GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Jonathan Bennett46 said:Thanks.
I wasn't planning on swapping my CPU or motherboard right now, but it looks like I might have to. If I go with a beefier processor, will I need a better motherboard to keep up with the GTX 1050?

You'd probably just need to flash the BIOS...

... you could always drop in an AMD Athlon II X4 965 or hunt down a used X6 core version instead
. Check your motherboard's CPU support list
.
Since your board uses standard voltage regulation, I wouldn't recommend pushing any serious overclocking—cranking up that voltage can be risky. You don't necessarily need a massive, overkill cooler; you just need something decent to quiet things down because the stock one is pretty loud this specific model. Pair that with at least another 2GB of RAM, and you'll be all set for some solid gaming
.

I think I'm just going to pull the trigger on the GPU alone—grab an AMD Radeon HD 7850 and see if that gets everything running smoothly. I might also try updating the BIOS, though honestly, I've never actually done that before. If it doesn't work out, then I'll just look into upgrading the rest of the rig sometime in the next five years or so. I'm definitely not exactly swimming in cash right now.

How's this MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 performing with an overclock? Is it actually any good, and where does it sit compared to an HD series card or something else entirely?

It’s pretty much on par with an AMD Radeon HD 7770.

What kind of card are we even talking about given where GPUs stand today?

How much longer do you think it could actually run games before everything just hits a wall and nothing runs on anything higher than low settings?

Personally, I think the AMD Radeon HD 7770 is a solid card when you look at the value you get for the price—it's a pretty great bang-for-your-buck situation. As for how much longer it'll hold up against upcoming titles? Well, in my opinion, it’s got some life left in it. Of course, you aren't going to be cranking everything up to Ultra settings, but if you don't mind dialing back the graphics details or maybe dropping the resolution here and there, it should still get the job done quite well enough.

Jonathan Bennett46 said:I think I'll just try buying a GPU—maybe an AMD Radeon HD 7850—and see if everything runs smoothly. I'm also going to attempt a BIOS update, even though I've never actually done that before. If that doesn't work, I'll just look into replacing the rest of the components within the next five years. To be honest, money is a bit tight right now.

Look, if you really aren't planning on changing anything else for a long while, then grab a 6670 DDR5 or maybe even a 7750 DDR5 instead. It honestly makes more sense for your situation.

Timothy Kim60 said:Look, if you aren't planning on upgrading anything else for a while, you might as well just grab a 6670 with DDR5 or maybe a 7750 with DDR5—otherwise, it's probably not worth your money.

So, if I'm picking up some RAM, do I really need to worry about whether it's DDR5 or not?

That RAM (think of them as cookies for your motherboard) has absolutely nothing to do with the memory on your graphics card (GDDR5). You just need to pick out RAM that your motherboard actually supports—in this case, DDR2.
As for the video cards, GDDR5 is significantly faster than GDDR3 within the same model line. Plus, those cards will plug right into any motherboard, provided it has a PCI-E slot.

Hey guys, I'm looking to swap out the GPU in my rig. If you've got any solid recommendations, let me know. Mainly just want something for gaming, keeping the budget under $233.

John Mitchell9 said:Hey everyone, I'm looking to swap out the graphics card in my rig. If you have any recommendations, let me know. Mainly just looking to get some decent gaming performance, ideally staying under $233.

If you could list out the rest of your components—especially the exact model of your power supply—we might actually be able to find something that works for you...

Timothy Kim60 said:That motherboard RAM (the system memory) doesn't have anything to do with the VRAM on the graphics card (GDDR5). You just need to grab whatever RAM that specific motherboard supports (which would be DDR2 in this case).
As for the cards, GDDR5 is definitely faster than GDDR3 (on the same model). Regardless of what kind they use, they should fit into any motherboard, provided it has a PCI-E slot.

Oh, my bad—it looks like you actually know your stuff. I'm just browsing through some GPUs right now and was wondering which one you think is the better pick. From what I can gather, the main difference seems to be the clock speeds for the core and the memory, so I'm assuming a higher number means a better card, right?

http://www.ekupi.com/Graphics-card...gs-268410.aspx

http://www.ekupi.com/Graphics-card...gs-268406.aspx

http://www.ekupi.com/Graphics-card...D5-257647.aspx

http://www.ekupi.com/MSI-GF-GTX650Ti-...ca-275045.aspx

http://www.ekupi.com/Graphics-card...R5-272318.aspx

They're a little pricier since they come with 2GB, and over at ekupa, that was the only site I found that offered an online installment plan.

If you're looking at NVIDIA, definitely go with this MSI model since it's the Boost version (which outperforms the standard 650Ti). Plus, MSI offers an extra year of warranty compared to the others.
Palit isn't exactly top-tier quality—you might deal with some noise issues.

There isn't as massive a gap between 1GB and 2GB as people make it out to be. Having 2GB is fine if you want to push higher resolutions than 1080p or mess around with heavy filters like MSAA—though honestly, you wouldn't bother doing that with a card in this performance bracket on any modern AAA titles. Besides, those settings are huge performance killers, making them pretty unnecessary anyway.

If you're hunting for a budget-friendly option, this one is a fantastic value for the money, especially since it's currently on sale. The ASUS models have great cooling, and this specific one even features dual fans.

Comparison between the 7790 and the 650Ti Boost:

Regarding the 7850—that’s actually the strongest performer here, though the Boost version holds its own better in Battlefield 3.Comparison

When it comes to Vertex, a lot of people say they aren't the best bet—they tend to run loud and have subpar cooling and build quality. I'd probably skip them, especially since the price isn't nearly as competitive as it should be, even with the 2GB of VRAM.
I'd actually pick this one over them. While XFX cards can get noisy when they only have a single fan, this model has two (at least according to the photo, so double-check with the seller). It has 2GB and the price is solid.

Your safest bet would be the ASUS model. The only downside is that the 1GB version carries a bit of a premium because you're paying for the brand name, but I don't think you'll have any complaints regarding noise or thermal performance.

If you're looking at NVIDIA, definitely go with this MSI model since it's the boosted version (meaning it outperforms the standard 650Ti), plus MSI offers an extra year of warranty over the others.
Palit isn't exactly top-tier quality either—you might run into some noise issues.

There isn't actually as massive a gap between 1GB and 2GB as people make it out to be. Having 2GB is fine if you want to push higher resolutions than 1080p or mess around with heavy filters like MSAA—but honestly, you wouldn't bother doing that with a card in this performance bracket in today's most demanding titles (and pushing those settings is what kills your frame rates anyway, so it's a waste of resources).

If you're hunting for a budget-friendly option, this one is a fantastic value for the money, especially since it's currently on sale. Plus, ASUS cards have stellar cooling, and this specific model features dual fans.

Comparison between the 7790 and the 650Ti Boost

Regarding the 7850—that’s still the strongest contender here, though the Boost version holds its own better in Battlefield 3.Comparison

When it comes to Vertex, the consensus is that they aren't the best bet—they tend to be loud and have subpar cooling and build quality. I'd steer clear of them, especially since the price isn't nearly as competitive as it should be, even for the 2GB version.
I'd actually pick this one over them. While XFX cards can be noisy when they only have a single fan, this one has two (check the specs to confirm, but it looks that way in the photo), gives you 2GB, and the price is solid.

Your safest bet is definitely the ASUS model. The only downside is that you'll pay a slight premium for the 1GB version just because of the brand name, but I don't think you'll have any issues regarding heat or noise levels.

Thanks, man, top tier advice right there.
Since I'm running at a resolution of 1650 x 1050, I think I'll just go with the 1GB options—they're a lot easier on the wallet. I wouldn't call myself much of a gamer, but it really bugs me when things start stuttering, especially since I have this bad habit of cranking everything up to High or Ultra settings by default.
I'll give it some thought. Thanks for all the suggestions, I might even take a look at some of those budget picks you mentioned.

I am looking to build a new PC soon, though I find myself stuck in indecision regarding which GPU to pull the trigger on😕 . My budget is sitting at $417.
I have been weighing these two options:

What kind of gaming GPU are we talking about?

What else are you running in that build?

I'm on the hunt for a new GPU to handle some $667 gaming at 1080p resolution
.
I grabbed this power supply bundled with my case here:

Motherboard specs:
Graphics Interface: PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width: x16
PCI-E Max Link Width: x16
DMI Baseboard:
vendor: ASRock
model: 960GM-GS3 FX

Can I actually run a decent card off this PSU, or am I just asking for a meltdown? If it won't cut it, just toss a recommendation for a new power supply in there too.