GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Alex Harris32 said:I get all that, it's perfectly clear, but giving it away... $183 I don't know, looking at that Nvidia GTX 460, I just don't see how it's worth it—especially with the warranty situation being what it is. Whatever anyone else thinks, it doesn't seem like a good deal to me.
No warranty, max. $150 I don't think they're even pretty anymore, especially since they're going for 500 bucks now. The Nvidia 8800 GT absolutely crushes the Nvidia GTX 460 whenever it feels like it!

Besides, he hasn't even mentioned which power supply he's running yet, so I guess we're just debating for the sake of it. 😉

not quite One 😛

They're actually pretty close... in games where memory bandwidth really matters, the Nvidia 8800 GT pulls ahead by maybe 10-15%, but in everything else, they seem to be more or less equal. 😉

The Radeon HD 4770 review on Guru3D covers its performance against various benchmarks. It seems like a decent middle-ground option, though I guess it might struggle with some of the more demanding titles if you're looking for top-tier settings. Maybe it’s just right for someone building a solid mid-range rig without breaking the bank.

crimsonstag84 said:not quite One 😛

They are actually quite close... in titles where memory bandwidth takes center stage, the Nvidia 8800 GT pulls ahead by about 10-15%, whereas in most other games, they end up being more or less equal. 😉

http://www.guru3d.com/article/ati-ra...-4770-review/1

Fine, fine, I'll give you that one—it's 1:0 in your favor. 😬
To be perfectly honest, I haven't spent much time scrutinizing the performance of the Nvidia GTX 460 myself, but I fully expect the Nvidia 8800 GT to come out on top, simply because it sits at a higher tier on the ladder.

Regardless, my stance hasn't shifted; I still find it hard to swallow such a steep price tag for that specific card. 😉

Let's just go ahead and overclock it now 😁—honestly, some benchmarks even show the Nvidia GTX 460 performing better... I really think that xfx Nvidia GTX 460 with DDR5 was the ultimate best buy last year 🙂

If you're wondering about my power supply... honestly, it's probably some cheap junk. I opened it up and saw a label claiming a 305W max, plus maybe another 400W on the right side, though I'm not entirely sure what that actually means. Anyway, I found an amazing deal on a graphics card I'd love to grab, but then it hit me: my PSU just won't cut it.
I found this listing for a graphics card on Craigslist. It looks like a decent deal if you're looking to pick something up.

Does she not have some extra power supply component or something like that on her?

And where do you think that extra GPU power connector should go? I guess it goes straight into your current power supply, assuming it actually has enough juice. 🙄

Aha... so it pulls power from both the PCIe slot and the PSU. That should be plenty of juice, right? What do you think?

Roger Phillips82 said:Ah... so it draws power from both the PCIe slot and the power supply unit... I suppose that should be plenty, right? What do you think?-

It won't be enough, and frankly, I wouldn't recommend testing that theory by pairing anything more powerful than an Nvidia GT 430 with that setup, unless you have a sudden desire to see smoke. 😉

I wouldn't even dream of putting an Nvidia GTX 460 in there, let alone something more demanding.

As far as the power supply goes, you'll need a 4-pin connector from the PSU for cards like the Nvidia GT 430 HD4850. You can technically manage this with a Molex-to-4-pin adapter, which usually comes bundled with the card in most cases.
But I really must reiterate: DO NOT GAMBLE WITH THAT POWER SUPPLY!

If a power supply is rated at 305W total, there is absolutely no way it’s pushing more than 200W through the 12V rail—it just isn't physically possible. Either that, or you shouldn't even dream about plugging in a graphics card that needs a dedicated 6-pin connector, because that PSU won't be able to handle the load, let alone sustain it over time.

It’s a fair point from VeX7: if you're looking to step up from something like an RX 5600 XT, you're going to need to upgrade your power supply.

Would the 5770 run fine on my current power supply?

It’s a possibility—though, let’s be honest, nobody here can give you a 100% guarantee on something like this. You're running a low-end power supply right now, which just isn't ideal if you want stability.
If you were looking to jump to a much beefier graphics card, I'd tell you straight up that your current unit wouldn't cut it, but for a Radeon 5770, it SHOULD hold its own...

A 400W power supply or higher is suggested (though you'll want at least 500W if you're running NVIDIA SLI in dual mode)
That's what the specs say..
One last question..
My power supply says "max 305W" on one part, but then mentions something about a 400W peak or whatever.. I'm honestly not sure which number is actually accurate..

Roger Phillips82 said:400 Watt or greater power supply recommended (500 Watt for NVIDIA SLI™ technology in dual mode)
That's what it says..
One last question..
My power supply says max 305W, but then there's some peak rating around 400W... I'm honestly not sure which one is the real number..

Anyone know?

That 400W figure is technically accurate, though most of the time it’s just the maximum rating slapped on the power supply label

Hey everyone, I could really use some help here!
I’m seriously considering picking up a new graphics card because I think it would give my current rig a much-needed boost.
Right now, I mostly spend my time playing Bad Company, Battlefield Vietnam, and various other shooters.
The thing is, I'm just not quite sure which card would be the best move for me, so I was hoping you guys could jump in and guide me.

Here’s what I’m running at the moment:
Intel Core2Duo E8400, 3.0GHz (overclocked)
MSI P35 neo motherboard
2 GB DDR2 - 800 MHz
ATI Radeon HD4870 (RV770) Gainward 1024mb
400W Antec power supply

Basically, I want to swap out this old card for something better based on your recommendations.
And along with that upgrade, I’ll definitely be adding another 2GB of RAM to the mix...

Or, do you think it's smarter to just leave everything alone—except for the memory—and save up to buy an entirely new PC later on?
Thanks so much for any advice you can give!

Maybe grab this

But if you go that route, don't cheap out on the power supply. Get something decent like

A 430W Seasonic should do it.

That CPU still holds its own for most things, though you could probably squeeze out a bit more if you overclock it... As far as GPUs go, looking at anything beyond an HD 6870, an HD 5850, a 6850, or an NVIDIA GTX 460 or 560 just doesn't make sense given the price-to-performance ratio. Right now, this would be a solid best buy:

Or, if you want to save a few bucks, try this:

http://217.14.221.177/StartEU.ashx?p...i-r5850-twinfr

NVIDIA isn't really competitive on price at the moment, but I expect those numbers to drop soon enough.

None of these will require a new power supply either; they all pull less power than the old 4870.

Sapphire hd 6850 Toxic vs MSI hd 6850 Cyclone
Which one actually holds up better?

coastaltrucker33 said:Hey everyone, I could really use some advice.
I'm thinking about picking up a new graphics card to give my PC a bit of a boost.
Mainly, I play Bad Company, Battlefield Vietnam, and other shooters.
I'm stuck on which card would actually be a good move for me, so I'm turning to you guys.

My current specs:
Intel Core2Duo E8400, 3.0GHz (overclocked)
MSI P35 neo motherboard
2 GB DDR2 - 800 MHz
NVIDIA SLI Radeon HD4870 (RV770) Gainward 1024mb
400W Antec power supply

Basically, I'd swap this card out for something better based on what you recommend.
Along with that upgrade, I'll definitely be adding another 2GB of RAM...

Or should I just leave everything alone except for the memory, then build a whole new rig later?
Thanks for the help!

If you ask me, don't touch this setup for another year, and then maybe...
A new GPU won't actually give you much of a boost here—it's just not worth it.

I'm looking at picking up an AMD Radeon 5770 for $233, and right now I'm running a 400W power supply..
To run this card, I assume I'll need at least a 450W unit, plus that specific 6-pin connector, right?
A buddy of mine from Chicago wants to sell me a CL - ATX500W model. He isn't quite sure if it actually has the 6-pin connector, but he's offering it for $27. If anyone could let me know if this power supply will be enough for the Radeon 5770, I'd really appreciate it.

Forget the "minimum 450W" rule... what actually matters is getting a high-quality unit, even if it's only 350W. Since I have no clue which power supply you’re currently running, I can't really tell you if you should buy a new one or not...

And you'll need a 6-pin connector, unless you use one of those adapters—the ones usually included with the card—that converts 1 or 2 Molex plugs into a 6-pin...

The CL ATX500W
is some Coolmax model, and honestly? I wouldn't touch it. Just don't buy it...

So, what's the budget? How much are you willing to drop on a PSU?
This one is totally fine http://www.amazon.com/example-link

If you want, I can hook you up with a Fortron BlueStorm 2 400W here in Chicago for $67