GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Should I go with the MSI HD 7950 Twin Frozr or the ASUS DC2T? I’ve heard the ASUS model is a bit of a headache because those copper heat pipes are soldered directly to the GPU, causing it to run way too hot.

Jerry Long32 said:Should I go with the MSI HD 7950 Twin Frozr or the ASUS DC2T? I've heard that the ASUS version has quite a few issues—apparently, the copper heat pipes are soldered directly to the GPU, causing it to run way too hot.

Honestly, just grab whichever one comes with the longer warranty.

So, here’s the deal—I’m looking to build my own rig from scratch because, let's face it, I don't exactly have a mountain of cash sitting around to drop on a pre-built all at once. Is it actually doable to just pick up parts piece by piece over time until everything finally comes together? I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction regarding which GPU, CPU, motherboard, and PSU will actually play nice together. My only real constraints are keeping the motherboard under $233 and making sure the graphics card doesn't blow past $267. Honestly, I don't care as much about the price for the processor or the power supply—just help me not fry my components, please. Thanks in advance!

Honestly, you’re better off just sitting on your cash for a bit. If you save up until you actually hit that total budget you had in mind for the whole rig, you can just go out and grab every single component at once... instead of doing this thing where you buy a GPU now, then wait two or three months to grab some other part, and then repeat the cycle... It's way smarter to just stack your money up first. 🙂

Look, it really just comes down to whether you have the budget or you don't. You're telling me the motherboard costs this much and the GPU is that much, but we could probably throw in a processor for maybe $450? Just tell me how much cash you're actually working with and what you plan on doing with the rig.

1650 x 1050 resolution (on a 20-inch monitor).
Do you think it’s actually worth dropping more cash on something like a 7850, especially since my resolution isn't even that high?

Just a hypothetical build here—running an AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition for gaming at that res.
Which card would be the "smart move" in this case?

Should I just grab a 7770? Or maybe cough up an extra 300 bucks$133 for the 7850 just so I can have some peace of mind for the next 3 or 4 years?
I mean, I might not even tap into its full potential right away, but hey—you know how it goes, things change fast...

What do you guys reckon?

I mean, that 1650 x 1050 resolution isn't actually that low.

Look, you'll be fine playing on either a 7770 or a 7850. If you've got some extra cash, maybe grab the 7850, but if not, whatever:
1 x AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Processor, AM3, BOX
1 x MSI 970A-G46, AMD 970 + SB950, S. AM3+, 6xSATA RAID, 4xDDR3 800/
1 x 8GB DDR3 (1x8GB) Corsair, 1333MHz, 9-9-9-24, CMV4GX3M1A1333C9
1 x OCZ 500W CoreXSTream 2 Power Supply, Active PFC OCZ-CXS500W-EU
1 x MSI R7850 1GB GDDR5 256bit, 28nm, DVI + HDMI x1
$1116

techcrunch.com

So, here’s the deal... I’m rocking an Intel dual-core processor at 2.8 GHz and 4GB of DDR2 RAM... I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card, so I was wondering—would an Nvidia GeForce GT 530 with 2GB of DDR3 be a good match for my setup?
Here’s what we're looking at: CUDA Cores 96
Graphics Clock (MHz) 700
Processor Clock (MHz) 1400
Memory Clock (MHz) 898
Standard Memory Config 2GB DDR3
Maximum Resolution 2560x1600
HDMI, DVI-I
Oh, and I should probably mention—it's 64-bit, and I'm running a 400W power supply (just a plain old 🙂 )

It turns out it is a 128-bit card, though it's quite efficient and pulls less than $167.

Joseph Wood42 said:So... I have an Intel dual-core processor at 2.8 GHz and 4GB of DDR2 RAM. I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card, and I was wondering if the Nvidia GeForce GT 530 with 2GB of DDR3 would be a good fit?
Here are the specs: CUDA Cores 96
Graphics Clock (MHz) 700
Processor Clock (MHz) 1400
Memory Clock (MHz) 898
Standard Memory Config 2GB DDR3
Maximum Resolution 2560x1600
HDMI, DVI-I
And I should mention, it's 64-bit and I have a 400W power supply (just 🙂 )

Where did you even find this card? Where would you buy it and what's the price tag? I checked Nvidia's site and saw it listed as 128-bit.
I need more specifics to give a real answer; there might be better options out there. As for the 400W power supply, that isn't a definitive metric. It depends on whether it's a high-quality unit or some generic no-name brand. Generally, it should run, but it all comes down to the total draw of your components.
I suppose you should check the label on your power supply to see the brand and actual wattage, and let me know exactly which Intel processor you're running, how many hard drives you have, and basically just what kind of PC you're dealing with.

Ugh, forget about that card—I actually stumbled upon a different one for $150, and honestly? I think it’s way better than that Nvidia
piece of junk. http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...176&psn=&lid=1

Joseph Wood42 said:Yeah, just forget about that card. I found a different one for $150, and I suspect it's quite a bit better than that Nvidia
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...176&psn=&lid=1

$150 It might be worth it if it's new, though. Now that I look at it, you seem to be pushing for 2 GB of memory, but I'm not entirely sure this specific card will even make use of that much capacity. In my opinion, that 2GB figure is likely just a marketing gimmick from the manufacturer.

brightviper13 said:$150 It’s a decent deal if you're getting it new, but looking at it now—it seems like you're really pushing for that 2GB of VRAM. Honestly, I’m not even sure if this specific card will actually make good use of all that memory... feels like that 2GB thing might just be some marketing fluff from the manufacturers to make it look better than it is.

So, wait—does that mean the real key is having a higher bus width instead? Like, we should be looking for at least 128-bit or something? 🤷

Memory speed, bus width, and the chip specs actually matter. Honestly, the total amount of VRAM is probably the least important thing to look at since most modern cards come with 1GB, which is plenty. Even if you get a weaker card, 512MB is usually enough because you won't be able to push it much harder anyway...

What are you planning to use the GPU for? Are you actually trying to play games?

fadedorca66 said:The speed of the memory, the bus width, even the specific chip manufacturer—that’s what actually matters. Honestly, just looking at the total amount of VRAM is kind of a distraction because most cards nowadays come with 1GB, which is plenty. Even if you're looking at something weaker, 512MB is more than enough since those cards won't be able to push much more than that anyway...

So, what's the end goal here? Are you actually planning on gaming or something?

Mostly, yeah.

Joseph Wood42 said:So, I guess it boils down to whether having more bits actually matters—like, should we be aiming for at least 128, or is that overkill? 🤷

It’s all just a marketing gimmick, really. They push the numbers to make it look impressive, so everyone fixates on that 2 GB of VRAM. But if that card only ends up utilizing half of it during actual use, then having that extra capacity is essentially pointless. I guess it's just more fluff for the specs sheet.
It’s critical that we aim for at least DDR3, though DDR5 would be significantly better. You really want to prioritize a wider memory bus—something like 128-bit at a minimum. Regarding processing power, you should look for a high count of stream processors if you're going with an AMD card, or CUDA cores if you're looking at NVIDIA. I suppose it’s a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, since one NVIDIA CUDA core is roughly equivalent to six stream processors, but that's just my take on it.
There are plenty of other factors that contribute to a GPU's performance, and I won't bother listing them all here. I suppose you should probably set aside a larger budget than what was previously mentioned. $150.

I guess that Radeon HD 6670 you linked earlier is probably your best bet for that price point...

brightviper13 said:Man, honestly? Most of those brands are just playing games—it's all marketing fluff. Everyone gets hung up on seeing "2 GB" on the box, but if that card actually tries to use even half of that, it's gonna choke.
You really want to look at the specs—minimum you should aim for is DDR3, though DDR5 is obviously the way to go. You need a wider bus, like at least 128-bit, and plenty of stream processors if you're looking at an AMD card... or CUDA cores if you're going NVIDIA. I mean, NVIDIA usually has fewer cores, but one CUDA core feels more like six stream processors or something—okay, maybe that's a totally apples-to-oranges comparison, my bad!
There's a whole laundry list of other stuff that makes a GPU actually punch above its weight class, and I'm not gonna bore you by listing everything now. Honestly, just try to set aside a budget a little bigger than those $150 ones.

Alright, alright... look, the main reason I'm hunting for a GPU is to actually play some games. I already gave you the rough idea of my setup, right? So, what I'm really asking is: would either of those two options actually make a noticeable difference in how my games run or how they look on my current rig?

Joseph Wood42 said:Look, my main priority for getting a card is gaming. I gave you a rough idea of my current setup, so what I really need to know is whether one of those two options would actually provide a noticeable improvement in performance or visual quality on my specific rig.

It might be worth the investment to an extent, though you'll likely see diminishing returns on medium settings or if you're using a non-HD monitor.
If you happen to come across a 5670 or a Radeon HD 6670, I'd suggest grabbing one of those. Generally speaking, anything from the 6 series up is a solid choice; the 5 series is just mediocre by comparison.

brightviper13 said:Look, you'll get some decent performance for that kind of cash—but honestly, if you're running it on anything other than mid-range settings or using an old non-HD monitor, it's gonna struggle.
If you happen to stumble upon a 5670 or a Radeon HD 6670, just grab one of those! Basically, any card where the second digit is a 6 or higher is a solid bet... that 5 series stuff? It's just okay, nothing to write home about.

So, what I'm hearing is I should probably set aside a little extra cash, right? Thanks a ton for the help, man! 🙂