GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Bryan Evans77 said:Thank goodness the first sentence clarifies things; that 207W figure actually refers to the total power draw for the entire PC.

😁 I was really just looking for the charts.

So, I’m stuck on which GPU to grab... I swung by Best Buy earlier today and they were pushing the XFX AMD Radeon HD 6670 on me. But then this guy at Micro Center tells me the SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON HD 5670 is actually the way to go because it packs GDDR5 while the 6670 is stuck with GDDR3... I tried calling them out on it, telling them the 6670 is supposedly better for gaming or whatever nonsense they were spewing about "newer series" and having some bigger cache or something... they just kept babbling on about technical specs and making things complicated. Now I'm just sitting here spinning my wheels. If the Sapphire really is the superior card, I might as well get it. The price difference is only about five or six bucks... it's not a huge deal, but I really don't want to get ripped off because of $13...

It’s actually the exact same GPU chip on both—it’s just that the 6670 comes with a newer version of HDMI... the price gap is pretty negligible because that card you linked uses slower RAM, whereas a DDR5 card is going to run more expensive $67 than that 5670.

Benjamin King2 said:They’re using the exact same GPU core on both, it’s just that the 6670 comes with a newer version of HDMI... the price gap isn't huge because that card you linked uses slower RAM; a DDR5 card is always going to cost more $67 than that 5670.

Look, I get that the DDR3 is slower, and that 6670 with DDR5 is sitting at around $700 or whatever...
But what am I actually supposed to do here? Which one is the better pick—should I grab that 6670 with 1GB DDR or stick with the 5670 with 512MB DDR5? I honestly don't know... 🤷 fl@tron claims the 5670 is the way to go, but Best Buy says the 6670 is better... so apparently the 5670 has the faster memory, but the 6670 is supposedly better for gaming and all that...
And they swapped out my processor too... still an Intel Athlon, but instead of the 3.1GHz version, they gave me the 3.2GHz which costs more $5.25... and they're doing the same thing with the graphics card too 😁... just ridiculous...

The 5670 is supposed to be about 10% faster—so, which specific graph are they actually tweaking here? And are those two really the only options on the table?

Benjamin King2 said:The 5670 should be about 10% faster. Which graph are they even looking at? Are those really the only two options on the table?

Look, the thing isn't even about them changing things, it's just that I'm trying to order that specific PC build you and flatron helped me put together for around $2,000, right? In that original setup, we had the 5670 with DDR5, but now they're pushing this 6670 with DDR3 on me. And honestly, that's where I'm stuck... I have no idea which one is actually going to perform better. It's a real headache. I'm torn between the two because the price tag is basically identical... I don't quite grasp what people mean when they say one is "faster" than the other, you know? So I'm just sitting here wondering if I should go with their 6670 suggestion or stick with the 5670... damn... I guess they're pretty close, but which one is the smarter move? I can't really swing the extra cash for a higher-end model, so I'm stuck choosing between these two...

Look, let's say you're playing some game capped at 60 fps on a 6670—you'll probably end up seeing closer to 65 or 70 fps just because that faster RAM on the 5670 keeps things moving along a bit smoother.

So... that's that, then. I guess I'm back at square one. What am I even supposed to pick now? My main priority is getting decent graphics, but I’ve got this 1GB card right now and I know deep down that more VRAM doesn't automatically mean better visuals... right? That's how it works, isn't it? I'm stuck on what to actually buy. And then there's the whole FPS debate. Honestly, if a game runs smooth without constant stuttering, I don't care much about a massive frame rate... or maybe I do? God, I don't even know anymore...

Taylor Brown said:...I'd much rather just have better graphics...

Alright, walk me through it—what does "better graphics" actually mean to you? Because at this point, I've completely lost you. 🙂

Just grab the 5670.

Benjamin King2 said:Look, you've gotta tell me what you actually mean by "better graphics" at this point, because I am completely lost when it comes to following your logic... 🙂

I'm talking about higher detail levels and resolution... 🤣 I just want to be able to crank up some settings to High on something like an old Radeon 6670 and actually have the game run without dying... say, titles like Dirt 3 or Portal 2...

Look, if you’re dead set on playing at 1080p, just grab the 6670—but don't expect much. You can kiss high textures, anti-aliasing, and all those other fancy little bells and whistles goodbye. If you drop down to 1600p or lower, the 5670 is actually going to be the stronger card there. Neither of these GPUs has enough muscle to pull anything significant at higher resolutions. Honestly, you might get Dirt 3 running decently at 720p, though.

So, I’m stuck with this old LG Flatron monitor at 1280x1024 for now... basically just holding out until I can actually swing the cash for an upgrade. I know those cards aren't exactly powerhouses, but hey, they're cheap. So, what's the move? Should I just stick with the 6670 they suggested, or should I get back on the phone with them and swap it for a 5670? It ought to run okay on this setup:
PC-10600 Memory, 2 GB CORSAIR VS2GB1333D3 Value series, DDR3 1333MHz
$53(I'll probably grab another 2GB next month, so 4GB total)
550W Power Supply, LC POWER Silent Series, ATX V2.2, 120mm fan
$100
Intel Core i3-2100 BOX, s. AM3, 3.1GHz, 1.5MB cache, Triple Core
$180
MSI 870-C45 Motherboard, NVIDIA GeForce 8800/SB710, DDR3, audio, S-ATA, G-LAN, PCI-E, ATX, s. AM3
$158
Western Digital Caviar Blue Hard Drive, 500 GB, 7200 rpm $329.00
That’s the build the guy over at Best Buy put together for me, including that hard drive you mentioned... I already placed the order, so the only thing left to figure out is this graphics card.

The guys with the HD 5670—sure, it’s only got 512MB instead of a full gig, but that VRAM is faster. It's DDR5 versus DDR3, plain and simple.👍

Alright, let's hope you actually listen to them this time. 😬

Heh... thanks to both of you. I already took Robert Rodriguez2 up on his advice, and I’m doing the same thing now. I actually ordered a whole setup from him, including that hard drive you used...
So, first thing tomorrow morning, I'm calling Best Buy to see if they can swap out this 6670 and just give me back my 5670.😁
Oh, one thing—I did change the processor slightly. I've got an AMD Athlon II X3 3.2 in there now, whereas before it was the 3.1GHz version. This newer one is a bit pricier$5.25 so I'm hoping I didn't screw things up again... though honestly, I doubt I'll even notice such a tiny difference, but whatever, let's try it.😁
Anyway, the GPU is going back to being a 5670... sorry for bugging you guys so much...
You're probably gonna get a break from me for a while, at least until I run into another wall somewhere...

Hey there... I’m looking for some advice on picking out a new graphics card. I’m hoping to find something in the $200 range that can handle more recent games on medium settings. My current setup uses an old 17-inch CRT monitor, so I also need a card with an output that allows me to hook it up to a TV for watching movies. Here is what I'm running right now: an AMD Athlon X2 3.2 GHz 260, 4 GB of Kingmax RAM, an ASUS M4A78LT-M motherboard, a 500 GB WD hard drive, and a 430 W power supply. I currently have a GeForce 8600 GTS inside the machine, but it’s started acting up by throwing lines and artifacts all over my screen, so I really need to swap it out.

Seriously, just check the sticky thread and think about why it exists there.

🤦

Back to the topic.

Look at $200, an HD 6750, a 5670 1GB, or even a GT 440... if you're buying new.

Me? I'd go used... maybe an HD 5770, HD 5750, GTS 250, HD 4830, HD 4850, or an HD 4870.

p.s. I don't think any of those have S-video for connecting to a TV, but most should have HDMI.

http://www.diskont24.com/product.php...cat=390&page=2

Seems like a pretty fair deal for that price. 😉

crimsonstag84 ..... man, that link you sent ..... take another look at it, please 😁 and then give me your take again 😁 maybe you'll change your mind. I finally get why the price was such a steal—they list it as 1GB GDDR5 and then basically pull a fast one on you by shipping out 512MB DDR3 instead. -.-