GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Alright, I think I'm pulling the trigger on the 4850! I've already got a 500 GB external drive lying around, so honestly, this should be more than enough space for me.

I was just checking out the power supplies over at Best Buy, and turns out grabbing a 400W unit is only about $10 more. 🙂 (67 vs. 77 bucks)

Thanks again, everyone! 🙂

Hey there... so... I'm thinking about picking up this graphics card... an HD 5770, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, Dual DVI + HDMI, PCI X
I was wondering what kind of monitor would be a good match for $500 to actually get some decent mileage out of the card, and whether this thing could handle running Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 at higher resolutions without just choking out... if you guys need the rest of my PC specs to give me a real answer, just let me know...

Greetings.
I find myself pondering a specific matter. Which graphics card would be necessary for my system to adequately run Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3?

That’s a tough one to call since I don't know what else is in your rig or how high you want your settings... You could probably limp along on something weak like a 9500GT or a 4550 if you drop the details all the way down, but for a decent experience, you really want at least an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT.

Joseph Miller32 said:Hey there!
I've got a quick question. What kind of graphics card should I pick up if I want to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3?

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT/NVIDIA GeForce GT 430/HD 4850/9800GT/NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is actually very well optimized, so it should run quite smoothly even on older or lower-end systems.
As I mentioned before, if you're looking to pick up a new graphics card, just let us know what your current build looks like (and what resolution you play at, obviously) so we can give you a solid recommendation.

I'm looking at picking up a new graphics card—budget is around $500-$200. I stumbled upon this XFX PCI-E NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT with 600 MHz and 1GB DDR2, featuring DVI and HDTV support. I wanted to see if anyone thinks this thing can actually handle modern titles?

Specs page: http://www.xfxforce.com/en-gb/produc...ries/4650.aspx

Image:


If this one is a dud, what else should I look for under $200?

I’d definitely tell you to steer clear of that one. Honestly, 1GB of slow DDR2 memory is just a waste... If you can swing an extra couple of bucks for the NVIDIA GeForce GT 430, it would be totally worth it! But if your budget is super tight, then the classic NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT is still a solid move—just make sure you grab the version with (G)DDR3. Seriously, 512MB of DDR3 blows 1GB of DDR2 out of the water. There is a 1GB DDR3 version too, but the clock speeds are slower than the 512MB model, so it’s really not worth the headache...

Charles Ward50 said:I'm looking at picking up a new graphics card and I've got about $500-$200 to spend. I came across this XFX PCI-E NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT, 600 MHz, 1GB DDR2, DVI, HDTV, and I wanted to see if you guys think it can actually handle modern games?

Spec sheet here: http://www.xfxforce.com/en-gb/produc...ries/4650.aspx
If this one isn't any good, could someone recommend something else in the $200 range?

What resolution are you running?

Sure, you could probably shell out a few extra bucks. I'm running at 1280x1024 resolution. My rig is pretty bottom-of-the-barrel—running a 1.8GHz processor. Does that factor into the performance while playing? I'm using Razer Cortex and CCleaner.

I was just looking into the NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 (VTX3D HD5670 512MB). It says it has GDDR5. I'm living in Washington, D.C. and have no clue where to find this card or what the actual price tag looks like.

Here’s my full setup (I know it’s a total mess right now xD):

Uh, just grabbing a new GPU isn't going to fix your issues with newer games. Your CPU is definitely going to be a bottleneck, and honestly, I doubt you'd even be able to run Call of Duty: World at War. You're also running pretty low on RAM for any real gaming, so you might want to think about a whole new build... upgrading the processor probably isn't worth it anyway since you're on an old socket 462 or 754 motherboard.

Do you even have a PCI-E slot on that board? Honestly, forget what I said about that 5670 card... it’s way too much for the rest of your setup anyway. Your CPU is definitely the bottleneck for anything modern. A total rebuild is really your only move here. Or maybe just grab a used GPU like an x1650 or a 7600GT... buying anything new right now just isn't worth it...

I've got a PCI.E slot. Sorry for the interruption—thanks.

Greetings, I would truly appreciate some guidance regarding my choice of a graphics card
I am currently weighing three specific options: the ATI HD5570 1GB DDR3, the ATI HD5750 1GB DDR5, or the Nvidia GT230 1.5GB
My primary goal is to determine which of these performs best, though I find it difficult to judge since they are bundled within different pre-built configurations
What would be your most sincere recommendation?
Naturally, I intend to use this setup for gaming as well.

Hey everyone, I could really use some help picking out a new graphics card. Any advice?
If you're picking between these three, here’s the deal: go with the Radeon HD 5750 1GB DDR5. It's hands down the winner. Between that and the ATI HD 5570 1GB DDR3, the 5750 crushes it because of that GDDR5 memory. And don't even look twice at the Nvidia GT 230 1.5GB. It's just not in the same league. Grab the Radeon HD 5750. Period.
Of course I want to know which one of these three is the best. The problem is they’re already baked into the pre-built configurations, so there isn't much room to move.
What would you guys recommend?
Of course. It’ll definitely work for playing games too.

I’m guessing you're looking at a laptop, right? If you're planning on buying a pre-built rig, honestly, don't do it. You can always put together something way better for the exact same amount of cash if you build it yourself. Either way, look for a Radeon HD 5750.

I wasn't actually looking for a laptop, I was just browsing through some pre-built desktop configurations to get a sense of the current market standards since
it has been quite a while since I last kept up with graphics card developments.
So, am I correct in assuming the Radeon HD 5570 outperforms the Radeon HD 5750?
I am currently scouting for cards in the $800-$300 range that would fit perfectly into a build totaling roughly $1833

Patrick Thomas37 said:It isn't actually for a laptop—I was just browsing through some pre-built desktop specs to get a baseline, since I guess
it’s been quite a while since I last kept up with GPU releases.
So, is the 5570 somehow better than the 5750?
I'm looking at cards in the $800 range—$300though maybe less—that would fit into a build priced around $1833

Just start a new thread, but please... try reading the rules first.

The Radeon HD 5750 is a significant step up from the 5570—though, honestly, you could probably squeeze a 5770 into your rig, or even a 5850, which absolutely crushes both the 5750 and the 5770 😉 So, as Thomas Martin4 suggested, just start a new thread and we'll put together something much better than any pre-built setup.