Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

I need some help picking out a graphics card. I'm torn between two specific models and could use your input.
1.MSI Quiet AMD Cyclone HD 4890 1GB GDDR5 HDMI
link-
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DN%26um%3D1

2.MSI launches its new GTX 260 Twin Frozr card
link

http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/12694/34/

So, these are the two I'm looking at. I've read good things about the MSI GTX 275 Twin Frozr being a great card, so I'm assuming the GTX 260 is just as solid.
Regarding the MSI HD 4890, I honestly don't know anything about it. I'd love some advice. Specifically, how is the cooling on this one? Does it stay cool, are the fans loud, and does it have fan speed control?
Also, how's the overclocking potential?
I realize these two aren't in the exact same class, but I still want to hear your thoughts on which to pick.
Here's the rest of my build:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 overclocked to 3.8 GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q-E
RAM: 2x2GB Kingston HyperX 1066 DDR2
Hard Drive: WD 750 Caviar Black 32MB
PSU: Chieftec CFT 650 CS-650 W
DVD Drive: Samsung
Case: Chieftec Dragon Big Tower
Monitors: Samsung T220 and a Samsung LE40F86BDX 40 inch LCD
Which of these two cards would pair best with my current setup?
I have until Saturday to decide. I'm definitely pulling the trigger this Saturday.
The HD 4890 is $15 more than the GTX 260, but money isn't an issue.
What’s your advice? If you recommend one over the other, please tell me why.
I'll be using the card for gaming and watching HD movies, and I plan to run both monitors simultaneously.
Both cards look beastly with their coolers, but I have no idea which one has the superior thermal design or better overclocking headroom.
Hope I'm not boring you guys with all this.
Best regards.

I'm running an e6850 clocked at 3.00 GHz, with 4 GB of RAM and a 550 W power supply...
My current graphics card is an 8800 GT.
I can set aside up to $833 for a new GPU.

Can anyone give me a solid recommendation? I've been listening to a lot of talk about AMD versus NVIDIA—people saying AMD runs too hot and pulls too much power, while NVIDIA is just way too expensive, blah blah blah...

I was leaning towards the XFX Radeon HD4890, but I'm not entirely sure.
Thanks in advance

Just go out and grab a new AMD Radeon HD 5870...

swiftfalcon14 said:just go out and grab yourself a brand new AMD Radeon HD 5870...

Wait, what?

@ Raymond Long89
It's true, the Twin Frozr models perform better than stock coolers—they're quieter and more efficient, which naturally allows for better overclocking. The HD 4890 actually has a decent stock cooler, though it’s unfortunately noisy. You probably won't notice it while idling or gaming, but at 40-60% load, it gets loud, and at 100%, it's unbearable; you don't want a jet engine in your room. On auto settings, it usually stays around 30-40% during gameplay. I have a 4890 with an aftermarket Scythe Musashi cooler, so noise isn't an issue for me anymore, and the cooling is superior. As for overclocking, I think the 4890 overclocks better than the 260. It can go from 850 MHz to over 1 GHz, especially if you use an aftermarket cooler and bump up the voltage slightly. My most honest recommendation would be the GTX 275 😁 But then again, if you can wait, just hold out for the HD5850 to hit the market (it should be any day now) and grab that instead. It'll cost more than the GTX 275 or the 4890, but it is next-gen.

@ swiftfalcon14
Prices will drop eventually; right now things are still expensive and availability is uncertain.

@ dčozntu
AMD runs warm, but it doesn't overheat, and it doesn't consume significantly more power than Nvidia. It really depends on the specific model, so it's hard to make a broad generalization.
I would wait for the HD5850 if it isn't urgent.

I've run into a bit of a dilemma... I'm working with a pretty tight budget here, maybe around $133... just a tiny amount =(.. I really want to pick up a new graphics card, but I'll be honest—I don't know much about this stuff. Right now, I'm running an Nvidia GeForce 6150. So, should I go with the AMD Radeon HD 4650 512 MB DDR2... or the Nvidia GeForce 9500 GT 1 GB DDR2??? ..... ??Please, I could use some help here... -.-...

Neither of those will work for you. Right now, you're just running on integrated graphics. You should probably tell us which motherboard you're using. If your board uses an AGP slot, you won't be able to plug in a PCIe card, and vice versa, of course. Both of the ones you mentioned are PCIe. Otherwise, I'd suggest going with the first one.
I'm guessing you have an nForce4 chipset, which likely supports 20 PCIe lanes.

Here are my PC specs... I picked this rig up about three months ago for $900 along with a 22" LCD monitor.

It’s running an AMD Athlon processor LE-1640 at 2.61 GHz, with 2.87 GB of RAM—it mentions Physical Address Extension, though I'm honestly not quite sure what that implies. It's a plug-and-play setup using an Nvidia GeForce 6150. As for the motherboard, it's an MPC6PB M2+ designed for AMD processors with a GeForce 6150 chipset. Looking at the board's specs, I don't see any AGP slots listed—just a PCI-Express x16 slot instead. So, why would I even bother switching to a Radeon? This thing seems to have plenty of RAM already... does that mean anything specific?

James Morris4
Thanks for the reply. I've got a solid deal on this MSI HD 4890 Cyclone for $175, which is making me hesitate. On the other hand, I can grab this GTX MSI 260 Twin Frozr for $155. Those are pretty great prices here in the States, so I'm really torn on which direction to go.
That MSI HD 4890 Cyclone comes in three flavors: 850, 880, and 1000 MHz. The one I’m eyeing is the 880 MHz version. The manufacturer's website talks it up quite a bit—claims the cooler is top-tier, keeps temps much lower than competitors, and uses military-grade transistors built to handle the heat.
The problem is, I haven't found a single actual user online who's running this specific model to give me some real-world feedback.
So, I'm still stuck. The MSI GTX 275 Twin Frozr I'd actually pull the trigger on is retailing for about $220 around here, which is just too steep for my budget.
I also had people suggest the Sapphire Toxic 4890, but that’s sitting at $215. They did recommend the Sapphire Vapor-X 4890 instead; it's a bit more reasonable at $185, which is within my reach.
As for the HD5850, it won't drop below $240, so that's out of the question for now. It's way too expensive.
What would you do if you were in my shoes? Which of these four should I pick?
1. MSI HD 4890 Cyclone
2. Sapphire HD 4890 Vapor-X
3. Some cheap Gigabyte GTX 275—maybe I could snag it for $185. Can you swap out the cooler on that Gigabyte model? Here's the link:
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/gigab...mp_vga/16/1603
4. MSI GTX 260 Twin Frozr.
Those are my options. My wishlist says one thing, but reality is telling me something else.
Best.

There’s such a thing as netiquette.

Read this link. You’re acting like a seven-year-old brat or some emo kid. I guess all you're missing is replacing your vowels with "ch" to really complete the look.>

Raymond Long89
The GTX 275 might offer slightly better performance over the HD 4890, but when you pair that 4890 with the Vapor-X cooler, the results are honestly quite impressive—both in terms of what you see and how quiet it sounds on OC Autoclockers. 😁
If you overclock an HD 4890, you pretty much end up with about as much performance as what you'd get paying the premium for a GTX 275.
I think I would go with option number two. I'm a big fan of Sapphire, though I have to admit the Cyclone isn't bad either. Honestly, just grab whichever one is cheaper.
You could mount a water block on the GTX 275, but if you're looking for something actually high-end, you're going to be paying quite a bit more. $67...meaning about 30 dollars.
I decided to rule out the 4 because its performance just can't compete with the GTX 275 or the HD 4890. As for the 3, I've scratched that one too, mostly because it's more expensive and doesn't come with an upgraded cooler. With the better thermal headroom on those other two, they overclock much more easily, which helps close the tiny gap left by the GTX 275.

swiftfalcon14
As Thomas Hernandez21 mentioned... 😁David Wood2 says it wouldn't kill you to work on your writing skills a bit.
If you have a PCIe slot available, just grab a PCIe graphics card—specifically that Radeon mentioned in your post.
Why pick this over a 9500 GT? Because it’s simply a better card. I see people looking at graphics cards and assuming that more RAM automatically means better performance, but that isn't really how it works. A GPU shouldn't be judged by its memory capacity; the real metrics are the core architecture and the transistor count.
You really start to feel the limitations of your RAM once you push into higher resolutions, like 1920x1200 or 2560x1600. While the 4650 is a newer generation, it’s still pretty much at the bottom end for modern gaming—it might hold up okay given a tight budget, but I guess you shouldn't go overboard with AA, AF, or maxing out all the settings. As for the 9500, that one is even worse.

@ James Morris4
Thanks again for the advice. I spent some time hitting up shops around town today and stumbled upon a Sapphire Vapor-X priced at $185. It comes with a standard two-year warranty, of course. On the other hand, the MSI 4890 Cyclone is slightly cheaper at $175 and actually carries a three-year warranty. So, I'm stuck deciding between these two or just holding out a bit longer, hoping prices for the HD5850 stabilize in the next couple of months.
I know the Sapphire Vapor-X is a proven winner, so I'm leaning heavily toward pulling the trigger on that one. But we'll see.

If the MSI version is cheaper, comes factory overclocked at a decent speed, and offers a longer warranty, it might actually be the smarter play. You basically get an overclock without worrying about voiding the warranty—not like they’d ever catch you anyway, but still 😁.
If you aren't in a massive rush, I'd say just hold out for the HD5850 😁 with its next-gen features, DX11 support, and Eyefinity... FTW! 😁

I’m running at 1920x1080 resolution... so does it even matter if I go with an AMD Radeon? (And yeah, I'm officially dropping the extra "w"s) 😁

Hey, what was I even buying? This monitor??

Hey, does anyone have any recommendations for a graphics card under $150?

It’s pretty unwise to pair a high-end graphics card with a weak processor. You could just buy a cheap card for $30 and end up seeing the exact same performance as if you had spent $400 on a better one.