I have around £80-90 to spend on a GPU for my new build pc (i5 2400, P8Z68V-LX,4GB Ram, Corsair Cx430 PSU with optional CiT 550 which is in the old pc, 1TB + 500GB + 160GB HDD's running with a 22" LG LED Monitor@1920x1080) Intended uses are general Web browsing, video editting, Google sketchup work, a bit of gaming (current games running on old pc - athlon IIx2 240 w/3GB Ram and HD5450 installed - Burnout Paradise, Football Manager 2010, Battlefield 2, Train Simulator 2012) All these I would like to trnasfer to the new pc and possibly some other newer FPS - COD, BF3 etc etc I have been looking around at GPU's and have come to the conclusion that I have no idea whats good these days - I have built PC's a few years ago, but this is the first since my triplets were born! I have the option of a few what I think are decent cards, with 2GB GDDR3 onboard or 1GB GDDR5 - obviously GDDR5 is better and more the better I suppose, but what would be better for the games listed above and for playing some newer games at a reasonable, playable frame rate, maybe with some setting turned down or off (Anti Aliasing, I'm looking at you)? Ebuyer are currently doing this Gigabyte GTS 450 w/ 1GB ddr5 for £75.99 reduced from £94http://www.ebuyer.com/238428 Any other suggestions that are better than this card, and UNDER my budget, would be most appreciated. BTW I would much prefer BRAND NEW Cards, so please do not suggest using the marketplace on BT.
Keeping it new & completely within your budget then it's probably the best option... ...though (keeping it new) you'd gain a lot by going slightly above the £100 (~£110) mark with either a GTX 460 or an AMD 6850 - the latter generally being the quicker card at your res afaik... ...though there's always the odd game where a similar nVidia card will win out just because it's an nVidia card. & if you can push it to ~£130 then there's the AMD 6870 which is better again - or the GTX 560 which is slightly more expensive but roughly equivalent. (prices are solely based upon a very quick Google shopping search rather than looking for promotions)
Tough! If you can find an older GTX 460 with 256-Bit memory bandwidth for around £80 used that'll knock the socks off a GTX 450. Just read around the reviews and most of them will state 'It's not a GTX 460'! Also beware of the cheaper second generation GTX 460 cards; most available through retail now have a limited 192-Bit memory bandwidth. So why pay more for less?
More memory is better, IF the card can take advantage. In this case, it won't, so get the faster memory. I also agree, if you can move up to the 6870, do it. It's a fantastic card.
Thanks for the replies so far. Didn't realise there were responses as I didn't get an email from BT so apologies this reply hasn't come sooner than now. Back OT, taking the responses above into account, would this be a better bet? ASUS HD6850 @ ebuyer Will the PSU already installed (brand new Corsair CX430) be able to handle this card? Regarding budget - I still have to purchase a copy of Win7 64 bit, so the above card @ £98 is really pushing it if I'm honest - I have £160 atm to buy the GPU and OS, but may have to push it a little further to get a retail copy of Win7 as I shouldn't buy an OEM copy.
I can't remember who, but someone on BT basically told me that by using an OEM when the computer isn't being sold onto an unknown 3rd party, is by definition in breach of MS T&C and that I should only buy retail! regarding the GPU I linked to before - if the PSU I have installed (Corsair CX430) will be able to handle the Asus HD6850 as the CX430 is the second PSU i've bought for this build as, again, someone on Bit-tech said the CiT (550w) one I had originally purchased was a pile of crap and would blow the new pc up and that IO should just throw it in the bin without using it!. Funny that, considering it is powering the pc I'm using to type this message with absolutely no issues whatsoever!!
PSUs are a funny thing. On everyday sort of bog standard builds, any old PSU will generally be fine as not a lot ofpower is being pulled from the 12V rails. However, most PCs on this forum draw a shedload from the 12V rails, something cheap PSUs can't handle as they're not designed for it. So yeah, the CX430 is a very good PSU and can powermost mid range graphics cards with ease Also, OEM is fine. You do technically break the Microsoft EULA but they're hardly gonna come round your house and check. Save some money and go for OEM (I have had OEM on allof my PCs)
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-scanfx-hd-6850-direct-cu-4000mhz-gddr5-gpu-790mhz-960-stream-processors-2x-dvi-hdmi-dp /thread Your'll not find better value new.
I definatly agree with the OEM savoe yourself the money, if you are deciding to sell up later down the line just remove windows. How many people do you think are running pirate copies of windows 7 and surely thats got to be worse
OEM just means OEM packaging, I.E. no box or documentation. You can get processors and hard drives that way as well. Definitely go OEM on Windows.
I've always bought OEM software - the OS on the current pc is OEM, the software on the pc before that was OEM so was surprised when soomeone told me I shouldn't be buying it (on a technicality) Will be picking up an OEM copy of Win7 64bit OEM when I get the GPU. mucgoo - do you reckon that card will be the same price next week? I'm going away tomorrow to my brothers wedding so if I place an order now, it will sit in the couriers system for the weekend, probably being used as a football or something knowing my luck! so I'm not planning on ordering until Sunday night/Monday morning when I get back.
Not quite. OEM Windows requires you to ring Microsoft if you change the motherboard/reload on a different PC in order to reactivate Windows. But again, it only adds 2 minutes to activation time, so saving money on OEM is the right way to go.
it was a stupid question to ask you I do admit! Anyway, been having a look at scan, at their daily deals - found the HD7750 - seems to be the same spec as the 6850? If not, whats the difference and which is better? Links below Sapphire HD7750 ScanFX HD6850 Probably just going to order one of these and be done with it. Oh yeah, and a copy of win7.
