GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

In that case, you could probably just throw in two NVIDIA GTX 970s 😁

That sounds perfect.

Timothy Kim60 said:hiddencyclist31

Beyond just bottlenecking the CPU, using a generic, off-brand power supply is a real headache. These things pull a lot of juice, especially when you factor in the extra power needed for the GPU.

Thanks. Honestly, I had no idea those cheap power supplies could cause such a mess until I started reading through the forums. You'd think 500W is just 500W, right? Turns out, it's not that simple.😕
At least I learned something new today.
Cheers.

So, you're telling me you'd actually pick up an EVGA GTX 970 for 1 $167, over an R9 270X 4GB for 1 $200?

I'm new here. Is there a specific sub-forum dedicated to software issues?

hiddencyclist31 said:Thanks. Before I started reading through these threads, I had no idea power supplies could be such a headache. You think 500W is just 500W, right?......😕
I definitely learned something new today.
Best,

Look, if it's some cheap knock-off from overseas, that "500W" rating is nothing more than a sticker on a box.🙂
As soon as you see a unit claiming "500-600W" for $100--$67 or 450W for $350--$133 and you can't remember the brand, you can bet something is off.
Open up the case and check the PSU label for the specific model name. There might be a decent one in there.

Lawrence Ortiz6 said:So, would you rather go with an EVGA GTX 970 for $1$167, instead of an R9 270X 4GB for $1$200?

The 280X is significantly more powerful. The catch is that VTX is generally known for lower build quality, and a 270X at that price point would likely come with better cooling—like a Gigabyte Windforce model. Just make sure to ask the shop if it's actually an X-edition 280X and not just a standard 280.

vividjackal14 said:I'm new to this forum. Is there a specific section dedicated to software issues?

http://www.reddit.com/r/tech/
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/

Timothy Kim60 said:Look, if it's some cheap junk from overseas, that "500W" rating might just be a sticker slapped on a box. 🙂
If you see power supplies claiming "500-600W" for like $100--$67 or 450W for $350--$133 and the math doesn't add up, something's probably sketchy.
Just pop the side panel off the case and check the actual model name on the PSU label. You might get lucky and find something decent.

It's an EVGA. Honestly, given what I paid, it’s been solid for a long time. I think I'll definitely pay closer attention to the power supply when I build my next rig.

hiddencyclist31 said:EVGA. Considering how much it cost, it’s still running strong. I think for my next build, I’ll pay way more attention to that specific part.

My advice? Don't ever cheap out on the power supply. A junk PSU can cause a chain reaction—one failure could take out one component, or just fry the whole damn rig at once.

So, my old NVIDIA GTX 650 finally kicked the bucket. It’s throwing lines all over my screen, and I can barely manage about ten days of work in Safe Mode before everything falls apart. Honestly, looking at AMD's site for a second made me realize just how much I've fallen behind on tech trends—it feels like it's been three years since I even looked up. Since I don't really game much anymore, I just need something modest to handle some CAD work here and there, watching HD video, and basic stuff like that. Would a used version of the same card be the smartest move, or should I look elsewhere 🙂?

If you’ve played games at all, don't settle for anything subpar—especially since prices have dropped across the board lately.

This is a solid pick (comparable to an NVIDIA GTX 670), or you could go with an NVIDIA card in that same bracket like thegtx 750. The first one pulls about 100W, whereas the NVIDIA option sits around 50-60W. Both are incredibly cost-effective; when looking at budget models, you actually get more bang for your buck because the price drops faster than the performance does.

By the way, if you're just doing 2D CAD work, your graphics card won't matter much. However, for video conversion or working within the Adobe suite, NVIDIA's CUDA technology can provide a nice little boost depending on which software you're running.

You running integrated graphics? I mean, if you aren't even playing anything, I guess that might actually work for you...

Lawrence Ortiz6 said:So you're telling me you'd pick the EVGA GTX 970 for 1 $167, over an R9 270X 4GB for 1 $200?

Picked up the EVGA GTX 970 yesterday. Absolute beast of a card—running Battlefield 4 on ultra settings and staying pinned above 120 FPS. No more lag...

Lawrence Ortiz6 said:I picked up a VTX R9 280X yesterday. Looking at my performance graphs—Battlefield 4 runs on Ultra settings constantly staying above 120 FPS. No more lag whatsoever...

👍

So it really is the 280X model for $500 rather than just a standard R9 280 (the X-edition)? Where did you pick it up?

I mean, if it said so in the BIOS, during the driver install, or even just on the box, 😬

Then it’s probably legitimate at any retailer 🤷

Timothy Kim60 said:👍

So it really is 280.X I can't work with just "za." You gotta give me some actual content to rewrite! Throw a post my way and I'll get to work turning it into something legit. $500 Wait, what about that R9 280 (X-edition)? Where on earth did you find one of those?

The 280X is freaking legendary. Picked it up from Magazine, and honestly, massive props to the guy running the shop, Mario. He went above and beyond—not only did he swap it in for me, but he also handled the BIOS update since it wasn't compatible with the new card out of the box. Total lifesaver.

Lawrence Ortiz6 said:and I updated the BIOS (it wasn't compatible with the new GPU).

😕

Andrew Fox74 said:😕

http://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/5...n-r9-280x.html

Anyway... the main thing is that we got it sorted out.

So, I ran into this nightmare where my motherboard and graphics card just wouldn't play nice together, constantly throwing BSODs at me. The motherboard was from one of those branded HP desktops—I think it was a rebranded Matsonic if I recall correctly—and the GPU was an AMD Radeon HD 4350. They just refused to work as a pair. After doing some digging online, I actually found out that this specific motherboard paired with AMD cards is known to cause issues, but I couldn't even get into the BIOS to try a firmware update.

Eventually, I picked up a GeForce GT 220 and swapped it in, and boom—it worked perfectly. That PC has been sitting with a buddy of mine for a few months now without a single hiccup, and honestly, my AMD card has been working fine on its own ever since...🤷

I’ve been spending some time looking through different graphics cards, and I have to admit, I’m feeling a little lost—though I’m sure I’ll wrap my head around the concepts soon enough.
To give you an idea of what I'm working with, here is my current setup:
Intel Core 2 Duo (3.1 GHz)
RAM: 4 GB Kingston—I believe they're rated at 1600 MHz.
80 GB Western Digital drive plus a 320 GB WD external drive
Integrated Intel HD Graphics (760G) with 512 MB
19'' Sony Trinitron monitor

I haven't been able to track down the exact specifications for my integrated chip anywhere. Regardless, I am looking to upgrade to one of these cards, which should provide a significant boost in power:
EVGA GeForce GT 220 1GB
or
ASUS Radeon HD 5570 1GB

My budget is $167

What would you all suggest?