Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

Kevin Davis57 said:hey, I need a new graphics card because my old one just kicked the bucket....

ASUS P4VM890 Intel Pentium 4 Prescott 3.00
Intel Pentium 4 Prescott 3.00GHz
1 gb ram...
ms 400w atx p4

I'm torn between the 4350 and the 4550...

The 4550 is definitely stronger.
And that 4350? It's even weaker than the 3 series.
Ugh, man, that AMD...

Joshua Flores6 said:Hey everyone! So, I finally finished picking out my whole build yesterday—well, almost. Everything is bought except for the GPU, which I decided to spend the most time obsessing over, so here I am, totally stuck on what to grab... Here’s everything else I’ve got lined up:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, 2.8GHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA770-UD3
PSU: FORTRON BlueStorm 500W
Drive: Western Digital WD3200AVRZ, 320 GB 16MB, 7200rpm
Memory: DDR2 2GB PC6400 (800MHz), Kingmax
Monitor: Samsung LCD Monitor, 23''

The rig is mainly for gaming, but nothing super intense—just watching movies and stuff like that. I really want a card that'll keep me chill for the next two or three years, you know? Something that can handle most current games without needing insane FPS or crazy resolutions... My budget is exactly $317 (so like, not even $3.25 more, since I'm already stretched pretty thin!) and I'm looking at all the shops here in the States... Right now, my favorite pick is an AMD NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX, which I've seen ranging from $267 to $367, but I didn't account for the rest of my setup, specifically the monitor, which I guess is the most important part when trying to find the sweet spot. I'd love some help figuring this out... The card doesn't strictly have to be AMD, but I've had pretty good luck with them in the past... thanks!

Just grab whichever one you feel like.

What GPU should I grab for this build? Budget is $120 max.

ASUS P5Q PRO motherboard, iP45/ICH10R, DDR2, audio, S-ATA, G-LAN, PCI-E, FW, LGA 775
Intel Core 2 duo E8400 box, 2×3.0GHz, 1333MHz, 775-pin, 6MB
Cooler Master Hyper 212, socket 775
NZXT Tempest case, black, blue LEDs, MIDI, no PSU included
650W Power Supply, LC POWER OZEANOS Metatron, ATX2 v2.2, 140mm fan, black, PFC, modular

Hey there!
I could really use some help picking out a new graphics card.
My budget is sitting right around $400.
The closest thing I've found so far is this Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 4870—it’s got 1GB of DDR5 and supports DVI and HDTV. Is it actually worth grabbing?!

Also—does anyone happen to know the actual difference between HDMI and HDTV? Just trying to wrap my head around it!

Thanks a bunch!

First off, there's a dedicated sticky thread for graphics cards, so you should post there instead.
Secondly, yeah, it's worth it. The ATI Radeon HD 4870 is a solid card; you won't regret it.
Thirdly, HDMI is just the connector type used to link two devices via a digital signal. HDTV is simply a label for TVs that support HD resolution.

James Morris4 said:First off, there are plenty of specialized forums for GPUs where you can hang out and get advice.
Secondly, yeah, it's totally worth it—the ATI Radeon HD 4870 is a solid card, you won't be disappointed.

Well, first of all, I've already joined those communities and started hanging out...
And secondly, thanks so much!

Hey guys, I need some help! Which card should I grab?

Sapphire HD 4870, 1 GB GDDR5 256bit, dual DVI, PCI Express 2.0 16x, CrossFire, AVIVO, Sapphire, Core: 780 MHz, Mem FQ: 1000MHz, Vapor-X cooler $430
or
XFX HD4870 1Gb DDR5 750MHz, dual DVI, TV-out, HDCP ready, GPU clock: 750MHz, Memory Clock 3600 MHz HD-487A-ZWFC $383

If any of you have used these, what makes one better than the other?

The clock speeds and cooling solutions are a bit different here—not to mention the price tag. I suppose you won't really go wrong with either choice, honestly. You might want to do a little digging on Google first to see what the actual temperatures and noise levels look like...

Harold Taylor6 said:First off, I'm here and I've joined...

Sorry, my bad xD Lately, I feel like I see thousands of threads where people ask about graphics cards instead of checking the sticky. It's frustrating. No, I didn't make a fool of myself 🙂

Thomas Martin4 said:Look, you're looking at different clock speeds, cooling setups, and price points here. Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with either one. Just do a quick Google search to check out the temps and noise levels...

Well, I finally pulled the trigger on the Sapphire HD 4870 Toxic! Fingers crossed I made the right call... It’s a bit pricier, around $40, but it looks like it's factory overclocked to really squeeze every bit of power out of this series.

casualraven6 said:I ended up pulling the trigger on the Sapphire HD 4870 Toxic... I suppose I hope I didn't make a mistake. It’s a bit more expensive—around $40—but it seems they've overclocked it, presumably to squeeze every last drop of performance out of this specific series

Honestly, you aren't going to see any massive real-world benefits from that extra clock speed... a standard reference card would probably suffice for most people... unless, of course, you're running some massive 24" monitor and insisting on cranking everything to Ultra settings... then, I guess, it might actually matter to you somewhere along the line...

Thomas Martin4 said:You aren't going to see any massive gains from that overclock... even the stock card would be plenty... unless you're running some huge 24" monitor and cranking everything to ultra settings... then maybe it matters a bit...

Look, I've got a 21'' or 22'' screen at 1680x1050. Maybe it won't be a total game-changer, but there'll definitely be a difference! Plus, the price gap isn't even that big.

So, I’ve run into a bit of a snag with my graphics card. I can't seem to find the VGA controller under my hardware list, and on top of that, I can't track down the actual drivers for the card either. Any ideas on how to fix this mess?

So, I’m weighing my options on which card to pick up. I'm also wondering if right now is actually the best time to buy, considering new stuff is dropping soon. I have a few specific models in mind, so I’d love some recommendations on what would pair best with my current setup. Here’s what I’m running:
CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8500 overclocked to 3.8GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q-E
RAM: 2x2GB Kingston HyperX at 1066MHz
PSU: Chieftec CFT650-CS 650W
Hard Drive: WD Caviar Black 750GB
I'm looking closely at these models:
1. MSI
GeForce GTX 275 896MB GDDR3 N275GTX Twin Frozr OC - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/msi/g...mp_vga/24/1591

2. GIGABYTE
Radeon HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 GV-R489OC-1GD - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/gigab...mp_vga/16/1744

3. SAPPHIRE
Radeon HD 4890 2GB GDDR5 11150-09-20R Vapor-X - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/sapph...p_vga/130/1762

4. SAPPHIRE
Radeon HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 11150-01-20R Toxic - link
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/sapph...p_vga/130/1648

What’s the smartest move for this build? Cooling is a huge priority for me, so which of these handles heat the best? Also, is the MSI GTX 275 actually more powerful than the HD 4890 models listed? If it is, by what percentage?
That’s the gist of it. Open to other suggestions if you know a better card out there.
Cheers.

Hey there.
Time to dust off the old AGP discussions. 😁
Basically, I need a new card for an old rig... AGP style.
My ATI Radeon 9800 Pro (with TV-out 🙂) started acting up—looks like a power connector issue. Is it even worth fixing? Who knows.
I had to swap it out for a 9550 just to get by, but man, the performance drop is brutal.
What’s actually on the market right now that matches or beats the 9800 Pro, and won't be a total waste of money on an AMD 2600+ XP build? Everything else has been running perfectly since 2003 (this card's from 2005, replacing an ultra-fast Nvidia FX that didn't last long). I just want this thing to stay alive for a few more years.😁
If anyone has the time, patience, or brainpower—and isn't too busy stressing over the national tennis team's performance—I could use some help.
THX

@ Raymond Long89 The 4890 is slightly weaker than the GTX 275, though it is a bit cheaper. The performance gap isn't massive. Personally, I don't think it's worth spending extra on the Vapor-X or Toxic editions. If I were you, I'd just grab the standard GTX 275.

@ Nicholas Murphy70 I don't think upgrading that specific configuration is really worth the investment. You might be better off finding a more budget-friendly AGP card in a similar tier—maybe an ATI Radeon 9800 or something like an X1600. If you want to stick with GeForce, maybe look at something from the 6xxx series.

James Morris4@ So you’re saying there isn't much of a meaningful difference between the high-end and the budget GTX 275? For me, cooling is the dealbreaker. My case is tucked away into a shelf, so the airflow is pretty cramped. I’m running a Chieftec Dragon big tower, but since it’s shoved into a tight spot, the air just doesn't move well enough.
I did see on the website that this MSI 275 Twin Frozr has an excellent cooling solution, but I haven't heard much about the others.
Do you know anything about how the EVGA GTX 275 handles cooling and overclocking? That's actually my top choice right now.

So...
There are differences between the most expensive and the cheapest GTX 275 models, but they're pretty marginal. Take a look at this and just keep browsing.
A standard GTX 275 idles around 40°C, maybe climbing up to 45°C. Under full load, you're looking at a few degrees above 80, say around 84 or 85. That MSI Lightning version you mentioned has almost identical idle temps, right around 40 degrees. Under load, though, it stays below 80, maybe around 75-77. Regarding cooling, it's barely cooler at idle, but about 10 degrees cooler under load. I guess you can decide if that's worth it to you.
If I were in your shoes, I'd go for the factory OC version from OCaz. It'll definitely offer better performance. How much? Well, that depends on the game and your resolution—and yes, at higher resolutions like 1920x1200 or 2560x1600, having more memory becomes more noticeable. The boost might be non-existent, or it could be 3-4 frames, or even 10.
When it comes to GPU overclocking, you shouldn't expect a half-gigahertz jump or anything extreme. Using RivaTuner, some folks on Tom's Hardware managed to push the core from 632 to 756, the shader from 1401 to 1566, and the memory from 1134 to 1242.
Here is an overclocking guide for the GTX 275, so if you decide to tinker with it, give it a read.

It's really up to you whether it makes sense to pay extra for a factory OC (which you could always try to do yourself, though you'd lose the warranty—but then again, they won't necessarily know 😁) and a better cooler, or if you'd rather just grab the cheapest 275 available.

Regarding what you said about your PC being tucked away, I have a similar setup. My rig has a 4890, which runs a bit hotter than a GTX 275. I have two case fans, and I actually bought a Scythe Musashi specifically to help cool the card.

Like I said, in my opinion, it's probably best to just get the basic version and then play around with it yourself—overclock it, cool it, whatever you want.

Hope this helps.

I think I see where this is going now. I’m going to pick up a more budget-friendly version, either the GTX 275 or the HD 4890. Honestly, there's no point in throwing money away on the high-end models. Either way, thanks for the help. Cheers.

So, the new ATI card lineup is finally out... I'm thinking about picking up an HD 5850. My current setup is running an AMD Athlon 64 X2. I realize this is massive overkill and the CPU is probably way too weak... just don't start lecturing me about upgrading my processor or the whole rig, because that isn't happening until next year. For now, I guess I'm wondering how this card will actually behave with my current CPU? How much of a performance jump am I realistically looking at with an HD 5850 compared to my old GeForce 7300 LE? ☕