GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A...TRIX_OC/9.html

According to this, the factory overclocked Nvidia GTX 970 is absolutely crushing the GTX 780 Ti in basically every title—and I mean by a significant margin...

Man, that ASUS card is a beast 😁

Looks like the GTX 780 is officially sold out at Best Buy 😁

Who can even guarantee anything at this point?

By the way, prices are definitely going to stabilize soon. NVIDIA GTX 970

We’ll likely see them drop to around $250, maybe even lower once ATI releases their own GPU. Good grief, how much do you think an ATI card in that same class will cost? Maybe just $200? 😬

Hey there,

I've got a quick question, mostly just looking for some info regarding graphics cards. I'm trying to figure out which GPU would be the sweet spot for an AMD FX 6300 without hitting a major bottleneck. I can push it to about 4.2 GHz with overclocking, but I'm also curious what the best move would be at stock speeds, say around 3.5 to 3.8 GHz.

It really depends on which game you're playing, whether it’s single-player or multiplayer, and your specific graphics settings and resolution. Honestly, nobody can give you a 100% precise or universal answer to that question.

The combination of an AMD R9 280X and an NVIDIA GTX 770 is actually quite solid, from what I can see here: click. You shouldn't run into any major bottlenecks at stock settings (at least in that specific title), though if my motherboard and cooler could handle it, I’d definitely push for an overclock. If you've got the budget, though, I say go for the NVIDIA GTX 970 paired with a CPU overclock.

Hey,

View on imgur
These are the specs required for the new FIFA, so I'm trying to figure out which graphics card would actually hit those recommended requirements.
My current setup is
an Intel Pentium G3220, 4GB of RAM, and an ASUS HD 6670.

NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti and the 260X (which actually pack a bit more punch)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C4S7U7G

So, if I pair this up with the rest of my old hardware, am I actually going to get decent performance out of this game?
(I’m assuming the GPU is the main bottleneck here, though everything else is pretty close to the recommended specs)

Yeah

Just a heads-up—that’s just the online price at Micro Center. If you walk into a physical store, expect to pay closer to $333. Honestly, you can find it for less than $300 if you check out some of the cheaper retailers online
.
BTW—you could probably throw an AMD R9 270 into that rig as well, provided your power supply can handle the load. Which specific PSU model are you running?

http://www.google.com/search?q=AMD+R9+270

Ordering online isn't an issue at all.
Buying this one is going to cost me a pretty penny, so I'm wondering if that price jump actually delivers anything worthwhile. I don't exactly run high-end AAA titles; my main goal is just making sure FIFA runs smoothly without any stuttering.
My current power supply is an EVGA 650W PSU.

It’s a solid value, but honestly, that power supply is absolute junk. You might want to check out the NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti instead.

Here is the situation: I am currently running an ATI Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 https://www.pcpartpicker.com/product/example . It’s been about five years now, so I think it is finally time to upgrade. Honestly, this card has served me incredibly well—never given me a single headache—but since I recently overhauled my other components, it feels like the right moment to address the GPU. I haven't really kept up with the graphics card market lately, so I've fallen a bit behind on what's actually out there. I have a few questions:

1. Roughly how much could I get for my current Sapphire card if I were to sell it?
2. How much should I expect to shell out for a replacement? I don't particularly care if it's NVIDIA or ATI, as long as the performance is a step up from what I'm using now.

Just to be clear, I am not looking for some high-end powerhouse designed to crank everything to Ultra settings. I am not a hardcore gamer; I just play a handful of titles a year, things like NBA, GTA 5 once it hits PC, or the newer Call of Duty releases. My overall system isn't anything special either.

To summarize,

1. PCI-E
2. Current specs:
a) Intel Pentium G3220 processor
b) ASUS H87-PRO motherboard
c) G.SKILL Ripjaws Series RAM, F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL, DDR3 1600MHZ, 2x2GB kit
d) Corsair HX 620W PSU
3. 24'' Monitor, 1920*1200 resolution
4. Budget... hmm, I'd prefer not to overspend. Maybe up to $233? Is it even possible to find something better than my current card for just $233?
5. Retailers? Where can I find the best deals online?

Hey, I don't want to start a whole new thread, but I'm looking at things from the opposite angle here and could use some expert advice. What’s the best way to pair a CPU with a specific GPU? Specifically, what would be the ideal Intel or AMD processor choice for:
- R7 260x / NVIDIA GTX 750
- R7 265 / NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti

I've been out of the loop for a bit, so I hope I matched these cards up with similar performance levels. If anyone has a good link or just some general guidance on how to avoid overspending on one part while undershooting the other—especially since I'm building this in stages and focusing on the GPU right now—I'd love to hear it. I know giving general advice is tricky, but I'm thinking a quad-core is basically the bare minimum these days if I want this investment to actually last through the next four years without being obsolete by tomorrow, right?

Michael Jackson10 said:Look, I don't want to start a whole new thread here, but I'm looking at this from the opposite angle and could use some expert advice. What’s the best way to pair a CPU with specific graphics cards? Basically, what would be the ideal Intel or AMD processor choice for:
- R7 260x / GTX 750
- R7 265 / GTX 750 Ti

I've been out of the loop for a bit, so I hope I matched these cards up with similar performance levels. If anyone knows, feel free to drop a link or just give me some general guidance on how to avoid overspending on one part while underpowering the other when building a mid-range rig in stages—since the GPU is my current priority. I know giving general advice is tricky, but I figure a 4-core processor is the bare minimum nowadays if I want this investment to actually last the next four years without becoming obsolete immediately.

Just tell us what components you currently have and what your budget looks like. Otherwise, a decent Intel Core i3 or any Intel i5 should do the trick (depending on which motherboard you're eyeing, say an LGA 1150 with an i3 4150 or better), and for AMD, anything above an AMD FX 6300 on the AM3+ socket works fine.

Oh, and with Intel, you really want to aim for those "K" series processors because they have unlocked multipliers for easier overclocking. For AMD IMO, a solid pick would be the 8350 BE (Black Edition); you'll definitely need a decent cooler for that—the stock ones might pass, but a better one is a must have—but with that overclocking potential, you're basically getting 8 physical cores.

Oh yeah, regarding the GPUs, check this test.

Steven White96 said:So, here's the deal. I'm currently running this NVIDIA sapphire radeon hd 4890 https://www.newegg.com/example-gpu-link, and since it's been about 5 years, I figure it might be time for an upgrade. It’s actually been a beast and hasn't given me any trouble, but I just finished refreshing my other components, so now it's finally time for the GPU. I haven't really kept up with the market lately, so I'm a bit out of the loop. I was wondering:

1. What kind of cash could I maybe get for my old sapphire card?
2. How much should I expect to shell out for a new one—doesn't matter if it's NVIDIA or AMD—as long as it outperforms what I have now?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/example-link

At least that much...

You could probably get ~$150 for the HD 4890.

Michael Jackson10 said:Hey, I don't want to start a whole new thread, but I'm looking at the opposite situation and could use some guidance from the experts. What's the best way to pair a CPU with a specific graphics card? Basically, what would be the ideal Intel or AMD processor choice for:
- R7 260x / GTX 750
- R7 265 / GTX 750 Ti

I've been out of the loop for a while, so I hope I paired these cards together roughly correctly. If anyone knows, maybe a link or just some general advice on how not to overbuild one side of the CPU/GPU balance for a mid-range build being put together in stages—since the GPU is what's on deck right now. I know giving general advice is tricky, but I guess a quad-core is pretty much the baseline these days if you want the investment to last through the next four years without being obsolete immediately.

Core i5-2500K is the bare minimum. Honestly, it might be better to aim for an FX 6300 paired with a 970A-DS3P and a decent cooler; that way you can do some moderate overclocking and leave the door open for beefier cards later on.

I’m a fan of looking at the big picture...
So, I'd say an i3 or a quad-core is basically the bare minimum, but anything above that is more than enough. Honestly, picking out a motherboard and RAM based on whatever platform I go with isn't even a struggle for me. I'm not really into overclocking, so I'll probably just stick with an Intel build and play it safe with reliable components. Since I'll be buying everything in stages, I won't list specific parts right now—prices change every single day anyway. My general game plan is an i5 paired with an ASUS board, plus a decent GPU, so I'm not trying to pinch every single penny...
Thanks for the advice!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

An i3 or 750K will handle graphics up to an AMD Radeon or at most an R9 270 (if you overclock an Athlon). However, if you go with an AMD Ryzen 5, an i5, or an AMD Ryzen 7, you'll have significantly more headroom for future GPU upgrades.

By the way, overclocking these unlocked multiplier processors isn't difficult at all; you might actually find it fun if you enjoy tinkering with hardware. That is, provided you have the patience, because the various trials and stability tests can easily eat up hours upon hours of your time...

To put it simply, as someone else mentioned, pairing a 6300 with a B85 Gigabyte or an ASUS motherboard plus a decent cooler—the better the better, like a basic liquid cooler from Best Buy, a Zalman Optima, or the long-time value king, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo—is the way to go.

EDIT

Ultimately, regarding bottlenecks, everything boils down to what you're playing: single-player vs. multiplayer, your resolution, and your in-game settings...

Here is an example if you're curious: using a 5600K (which is essentially a 750K paired with a GPU) and an HD7850 (which is stronger than an AMD Radeon, but about 8% weaker than an R7 265)—just check the GPU usage graphs in MSI Afterburner in these images.

5600k7850-callofduty-ultra - single-player - no bottleneck here.

5600k-4500mhz7850-callofduty.jpg - Some bottlenecking occurs during multiplayer even with CPU overclocking.

But keep in mind this is Call of Duty—some would call it a tech demo more than a game, so it's not the perfect benchmark since many games aren't nearly this demanding. Still, as next-gen titles arrive, this level of demand could become the new standard.

Hey everyone, I'm feeling a bit behind the curve on tech lately, so I could really use some advice.

What should I prioritize upgrading first? Here’s what my current rig looks like:

Case - Thermaltake Soprano
PSU - Be Quiet! Straight Power 700W
Motherboard - MSI Z87-G43 Military Class 4
CPU - Intel Core i5-4570 LGA 1150
RAM - 3x4GB Corsair Vengeance
1x2GB Corsair Dominator
GPU - Zotac 560Ti
HDD - 1TB SATA3
670GB SATA2
50GB SATA2
Cooler - Arctic Cooling A7
2x12cm fans
1x8cm fan
Monitor - LG Flatron W2261VP
TV - Sony Bravia 32" LCD 720p

Also, does anyone know how to hook up both the TV and the monitor to the HDMI port without constantly swapping cables? My GPU only has one HDMI out.🤦

Timothy Kim60 said:By the way, overclocking these unlocked processors isn't even a headache. Honestly, you might actually have a blast with it if you're the type who loves tinkering around under the hood. Unless you just don't have the time to mess around, you know? I mean, between all the testing and trying to see if everything actually stays stable, you could easily lose hours on end...

Honestly, I’ve just been feeling super lazy lately...

Since I’m basically the "family handyman" for my whole extended crew, I’m going to mix and match these suggestions to cover a few different builds. Personally, I don't really need much more than what I'm running right now, but everything is starting to feel pretty outdated. One component after another is just checking out on this ancient platform. Honestly, I don't have the time to spend all day tinkering with hardware, even though I love messing around with tech. When I finally get a free moment, my philosophy is strictly "plug and play."
I hate being labeled as some kind of "know-it-all" tech geek. Honestly, if I have to pick a philosophy, let's just go with "keep it simple and stupid." Why overcomplicate things? The more bells and whistles you add, the more ways there are to mess everything up. I prefer keeping things stable and optimized. I mean, what’s worse than recommending a setup to a buddy only to have it crash on them? Then you're the one getting blamed for the thunderstorm! Sure, it might mean I have to do a periodic clean reinstall of everything once in a while—mostly just fixing software headaches—but isn't that better than constant chaos?

Look, we’re talking about Call of Duty here. Some people are gonna call it nothing more than a glorified tech demo rather than an actual game, but honestly, that's a bit of a stretch. Plenty of big titles out there aren't even close to being this demanding. Still, if this is how next-gen gaming is headed, maybe this level of intensity could actually become the new standard? Who knows?

It’s like software is on some kind of steroid diet lately. You know the drill? One day everything runs smooth as silk, and the next, even basic media apps start stuttering like crazy. It’s ridiculous. My machine is basically acting like it can only handle Tetris now. Though, let's be real—that "smoothly" part is pretty subjective. Half the junk being pushed here is total garbage. I see people picking up these trashed, liquidated office PCs from big banks thinking they scored a massive deal, when really they just bought a headache.
Look, I get that it’s an investment, but isn't it better to just build a solid rig now? I’d much rather pay a bit more upfront for a setup that'll handle everything I need for the next three or four years without breaking a sweat. Why settle for a budget build today that leaves you scrambling for more RAM, a new GPU, or some used CPU tomorrow? Honestly, the headache of constantly upgrading and tinkering far outweighs the extra cost of doing it right the first time. Plus, you can't really put a price on how much smoother—and way less stressful—the whole experience is.
Today's big idea? "I'm gonna grab a laptop from Best Buy for like $300. They told me it can run anything! You just set it down on the desk, pop a tablet on top of it, call your neighbor over for some coffee, and you guys can just sit there and marvel at it together..."