GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

For $167 absolutely nothing in terms of actual gaming performance.

Exactly, there's zero point in upgrading to $167 since it’ll barely be any better than integrated graphics. A GTX 560 is decent enough (I actually have one in my rig), but you really need a beefy power supply for it. I wouldn't pay more than $133 for it, personally.

Thanks for the info, everyone. It seems I was looking in the wrong place 🙂. If you don't mind me asking, can I install newer graphics cards with this chipset? (Forgive me, I'm a bit out of the loop here). Also, what does an x16 PCI Express slot actually imply—is it just a standard slot or something superior? Basically, if I pick up any card up to $167, won't my performance gains be negligible?
Could someone please suggest an upgrade for this rig with a budget of $333 so I can play some modern titles 🙂? Apologies for being a nuisance; my hardware knowledge has declined significantly 🙂

Richard Ward69 said:Thanks for the info, guys. So eBay isn't dead after all 🙂. Just let me know if you don't mind—can I put newer graphics cards in with this chipset? (Sorry, I'm a bit out of the loop here). Also, what does x16 PCI Express actually mean? Is it just a standard slot or something high-end? Basically, if I grab any card up to $167, am I going to see much of a performance boost?
Give me some recommendations for this rig, my budget goes up to $333, and I want to be able to play some relatively recent games 🙂. Sorry for bothering everyone, my hardware knowledge has really tanked lately 🙂

The first thing holding you back on an upgrade is the power supply. These kinds of builds usually come with those cheap, no-name PSUs, so trying to slap a beefier card in there doesn't make much sense. If you can swing about a hundred bucks, then get THIS power supply, and for everything else, just pick up a GTX 560 on eBay or something in that same ballpark.

Adam Moore3 said:The primary issue you'll face with this upgrade is the power supply. Systems like yours often come with cheap, off-brand units, so trying to squeeze a better one into that specific build isn't practical. If you can set aside about a hundred bucks, just grab THIS PSU and spend the rest on a used GTX 560 or something in that same class from eBay.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate the reminder regarding the power supply, though this unit technically has more wattage than the standard version. However, since it's a slim chassis, there's no room to swap in a different card anyway. Thanks again. Cheers.

I picked up a build with integrated graphics about two years ago, and now I’m finally looking to slap a dedicated GPU in there.

Mainly, I just need an HDMI port so I can actually hook this thing up to my TV, since my current setup is lacking... It doesn't need to be anything crazy expensive, maybe around $300 max $133 (I'm mostly just playing Pro Evolution Soccer on the big screen, which runs fine right now, so nothing overkill is needed). So, what kind of card should I grab for this rig:

Motherboard: ASROCK A75 DGS
CPU: AMD A10 X4 5700
RAM: Kingston 4GB 1600 MHz
PSU: Seasonic Strider 400W 80+

If you guys need any more specs, just let me know...

I’d honestly go with used gear. For $300—$133any new card at that price point is probably going to be weaker than the integrated graphics on your CPU anyway. You might want to look for an HD 5770/6770 (~$117), a GTS 450 ($300—$117), a GTX 460, or maybe an HD 7750/7770 (~$133).

I could really use some help picking out a new graphics card. I’ve been running a GeForce GTX 260—yeah, I know, it’s ancient—and I’ve honestly squeezed every last drop of performance out of it. It hasn't died on me yet, but it's definitely time to move on... So, I'm looking for recommendations, but here's what I'm aiming for:

- Something with actual longevity (not six years, obviously, but maybe at least 2 or 3)...
- Something decent enough to run most games without needing to go full high-end.
I mostly stick to older titles, but I'd love to be able to play newer stuff just to stay current...
(Meaning I want to hit at least 30 to 60 fps on medium settings for recent releases)
(Things like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Grand Theft Auto V, Dying Light, Metro Redux, that kind of thing). Again, I don't need some insane, overkill setup; just something decent enough to get me by.
- My budget is roughly between $600 and $400. If it goes a little over that, I wouldn't mind if the card is genuinely worth the extra cash.

I'm playing at 1920 x 1080 resolution.

Right now, I'm eyeing something like a GTX 750 Ti, which sits right at the edge of my budget. But before I pull the trigger, I wanted to see if I actually need something like that, or if a weaker card would still do the trick.
It's not that I'm being cheap, I just don't see the point in wasting money on a card that's way more powerful than I actually need. Also, let me know if there's anything out there with better price-to-performance value.

PC specs:

- CPU: QuadCore Intel Core i7 950, 3200 MHz
- Mobo: Asus P6T deluxe V2 (2 PCI, 1 PCI-E x4, 3 PCI-E x16, 6 DDR3 DIMM, Audio, Dual Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
- RAM: 12 GB DDR3
- PSU: LC Power LC8650 650 W
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 260

If you can find a way to grab this one, go for it. Honestly, it’s probably a total steal—definitely lands in my top three for pure price-to-performance value. Plus, it isn't much more expensive than a GTX 750, but it packs a significantly harder punch than
.
EDIT

I noticed they're out of stock at Best Buy, but you should be able to find it over at Micro Center or even through Walmart
.

Timothy Kim60 said:Try to push for this one if you can. It’s probably a top 3 best-buy for price-to-performance, and honestly, nothing significantly more expensive than a 750Ti is actually stronger

EDIT

Looks like it's out of stock at Best Buy, but check Protus or Discount24

Signature: this is a solid midrange card. It’ll hold up for a while if you stick to medium settings🙂

Oh, sure, any GPU sitting around $120-$$433 is always going to be a total steal.
Back in the last generation, if you were looking at pure price-to-performance (based on US pricing, though the logic holds up anywhere), the heavy hitters were the AMD Radeon HD 7850, the AMD Radeon HD 7870, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost.

Right now, the top four contenders in that bracket are definitely the R9 270, the R9 280, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, and the AMD Radeon R9 290, depending on whatever the current market price happens to be.
The R7 260 also held its own in that group whenever it dropped below $233

I've got an MSI 260 that I picked up for $237 at Best Buy. It’s actually a pretty solid card. Honestly, it's about as much as my CPU can handle. Once you start looking at anything over $950, it just isn't worth the jump anymore.

I'm stuck in a bind trying to decide between ATI and NVIDIA cards.
It’s one or the other for me—no middle ground here.

XFX AMD RADEON R9 290 x DD edition

ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 970 OC

EVGA GeForce GTX 970 FTW ACX 2.0

The R9 290x and the EVGA are priced the same, but the ASUS is more expensive. $67

Personally, my top three cards are always the MSI Lightning, Gainward Phantom, and XFX DD. So, out of those three you mentioned, I’d grab the XFX without a second thought. I’ve never been a fan of ASUS, and while I hear good things about EVGA, my track record with XFX has been solid.

Maybe check out a review if you can find one, see how quiet it actually is versus how much it heats up—basically just judge the cooler quality—and then weigh that against the price and warranty. ASUS tends to be pricier here in the States since they try to market themselves as this "premium" brand.

I bet they’re going to side with XFX, mostly because that coil whine is just unbearable.

Just one more thing... what kind of power supply and processor are you running?

Not yet, but I’m looking at an i5 4460 paired with a Corsair 650

Alright then,

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a budget-friendly graphics card $133 that might be available in Miami as early as tomorrow—perhaps at a place like Best Buy or Micro Center, since he really needs it immediately. He’s working with a generic, unbranded power supply rated at 420W, so I suppose we should probably look for something with very low power consumption to avoid overloading the unit.