GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Anonymous said:I've got an old Nvidia GeForce 8500 512 MB card. I could still play some games from 2012, though obviously on totally low settings—some stuttered a bit, and surprisingly, some wouldn't run at all... I'm planning to swap it out for one of these: Gainward nvidia 2gb ddr3 gt620, geforce n610sl 1gb, sapphire hd5450 2gb, msi nvida geforce n620 2gb, or an asus nvidia geforce gt620. I have about $50 or so to spend. It's not much, but I don't need anything crazy powerful... If you guys know of a better option, feel free to let me know; I might be able to stretch my budget a little if it's worth it. Also, I'm currently using a 17-inch old CRT monitor, but I'll be moving up to a 21-inch LCD soon.

Honestly, none of those are really an upgrade; they're barely any better than your current 8500 GT. This would probably be your best bet here:

What does the rest of your build look like?

Does anyone know where—if it's even possible at this point—one might actually track down
-SAPPHIRE HD 7870 2GB GDDR5 XT (tahiti)
in the States?

Is this CPU going to bottleneck this GPU?

-Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz (Max Turbo FQ 3.3 GHz), 6MB

-Sapphire hd 7950 boost edition, 3GB GDDR5 384bit

Based on this, I would say we are looking at the green zone—a perfectly balanced pairing. 😕

Honestly, I think this photo is total garbage. There shouldn't be any issues when it comes to the processor, right?

Thinking about picking up an HD6670 low profile. Would that actually fit in this case?

http://s8.postimg.org/grfeitp51/20130424_150642.jpg

http://s14.postimg.org/koh68ghdt/20130424_150645.jpg

Length—190 mm.
Width — 23 mm.
Height — 62 mm.

You got a leveler at your place? 😁

I mean, isn't it a dual slot?

The VGA connector is detachable—you can just unclip the whole cable if you don't actually need the VGA connection.

Do you think it might come with two adapters included?

My old ATI X1950pro finally kicked the bucket on me, and now I'm sitting here staring at a screen wondering what on earth I should grab to replace it. Honestly, I don't even really play games anymore—that’s just not my thing—but I absolutely need a card that can handle two displays at once: I want to run my main monitor at 1080p via DVI and also hook up my Panasonic plasma to another 1080p feed via HDMI.

Is an XFX Radeon 7750 total overkill considering how much they're asking for it ($243even with the current sale price)? If you think I'm overspending, what else would you suggest I look for?

To give you the full picture, the rest of my rig is running an Intel I5 2500, an Asus P8P67LE, 4GB of RAM, and a Corsair 450 W. power supply.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

Look, if you aren't actually gaming, just swap that I5 2500 non k out for a B75, H67, or H77 board—or if you're running a K series, go with a Z68 or Z77. Honestly, just lean on the integrated graphics from the i5—it’s more than enough for what you're trying to do. Just make sure whatever motherboard you grab has both DVI and HDMI ports, and you'll be all set.

Look, if you aren't gonna mess around and just pick one, then just grab it. The HD 6450... honestly, just a total relic at this point. ...or maybe something with a bit more kick. HD 6570 You're good, man. You seriously don't even need an XFX Radeon 7750.

bluejackal21 said:Is there any chance it comes with a DVI adapter included?

Nope.

Looks like the card doesn't take up more than one slot, so it should fit just fine.

I've got exactly 6.7 inches of clearance. Will an XFX Radeon 7750 fit?

It depends—they aren't all the exact same size, so you should probably double-check the manufacturer's specs on their site just to be safe.

Is 17 really long enough? What do you guys think—will it work?

I did some digging on those cards for you. The Sapphire, Asus, and MSI models all measure in at exactly 17 cm, while the Gigabyte version sits at 19.5 cm. I couldn't find any specific dimensions for the VTX3D, though...

Well, I’ve got the space, so it should fit, right?

I'm not entirely sure, but what exactly are you worried about regarding the HDD mounting brackets and stuff like that?

Hey everyone, I could use some advice. I'm looking for a new GPU but my budget is capped at $1000$367. I was leaning towards a GTX 650, but is there anything actually worth picking up for that kind of money instead?

f1a55-m le
a8-3870k 3.0ghz
500gb hdd
600w power supply
4gb ddr3