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GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Started by Eric Nguyen · · 👁 46 views · 1.5K replies

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Participants Eric NguyenAlex Barnes93fadedorca66Jack Lewis36Joseph Young57Alexander Moore67Kyle Jones83Sarah Turner98Joshua Garcia3crimsonstag84Rebecca ParkerRobin Hernandez9Amy Vaughn12Jesse Brown90brightviper13Benjamin King2Larry Ortiz5Terry Scott65shadowjackal16Ryan Gonzalez4Robert Rodriguez2Jeffrey Petersonswiftowl5Megan Brown6 …
Robert Rodriguez2 Robert Rodriguez2 Regular
353 messages
joined Jul 2015
#1081 ·
Brian Campbell36 said:Power supply is an EVGA SuperNOVA (builder series) 🤔

It'll work 🙂 those cards aren't power hogs :P
Brian Campbell36 Brian Campbell36 Active Member
159 messages
joined Apr 2013
#1082 ·
Robert Rodriguez2 said:You'll be fine 🙂 those cards aren't exactly power hogs, you know.

While we are on the subject, I noticed you seem quite knowledgeable regarding PC builds and general hardware specs—so tell me, what is the fundamental difference between the Flex and Edition models (aside from the fact that the Flex version is $100 more expensive)?
Amy Vaughn12 Amy Vaughn12 Active Member
121 messages
joined Mar 2009
#1083 ·
I guess it might be better to skip buying another 7770 altogether. Instead, you could just sell what you have right now and put that money toward an HD 7850, an HD 7870, or maybe even a GTX 660—whether you decide to go with something brand new or pick up a used one.
Benjamin King2 Benjamin King2 Active Member
138 messages
joined Apr 2007
#1084 ·
Joseph Grant70 said:Look, honestly? I’d probably want to strangle them—but here I am, three years into owning this rig and I still don't quite have the guts to go digging too deep into the BIOS. I played around with some software overclocking at 3.4GHz for a bit, but let's be real—it just doesn't hit the same way.

The only actual difference between messing with your BIOS and using some basic Turbo software is that the BIOS actually gives you control over everything. Turbo is basically the "for dummies" version. 🙂
Sandra Vaughn Sandra Vaughn Newcomer
4 messages
joined Aug 2009
#1085 ·
Hey everyone.

I was hoping I could grab some advice regarding a new graphics card.
It’s been a long time since I really sat down to play games on my PC, so I’ve decided it’s finally time for a little refresh—right now, I'm still running an EVGA GTX 260 OC.

Just a heads-up, I’ll be buying through Best Buy using a corporate account, mainly because it simplifies the billing and gives me a decent discount. If I had my way, I’d probably pick up an ASUS card, but they don't seem to have them in stock there.
I've been looking at cards in the GTX 760 and 770 range, which brings me to a few questions:

-Which specific manufacturer or model would you recommend?
-Is there perhaps a GeForce option in this price bracket that might actually perform better?
-And one last thing... does anyone know why most of the graphics cards on the Best Buy site are showing as out of stock? Everything seemed to be available just a few days ago. 😁

The rest of my setup is:

Cooler Master HAF 912 ASUS M5A87
ASUS M5A87 motherboard
AMD Phenom II 965 Black box 8 GB G.Skill Sniper series 850W Scythe Chouriki 2
8 GB G.Skill Sniper series
850W Scythe Chouriki 2 power supply
1 TB Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS Hard Drive

Thanks.
Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Member
12 messages
joined Oct 2020
#1086 ·
Semper...
I mean, there are definitely some real experts here who can give you a better answer, but from what I've gathered looking through similar threads—I guess—if you're eyeing that GTX 760, you might want to bump up your processor a bit. And if you're thinking about the GTX 770? Yeah, you'll probably want an i5 to really keep up, especially for those heavy-duty games where you actually want the card to breathe, you know?

As for that Phenom, honestly, I think a Radeon HD 7870 would be such a killer best buy—it'd probably let you cruise through most newer games without any major issues for quite a while!
Brian Campbell36 Brian Campbell36 Active Member
159 messages
joined Apr 2013
#1087 ·
I have decided to move away from my plans for the Flex setup; instead, I am considering pairing this card with my current
SAPPHIRE HD 7770 GHz Edition OC 1GB GDDR5!

Is it actually feasible to run both of these together in CrossFire without running into the inevitable headaches of blue screens, thermal throttling, or other systemic instabilities? 🤔
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#1088 ·
John Moore51 said:Hey everyone.

I'm looking for some advice regarding a GPU upgrade.
It's been a long time since I've really sat down to game, so I've decided it's finally time to refresh my rig with a new graphics card (I'm currently running an EVGA GTX 260 OC).

Just a heads up, I'll be buying through Best Buy using a corporate account because I get a decent discount there. If I had my pick, I'd go with an ASUS card, but they don't have them in stock right now.
I've been looking at cards in the GTX 760 and 770 range, and I have a few questions:

-Which manufacturer and specific model should I go for?
-Is there a GeForce card in this price bracket that might actually be a better bet?
-Lastly, why does the Best Buy website show most of these GPUs as out of stock? Everything seemed available just a few days ago. 😁

The rest of my specs are:

Cooler Master HAF 912 ASUS M5A87
ASUS M5A87 motherboard
AMD Phenom II 965 Black box 8 GB G.Skill Sniper series 850W Scythe Chouriki 2
8 GB G.Skill Sniper series
850W Scythe Chouriki 2 power supply
1 TB Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS Hard Drive

Thanks.

That Phenom is still a solid CPU—you'd be better off pairing it with something like a Radeon HD 7850, a GTX 660, or a Radeon HD 7870, especially if you overclock the CPU.
Rebecca Parker Rebecca Parker Member
24 messages
joined Nov 2007
#1089 ·
I really need to find an aftermarket cooler for my GTX 470. This Turbo model is a total joke—honestly, when I crank it up to 100%, it sounds like a jet engine taking off at JFK, yet it cools worse than if I just sat there blowing on it myself.

I saw someone on eBay selling an Accelero TT Pro for a pretty decent price, but I have no clue if it’ll actually fit this card. I read online that the mounting holes might not line up, but has anyone here actually tried to mess around with it and make it work? 😁
Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Member
12 messages
joined Oct 2020
#1090 ·
Brian Campbell36 said:Check out this link—it’s got some info on those dual-slot components! I think it might be worth a look if you're trying to figure out what will actually fit in your rig.

I gave up on the flex—I think I’m just gonna pair this one up with my own setup instead!
Check out this SAPPHIRE HD 7770 GHz Edition OC with 1GB of GDDR5! It's such a little beast—honestly, I'm pretty stoked about it!

Do you think I can run both of them together in CrossFire without running into any annoying blue screens, overheating issues, or other random headaches? 🤔

$400 Would you trade two 7770s for CF?🤷
crimsonstag84 crimsonstag84 Regular
518 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1091 ·
Brian Campbell36 said:I guess I'm moving on from the flex setup. I'm actually thinking about pairing this one with my
SAPPHIRE HD 7770 GHz Edition OC 1GB GDDR5!

Do you think running both in CrossFire will be okay? I'm mostly worried about hitting blue screens, overheating, or just general headaches. 🤔
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#1092 ·
crimsonstag84 said:

+1
Brian Campbell36 Brian Campbell36 Active Member
159 messages
joined Apr 2013
#1093 ·
Lawrence Phillips said:$400 Would you consider trading two 7770s for a CF?🤷

Why not? A colleague of mine is running dual AMD Radeon HD 6850 cards, and his 3DMark score is north of 7700. Honestly, wouldn't it be more sensible to simply pick up another HD 7770 rather than pouring money into an endless upgrade cycle? $1000 For the graphics card, and I will also require a power supply unit—one that provides a minimum of 1000W to ensure stability.

crimsonstag84 said:Is there any particular reason why one would even bother looking at this specific catalog page? It seems to be a listing for DVI and DisplayPort adapters, though I find myself wondering if anyone actually finds these types of technical specifications useful when they are presented in such a fragmented manner. Does anyone truly believe that scrolling through a digital catalog like this provides any real clarity on compatibility?

Is there any real debate to be had here? The model equipped with dual fans is clearly the superior choice.

Timothy Kim60 said:+1

🤣

The SAPPHIRE HD 7770 GHz Edition OC 1GB GDDR5 VAPOR-X is essentially identical to my own card, with the only distinction being its dual-fan configuration. I fail to see why I shouldn't be able to install it, nor can I fathom why there is such pervasive skepticism regarding the HD 7770 and CrossFire configurations. After all, given that they draw a mere 75W, why should anyone be concerned?
Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Member
12 messages
joined Oct 2020
#1094 ·
Actually, scratch that—I just took a quick look at some reviews. If you've already got a board that supports CrossFire, then I say go for it! 🙂

But honestly? I’d probably still lean toward one of those cheaper 7770 versions if I were you. 🤷
Brian Campbell36 Brian Campbell36 Active Member
159 messages
joined Apr 2013
#1095 ·
Lawrence Phillips said:I am reconsidering my position after having taken a closer look at the reviews. If you happen to own a motherboard that actually supports CF, then by all means, go for it.🙂

Even so, one would inevitably find themselves contemplating whether a more budget-friendly version of the 7770 might have been a more logical choice.🤷

The motherboard in question is a P8Z68VGEN3, which, according to the specifications provided, is explicitly stated to support this. Does anyone here actually have experience with this specific motherboard? I am looking closely at the ASUS P8Z68VGEN3, and I find myself wondering if its architecture truly holds up under modern scrutiny. Is it worth the investment for a dedicated build, or are we simply chasing legacy specifications that have long since been surpassed by contemporary hardware? I would appreciate a measured analysis from those who have actually integrated this board into their systems.!

I find myself preoccupied by a single, nagging concern: that Corsair CX600 V2 power supply.

And why on earth would I opt for a cheaper alternative? My intention was to install the dual-fan model as the primary unit—positioned at the top—specifically to direct airflow downward to cool the card sitting beneath it. 🤔
Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Member
12 messages
joined Oct 2020
#1096 ·
Brian Campbell36 said:It’s a P8Z68VGEN3 motherboard—it says right there that it supports it! Check this out! I found the page for the ASUS P8Z68VGEN3—it looks like a pretty solid little board if you're looking to tinker around. Might be worth a look for some of those older builds we were talking about!!

I'm just a little worried about that EVGA SuperNOVA power supply, honestly!

And why would I even bother going for the cheaper one? — I was actually thinking about popping that dual-fan model in the top slot first just to help keep the card sitting below it a bit cooler! 🤔

Logic tells me the top card should be blowing hot air right onto the bottom one, right? Or am I totally off base here?
You already have a 7770 card sitting right there below! $267Honestly, if I were you, I’d just take that extra cash and dump it into a way more solid case with better airflow—I mean, I'm not even sure what kind of setup you're running right now, but yeah, definitely go for it!

The power supply seems alright to me—but hey, I’m definitely no expert here, so don't quote me on that!
Brian Campbell36 Brian Campbell36 Active Member
159 messages
joined Apr 2013
#1097 ·
Lawrence Phillips said:Wouldn't common sense dictate that the upper card would just be blowing hot air directly onto the lower one?
You already have that 7770 card sitting right underneath $267. If I were you, I would take that price difference and invest it in a more substantial case with superior airflow—though I haven't the slightest idea what kind of chassis you are currently running.

The power supply seems adequate enough to me, though I am certainly not the foremost expert on the subject.

The case has already been purchased, specifically this http://www.coolermaster.com/product/...er/haf-xm.html!

I intend to install an additional 80mm fan near the CF area, just to be safe, to mitigate the heat from those two cards.
Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Member
12 messages
joined Oct 2020
#1098 ·
Is a 7790 total overkill for an E8400? I mean, would it actually help much if I managed to bump the clock speed up to 3.6 GHz?

The plan is basically just to squeeze a bit more life out of my current rig—and maybe start sketching out my next build with Crossfire support, maybe even tossing in another 7790 for a specific year down the road.

I know a 7770 would pair fine with the E8400, but man, that tiny price difference for the massive performance jump you get with a 7790 is just too tempting to pass up.

And hey, when we're talking about it being "overkill," let's just ignore those newer games that absolutely munch through quad-core CPUs for now.

Thanks!
crimsonstag84 crimsonstag84 Regular
518 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1099 ·
It’s not exactly overkill, but I guess you might be better off overclocking.

EDIT: An E8400 equivalent would probably be a Pentium G620/630, which works fine with an HD 7750, so maybe an HD 7770 is the sweet spot for that CPU. If you hit 3.6-3.7 GHz with some OC, it should probably handle an HD 7790 just fine.
Lawrence Phillips Lawrence Phillips Member
12 messages
joined Oct 2020
#1100 ·
crimsonstag84 said:It’s not totally overkill, but you might as well try an OC.

It's not really overkill, though maybe it's pushing it a little? I guess anything beyond that probably wouldn't even make sense...

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