GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Quick update on that issue I've been having with the RX460 I picked up:

I ended up handing it over to a buddy of mine who works in IT—gave him the whole rig, too, just to be thorough :-)

He tested out some of his old legacy cards, the 512mb types, and they all run perfectly fine, but this one of mine? Total dead end.
The weird part is, when he tosses my card into his own machine, it works without a single hiccup.
We tried resetting everything—even cleared the CMOS—but still nothing happens on my end.
It’s pretty obvious now that this newer card is just incompatible with my older motherboard.
So, the plan is for him to help me hunt down a slightly better card—ideally something with more than 512mb of VRAM—that actually plays nice with my board, and then hopefully that'll be the end of it... for now.

Sent from my iPhone using Reddit

Strange...

You should probably try testing it with a newer graphics card in your rig.

So, look—a buddy of mine had an Nvidia GeForce GT730 2 and it runs perfectly fine. Just trading cards... he snagged something slightly newer/better, while I picked up one that actually works in my rig and holds its own given my specs... honestly, everyone’s happy with the deal.

Sent from my iPhone using Reddit

wiredotter14 said:You don't really have many options for new cards in that budget.

Go with an RX550 or a GT 1030. The first one's a bit stronger, but honestly, both are pretty weak. They'll definitely run The Sims 4, but the RX550 is decent enough, maybe similar to what was recommended earlier, while the GT 1030 is a step down.

Ideally, you’d grab a used RX460—kind of like an RX 560, which is better than those two new ones—for maybe around $250.

With new cards, obviously the upside is you get a warranty, and if you buy online, you can just return it if things go sideways.

But for $100, you're getting way better performance used for about $50-$$233 compared to new, since entry-level cards are just overpriced.

Thanks for the info. My issue with used stuff is that I don't know how to build a PC myself, and if something breaks, I wouldn't have a clue what to do—kind of like what happened to that guy in the comment above. Anyway, I'll think about what I want to spend and figure out how I'd handle it if I decide to go the used route.

Paul Hernandez49 said:So, a buddy of mine had an Nvidia GeForce GT730 2GB and it works perfectly fine. Just trading cards... he scored a slightly better/newer GPU, I got one that actually runs in my rig and holds its own for my setup... everyone's happy.

Sent from my iPhone using Reddit

That's a much better deal; his friend really hit the jackpot here.😬
I think him offering a few rounds in return would be more than fair enough.😉

I mean, I get it, but man—you still spent way too much effort on that and wasted a ton of time.
At least let me have one ore vein, will ya? :-D

Sent from my iPhone using Reddit

Is there anything actually worth picking up—whether I'm buying new or hunting for a used card with at least 1GB of VRAM—for somewhere between 2000 and $833 (that’s my hard ceiling, no exceptions)? It absolutely has to have a 0rpm mode.

I'm planning to drop it into a rig running an i7 3930k, 16GB of RAM, and a 600w FSP power supply. I'll deal with swapping out the PSU once I've got the GPU situation sorted out.

The issue here isn't actually your graphics card or your power supply. Honestly, you're looking at a motherboard and a socket that have seen way too many years of service. ^^ It’ll be quite the spectacle if that motherboard finally decides to give up the ghost. XD

And once again, I didn't get the answer I was actually looking for, nor did anyone bother to provide a legitimate opinion regarding the CPU and motherboard combo. People are still out here running 775 socket setups today without breaking a sweat, so I honestly don't see why two products that were considered high-end enthusiast grade back in the day wouldn't still be functional. It’s just great how the processor and motherboard get mentioned, yet the actual answer to my question is nowhere to be found. This whole attempt at acting smart is still just that—an attempt.

If the motherboard dies, I’ll just grab $833 for an R5 3600, a B450, and Aegis 16GB, and I won't have a single worry in the world. You really don't need to stress about that setup. As long as the processor and the motherboard are working, there's zero cause for concern. So, if you actually have one or two intelligent things to say, feel free, but if you don't, please just leave this post alone.

I'd say you should either go with a brand new 1660Ti or pick up a used RTX 2060. As long as your FSP unit is a decent, reliable model, you shouldn't run into any issues running those cards.

What about those used 1070ti or 1080 cards? Are they pretty much outdated compared to an RTX 2060, or would it actually be worth picking one up if it still has a valid warranty?

Honestly, it might be worth holding off for a bit to see if a solid deal on a used RTX 2060 pops up. 😉 If I were in your shoes, that’s exactly what I’d do—just hang tight until the right price for an RTX 2060 comes along. 😉

Thanks a million!

It’s going to be incredibly tough to find anything from the GTX 10 series that comes with more than a six-month warranty. It’s not impossible, but you’re definitely looking for a needle in a haystack.

Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I’d start hunting for a used RTX 2060 priced around $200-$210.$733 That feels like your best bet.

You could also pick up a brand new 1660 Ti for about that much.

But even if you manage to snag a used RTX 2060 for $220, if it still has a solid chunk of warranty left, that’s an absolute steal.

Whether you go with a 1070, a 1660 Ti, or a 2060, all three should land within about 15% of each other in terms of raw performance... so really, everything is in the ballpark. It just all comes down to where you can find the best deal. 😉

As for the power supply, as long as it’s a decent Corsair model, you shouldn't run into any issues. If it's an EVGA 600W, you should be pretty much good to go.

I did a little digging for you, and I think I spotted an EVGA Strix 1070 with about eighteen months of warranty left. And if my memory serves me right, there was an unopened RTX 2060 for $220 that still carries a full two-year warranty. Take a look through the listings and see what clicks with you. There are a few solid offers out there. For $733 you can definitely get a great setup. 😉

https://www.craigslist.org/listing/graphics-card-example

https://www.craigslist.org/listing/graphics-card-example

https://www.craigslist.org/listing/graphics-card-example

https://www.craigslist.org/listing/graphics-card-example

You’ve got a few different options here depending on what you’re looking for.

I’d say hold off for a bit until someone else weighs in; I'm not exactly a top-tier expert when it comes to these specific cards, and it might be worth having someone with a bit more experience give it a second look just to be safe.

Edit:

https://www.craigslist.org/listing/graphics-card-example

Oh, and check this one out—it actually still has a year and three months of warranty left on it.

But really, the choice is yours. ^^ Personally, I think all of these are solid deals. Just see which one fits your needs best, and again, maybe wait for an expert to confirm, but honestly, you probably won't find anything better than this for $20-$733.

I really appreciate you putting in all that work to look this up. Honestly, grabbing that Nvidia Phoenix RTX 2060 for $220 is a solid move. It’s got plenty of punch for what it is, and you won't be getting fleeced like you would if you walked into a Best Buy to buy something brand new.

I just spotted some Gigabyte 1660 Ti cards on eBay for about $817 .. if you're interested in that route. Or are you leaning more towards finding the absolute best performance for the lowest possible price?

Honestly, I still think that's way too much money to pay just to get performance roughly on par with a GTX 1070. I’ll probably end up looking into those Nvidia cards instead. I actually stumbled upon a V56 for around $1,500—but the catch is there's no warranty, which is a pretty interesting wrinkle to consider. If I can actually get my hands on it to run some tests, I might seriously consider pulling the trigger, especially since the RTX 2060 and the V56 sit in a similar performance bracket, yet the 2060 is sitting there costing me 50% more. For that kind of price difference, I might actually be willing to swallow the risk of having no warranty.

Yeah, that power supply is exactly the one you mentioned in your last post.

That Hyper unit should handle your Nvidia cards just fine...
But that Vega 56... now that's a different story. 😉
It’s a rock-solid power supply, but honestly, pairing it with a Vega 56 is cutting it a bit close. That card pulls quite a bit of juice. XD

Edit:

And seriously, don't buy anything without a warranty; I wouldn't touch it if I were you.

Edit:

Are you talking about that Sapphire model for $150? The one without the aftermarket cooler?
I wouldn't go for it.

Yeah, it's a blower style without any extra cooling. It’s probably been pushed to its absolute limit already. We'll see, I might just go for it. Thanks anyway