GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Maybe an HD 7750 (DDR5) would show some decent progress, but I guess anything less than that wouldn't really move the needle.

I honestly find it hard to wrap my head around it—that 9800 from the rig I picked up way back in 2008 is still out here kicking butt and making modern hardware look bad. It’s almost insulting, really. If memory serves me right, that old 6600 card held its own just as long as a minimum spec requirement for countless new titles. Anyway, thanks for the advice; trying to navigate all these specs feels like being lost in a dense forest without a compass. It used to be simple: you had a couple of mid-range and low-end options, maybe a few high-end ones if you were feeling flush, and that was the end of it. Now? It’s just an absolute jungle of confusing nonsense.

It feels like everything you're saying today is just pure marketing.

I am considering picking up an Nvidia GeForce + Forza Horizon bundle—specifically the 1GB GDDR5 256bit, 28nm model with DVI ($450)
The specs for this Nvidia GeForce are: 1GB GDDR5 256bit, 28nm, DVI + HDMI + 2xDP, PCI Express 3.0 16x, CrossFire support, Core clock at 860 MHz, Memory FQ at 4800MHz (1200GHz), DirectX 11, and 1024 stream Processors

Since I don't plan on upgrading my graphics card for at least 2 years, I have to wonder—will this card be sufficient to maintain High or Medium-High settings during that timeframe? (And while I realize there is still some uncertainty regarding the PC version of GTA 5, I would really love to be able to run it on High settings—not necessarily Ultra)

Furthermore, I am curious if it might actually be worth opting for the version with 2GB GDDR5 256bit, 28nm, DVI + HDMI + 2xDP ($517)
instead of the 1GB model over that same period.
My current setup includes an Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz (with a Max Turbo FQ of 3.3 GHz) and 6MB cache
along with 8GB of DDR3 RAM and a 21.5''/22'' monitor

So, here’s the deal: you should be fine to play without much trouble. But look, nobody’s got a crystal ball to predict exactly what the requirements for something like GTA 5 will look like. Who knows? Maybe it’ll turn out to be some unoptimized mess like GTA 4 and you won't even be able to run it...

You’re probably gonna need the 2GB version if you’re running anything higher than 1080p or if you’re rocking a multi-monitor setup.

fadedorca66 said:As things stand right now, you should be able to play without much trouble. However—and this is a significant "however"—nobody possesses a crystal ball to predict the exact system requirements for something like GTA 5; who knows, perhaps it will turn out to be an unoptimized mess just like GTA 4, making it impossible to even run...

You really only need the 2GB version if you're pushing resolutions higher than 1080p or if you're running a multi-monitor setup.

Look, I am fully aware of the uncertainty surrounding GTA 5, but my hope is simply that it arrives on PC and is actually well-optimized.🙂
So, does that mean I don't actually need the 2GB model? If so, I might just put that extra budget toward an IPS monitor and a 500GB drive instead.👍

Nah, I guess 1GB is plenty for 1080p, so you might be better off just grabbing a nicer monitor and some extra storage instead.

fadedorca66 said:No, 1GB is perfectly adequate for Full HD resolution—so if I were you, I would prioritize investing in a higher-quality monitor or perhaps an additional hard drive instead.

👍👍👍👍👍👍

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...pid=1450&leg=0

It arrives on 😲 Tuesday. It’s going right into my hard drive bay, and it’s taking up 4 cm of depth.

Hey, I'm looking to grab a new graphics card. I mostly just use this rig for browsing, movies, and music, so I don't need anything crazy expensive.
Up until now, I've been running an Nvidia GeForce HD Series.

Here’s what the current build looks like (pulled from Speccy):

Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1

CPU
Intel Core 2 duo E4600 @ 2.40GHz
Conroe 65nm Technology

RAM
2,00 GB Single-Channel DDR3 RAM @ 399MHz (5-5-5-18)

Motherboard
ASUS EP35-DS3R (Socket 775)

Graphics
Dell SyncMaster (1680x1050@60Hz)
Nvidia GeForce HD Series (AMD)

Hard Drives
298GB Western Digital hard drive (SATA)

Also, I'm running a 400W Blue Storm ii power supply.

If you just need to get an image on your screen, I guess you could just grab whatever cheapest thing you can find.

Honestly, if those games aren't really your thing, you might as well just grab an Nvidia GeForce GT or even a slightly better Nvidia GeForce GT. (They're actually quite a bit $100 cheaper too)

The Nvidia GeForce GT is about $83, which sounds awesome. I think I'm gonna grab it then, thanks 🙂

Alright, here’s the current rundown (at least the parts that actually matter):

AMD A8-3870 APU Quad-Core 3.00 GHz
4GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450

The processor is doing its job well enough, I guess. But now, I’m looking to swap out this graphics card because it’s seriously lagging behind. Any suggestions? Would a GTX 660 be able to handle things properly?

I’d personally jump over to the 7870—it actually edges out the GTX 660 a bit.

With this card, you might even score two games for the price of one.🙂

Yeah, but that’s my absolute last resort. I was just asking for the sake of knowing. Is there anything actually affordable out there that can still pull its weight? My goal is high graphics settings, obviously—if there's anything cheaper that won't choke immediately, let me know.

Look, just tell me what you're willing to offer, because we could honestly sit here debating this until tomorrow.

EDIT: This one with the four blades is a bit cheaper, but it’s still a solid choice.

Alternatively, if you want to throw in $17 a little extra, you can grab a bundle with two games:

My GPU fan is acting crazy. It started making this loud-as-hell noise, then suddenly goes back to being quiet and running normally. What's the deal? Can I just rip the fan off entirely, or am I gonna fry my card? Or what? Thanks.

It’s like Americans just don't have a thing for Nvidia, right? Or am I crazy?

I haven't settled on a specific budget yet. I'm basically just trying to figure out what kind of damage I'll have to do to my bank account to actually land a decent graphics card.

My first suspicion is that we're looking at a dust issue—if you haven't cleaned out your rig in a while, that’s almost certainly your culprit. If you happen to have an air compressor lying around the house, feel free to give the whole thing a good blast. Otherwise, maybe head over to a local repair shop this Tuesday and have them blow it out for you? $6.75 That's it—time for some coffee.