GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

For a decent model, the difference is $367 if you're looking at buying new. It probably isn't worth it compared to the GTX 1660 Ti, which I guess is slightly faster and uses a bit less power.

I honestly had no idea this was even an option; I haven't really looked into this side of things at all. It looks like they carry a few different models over at Micro Center. Does anyone have a specific recommendation for a particular GTX 1660 Ti available there?

The cheapest dual-fan option from Gigabyte is $847. Honestly, you could probably just grab a single-fan model instead, $67 cheaper... I guess it really just depends on how much noise bothers you 😛

When it’s time to party, let’s really go for it.🙂 thanks.

Some reviews for the single-fan model claim it stays cool and quiet, plus they recently bumped up the warranty to 3 years 🤷
Personally, though, I’d still be aiming for the dual-fan version

A friend of mine is looking to pick up a used graphics card for about $500, but he’s currently browsing through some prehistoric relics that are easily ten years old. Honestly, what would be considered a genuine best buy for a pre-owned GPU at the $500 price point? I’d really appreciate some guidance here.

I'm looking for some recommendations on a solid setup—specifically regarding the CPU, RAM, power supply, and monitor resolution. Once we settle those, we can move forward.

I'm looking to pick up a new GPU so my son can actually play Apex. It’s way more demanding than Minecraft. He can run Minecraft on the absolute lowest settings, but it looks terrible. As for Apex? It glitches so much it's basically unplayable.
The specs:
Dell micro tower
ASUS, s1150,
8GB DDR3 (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX, KHX1600C9D3B1K2
Intel Core i5 with Samsung SSD and XFX GPU
Intel Core i5 with Samsung SSD and XFX GPU
EVGA
Dell Monitor, 21inch 1920x1080
The PC is about 5 years old. I'm assuming he just needs a better graphics card.

I was planning to spend around $500 by a certain date, but I have zero clue what to look for. Is it even worth buying used right now, or should I go new? He won't be playing constantly anyway—he's capped at an hour a day.

Thanks for the help.

Austin Young95 said:I want to pick up a graphics card so my son can play Call of Duty, which is way more demanding than Minecraft. He can run Minecraft on the lowest settings, but it’s not much of an experience, and Call of Duty glitches so much it's basically unplayable.
Specs:
Cooler Master micro tower
ASUS, s1150,
DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX, KHX1600C9D3B1K2
Intel Core i5 with Samsung SSD and XFX GPU
Intel Core i5 with Samsung SSD and XFX GPU
EVGA
Dell Monitor, 21inch 1920x1080
The PC is 5 years old, so I assume he just needs a new GPU.

I was planning to buy one around $500 date, but I have absolutely no clue what to look for. Is it better to get something used or buy new right now? He won't be playing much since he's limited to one hour a day.

Thanks for the help

This will fit perfectly; maybe Dad will get to play a little too then😉

If you've just been relying on the integrated graphics from an i5 up until now, this setup is basically going to feel like a spaceship:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example-1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example-2

Even if it was used for crypto mining, I guess it might still be worth it.

Thanks. I’m leaning towards that used Sapphire card. Will it actually fit in my small case and on my motherboard?
I also need to see how Skyrim holds up once I crank the graphics settings. 😁

No way that’s gonna fit in a microtower. You need those special cards made specifically for them because the slots on the case itself are shorter than standard ones. Plus, those custom cards are usually way more expensive, so wouldn't it be cheaper just to find a decent mid-tower case and move everything over?
That's honestly the biggest headache with those office mini-towers. Every single upgrade is limited by how much space you have. I dealt with the exact same thing recently and just fixed it by moving my motherboard and everything else into a regular case I had lying around.

But let’s be real, that case is still on the smaller side. It says it can fit cards up to 250-300 mm long

I don't even know. I've dealt with those old Dell towers where you can't even fit standard cards in them.

The Nitro+ RX 570 is 259mm, so it should probably be fine.

Head. Is this EVGA
PSU enough?

Austin Young95 said:Head. Is the EVGA GeForce RTX Series PSU
enough?

Of course. It would be a shame to have a build like that without a dedicated GPU🕺

Keith Nguyen7 said:There’s zero chance that fits in a microtower. You need specific cards built for those small cases because the slots themselves are shorter than standard ones. Those specialty cards usually cost way more, so you're better off just finding a decent case and moving everything over.
That's basically the whole problem with those office mini towers. Upgrades are always hit a wall because of the space. I ran into this exact mess recently and just swapped the motherboard and everything into a regular case I had lying around.

Don't talk nonsense... it's a standard microATX case. Normal cards like a PowerColor Radeon RX Series will fit in there just fine.

Got it

Sent from my LG-M700 via Tapatalk

My PowerColor Radeon RX Series handled Fortnite just fine. I used the auto config setting and it cranked everything straight to max 😳
Thanks for the tip 👍