GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

silentfalcon422 said:hmm, but I can grab this 4850 for $233, while this one is $650..
What does it actually mean if my processor is too weak for the GPU? Is it just that it won't be able to fully utilize it, or are there other side effects, like getting worse performance than I would with the weaker card?

Alright, let's go with the HD 4850 then... 🙂
Your CPU is hitting a bottleneck, so yeah, it won't be able to push that GPU to its limit...

But honestly, your gaming performance will still be way better overall.😉

silentfalcon422 said:Yeah, while I'm at it, I'm wondering what would be a solid upgrade for my CPU that actually fits my current motherboard (AM2)?

It really depends on which board you're rocking! If it supports AM3 chips, then go for it, but if not, you might be better off just selling the old gear and grabbing a fresh combo... either way, let me know the exact model of that board!

silentfalcon422 said:Yeah, while I'm at it, I'm wondering what would be a decent CPU upgrade that actually fits my current motherboard (AM2)?

Most AM2 boards should handle an AM3 processor if you flash the BIOS... 😉
If you aren't on a super tight budget, maybe look at an Athlon ii X2 240/250 (around $167)... though personally, I'd suggest grabbing an Athlon ii x4 630 ($267) 🙂

Yeah, I’m planning on grabbing that athlon x4 eventually, but when I do, I'll probably pick up a new motherboard and some RAM too. Right now, I was just wondering if there might be a better processor out there for a cheaper price.
Flashing the BIOS? Nah, I don't really want to mess around with that. For now, I'll just stick to the GPU and the power supply..
Thanks for the help 🙏

AM2 processors are selling pretty poorly and you can barely find them anywhere anymore; the only thing left is the ADM Phenom x4 9650 for $267, but I don't think that's worth it since you'll probably be building a whole new PC soon anyway, and besides, the tech is getting old.

The GPU and power supply should be more than enough for now 😉

So, my graphics card just kicked the bucket on me, totally fried
up to $100
any decent computer shops in the Chicago area
that carry stuff for a standard PCI slot

You could've at least mentioned which shops you've got access to on Best Buy. Besides, $100 you aren't going to find anything special there. Look for something like a 4350, 3450, or maybe a GT210. Honestly, none of those will really do much for you if that's what you're after...

rowdygull8 said:I need a GPU, mine just died on me.
do $100
any shop in St. Louis
PCI slot

Just hit up any store in town and grab something. At this price point, does it even matter? It's all pretty much the same.😕

The best you can probably find for under $100 is an HD 4550, I think...
http://www.nabava.net/kategorija.php...5,3015&order=2

I am looking to pick up a new graphics card. I don't intend to spend an excessive amount since my budget is somewhat limited at the moment—roughly $500-$200
.
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3
PSU: Chieftec 450W
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 4 GB DDR2
GPU: Sapphire Radeon x1950 pro 512 MB DDR3

I am based in Chicago, so any local retailer will suffice, and I typically play at a resolution of 1680x1050.

http://www.newegg.com/p/products/6135

If you need something with a bit more kick, this one might be better:

http://www.newegg.com/p/products/7952

rowdygull8 said:I need a new GPU. Mine just died on me.
do $100
a local shop in Houston
PCI slot

If you're looking for PCI, good luck finding anything new. PCIe is the standard now.

I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card
Here's my current setup
-Gigabyte P35-D3P
-Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 GHz
-4GB RAM
-Current GPU is an AMD GeForce 9800GTX
-Power supply is a 650W Corsair

Budget is around $500 here in Chicago. I was thinking about grabbing a GeForce GTX 260

You could grab a Radeon HD 5770 in that price range, which is cheaper, supports DirectX 11, and runs a bit cooler and more efficiently. It really just depends on what kind of games you're into, but if you're strictly looking for raw gaming performance, I guess the GeForce GTX 260 might be my pick...

You can actually snag a GeForce GTX 275 $500 online right now.

cosmicfox31 said:You could probably pick up a GTX 275 for $500.

http://www.bestbuy.com//artikl.asp?...X-GX-275X-AHQA

Yeah, but I guess the real question is whether anyone actually carries them anymore...

Thomas Martin4 said:Yeah, the real question is whether they even have them...

Just give them a call and ask.🤷

Hey everyone!
Just wanted to drop in and let you know my Nvidia GeForce GT 730 is running perfectly. 😍
Thanks again to everyone for all the help!👍

Can I find a card from the General Electric ad available in New York City that actually has S-Video TV-out? Just wondering if it’s even possible $333...

James Castillo8 said:Is there any chance a card from the General Electric section might be available in New York City with S-Video TV-out? Just thinking about it until $333...

If nothing with S-Video is showing up in NYC, I guess I can live without it until $333

Right now I'm running an Intel Core i3, 2GB of RAM, an HD 2600XT, and some cheap 400W power supply that came in the box... just one of those generic Codegen units... motherboard is an MSI MAG B550

With that specific power supply on hand, I’d really struggle to recommend anything even remotely powerful in terms of a graphics card...

Since you aren't looking for TV out functionality ->