Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

Which one would you all suggest I go with?

or perhaps

Don't bother engaging with those folks who can't even follow the basic two percent of the rules...

Kyle Sanchez4 said:hd4670

What kind of power supply are you running, and what did it set you back?

Thanks for the reply. I haven't had a chance to get back to everyone until now... Cheers.

Do you need an AGP or a PCI-E card?
PCI-E

What’s your current or planned setup looking like, and what kind of power supply are you running?
- Mobo: ASUS P5QL-E
- CPU: Intel Core 2 duo E2220 @ 2.40GHz
- GPU: nVidia GeForce 7600GT 256MB RAM
- Memory: 2GB DDR2
- PSU: 400W, old enough to be tired, honestly not great at all

What resolution are you playing at?
1280x1024(19 inch)

How much cash are you willing to drop?
maybe up to 700 bucks$300(but I'm totally open to suggestions up to $333, and I am definitely NOT buying a new power supply)

Which stores are you considering?
Best Buy, Micro Center, Newegg, Amazon

Any other specific requirements?
Look, I really want to play GTA4 if my rig can even handle it, and I need a GPU that won't be obsolete in two years so this computer stays useful. Thanks in advance

There isn't much to debate here. If you aren't planning on upgrading that old power supply—which sounds pretty weak and unreliable—then just grab an HD4670 for about $90. But since you mentioned your current PSU is acting up, I’d at least suggest picking up a decent 350W or 400W unit from a brand like EVGA. That would get you much closer to $300☕
.
P.S. Just to be safe, check the label on your current power supply and let me know who actually manufactured it. 😉

Alright, I'm gonna crack this case open tomorrow—don't want to be messing around with hardware at 5 in the morning—so once I've had a look, I'll post an update... thx

If you're working with a tight budget, you might want to consider picking up an x1950pro paired with a 400W Fortron unit.
Just keep in mind that upgrading to a brand-new power supply is absolutely non-negotiable; unless, of course, you're looking to risk a total system failure that takes out your motherboard or hard drive along with it.

Just gonna jump in on what was said above...

My power supply is some random CODEGEN 400W, model 300XX—let me know if you need any more specifics than that and I'll cough them up.

Anyway, I’m seriously torn between the 4670 and the *XFX GeForce 9600GT XXX, 512MB DDR3, TV-out, Dual DVI, 740MHz. A buddy of mine actually has that XFX card and he's running the same ancient power supply I am; the guys at the computer shop told him straight up it wouldn't work with his setup, but he bought it anyway and it works just fine for him.

stormyseal98 said:to follow up on the previous post...

My power supply is a generic CODEGEN 400W, model 300XX (if I need to provide more specific details, just let me know)

Anyway, I'm torn between the Radeon 4670 and the *XFX GF 9600GT XXX, 512MB DDR3, TV-out, Dual DVI, 740MHz. A friend of mine has that XFX card and he's running the same old power supply I have; the shop told him it wouldn't work with his PSU, but he bought it anyway and it works just fine.

Stop agonizing over which graphics card to buy. If you don't swap out that power supply, you risk frying your entire system. Upgrade the power supply first—get an EVGA 400W or even an EVGA CX series—and only then should you start looking at GPUs.

🙂🙂

If you want my honest opinion on what actually works best for a 17" monitor, I wouldn't dream of suggesting something like a 9600GT or any of those similar cards right now 🙄
. Instead, why not look at an x1950pro—which should run you about $150—or perhaps a 4670 for roughly 600? To go along with that, an EVGA 400W would be perfect for about $100
.
I truly struggle to wrap my head around these kinds of 🤷
.

Daniel Nguyen3 said:🙂🙂

I am suggesting what actually makes sense for a 17" monitor; why on earth would you settle for a 9600GT or anything in that tier? 🙄
In other words, go with an X1950Pro for roughly $150 or a 4670 for about 600, paired with an EVGA 400W for $100
.
I truly cannot wrap my head around this kind of 🤷

To each their own, I suppose 😁. Here is the link for the 1950, though I fail to see the logic in avoiding the 3650, 2600 Pro, or the XT.

EDIT: 2600XT (link), 2600 Pro (link), and the 3650 link).

Because the X1950 actually outperforms those three other options. 😁

I previously mentioned that you should only consider picking up an X1950 if your budget is extremely tight and you simply can't swing something more powerful, such as an X3850 or an X4670.

Oh, come on now, you can't be serious about recommending an X1950PRO... honestly, if you're looking at those options, picking up a 4670 or even a 4650 would be a much faster and significantly better move overall... I am just glad to see you aren't suggesting the X1650, because that would have been a total mistake...

Is there actually any meaningful difference $67 when it comes to the performance gap between the X1950 and the 4670?

Daniel Nguyen3 said:The difference in performance between the x1950 and the 4670 is negligible at $67.

In reality, the 4670 is twice as powerful.

Can you imagine someone actually trying to game on a 17" monitor?😁

Daniel Nguyen3 said:And here we have someone trying to game on a measly 17" monitor 😁

Is that not enough power for him? 😉

And there is really no need for a more powerful 😉

Daniel Nguyen3 said:but you don't actually need anything more powerful for that specific setup...😉

Honestly, though, you can never have enough FPS... 😉

I have no idea why you guys think I’m rocking a 17" screen, I clearly said I’ve got a 19" right in my first post...

Everything I read keeps pushing me toward the 4670 because apparently it's the absolute king for the price and barely pulls any power at all...
I'm just browsing right now and seeing a bunch of different 4670 models from various brands like GAINWARD, SAPPHIRE, GIGABYTE, and ATI/AMD... the price difference is just $17 all over the place between them. Is there actually any real difference between these manufacturers, or is anyone here willing to give me a solid recommendation? Please only chime in if you actually know what you're talking about regarding this stuff...

Thanks