024MB of DDR6?
Why does everyone seem to equate a GPU's speed and actual performance with just its VRAM capacity?
No, that wouldn't be like having a single 1 GB DDR6 graphics card—which doesn't even exist yet. It would be more like trying to run an old Radeon HD 2600 XT on a CF card, which is exactly what you'd end up with. Memory capacity really matters when you're dealing with high resolutions. For 1680x1050, I guess you might be able to scrape by with 512 MB, but for anything lower than that, it's a breeze. When you're looking at graphics card performance, the most critical factors are the core architecture and the total number of processors.
You might see some performance gains, but you'll need to watch your power supply closely. Honestly, I guess it’s just not really worth the investment to go down the CF route using such outdated GPUs right now.
Cha-ching, You already have a card that sits right in the same ballpark as those two options you're looking at. If you really want to pick up something new, I'd suggest going with a Radeon HD 4000 series or a GeForce 2 series, though you should probably double-check your power supply so you don't overdo it. Personally, I think a GeForce GTS 250 would be just about perfect.
Selected2, Where are you shopping? Which store are you looking at? Linkić says. You can find an HD4890 starting from $424. Linkić's second thought is that you can grab a GeForce GTX 275 starting from $520.
Roger Scott45, I wouldn't pick either of them because you won't see any actual performance gains. Let me know exactly which processor you're looking at, and if there's any wiggle room in your budget, that would be helpful.
Timothy Barrett3, yeah, they should probably hold up fine, assuming nothing crazy happens—like someone spilling a glass of water on the tower 😁 .
Regarding those links you posted, honestly, I think they're a total rip-off. Those graphics cards weren't even that expensive when I built my new rig back in May. You can definitely find better deals elsewhere.
Which processor exactly? Because of the power supply, I wouldn't recommend anything stronger than a GeForce GTX 275 or an HD4890, depending on what kind of PSU you have. Even at a junkyard, I probably wouldn't go higher than those.
It’s pretty unwise to pair a high-end graphics card with a weak processor. You could just buy a cheap card for $30 and end up seeing the exact same performance as if you had spent $400 on a better one.
If the MSI version is cheaper, comes factory overclocked at a decent speed, and offers a longer warranty, it might actually be the smarter play. You basically get an overclock without worrying about voiding the warranty—not like they’d ever catch you anyway, but still 😁. If you aren't in a massive rush, I'd say just hold out for the HD5850 😁 with its next-gen features, DX11 support, and Eyefinity... FTW! 😁
Raymond Long89 The GTX 275 might offer slightly better performance over the HD 4890, but when you pair that 4890 with the Vapor-X cooler, the results are honestly quite impressive—both in terms of what you see and how quiet it sounds on OC Autoclockers. 😁 If you overclock an HD 4890, you pretty much end up with about as much performance as what you'd get paying the premium for a GTX 275. I think I would go with option number two. I'm a big fan of Sapphire, though I have to admit the Cyclone isn't bad either. Honestly, just grab whichever one is cheaper. You could mount a water block on the GTX 275, but if you're looking for something actually high-end, you're going to be paying quite a bit more. $67...meaning about 30 dollars. I decided to rule out the 4 because its performance just can't compete with the GTX 275 or the HD 4890. As for the 3, I've scratched that one too, mostly because it's more expensive and doesn't come with an upgraded cooler. With the better thermal headroom on those other two, they overclock much more easily, which helps close the tiny gap left by the GTX 275.
swiftfalcon14 As Thomas Hernandez21 mentioned... 😁David Wood2 says it wouldn't kill you to work on your writing skills a bit. If you have a PCIe slot available, just grab a PCIe graphics card—specifically that Radeon mentioned in your post. Why pick this over a 9500 GT? Because it’s simply a better card. I see people looking at graphics cards and assuming that more RAM automatically means better performance, but that isn't really how it works. A GPU shouldn't be judged by its memory capacity; the real metrics are the core architecture and the transistor count. You really start to feel the limitations of your RAM once you push into higher resolutions, like 1920x1200 or 2560x1600. While the 4650 is a newer generation, it’s still pretty much at the bottom end for modern gaming—it might hold up okay given a tight budget, but I guess you shouldn't go overboard with AA, AF, or maxing out all the settings. As for the 9500, that one is even worse.
Neither of those will work for you. Right now, you're just running on integrated graphics. You should probably tell us which motherboard you're using. If your board uses an AGP slot, you won't be able to plug in a PCIe card, and vice versa, of course. Both of the ones you mentioned are PCIe. Otherwise, I'd suggest going with the first one. I'm guessing you have an nForce4 chipset, which likely supports 20 PCIe lanes.
@ Raymond Long89 It's true, the Twin Frozr models perform better than stock coolers—they're quieter and more efficient, which naturally allows for better overclocking. The HD 4890 actually has a decent stock cooler, though it’s unfortunately noisy. You probably won't notice it while idling or gaming, but at 40-60% load, it gets loud, and at 100%, it's unbearable; you don't want a jet engine in your room. On auto settings, it usually stays around 30-40% during gameplay. I have a 4890 with an aftermarket Scythe Musashi cooler, so noise isn't an issue for me anymore, and the cooling is superior. As for overclocking, I think the 4890 overclocks better than the 260. It can go from 850 MHz to over 1 GHz, especially if you use an aftermarket cooler and bump up the voltage slightly. My most honest recommendation would be the GTX 275 😁 But then again, if you can wait, just hold out for the HD5850 to hit the market (it should be any day now) and grab that instead. It'll cost more than the GTX 275 or the 4890, but it is next-gen.
@ swiftfalcon14 Prices will drop eventually; right now things are still expensive and availability is uncertain.
@ dčozntu AMD runs warm, but it doesn't overheat, and it doesn't consume significantly more power than Nvidia. It really depends on the specific model, so it's hard to make a broad generalization. I would wait for the HD5850 if it isn't urgent.
The brainiac makes a good point. This motherboard supports a Socket 370 Celeron, though it uses a Slot 1 connector. It does have an AGP slot, so you don't need to worry about compatibility there—standard AGP cards will work fine on this board. But like he said, I guess it's really not worth buying anything newer than an $17.
How old is it? I suspect that isn't an AGP slot. Based on that processor, it would more likely be a PCI X slot (not PCIe, but the older PCI extended version). If that's the case, finding a compatible card is going to be tough. You might have some luck checking with local e-waste recyclers or scrap yards...
As Nicholas Collins68 mentioned, a new series of ATI cards has just been released. For those who aren't up to speed, there are a few key updates. Hardware support for DirectX 11 has arrived. We should see games utilizing this later this year—if I recall correctly, the first ones might be the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. There’s also been a lot of talk about Eyefinity. It allows you to display an image across up to six monitors simultaneously, essentially treating them as one massive desktop rather than individual screens. It supports up to 1920x1200 across all six. Pretty cool. 😁 Regarding performance... it's awesome! 😁In some tests, even one of the most powerful desktop processors in the world (the i7 965, OCaz) was a bottleneck for the 5870. 😁In other synthetic benchmarks, it isn't surprising to see the 5870 outperforming the GTX 295 (which uses two cores!). Generally speaking, performance sits above the GTX 285 and 4870X2, but stays below the GTX 295. Peak power consumption is at 188W, which seems relatively low for a card with this kind of power. Temperatures stay below 80 degrees under load and hover around 40 at idle. The transistor count is 2.15 billion, which is more than double the 959 million found on the previous 4890.
If you aren't really a hands-on person, I’d suggest staying away from this. Honestly, if there's a chance you might lose a screw, snap a capacitor, or fry a chip, it’s probably better not to DIY it. You just pop off the heatsink from its clip, wipe away the old thermal paste—which is great at conducting heat—and apply some fresh stuff. You can pick up a tube for maybe ten bucks at a place like Home Depot.
So... There are differences between the most expensive and the cheapest GTX 275 models, but they're pretty marginal. Take a look at this and just keep browsing. A standard GTX 275 idles around 40°C, maybe climbing up to 45°C. Under full load, you're looking at a few degrees above 80, say around 84 or 85. That MSI Lightning version you mentioned has almost identical idle temps, right around 40 degrees. Under load, though, it stays below 80, maybe around 75-77. Regarding cooling, it's barely cooler at idle, but about 10 degrees cooler under load. I guess you can decide if that's worth it to you. If I were in your shoes, I'd go for the factory OC version from OCaz. It'll definitely offer better performance. How much? Well, that depends on the game and your resolution—and yes, at higher resolutions like 1920x1200 or 2560x1600, having more memory becomes more noticeable. The boost might be non-existent, or it could be 3-4 frames, or even 10. When it comes to GPU overclocking, you shouldn't expect a half-gigahertz jump or anything extreme. Using RivaTuner, some folks on Tom's Hardware managed to push the core from 632 to 756, the shader from 1401 to 1566, and the memory from 1134 to 1242. Here is an overclocking guide for the GTX 275, so if you decide to tinker with it, give it a read.
It's really up to you whether it makes sense to pay extra for a factory OC (which you could always try to do yourself, though you'd lose the warranty—but then again, they won't necessarily know 😁) and a better cooler, or if you'd rather just grab the cheapest 275 available.
Regarding what you said about your PC being tucked away, I have a similar setup. My rig has a 4890, which runs a bit hotter than a GTX 275. I have two case fans, and I actually bought a Scythe Musashi specifically to help cool the card.
Like I said, in my opinion, it's probably best to just get the basic version and then play around with it yourself—overclock it, cool it, whatever you want.
@ Raymond Long89 The 4890 is slightly weaker than the GTX 275, though it is a bit cheaper. The performance gap isn't massive. Personally, I don't think it's worth spending extra on the Vapor-X or Toxic editions. If I were you, I'd just grab the standard GTX 275.
@ Nicholas Murphy70 I don't think upgrading that specific configuration is really worth the investment. You might be better off finding a more budget-friendly AGP card in a similar tier—maybe an ATI Radeon 9800 or something like an X1600. If you want to stick with GeForce, maybe look at something from the 6xxx series.
Harold Taylor6 said:First off, I'm here and I've joined...
Sorry, my bad xD Lately, I feel like I see thousands of threads where people ask about graphics cards instead of checking the sticky. It's frustrating. No, I didn't make a fool of myself 🙂
First off, there's a dedicated sticky thread for graphics cards, so you should post there instead. Secondly, yeah, it's worth it. The ATI Radeon HD 4870 is a solid card; you won't regret it. Thirdly, HDMI is just the connector type used to link two devices via a digital signal. HDTV is simply a label for TVs that support HD resolution.