GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Robert Rodriguez2 said:just grab a new one, what kind of budget are we looking at?

Man, I feel like I've already said this a dozen times—I'm starting to bore even myself!

crimsonstag84 said:You can only pair it with the HD 6670 DDR3 version, since that's the type of system memory being used.

And honestly, that's exactly why I didn't even want them to pair up in the first place!🙂

driftingpilot8 said:I feel like I’ve already said this a few times, and honestly, I'm starting to bore myself.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-11886423

http://www.craigslist.org/listing/graphics-card-11777176

These prices are actually pretty solid.
For $100, you probably won't find anything better than integrated graphics—unless you count some other cheap junk that isn't much of an upgrade.

If he isn't playing games, then the whole thing is pointless to him.

Well, honestly 😂 I didn't catch the original post 😬

In that case, maybe a low-end card like an HD 6450 would work, though I guess it’s basically throwing money away if you ask me.

Timothy Kim60 said:if they aren't playing games, then none of this matters to them, right?

But hey, if someone isn't a gamer, we’re basically talking about them in the third person at this point, aren't we? 😁 😉

What I mean by "wasting money" is... well, look, when I'm watching YouTube, I've got SWF running in the background taking up about 1 GB of RAM on average, which leaves me with maybe 2 to 2.5 GB left. So, from what I can tell, the bottleneck isn't anywhere else—it's definitely the video memory! As soon as I bump up the resolution even a little bit, the image just starts tilting and stuttering, so I have to crank it down to the absolute lowest settings just to watch something without those annoying tiny hiccups.
So, what kind of price would actually make a difference here? Like, how much am I paying to fix this? I'm not looking for some miracle component, just something to smooth things out. And honestly, wouldn't it be way easier to hit that sweet spot for a non-gamer who doesn't have massive requirements anyway?

And I definitely wouldn't dream of putting high-mileage, used-up components into a build...😬

GPU - (looking for an upgrade?) - grab the cheapest one you can find out there—something like an HD 5450, HD 6450, or a GT 610.
http://www.amazon.com/s?k=hd+5450

Timothy Kim60 said:Regarding the GPU—if you're looking for a replacement—just grab the cheapest one you can find! Something like an HD 5450, a HD 6450, or even a GT 610.
http://www.nabava.net/search.php?tp=0&q=hd+5450

Thanks for getting back to me!

But wait, what’s the deal with GDDR3 versus GDDR5? Shouldn't there be a massive difference there? I mean, can I actually take advantage of the jump from 3 to 5 using my current (older) board? Honestly, I'm totally lost on this one...😁 what can actually be paired up, or what's worth upgrading?
And man, I noticed those 5 series cards aren't dropping below $450 yet...

It’s not like some ancient relic, so I guess that card should be able to handle YouTube just fine. Maybe try a different browser? Also, are you positive the drivers are actually installed? Check Device Manager under Display adapters to see what it says.

fadedorca66 said:Look, it's not some ancient relic from the stone age! In my book, that card should be able to handle YouTube just fine. Have you tried switching up your browser yet? And are you 100% sure the drivers are actually installed? Like, does it show up correctly under Display adapters in your Device Manager?

Everything is absolutely installed. I've got all the Radeon software and enhancements ready to go, but man, it just isn't flying. It’s hitting a wall, you know? Just can't go any faster than this.
Another browser? Psh, I've already cycled through five or six of the best ones out there.
I actually went with Chrome specifically because it's super lightweight and doesn't hog all my RAM.

Here's what I'm running:

Intel Core i5-4440 (3.1GHz, 6MB, LGA1150)
Kingston 120GB V300 SATA III SSD
Western Digital Green 1TB SATA 3
8GB Kingston HyperX Blue DDR3 1600MHz (1x8)
MS Logic A10 case
Gigabyte H81M S2PV with Corsair CX430M
Corsair CX430M, Modular Power Supply

Looking for some GPU advice. What can I grab—maybe used—that actually performs? Ideally something around $333.

Thanks

Henry Baker64 said:Here’s my current setup:

Intel Core i5-4440 (3.1GHz, 6MB, LGA1150)
Kingston 120GB V300 SATA III SSD
Western Digital Green 1TB SATA 3 WD10EZRX
Kingston HyperX Blue 8GB (1x8) DDR3 1600MHz
MS Logic A10 case
Gigabyte H81M S2PV with Corsair CX430M
Modular Power Supply

I'm looking for a GPU—used is fine—that actually performs well. Budget is around $333 bucks.

Thanks

AMD
http://www.newegg.com/p/product_info.php?c...ducts_id=14026

Nvidia
http://www.newegg.com/p/product_info.php?c...ducts_id=14395

Robert Rodriguez2 said:AMD
http://www.bestbuy.com/product_info.php?c...ducts_id=14026

Nvidia
http://www.bestbuy.com/product_info.php?c...ducts_id=14395

Can I actually run stuff like the new Dragon Age, Witcher, Tomb Raider, Battlefield, and games like that on this?
And is my current power supply enough?

Henry Baker64 said:Will I be able to run stuff like the new Dragon Age, Witcher, Tomb Raider, Battlefield, and games like that...
And is my current power supply enough...

You can, just don't expect Ultra settings...
The Nvidia card is stronger but uses less juice—it doesn't even need a 6-pin PCI-E connector since it pulls everything it needs straight from the slot.🙂

driftingpilot8 said:everything's installed. Got all the Radeon drivers and tweaks, but it still won't fly. It just won't.
another browser? I've tried maybe 5 or 6 of the best ones.
I went with Chrome specifically because it's light and doesn't eat up much RAM.

Maybe try booting from a live Linux USB to see how it acts there? Could be an OS issue, I guess.

7790, I'm hoping to snag it for around 500-$200, so you should probably hurry up. Check eBay, obviously. It’s a beast of a card; highly recommended.

And what's he even gonna do with it? It’ll just sit there unused since nobody's actually playing

Henry Baker64 said:Here is my current setup:

Intel Core i5-4440 (3.1GHz, 6MB, LGA1150)
Kingston 120GB V300 SATA III SSD
Western Digital Green 1TB SATA 3 WD10EZRX
Kingston HyperX Blue DDR3 1600MHz 8GB (1x8)
MS Logic A10 case
Gigabyte H81M S2PV with Corsair CX430M
Corsair CX430M 430W, Modular Power Supply

I'm looking for a GPU recommendation—new or used—that will perform well. My budget is around $333 bucks.

Thanks

It would be a solid move if you could stretch the budget a bit to hit an r9 270; that CX430 should handle it without breaking a sweat.

fadedorca66 said:Why don't you try booting up a live Linux distro to see how it behaves? Maybe the issue is just the OS.

Change my OS? What?! No way, man. I don't have any issues with my OS, I just really want to beef up my video performance!
And honestly, Linux is just a nightmare... after using a dual-boot setup for about a month, I ended up with a mountain of useless documents.
It’s pretty obvious I've squeezed every last drop of power out of this HD 5450.
Thanks for all the help, everyone!
I'm gonna go Google some non-gamer graphics cards for office work now.

Was it stuttering on Linux? If so, then that graphics card is seriously weak... I guess you should just grab the cheapest new one you can find and call it a day