GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Tyler Green5 said:That was my mistake too. I thought my parts didn't pull much power, then I ran into trouble because of a crappy power supply.
brightviper13 makes a good point. I have the exact same graphics card. You're running Athlons—he didn't specify which ones—but they draw about the same power as my current processor. I just got lucky that nothing else fried...

There shouldn't be any issues with the power supply

driftingscout2 said:Couldn't find a better thread for this, so here goes...
I've been wondering why almost every new Intel processor comes with integrated graphics. I get that it makes sense for laptops meant for basic tasks, but it feels like almost every CPU has it now. My impression is that anyone building a serious rig buys a dedicated GPU anyway. If you know the real reason behind this or have some insight, please weigh in. How much does having integrated graphics actually affect the price of the CPU? And just how good are these integrated chips—what's their actual ceiling? Also, how much of the processing power is being eaten up by the graphics side (I assume the CPU is basically doing the heavy lifting for the GPU)? If I grab a CPU with integrated graphics but then plug in a dedicated card, does part of the processor just sit there idle, or is it still being used for other tasks? If my questions sound dumb, feel free to tell me why... I'm planning to build a PC very soon, and this whole integrated graphics thing is bugging me.😁

It’s included because it’s cheap and uses negligible power. That’s where the industry is heading, and I'm all for it. There are tons of old motherboards and processors out there sitting idle because they can't run modern cards, but those machines could still be great for web browsing, movies, or just running Word and Excel...

It isn't high-end graphics, but for office work, it's more than enough. Plus, it's clearly cheap to manufacture.

In that setup, the CPU contains the GPU. It’s its own separate unit; it doesn't interfere with the CPU itself, even if they share the same space. They aren't stealing resources from each other...

Once you plug in a real GPU, the processor doesn't even realize it has a built-in one anymore.

Bryan Taylor6 said:The reason it’s included is because it's cheap and uses almost no power. Honestly, I think that's where most future processors are headed—and I'm all for it. There are tons of old motherboards and CPUs out there right now with memory sitting idle just because you can't find an AGP graphics card anymore. Those machines could still be perfectly useful for browsing the web, watching movies, or even basic office stuff... you know, Excel or Word...

It isn't some high-end powerhouse, but for office work, it's more than enough. Plus, it's clearly super inexpensive to manufacture.

In those cases, the CPU actually contains the GPU. It's its own distinct component; it doesn't really affect the CPU itself other than sharing the same physical space. No one is stealing resources from anyone else here...

When you plug in a dedicated graphics card, the processor doesn't even realize it has a GPU built into it.

If nobody is stealing resources from anyone else, then it feels like when you plug a real graphics card into your PC, you're left with a useless part of the processor. To me, that feels like throwing money away. Maybe it's not a huge amount, but still... Does a processor model even exist that comes in both versions—one with integrated graphics and one without—just so we can see the actual price difference? I feel like I'm not paying the factory for the integrated chip specifically; I'm just paying a slightly higher markup when it reaches my hands.
Now, if resources were actually being "stolen"—meaning, if that integrated GPU could be used as extra processing power, but not through specialized tools like CUDA or OpenCL, but rather at the hardware level so certain tasks could run on the integrated GPU while I have a separate card installed—then I'd be on board. As it stands, I end up with a product that can't really do much, and once I buy something that *can* do something, I'm stuck with a redundant part. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, thanks for the answer! 👍

Hey guys,

so uh, can you guys help me out? I need some solid advice on a GPU and a power supply for my current setup. My budget is around $567 total. I just want to be able to play all the newer games without my electric bill going through the roof xD Here's what I'm running right now:

ASRock 880 GMH U3S3 motherboard - AMD 880G SB850, 4 DDR3 slots, 2 SATA3, 5 SATA2, basically an upgrade over the old 880GMH USB3

aMaze 503 case

Phenom II X6 1090T processor (3.2GHz, 9MB, 125W) box Black Edition

Kingmax Black Edition 4GB (2x2GB) DDRIII 1600 non-ECC, CL9.0, 128Mx8, FLGE, NANO spreader

Seagate Barracuda 7200 HDD (3.5'', 750GB, 32MB, Serial ATA III-600), ST3750525AS

Samsung SH-S223C internal SATA DVD burner, Bulk, Black

1 x Zalman 450-GS PSU, ATX12V V2.3, dual rail +12V DC
1 x Sapphire HD 7850 + DiRT Showdown, 1GB GDDR5 256bit, 28nm, DVI
$600

Just a shot at getting $33 out of this.
Maybe check some other shop to see what this combo would actually run me for.

Alright, let's finally settle this—this has been dragging on way too long...

I’m planning to try and fix my GeForce GTS 250 this Thursday, but honestly, the odds aren't great. I've been doing some serious digging through various links and online reviews regarding card quality. To be blunt, that specific card is kind of a disaster—the TDP is sitting at 145W... FFS, it's basically a space heater...

And looking at the NVIDIA lineup? No way. There just isn't anything out there that offers decent value when you look at the price per GFLOPS.

So, it looks like it's AMD it is (there, I said it! For the first time ever, even though I always swore I'd be a die-hard NVIDIA guy forever). And I think I found the perfect one: the 6570.
I can't really afford to go even a few bucks over my budget because money is pretty tight right now, and everything weaker (like the 6450, for example) just doesn't have enough GFLOPS.

So, I'm looking for advice, opinions, or any experiences you guys have with the 6570? Is it prone to dying easily? Like, will it trip a circuit breaker the moment I plug it in? Also, should I stick with Sapphire or go for an XFX?

Sapphire usually feels a bit more premium... most of those low-end cards have pathetic fans and just mediocre build quality. It’s definitely weaker than the GeForce GTS 250, but in that specific bracket, you don't really have many options... maybe an HD 6670 with GDDR3 that sits around $133? Or maybe something closer to $167?

William Parker6 said:Let's finally settle this once and for all, because this debate has been dragging on way too long...

I'm scheduled to try fixing my GeForce GTS 250 this Thursday, but honestly, the odds of success are pretty slim. I’ve been doing some deep dives into links and online reviews regarding card quality. To be blunt, that specific card is total junk—its TDP is 145W... FFS, it's basically a space heater...

And looking at the current Nvidia lineup... there's just nothing there. There isn't a single option that offers a decent price-to-GFLOPS ratio.

So, it looks like it's AMD it is (there you go, my first time ever admitting it, even though I always swore I'd be an Nvidia guy for life). I think I found the perfect match: the 6570.
I can't afford to go even a few bucks over budget because money is tight right now, and anything weaker (like a 6450) just doesn't have enough GFLOPS.

So, any advice, opinions, or experiences with the 6570? Is it prone to failing, or will it just blow a fuse the moment I plug it in? Should I stick with Sapphire or go for XFX?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing-example
this is basically a Ferrari compared to a 6570 GDDR3

I'm currently running an Nvidia 8600... it's decent enough to handle some newer stuff...
I'd love to pick up a different card that's just a few steps above this one. It doesn't need to be anything crazy special, but I'm honestly stuck on which one to grab...
If anyone could offer some advice, I'd really appreciate it...

What else is in your build, and what's the budget looking like?

fadedorca66 said:What's the rest of your build look like, and what's your budget?

CPU: Intel Dual Core 3.4 GHz
2 GB RAM
300W power supply

I have about 50 bucks... not sure what that converts to in USD right now

copperscout3 said:CPU: Intel Dual Core 3.4 GHz
2 GB RAM
300W power supply

I've got about 50 bucks... not sure what the exact conversion is right now

With 50 bucks, you aren't finding anything brand new. Your best bet is checking Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
50 dollars is roughly 350-$123.

Taylor Brown said:You won't find a brand-new one for $50; you'd have to check Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
$50 is roughly 350-$123.

I wouldn't even bother buying a new one anyway. Around here, they go for about 93 miles, or maybe 76 bucks...
I'm not really thinking about picking up a 9500 GT or something in that range, but I am wondering how much better this one is compared to mine?!🤷

Not much, maybe even nothing at all.

copperscout3 said:I wouldn't even bother picking up something new—around here in the States, they're going for about 93 miles, maybe 76 bucks...
I'm thinking about grabbing a 9500 GT or something in that ballpark, but honestly, I have no clue if this one is actually any better than what I've got right now?!🤷

Look, the 9500 GT is actually weaker than your current card—you’d need to step up to a 9600 to see a real difference.

So, I've got an Apple Inc. P5LD2-VM DH motherboard and I'm wondering if it can actually handle a Palit VGA GT430 1GB DDR3, Nvidia
Also, maybe you guys could suggest some other graphics cards from Nvidia that are around this price point—or even cheaper—as long as they work with my board
Thanks in advance!!!

Carol Booth3 said:So, I have an Apple Inc. P5LD2-VM DH motherboard and I was wondering if it can support a Palit VGA GT430 1GB DDR3, Nvidia
Also, could you recommend some other graphics cards from nvidia that are around this price—maybe even cheaper—as long as they work with my motherboard!!
Thanks in advance!!!

Your motherboard has a PCIe x slot, so it'll definitely support that card. Honestly though, if you can scrape together a little more cash, I'd suggest looking at an ASUS GPU 6670 1GB DDR5 (specifically the EAH6670/G/DIS/1GD5); that AMD Radeon is sitting right around $198.99

It’s a much better pick than what you picked because it’s faster—your choice uses DDR3, while this one has DDR5 memory
If that one is out of your budget, then just go with the GT 430; at that price point, it might be hard to find anything better. What else is in your build? Like, what kind of power supply, processor, and RAM are we talking about?

Carol Booth3 said:So, I have an Apple Inc. P5LD2-VM DH motherboard and I'm wondering if it can handle a Palit burning a VGA GT430 1GB DDR3, Nvidia
Also, could you recommend some graphics cards from Nvidia that are around this price point? Maybe even cheaper, as long as they work with my motherboard!!
Thanks in advance!!!

Maybe just this one... it's slightly more expensive, but the fan seems better and it's a bit more powerful

crimsonstag84, I think your link is broken 🙂

🙂 I was also double-checking things...

Gigabyte VGA GT440 1GB DDR3; GV-N440-1GI, Nvidia

Nvidia