GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Look, the AMD Radeon HD6870 is easily the best bang for your buck right now, so you definitely didn't make a mistake there.🙂

Exactly, and the price is more than reasonable— $0.42 for an overclocked model (even if the boost is pretty minor):

But they actually dropped in price 🙂

Quick question. I decided to go with the GTX 550 instead of the GTS 450 based on some advice from a buddy—it’s maybe $33 more expensive, but at least 10-15% faster. Specifically the 550 OC model. But then, at the last second, I spotted a $33 which is actually a GTX460 OC and supposedly even better. I'm just not sure... seeing as I've only got a 450W power supply and an external sound card, an E-MU 1820M module... I guess I wonder if that'll be enough juice for the 460? That one needs two 6-pin connectors, whereas the 550ti OC only needs one 6-pin. My CPU is an E6750, which I'm thinking about swapping out for some quad core on socket 775 sometime next year, maybe (hehe).
I'm mainly looking to play stuff like Battlefield 2 or 3... mostly just chasing decent FPS at reasonable resolutions on my 22" monitor.

That power supply should cut it, provided you're actually buying a legitimate brand. In any case, I'd go with the GTX460 over the GTX550... I'm guessing this

Yeah. That's exactly the one. 🙂

I mean, the price is sort of in the right ballpark, so I figured I wouldn't regret grabbing the MSI 550ti OC later on.
Not planning on swapping out the power supply just yet, though. (I'm running a Chieftec).

Thanks.

I honestly thought we were talking about a 450W unit. It’s nothing fancy, but it should provide enough juice since that GTX460 OC isn't exactly a power hog. Going with MSI is a solid move because of that 3-year warranty, though you aren't going to squeeze everything out of that card while paired with an E6750. That said, they're close enough in performance. Also, don't bother wasting your cash on those used Intel Quad cores floating around on Craigslist; people ask for insane prices for them. In my opinion, skip that entirely. Just pick up a decent used CPU cooler and overclock the chip you already have—you can push those things pretty high.

Thanks, wanderingviper7!

Just ordered the card. I'll let you guys know how it performs once it actually shows up. 🙂 Fingers crossed 😁

So, I am looking to buy my very first dedicated graphics card. Up until now, I have just been relying on the integrated graphics on my motherboard, but I am feeling a bit lost regarding which option to pick. I am also curious about why the price fluctuates so much even when the model seems identical. My plan is to play some Need for Speed and similar racing simulators every now and then. For context, I am running a Phenom x4 3.1 and my power supply is a Seasonic 520

Sapphire AMD Radeon HD6790 graphics card, 1GB, DDR5, 2xDVI, HDMI starting from $330

Sapphire AMD Radeon HD6790 graphics card, CrossFire, PCIe, 1GB, DDR5, 2xDVI/DVI, HDMI starting from $333

Sapphire AMD Radeon HD6850 graphics card, CrossFire, PCIe, 1GB, DDR5, 2xDVI/DVI, HDMI starting from $0.38

Sapphire AMD Radeon HD6870 graphics card, CrossFire, PCIe, 1GB, DDR5, 2xDVI/DVI, HDMI starting from $0.44

Sapphire AMD Radeon HD6870 graphics card, 1GB, DDR5, DVI, HDMI starting from $0.45

Please note that these prices are just estimates!

Out of everything you listed, the HD6870 is clearly the heavy hitter here, and it blows that first HD6790 you mentioned out of the water.

You can grab it for $420
It comes with a 3-year warranty; Microsoft offers that much, whereas everyone else just gives you two years.

The power supply is solid, and so is the processor, especially for those racing sims—though let’s be honest, most modern racers have basically become arcade games like Need for Speed lately. That said, with this card, you’ll be able to crush the new Call of Duty coming out in October on max settings without breaking a sweat.
If you're looking for a cheaper route, check this out:

Phenom X4 945

Gigabyte GA-790xta-ud4 motherboard (Socket AM2)

Cooler Master 460W PSU

Running a 5750 right now. What’s the strongest card I can swap in without having to upgrade my power supply?

Thanks

You can go ahead and drop an HD 6850 or 6870 in there. Even though that Dell Inspiron power supply isn't exactly top-tier, it’s not total junk either. It puts out north of 400W, though you shouldn't expect much more than that.

It really boils down to how much cash you're willing to sink into a GPU, but if we're talking the GTX 460 or HD 6850/6870 tier—whatever the reason for that comparison is—it should work.

Maybe check if any local shops have decent deals lately? If you want to be safe, just grab something reliable from XFX or Seasonic and call it a day.

wanderingviper7 said:You can go ahead and drop an HD 6850 or 6870 in there. Look, that CM 460 isn't exactly top-tier, but it’s not total junk either. It’ll get the job done. It puts out north of 400W, even if it doesn't have much breathing room above that mark.

It all comes down to how much cash you're willing to drop on a GPU. You mentioned the GTX 460 or an HD 6850/6870—not sure what the goal is there, but alright.

Maybe ask your old man what’s been hitting the casino lately. That way you can actually be sure to snag an XFX or a Seasonic or whatever else is worth grabbing.

Jucer was there, but he didn't get anything out of it.🙏 We'll see what happens.

My old ATI 4850 just kicked the bucket today, so I’m looking to pick up a replacement—either new or used—with a budget of around $400$167.

I definitely need a PCI-E card. The rest of my build consists of an E8400 CPU, 4GB of Kingmax RAM (2x2GB), a Gigabyte EP45 DS3 motherboard, and a 550W Chieftec power supply.
I usually play at 1680x1050 resolution, and honestly, I don't care which retailer I buy from since everything has to be ordered anyway.
So, does it make sense to grab another 4850, maybe something used from the 4*** series, or should I put this money toward something newer that comes with a warranty?
I'm looking for something that performs at least as well as my old 4850—ideally something a bit stronger—and I don't have a preference between ATI or NVIDIA, as long as it gets the job done. 😬
Thanks 👋

http://www.newegg.com/p/product_info.php?c...oducts_id=7946

http://www.craigslist.org/offers/graphics-card...-listing-3388753

If you ask me, I’d just grab the 8800 GTS. It absolutely destroys this HD 5670.

Found a few more options here: http://www.craigslist.org/offers/graphics-card...-listing-3279439

Look at the used market. If you rank them by raw power, it goes: gtx 260 > 4870 > 5770 > gts 450 > 5750 > gts 250 > 4850. Just grab whatever you can find for a good price.

http://www.craigslist.org/vi/graphics-cards-for-sale-3386516

It’s a great deal if you aren't too worried about shelling out $33 a bit more

Hands down, this thing is a jet 🙂

Is this power supply actually beefier than a Cooler Master 460W?