GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

fadedheron28 said:I've got an old rig running an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500/x1050Series 256 MB AGP, an Intel Celeron at 1.41GHz, 1GB of DDR400 RAM, and a 400W power supply. I can't get Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to run on this GPU because it lacks DirectX Shader Model 3.0. Is it worth just swapping out the graphics card, or should I go ahead and upgrade the processor and add some more memory too?

I'm not sure if upgrading any single part is even worth it. If I were you, I'd probably just sell the whole thing and put that money toward something new... you could probably find a decent budget PC for around $450.🙂
I ended up replacing my motherboard, CPU, RAM, and PSU, but I only just realized I still need a better GPU and a case with decent cooling, which are 👎

That’s exactly what I was thinking—thanks for the input.

grafulja

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Hello everyone. I have read through most of your comments, but since it seems you prefer hard facts, here is the current situation. This is a Dell configuration; since it lacks a dedicated graphics card, I am looking to pick one up from the options listed here. I would appreciate your recommendations—will they all work, or only specific ones? Or is it simply unwise to spend the money if I can find similar specs for less?
I currently have all my slots open: PCI-1, PCIEx 1_1, PCIEx 1_2, and PCIEx 16....
The power supply is only 350W, but we can upgrade that if necessary, much like upgrading a local power grid...
Naturally, I would love to run some decent games, but if it isn't possible, it isn't possible. My primary goal is to have an image on my Motorola RAZR while running a movie on a 50-inch Sony plasma in the other room, allowing me to play while my wife enjoys a film... that is the small detail bothering me. I look forward to your blessing before I head back to Small Town, USA... Thanks in advance!

Like this:
First, tell us how much cash you are actually prepared to drop on the power supply and the graphics card.

I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card (budget is around $267), so please let me know if you have any recommendations!

My current setup:
ASUS Motherboard, AMD 690G/SB600/PCI-E*16, AM2
Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB DDRII, Kingmax
Dell UltraSharp Monitor, 20"

Power Supply:
MS industrial, 400W, 7.5A/5A, 60/50 Hz

Check this out:

Bradley Foster said:Look,
First off, you gotta tell me how much cash you're actually looking to drop on a power supply and a GPU combined.

🙂 Hmm, well, if I could get everything for $500 that would be awesome, but I know that's probably not happening. Right now, I'm seeing these cards ranging from about $900 up to $367. Honestly, once I'm already at $1100, I don't mind throwing an extra $200 at it if it's a massive upgrade, so money isn't the biggest issue... but I wouldn't want to spend more than $2000 just on a graphics card. So, aiming for maybe $600 total including the PSU feels pretty reasonable, considering what my current setup looks like... 👍

1 x XFX HD5770 1GB DDR5 HDMI, 2xDVI, Display Port, OpenGL
1 x CORSAIR 550W Power Supply, VX Series CMPSU-550VXEU, 12cm fan, ATX
$608

Or you could simply add $30 and you'll have an HD5770 equipped with Vapor-x cooling

I need some help settling a debate.
Should I go with the Radeon HD 4850 or the 9800GT? And I’m also looking at how they stack up against a GeForce 4730. 🤷

I need a new GPU since my old one bit the dust—if that’s even a thing (and I’m pretty much certain it is). Looking to drop no more than $167 on it. Right now I'm rocking an NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS.
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2, 1.86GHz, Socket 775, Cache 2MB, 1066Hz, BOX

Aaron Patel79 said:Help me settle this debate.
Should I go with the Radeon HD 4850 or the 9800GT? And both would be an upgrade over my current GeForce 4730. 🤷

The 240 is essentially just a rebranded 9600—it’s a bit of a lateral move. Does it really have to be one of those specific options? If I were shopping today, I'd personally aim for either a 250 or even the 4850. But if you're strictly choosing from your list, the 9800 is the way to go. How much are you planning to shell out?

Casey Ramos78 said:I need a new graphics card because my old one finally gave up the ghost—if that's even possible, though I'm pretty much certain it is. I'm looking to pick something up for under $167. Right now, I'm running an NVIDIA GeForce Radeon X1600.
Specs: AMD Athlon 64 X2, 1.86GHz, Socket 775, Cache 2MB, 1066Hz, BOX

I'm assuming we're talking about a PCI-E card here. Given that budget, I'd probably lean toward getting a 4670. 🙂

Casey Long2 said:I'm guessing we're talking about a PCI-E card here. Honestly? For that kind of cash, I’d just grab a 4670 🙂

alright, so is it actually any better than that NVIDIA Radeon X1600 I was running before?

for instance, this GeForce card lists VGA+DVI+HDMI, but my old one had TV-Out, HDTV, and 2xDVI

look, I don't really know my way around this stuff—that's why I'm asking. I'm not trying to end up with something worse than what I already had.

The Radeon X1600 is actually a step up from that 7600 GS, so there's really nothing to worry about 😉
Just make sure you don't forget to completely wipe those NVIDIA drivers before you swap in the new card and get the GeForce drivers installed 🙂

Casey Long2 said:The 240t is basically just a rebranded 9600. Do you really have to pick from this specific list? If I were shopping today, I’d go straight for the 250t or the 4850. Out of these options, though, the 9800 is the way to go. How much cash are you planning to drop?

I actually already picked up a 4730 for about $200. It absolutely crushes everything. My only gripe is how much power it sucks out of the wall. It requires two power connectors, too. The thing is massive... 🙂

Hey guys. Quick question. Which GPU would actually make sense for this build?😕

Intel Core 2 Duo, 2362 MHz (10.5 x 225)
ASUS Motherboard (2 PCI, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 1 HDMI, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Video, Gigabit LAN)
2944 MB RAM (DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM)
Samsung Monitor [19" LCD] (F9701792026)

budget is around $267...

stuck on this right now, so where and how should I go about it?🤷

Hey everyone. Just one quick question. I am wondering which graphics card would be a good match for this setup?

Intel Core 2 Duo, 2362 MHz (10.5 x 225)
Motherboard Name: ASUS Motherboard (2 PCI, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 1 HDMI, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Video, Gigabit LAN)
System Memory: 2944 MB (DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM)
Monitor: Samsung Monitor [19" LCD] (F9701792026)

Budget up to $267?!

I am currently looking into this, so I am curious about the best options and where to find them.

I would personally opt for the GTS 250 or perhaps the Radeon HD 4850

Also, please specify what kind of power supply you are running.

Maybe I'll be happy by next year if I get at least 👍

Thanks for all the replies!

How much cash are you planning to drop on this? What’s the rest of the build looking like?

Not sure how to test a PSU (total noob here) 🙄
As for the GPU, could be used...

Just wondering if either of those two would actually work with my rig (that DDR2 setup and the DDR3 card you suggested?)

crimsonstag84 said:How much cash are you looking to drop? What about the rest of the build?

The rest is pretty decent: an Intel Core i7-based desktop system
with an INTEL Q9505
and a CORSAIR TX650W
plus some PATRIOT VIPER 4GB 1066MHZ
Running Windows 7 x64 ultimate, maybe around $667 or maybe a bit more.

Basically, I'd rather just grab a nicer GPU than deal with paying $333 every single month. I'm not really loyal to any specific brand! I guess if it works, it works. 👍

How about this one: 🙂

http://www.amazon.com/product_info.php?c...oducts_id=7572