GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Actually, he’d be much better off trying out a DX11 card—maybe an HD 5670, 6670 (ideally with DDR5), 5750, 6750, or 5770. Those first two options are definitely his best bet, especially if his power supply is complete junk (which, let's be honest, it probably is).

I'm also curious about which processor actually packs more punch—the Intel Celeron CPU 420 at 1.60GHz or an Intel Celeron running at 2.66 GHz with 256/533 speeds?

I really want to know which one is better and stronger, and specifically why that one comes out on top.

Thanks, everyone.🙂

I think the Intel Celeron CPU 420 1.60GHz would actually be the better bet here, mostly because its architecture is miles ahead of the other one:

http://ark.intel.com/products/27115/...Hz-533-MHz-FSB

Even with a 1GHz clock speed deficit, the 420 model seems superior. It pulls almost three times less power, too—it really comes down to efficiency per Hz. I guess the 420 can just crunch through way more instructions.

Then again, by today's standards, all of this is still incredibly slow. 😉

What about this one?

It's a Pentium 4 2.66 GHz LGA775. I can grab it for $10, so I'm wondering—is it actually going to outperform a 1.6?

It doesn't really matter how much more powerful one is compared to the other, since they both just end up as e-waste anyway. I honestly have a hard time imagining what kind of actual workload either of them could handle effectively.

Better start saving up for those new components... 🙂 Honestly, this Intel Pentium G3220 I just added $133 is basically 25 times more powerful than all that old junk 😁—plus, it actually comes with integrated graphics built right in.

Dennis Cruz62 said:To kick things off, I installed Windows 7 and picked up an Intel Core 2 Duo E4400.

🤷

Bottom line: if you haven't pulled the trigger yet, don't settle for anything lower than a Core 2 Duo from your motherboard's compatibility list.

So, I'm running an Intel i3 3.30 with an Nvidia GT 640 (2GB RAM) and 4 gigs of system memory... Just a quick question for you guys—I’m not really a gamer, barely even touch games, but I was wondering what might actually speed up my graphics processing when I'm working in Photoshop or Illustrator. For instance, if
I pick a 3D model or some complex graphic in Illustrator, I end up sitting there waiting at least 30 seconds—or longer, depending on how I've got things set up—just for the changes to actually render.
What part of this rig actually needs more muscle to make the rendering faster? Is it a RAM issue, the processor, or... something else?

My gut feeling is that we're looking at a RAM issue here.

Looking at some used cards—maybe a GTX 560 or an HD 7850/70—but I don't want to get ripped off... people on Craigslist are asking ridiculous prices, like $800-$333 for an HD 6850, or even up to $1000-$400 for a 6950..

Honestly, what’s a decent price for a 6950 with 2 GB? Personally, I wouldn't pay more than $650-$233... for what they're asking, you could easily grab a nearly new 270/270x from a retail store with a couple years of warranty, or maybe a 7850/7870... hell, if you stretched the budget, you could probably find something twice as powerful like a 280x for just another $300-$133?

And the best part is how arrogant these sellers are... they act like everyone else is an idiot, thinking they can squeeze over $150 out of someone for ancient hardware that isn't even worth it..

Why wouldn't you just use Craigslist? Most people there are clueless about actual market value, so I guess it's better to stick to hardware forums or specialized groups...

It seems like people over on Craigslist are mostly asking for 80% of the retail price when they're trying to offload components... I honestly have no clue if there's some logic behind it or if they just don't understand how selling actually works. But seriously, who is actually going to buy from them?

There are a few decent deals out there:

crimsonstag84 said:There are a few decent deals out there:

http://www.craigslist.com/listing/graphics-card-example-10910224

http://www.craigslist.com/listing/graphics-card-example-11410437

Even then, it’s all just too much hassle—dealing with some guy in a random city far away... who'd actually risk their cash $200 on a card they can't verify? I already got burned once buying a 3870x2 from some guy in San Diego via Gizmodo, and the idiot sent me a card that was physically busted.

Honestly, if I can't see it and touch it myself, I'm not buying—unless the person has a solid reputation on a forum...

I saw one 7850 listed for $233, but it's sitting there with over 600 views... clearly someone's been trying to dump it for months if that many people have looked at it without anyone biting. Everything else is garbage—like selling a GTX 260 for $200..

I'd probably just grab the R7 260X instead... $267 you get something brand new with a warranty, and the performance sits right somewhere between the GTX 560 and the 560 Ti.

If you’ve got that extra $267, forget about wasting it on Nushkal; you could easily pick up a much more solid graphics card, like a GTX 260 or a GTX 750 instead.

Hey everyone, I could use a little advice—I’m looking to pick up a GPU in the $500 range $200 just to round out my PC setup. It basically runs non-stop for us; we use it for constant downloading/uploading, paying bills, the kids playing web games, my wife on Facebook, and me checking sports betting sites. Here is what I'm working with: an Intel i3 4330 at 3.5 GHz, 8GB of ADATA RAM (2x4GB 1600), an ASRock B85M motherboard, and a generic MS Decima case with a 400W power supply—to be honest, we were on a tight budget when we bought the case and PSU, so things are a bit basic. I have a 1TB WD Blue drive, too. Since I don't want to swap out any existing parts, I need a card that my current build can actually handle—something that allows anyone in the house to jump on a game without any major issues. Thanks in advance!

Honestly, that Intel HD Graphics chip is more than enough for casual web games and everyday tasks. You’d really only need a dedicated graphics card if you start looking at heavier titles—the kind you actually install on your drive rather than just playing in a browser. With that Intel HD Graphics, you can still get through some decent games quite easily.

Bottom line: don't bother buying anything less than a GTX 750 Ti with DDR5 memory. Check this one out:
It's super power-efficient, so it won't give you any trouble even if you're running a budget power supply.

If I decided to upgrade to a more powerful graphics card, what’s the bare minimum I should set aside—and which specific card would actually deliver a meaningful jump in performance for more demanding titles? I'm looking to keep the rest of my build exactly as it is—otherwise, I'm planning on installing the latest World of Warcraft, since I used to play World of Warcraft on an old laptop years ago and absolutely loved it. Thanks!

Look, World of Warcraft is actually playable even on your Intel HD Graphics World of Warcraft, but if you upgraded to a GTX 750 Ti, you’d see a much smoother experience
The smartest and safest bet for your power supply would be one of the newer Nvidia cards, specifically the GTX 750 Ti or the GTX 750 Ti, since they have such low power draw