Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

• Definitely PCI-E
• CPU: AMD Athlon 4200+ DualCore
  MB: MSI K9N SLI Platinum
  RAM: 2GB DDR2 (Kingmax)
  PSU: FORTRON BlueStorm 500W
• Currently running at 1024x768 on a 17" monitor
• $500 Budget is $150 (though I'd prefer closer to $140 😁 )
• Any local shops or online stores

Thinking about an Nvidia GTX 260, but since I haven't kept up with the market lately, there might be something better out there...😉
Or maybe the 250GTS? Is the price jump actually worth it?
Basically looking for the best value GPU for about $150 to $220 that I won't need to touch for a few years...

For a 1024x768 resolution, I’d actually lean toward the 4670—but since you mentioned "currently," I’m guessing you might be upgrading that monitor pretty soon anyway.
If that's the case, then this should do the trick—http://www.amazon.com/s?k=graphics+card

It would be even better if you could snag an Nvidia GTX 260 with the 216 SP version, though honestly, those with 192 are still perfectly fine options.

I picked up "Empire Total War"—that's really the only thing I'm playing right now.

My current graphics card can't handle it. I'm looking at an "ATI Radeon HD4650 1024 mb" because the price is right ($217), but will that actually let me crank the settings to the max? Or am I going to need something beefier and more expensive, like a 4850? I'd rather not spend more than $233 if I don't have to.

The game's requirements are👋Windows XP (service pack 2)
2.4ghz Intel Pentium or better
1GB RAM
256MB DirectX 9.0 C compatible (shader model 2.0)

My current setup:👋Windows XP (service pack 2)
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20GHz, 2200 MHz
3GB RAM
4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0 C) ASUS EAH3450 Series 512 mb MonitorENQ 1920/1080 22
Monitor:🙂ASUS EAH3450 Series 512 mb MonitorENQ 1920/1080 22"

Thanks in advance.

If I were in your shoes, I’d grab this one.
http://www.diskont24.com/product.php?productid=55799

Jacob Rivera3 said:I picked up Total War. It's the only thing I'm playing.

My current graphics card can't handle this game. I'm looking at an ATI Radeon HD4650 1024 mb that's actually affordable—would it be worth picking up?$217Did I max out the settings on this game? Or am I looking at a situation where I need to drop more cash on something beefier, like a 4850 version? I really don't want to spend more than I have to. $233 If I don't have to, then why bother?

I’d aim for at least an HD 4770 or an HD 4850. If you're already running a crossfire setup, why not just grab an HD 4770 now? You can always pick up a second one later, link them via crossfire, and end up with this: http://sobitza.com/portal/content/view/687/32/

By the way, Total War is part of the standard benchmark suite on that site, so you can easily compare the graphics there.
http://sobitza.com/portal/content/view/629/32/1/5/

I think I’ll just bite the bullet, spend a little extra, and get the real deal—the HD 4850.

Thanks, everyone!

So, about two days ago my hd3870x2 finally gave up the ghost... I powered on the rig and nothing, just total silence from the card. It’s only about a year old, picked up from Micro Center, and it should be covered under a three-year warranty. I'm wondering if anyone here has had similar run-ins with them, or what the typical turnaround looks like... though I have my doubts they'll actually manage to dig up a replacement for a card like this...

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 260 896 MB... what's the verdict on this card?

With this setup 😁

http://www.imagesforme.com/show.php/265489_asdf.bmp

Thomas Hernandez21 said:Are you absolutely certain it’s the graphics card?

I swapped it out for another one and everything works perfectly fine now, so... I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else who bought from them ran into these kinds of issues, because I'd really like to know what I can expect moving forward...😍

Jesse Rodriguez50 said:for this rig 😁

http://www.imagesforme.com/show.php/265489_asdf.bmp

An okay GPU for this build—you won't be disappointed, I suppose. Just make sure you get the 216sp version instead of the 192sp one.

Jamie Adams9 said:I put it in my other machine and everything works fine, but I'm wondering if anyone else who bought from them had similar issues—what can I actually expect here?😍

I don't really know what you can expect—it could go either way, I guess. Ideally, they should just swap it out or give you a credit for the amount on your receipt. If they refuse, maybe look into filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If they are a legitimate business, there shouldn't be any trouble.

Jesse Rodriguez50 said:What’s the consensus on the gigabyte geforce gtx 260 896 mb graphics card?

I would suggest looking at Micro Center; their pricing tends to be more reasonable.
Rather than settling for the gtx 260, you might find better value in an hd 4870.
I have personally found that Seagate drives tend to fail quite frequently, so I generally prefer Western Digital.
As for your power supply, the CX 400 should be sufficient for this setup.

My Specs:

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU: DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2000 MHz 3800+
Motherboard: Lenovo ThinkCentre A60
Chipset: Nvidia GeForce 6100, AMD Hammer
System Memory: 4096 MB (DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce 7300 Le (128 MB)

I'm currently running at 1280 x 1024 @ 75 Hz, though I suppose a new monitor might show up eventually...
The power supply is also too weak. I need a replacement... if anyone knows of a decent one for around $167?? 🤔

I'm torn between the GTX 275 and the HD 4890. Which one is actually better? Which should I go with?
I guess I'll spend up to $533 on the card...☕

Power Supplies - You could go with the OCZ StealthXStream 500W - $128, the StealthXStream 600W - $160, a Corsair CX 400W - $117, or even the Silverstone Strider 500 w - $153. Now, keep in mind those first two tend to be a bit louder during operation, though honestly, you really can't go wrong with any of them... they all provide plenty of juice for your current rig, and even for whatever beastly setup you decide to build down the road!

As for the graphics card, I'd say just grab the GTX 275. 🙂 ... ... ... although, if I'm being totally honest, your processor is going to be a massive bottleneck for a card like that, since you really ought to have at least an Intel chip hitting the 3GHz mark to keep up with something so powerful. 🙂 For instance, maybe something like an E5200. 🙂

wiredmarlin5 said:Power supply—you've got an OCZ StealthXStream 500W. $128The StealthXStream 600W... I suppose. Maybe. $160The Corsair CX 400W... I guess. Maybe. $117Maybe the Silverstone Strider 500 w. I guess. $153The first two options have more punch, but you probably won't go wrong with any of them. They all seem to have enough power for your current rig, and likely for whatever you build next, I guess.

If you're looking for a card, maybe go with the GTX 275. I guess. 🙂 I guess even if that processor is way too weak for it, you really should have at least an Intel clocked at 3GHz for something like this. Maybe. 🙂 Let's say we're looking at an E5200. 🙂

I suppose I know my processor is just too weak...😢 If I decide to go with one of those newer, more powerful processors, I'd probably have to swap out the motherboard too. That means the board, the CPU, the GPU, and the power supply... basically the entire rig. Maybe.🙂 I suppose I'll just settle for a new graphics card for now... regardless of how it performs, it'll probably run at least five times better than what I'm stuck with currently.🙂

It’s me again... I stumbled upon an ad where someone is selling a GTX 285 for $633. They claim it still has two years of warranty left through Best Buy and that the card is perfectly functional...

I could use some input... should I pull the trigger on this one, or just grab a weaker GTX 275 from a local shop so I know I'm the first one to touch it and nobody's messed with the hardware?

Any advice would be appreciated... what kind of experiences have you all had buying GPUs through online classifieds? 🙂

Nicholas Collins68 said:Eve is bothering me again... I found this listing where some guy is selling a GTX 285 for $633 and claims it still has two years of warranty left from Best Buy—plus, he swears the card is 100% functional...

Now I’m looking for some advice... should I pull the trigger on that card, or just grab a weaker GTX 275 from a local shop so I know I’m the first one to touch it and nobody has been messing around with the hardware???

Give me some input... what has your experience been like buying GPUs through online classifieds??? 🙂

Well, if you actually go meet up with them to inspect the card—checking the paperwork, matching the serial number on the receipt against the sticker on the GPU itself—and everything lines up, then fine; for those kinds of deals, I suppose I prefer meeting the seller in person to verify everything before making a call. But honestly, it probably isn't worth getting a card like that for your current processor. Not unless you are planning to upgrade your motherboard and CPU very soon.

Nicholas Collins68 said:So, it's me again... I just stumbled upon this listing where some guy is trying to offload a GTX 285 for $633, claiming it still has two years of warranty left at Best Buy and that the card is perfectly fine...

I'm really looking for some guidance here... should I take the gamble on this specific card, or would it be smarter to just pick up a slightly lower-end GTX 275 from a local Micro Center where I know exactly who owned it first and that nobody has been tinkering with the internals???

Please, give me some advice... what has your experience been like when buying graphics cards through online classifieds??? 🙂

http://www.diskont24.com/product.php?productid=70955

Honestly, $633 don't give it to him. $567 would be a much fairer price for a used card like that...

Plus, you can grab a GTX 275 for under $517 brand new, so you might as well go that route; it's definitely a safer bet than dropping $633 on a used GTX 285.

So, the year is finally winding down—I just wrapped up my finals and actually managed to scrape some cash together. I've decided to let go of my 4850 + Accelero S1 setup; already found a buyer too (I'm getting $267 for it), and now I've got my eyes set on this . Since I don't have a CF plate anymore, this looks like a solid move—though I am wondering if this cooler actually fits it, or if it’s strictly meant for the 4870 x2 http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalo...ath=2_&mID=244