GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

hmda, when I actually stop to think about it, that CPU is sitting right in the ballpark of those old E6400 to E6550 chips....honestly, you might be better off just grabbing a used 4850 for a few bucks. Most of the new cards are way too much overkill for a processor like that, except maybe the 5670, which is actually weaker than what I just mentioned.

stormywolf39 said:actually, now that I'm thinking about it—that CPU sits right in the same ballpark as those old Intel Core 2 Duo chips, somewhere between an E6400 and an E6550. Honestly, you might get the best bang for your buck by hunting down a used Radeon 4850; most modern cards are just going to be overkill for a processor like that, though even something like a 5670 would likely end up being a bit too much compared to what we discussed here.

The Intel Core 2 Duo is a step up, sure, but generally speaking—yeah, I agree. Modern hardware is just way too powerful for a chip of this vintage.
A used 4850 or maybe a GeForce GTS 250 is probably the absolute ceiling for what you can reasonably pair with that setup.🙂

What's the best GPU I can pair with an Intel Pentium D 930, 3000 MHz (15 x 200)

Paul Miller64 said:What's the best GPU I can pair with an Intel Pentium D 930 running at 3000 MHz?

GeForce GTS 250, Radeon HD 4850, Radeon HD 4830, or maybe the Radeon HD 5670—which is technically the newest, even if it's the weakest on this list.
Radeon HD 5870, GeForce GTS 450, or a GeForce GTX 260...

Does the power supply matter any less these days? Like, does the actual brand and wattage really stop being an issue?

Should I pull the trigger on this? 😁
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/artic...-Review/1035/8

I need more opinions besides just what the chat room is saying. 😛

Bryan Evans77 said:GeForce GTS 250, Radeon HD 4850, Radeon HD 4830, Radeon HD 5670 (the newest one, though also the weakest on this list)
hd5870, GeForce GTS 450, GeForce GTX 260...

Is it becoming less important what kind of power supply I use (in terms of brand and wattage)?

I'm running a 400W Codegen; I'm fully aware it needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.

How much of an upgrade would these cards be over an 8800 GTS 320MB? (I used to own one and was quite happy with it, which is why I'm asking.)

@ Bryan Evans77, you're seriously thinking about putting cards like a GeForce GTX 260 or an HD 5870 on a Pentium D 😂...
Please stop giving advice on buying GPUs...

Most of those cards are way better than an 8800 GTS G80, but with the processor you're running right now, you shouldn't even bother trying anything stronger than that.
It mostly depends on what resolution you play at, but honestly, you should just upgrade the whole PC. You aren't going to get far with a Pentium D and a 400W Codegen power supply.

Even if you swap out the power supply for a modern card, that CPU is going to be a massive bottleneck.
It depends on how much you want to drop on a GPU, but I wouldn't go any lower than something like

an HD 6850 or a GeForce GTX 460, or maybe an HD 6950 or a GeForce GTX 560 depending on your budget.🙂

The GTX 260 is really the limit here... I accidentally typed 5870, my bad, 4 and 5 are right next to each other 😁 (meant 4870)...

Look, I get that his CPU isn't exactly top-tier, but hey, it’s got 2 cores and decent enough clock speeds...

If people were putting up with a GTX 260/275/80 paired with a Core 2 Duo e8200 or an AMD Athlon X2 6000 a couple of years ago... why not this? 🙂 (But definitely not the 5870... total typo there)

My bad if you were actually talking about the 4870...

Look. An 8200 is a Core 2 Duo. This chip is a dual core, but it's just an old Pentium D. If he actually had an 8200, I wouldn't say anything. But honestly, if I were him, I’d just throw in a used HD 4850 and call it a day.

If he's stressing this much over the GPU and doesn't have the cash for a new power supply and card, he should look for an HD 4770. It's basically the same as the HD 4850. And that Codegen unit needs to go🙂 as soon as he can grab something like a Corsair CX 500 W.

analogcanyon said:Well, my bad if you were actually thinking about the 4870...

Yeah, exactly. An 8200 is a Core 2 Duo, but this chip is just an old Pentium D. If he actually had an 8200, I wouldn't say anything, but honestly, if I were in his shoes, I’d probably just throw in a used HD 4850 and call it a day.

If he’s making such a huge deal about the GPU but doesn't have the cash for a decent power supply and a card, maybe he should just look for an HD 4770. It's basically the same as the HD 4850, and that would probably save him from having to deal with that Codegen unit. 🙂 Maybe just hold off until you can pick up something like... The Corsair CX 500 W.

I agree, though I have my doubts about that power supply. The new CX series seems pretty subpar—it's not even worth an 80+ certification if you ask me. Still, this is a total steal, and it should hold up just fine for anyone building a new rig.

I'm not sure if this link works anymore, but I think it's pointing to some hardware specs on an American retailer's site. Maybe check if they still have it in stock.

Just don't get the Corsair CX 😁 it's total garbage...

The newer graphics cards actually need less power since they're all low-draw these days...

But if you're running a 4850, a decent 400W unit is a must. With this Codegen stuff, you could probably run a 5670 without any issues... (I mean, it's not top-tier, but it gets the job done)

analogcanyon said:Most of those cards are a significant step up from the 8800 GTS G80, but given the processor you're running right now, I wouldn't bother upgrading to anything in that tier...
It really depends on your gaming resolution, but honestly, you should probably just look at replacing the whole rig. You aren't going to get very far with a Pentium D and a 400W Codegen power supply.

Even if you swap out the PSU for a modern card, that CPU is going to be a massive bottleneck...
It comes down to how much you want to drop on a GPU, but personally, I wouldn't go lower than something like

an HD 6850 or a GTX 460—or if your budget allows, an HD 6950 or a GTX 560.🙂

I play at 1280x1024. I’d ideally replace the entire computer, but money is tight right now.

I don't plan on buying anything immediately; more like in three or four months (depending on whether I pass all my finals :S). For now, I'm just gathering info.

Bryan Evans77 said:just stay away from the Corsair CX 😁 it's garbage.....

But if you're looking at a 4850, picking up a decent 400W unit shouldn't be an issue. With that Codegen, you could probably run a 5670 without any trouble... (it isn't exactly top-tier, but it does the job).

Alright, thanks.

Can anyone tell me which of the specs listed below actually matter?

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards....=566&card2=475

Edit: I'm comparing these to the 8800 GTS because, as I mentioned, I was quite happy with that card.

Honestly, none of that matters, except maybe the GDDR3 and the jump from 320MB/640MB to 512MB/1GB.

Why doesn't it matter?
- Different architectures mean different core frequencies—you can't just compare them directly. It’s like trying to compare an Intel quad-core at 3.0 GHz to an AMD quad-core at 3.0 GHz... they aren't the same thing.
- I meant to talk about memory, but in this case, they're identical....

Try comparing them like this instead:
Just Google "HD 4850 vs 8800 GTS"
And you'll get something like this:
http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/im...APPHIRE-93.jpg

I'm trying to figure out if it's even worth my time hunting down a used GeForce 9600 GT these days, like maybe one from$140 or if I should just pivot to some old-school AMD card
Budget is pretty tight though, looking at maybe $167 max

I have this setup, so I'm wondering if this GPU actually has enough power to run any newer games:

Intel Core i5-2500K processor, socket AM3, 3.0GHz, 2MB cache, quad Core
MSI MAG series motherboard, NVIDIA nForce 630a, DDR3, audio, S-ATA, G-LAN, PCI-E, RAID, ATX, socket AM3
PC-10600 memory, 2 GB, KINGMAX, DDR3 1333 MHz
500.0 GB Western Digital Blue hard drive, SATA, 16MB cache, 7200 rpm, desktop version
SAMSUNG SH-S223C DVD±RW, 22x, black, SATA, dual Layer, DVD-RAM, bulk
LC POWER 7011B case, MIDI, black with 420 watt power supply
PCI-E VTX3D ATI RADEON HD 4650 graphics card, 1GB DDR2, HDMI, DVI, D-SUB, HDTV
19'' LCD Dell Monitor, 5ms, 250cd/m2, 30000:1, D-SUB, black

thanks in advance!!!!!!!🙂

James Adams50 said:I have this setup, so I'm wondering if this graphics card can handle any newer games:

Intel Core i5-2500K processor, socket AM3, 3.0GHz, 2MB cache, quad Core
MSI MAG series motherboard, NVIDIA nForce 630a, DDR3, audio, S-ATA, G-LAN, PCI-E, RAID, ATX, socket AM3
PC-10600 memory, 2 GB, KINGMAX, DDR3 1333 MHz
500.0 GB Western Digital Blue hard drive, SATA, 16MB cache, 7200 rpm, desktop
SAMSUNG SH-S223C DVD±RW, 22x, black, SATA, dual Layer, DVD-RAM, bulk
LC POWER 7011B case, MIDI, black with 420 watt power supply
PCI-E VTX3D ATI RADEON HD 4650 graphics card, 1GB DDR2, HDMI, DVI, D-SUB, HDTV
19'' LCD Dell Monitor, 5ms, 250cd/m2, 30000:1, D-SUB, black

thanks in advance!!!!!!!🙂

That graphics card is junk. I have a 4670 and it's just as bad.

First off:
Second: forget the 9600GT. It's total junk. If you’re buying something new and don't care about high-end specs, just grab an HD 5670 or a GT 240..
Third: if you want the best bang for your buck on the used market, look at an HD 4850 or a GTS 250, maybe for around $40-$167..

Paul Miller64 said:That card is total garbage. I’m running a 4670 and it feels just as pathetic.

+1
👍

Just because it has 1GB of slow DDR2 memory doesn't mean it's actually good, or even that the GPU can make use of it. Honestly? You'd be better off ripping out a 512MB chip and wearing it as a necklace. At least then it'd be useful.

Paul Miller64 said:that graphics card is garbage; I have a 4670 and it's just as bad

The 4650 and 4670 with DDR3 memory aren't actually that bad...
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...70,2834-2.html

Thank God you actually noticed he's running a 4650 on DDR2...

The HD5670 is just a bottom-tier gaming card and that's it... even then, it's garbage (not for a casual user, but if you actually want to play anything, it's trash)..
But look how much better it performs than the 46xx series compared to this
http://static.techspot.com/articles-...STALKER_01.png