GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

You’ll end up paying $30$13 for shipping via FedEx if he doesn't cover it himself—though I honestly doubt he will. You could also go through The New York Times, but you'd have to wire him the money upfront first. Honestly? If I were you, I'd just stick with the USPS option—that way, you don't pay a dime until the package is actually in your hands.

I suppose I should probably mention Osmanko, though I can't say I'm entirely sure what the point of bringing them up is at this stage. It feels like one of those things you just drift into talking about without much direction, I guess. Maybe it's just part of the general noise, or maybe I'm just overthinking things again, which happens more often than I'd care to admit. Anyway, there they are. Jack Torres4 says:
I guess you’re looking at that thirty-dollar price tag and wondering if it's actually worth the hit to your wallet, though I suppose it really depends on how much you value your peace of mind. It feels like everything is creeping up lately, doesn't it? I mean, maybe it's just me being cynical, but sometimes it feels like we're all just slowly paying more for things that used to be cheap, and honestly, I can't quite put my finger on when that shift started. Still, if you have to pull the trigger, you might as well prepare yourself for that thirty bucks.$13 If you go with FedEx, you might have to cover the cost upfront if he doesn't pay—though I honestly doubt he wouldn't, I guess. You could also try using The New York Times' delivery service, but then you'd probably have to wire him the cash first to get things moving. Honestly, if I were you, I’d just stick to the USPS option; that way, you don't have to part with any money until the package actually hits his hands.

Alright, thanks.

Jack Torres4 said:Alright, thanks, but here’s the thing—you’re offering me this processor, but you're based way out in, say, Seattle, while I'm stuck over here in Miami, so by the time I pay for gas to drive there, I've basically spent more than the chip is actually worth, so I guess I have to wonder if you could just ship it to me via some kind of mail service instead.

I mean, is an Intel Pentium Processor G2030 (3.00GHz,512KB,3MB) actually any better than that other one? I saw a similar price listed on some random website, but then there's the offer you mentioned from that local marketplace site, and honestly, I haven't a clue how used or new it really is, or any of that stuff.

You should probably just stick to looking at Socket 775 processors, because that one won't fit into your motherboard...

Hey guys, what are your thoughts on the MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680—specifically the single-fan version? Has anyone here actually put one through its paces personally?

Let me guess, you can probably snag one for a steal 😬

If you don't mind a bit of noise and some seriously killer graphics, grab 😛 ...it’s basically just an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 with a higher power draw.

Haha 😍 Do you really think it’s that loud? With my 7870, even when things start heating up, it stays under 60°C—and honestly, it's pretty quiet...

I mean, seriously, look at that price tag—especially when there isn't even a warranty included $633. My old 7870 still gets the job done just fine, and instead of dumping all that cash into a new GPU, I decided to treat myself to a brand-new case:

corsair 200r 😍

Looking for a GPU recommendation to pair with my $267)
AMD A8 x4 5600 k, Socket FM2, 3600 MHz clock speed, 4 MB L2 cache, Trinity Core,
I have a cooler, and I'm currently using the integrated 7560D graphics.

Motherboard is an Asrock FM2 A75M DGS.

So you already have the 5600K and a motherboard, and the integrated graphics just aren't cutting it for you?

I guess the Radeon HD 7770 is really your only move up to $267.

User claims their system freezes up during gaming every thirty minutes or so.

That really shouldn't be happening, and I guess buying a new GPU probably won't even fix it.

Quick question—will an ASUS Nvidia Geforce GT630, 2GB, PCI Express card actually work on an MS-7529 ver 1.6 motherboard?

Maybe

If you're looking at buying something brand new, I wouldn't recommend that specific card...
Assuming you have at least a dual-core processor, you should set aside roughly $200 and hunt down an HD 7750 with DDR5 memory (if you can find them). If not, look for an R7 250 or an HD 7730—just make sure they all have DDR5 versions.
Everything listed below is a bit of a gamble if your goal is actual gaming; if you just need something to drive a monitor, there are much cheaper ways to go about it.

Timothy Kim60 said:sure

If you're looking at buying something brand new, I wouldn't recommend that specific card...
Assuming you've got at least a dual-core processor—maybe drop about $200 and grab an HD 7750 with DDR5 (if you can find one). If not, look for an R7 250 or an HD 7730—just make sure they're all DDR5 versions.
Everything listed below is questionable if you actually want to play games; if you just need a display output, there are much cheaper ways to go about it.

Yeah, but I'm running DDR2 RAM. I didn't realize a DDR5 card would work on a DDR2 motherboard—why wouldn't I just buy a better card then??
I'd spend a maximum of $233 on a card with 2GB, or maybe 1GB if I have to.
And yes, I'd be buying new.

And if we could actually pinpoint where to pick one up—I was thinking about heading over to the HGspot in Chicago.

Don't let the VRAM type trip you up—whether it's GDDR3 or GDDR5 doesn't change what we're actually talking about here. Your best bet is to focus on the price point versus the core clock frequency. Generally speaking, you want the highest MHz you can get for the lowest price, though that rule really only applies when you're comparing similar cards. Those Radeon HD 7750 models with 2GB of RAM often use GDDR3, which usually means they'll underperform compared to their counterparts. Honestly, for Full HD resolution, you don't need a massive amount of VRAM, especially not for a card this entry-level...

Michael King7 said:True, but I'm running DDR2 RAM. I didn't realize a GDDR5 graphics card could work on a DDR2 motherboard. If that's the case, why wouldn't I just buy a more powerful card instead??
I'd spend my max $233 on a card with 2GB, but if not, then 1GB
And I'd definitely be looking for something new

Like I already told you, the video memory on your graphics card has absolutely nothing to do with whatever RAM you have on your motherboard. You can go ahead and grab a GDDR5 card without any issues.

Regarding the capacity—you won't notice much difference between 1GB and 2GB at resolutions up to 1920x1080, but you *will* feel the difference between DDR3 and GDDR5. It makes way more sense to pick up a 1GB GDDR5 card for a tiny bit extra cash than to settle for a 2GB DDR3 card just to save a few bucks.

Higher-end cards come with 2GB standard, which is expected, but in that $600-$233 range, it doesn't make sense for you, nor do you actually need it for those lower-tier setups. crimsonstag84 linked you a good option above, or maybe this one—though they were out of the 7750 last week (and many others too). They're slowly disappearing unless they've restocked... and by the way, I hope you're at least running a decent dual-core processor.

What’s the verdict on this Asus EAH6670/DIS/1GD5 graphics card?

You can go for it if it ends up being cheaper than those other options. Honestly, the 6670 performs very similarly to the 7730.

Here’s a rough idea of the hierarchy to help you choose for gaming:
http://www.bitsandchips.it/9-hardwar...-oland?start=7