Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

Gary Price7 said:I'm really torn between these different graphics cards

is there anything better out there for this kind of budget?

You really should have given the very first post a read, but instead, everyone just insists on acting like they don't know what's going on...

If I were in your shoes, my pick would definitely be:

Looks okay to me, but what’s actually the difference between DirectX 10.0 and 10.1?
http://www.newegg.com/Description/Product/1130207

The only real difference is that one digit; if the card supports 10.0, I guess it probably handles 10.1 too.

I'm agreeing with my friend here—she’s not exactly demanding. She might play The Sims 2 or something similar, but she doesn't need anything fancy. I haven't even sat down to build the specs yet, but since it's a new build, I'll definitely need a PCI-E card. I want this thing to last at least 4 or 5 years without dying on her. So, hit me with some recommendations $200
Also, maybe something from Newegg or Micro Center? Let me know what you guys suggest

or maybe

Which one wins on cooling, raw performance, and speed:

or

???
Ignore the price tag entirely.
I shouldn't even have to mention this since it shouldn't matter, but for context:
I'm using a 20-inch monitor.
Mainly for gaming.

Look, the Gainward card is EOL and being replaced by a GS model anyway, plus it only comes with a 12-month warranty. Meanwhile, Sapphire Technology has actual heatpipes and a full 24-month warranty. The winner is pretty obvious here...

Is there anything better than this card for $600-$233
http://www.bestbuy.com/product-details/item12345

darkowl72 said:Look, the Gainward version is EOL, getting replaced by the GS model, and it only comes with a 12-month warranty. Meanwhile, Sapphire Technology has actual heatpipes and a full 24-month warranty. The winner here is obvious.

I’m not entirely certain, but I don't believe that's the Sapphire model. I think it was actually from Gigabyte Technology. Regardless, the other one is clearly the superior choice.

@Gary Price7/">@@Gary Price7: Grab it and you won't regret it. At that price point, there simply isn't a better option on the market.

my setup

motherboard—ASRock eSATA2
CPU—Intel Core 2 duo E4300, 1.8 GHz
RAM—2x1GB Kingmax DDR2 667
PSU—Chieftec 400W with 120mm fan
Monitor—Philips 170S (170S7) [17" LCD]
HDD—SAMSUNG SP2004C ATA Device (200 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
old GPU—ATI Radeon X1050 (256 MB) DDR2
OS—Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit

need a GPU for around $600—$233(PCI-E x16, DDR3)
leaning toward one of these

shopping at Best Buy, local junk shops, or Newegg

Gary Price7 said:my setup

motherboard—ASRock eSATA2
CPU—Intel Core 2 duo E4300, 1.8 GHz (9 x 200)
RAM—2x1GB Kingmax DDR2 667
PSU—Chieftec 400W with 120mm fan
Monitor—Philips 170S (170S7) [17" LCD]
Hard Drive—SAMSUNG SP2004C ATA Device (200 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
old GPU—ATI Radeon X1050 (256 MB) DDR2
OS—Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit

I need a graphics card in the $600 range—$233(PCI-E x16, DDR3)
I am leaning toward one of these




I'll be shopping at Micro Center, HG junk, or Newegg

Well, wiredmarlin5, I told you a few posts back: 9600GT!

I’ve been scrolling through some comments about the 9600GT, and people are saying it runs hot, pulls a ton of power, and gets pretty loud. Not sure if a 9600GT will actually work with my Intel Core 2 duo 1.8 and a 400W Corsair power supply.

It feels like someone is just trying to mess with your head at this point...

Look, you got some advice, so what's the big deal? If you actually know your stuff and feel solid about what you've read, then just go ahead and buy whatever you want and stop cluttering up the thread with all this noise!

I'm just wondering if that 9600 is actually going to run okay on a 400W power supply

It certainly will! This card pulls about 15W more than the HD4670 does... so there really shouldn't be any issues at all...

Alright, thanks a lot. I'll go with her.

So, is the 8800 GT actually a better value right now, or should I just bite the bullet and go for the 9600 GT?

8800gt.

first post ☕

So, I’ve been reading through some tech forums and saw some chatter suggesting that:
1) $576
is actually superior to this one:
2) $590
Which of these is going to provide better gaming performance? I'm working with a 20-inch monitor, so
what's the actual difference here, and is it even worth the switch? My goal is to max out every single setting on my 20-inch screen.
Price isn't really an issue since the gap between them is negligible.