Advice on new graphics card upgrade

[truckpuller]

Ok Shy here ya go...lol...would like to stay in the $100 to $150 buck range.


CPU FX4100 bulldozer freezer pro 64 cpu cooler
ASrock 990FX extreme 3..has 2 pci 16x slots
8gb Gskill sniper series ram
psu antec earthwatts 650 +5 v 24 A +3v 24A +12v 38A +12v 38A

Current GPU PNY GT240 which i run skyrim on high settings.

[ShyguyXPC]

$150 range, if you can nab a GTX 460 1GB somewhere for that range, or an Open Box Radeon 6870.

Otherwise, Geforce GTX 550 Ti, or Radeon 6850.

6850: Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, Video Cards & Video Devices, Desktop Graphics / Video Cards, Radeon HD 6000 series, Radeon HD 6850

$10 over your budget, you can get a 6870: Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, Video Cards & Video Devices, Desktop Graphics / Video Cards, Radeon HD 6000 series, Radeon HD 6870

GTX 550 Ti: Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) FPB 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Newegg.com - MSI N550GTX-Ti Cyclone OC GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Newegg.com - MSI N550GTX-Ti-MD1GD5 GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card



for the Price, this one gets the Nod, its clocked faster than a stock GTX 560, which is just a newer revision of this Chip anyways, and priced cheaper than most of the Radeon 6870's that compare to a GTX 560.

Newegg.com - EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1363-KR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

[truckpuller]

Thanks Shy..might be next month before i can get one.

[truckpuller]

Does the amount of stream processors have anything to do with the performance of the card and 192 bit vrs 256 bit have anything to do with performance of the card. Just curious

[ShyguyXPC]

In general more SP's = More performance, and more Memory Bandwidth = more performance.

What cards are you looking at with the 192 bit vs 256 Bit?

Its hard to compare specs of an Nvidia to an AMD, but if your comparing an Nvidia to Nvidia, or AMD to AMD, then its easier to figure out which is better, both brands have similar architecture, with programmable Shader cores and all, but their built and operate differently.

Which is why you'll see less Cores on an Nvidia vs AMD cards, and yet the cards will perform about the same.

For example, GTX 560 Ti vs Radeon HD 6950. Or GTX 560 vs 6870.

[truckpuller]

Newegg.com - EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1363-KR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1370-KR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

One has 256bit and one has 192bit but the first one is over clocked and also both have 336 streaming processes.


This has 1120 streaming processors and 256 bit
Newegg.com - XFX HD-687A-ZHFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

Just curious

[ShyguyXPC]

Huh....

the GTX 460 768MB is supposed to be the 192-bit, and 1GB models (Including gimped SE) are 256-bit.

Unless EVGA is selling defective rebadged cards like Nvidia does, 768MB models with the extra Memory Enabled...

either card is Overclocked beyond the factory 675MHz Default Clock speeds though. The 192 bit model is past a GTX 560 Model's clocks speeds, but with reduced Bandwidth on memory, it should run similar in performance... if not slightly just under.


Unless thats a typo on neweggs part?

Nope, its on EVGA's site: EVGA | Products

They must of gotten some deal from Nvidia for left over stock and made some of these, as I never see any other brands selling new 460's anymore, and all those are refurbs, with 256-bit memory unless its a 768MB Model.


they should be near the same in performance though.

as to the 6870, its probably a similar performing card, if not slightly better. As it usually trades punches with the GTX 560.

[truckpuller]

Thanks as always Shy..

Skyrim has an updated package and it also went to Higher Resolutions in the graphics side and i was playing it on high settings on my GT240 but had to back it down to medium to get game to run and not bork out.

Never had a radeon card before but might just try one..i just xfx is the top line brand is it.

[ShyguyXPC]

Yeah, basically XFX is the EVGA of the Radeon world.

though XFX does make a couple GT 240/GT 430 cards for nvidia cards I believe, but a few years ago they lost their contract with Nvidia to make cards for their higher end hardware... or more to the point, Nvidia refused to renew it, I'm guessing it had to do with XFX making ATI cards at the time as well, where as EVGA is solely Nvidia, and may have had something to do with it too. Since MSI, Asus and other well known brands also play both sides against the middle.

With BFG out of the game now, I wish we could see some more XFX cards for Nvidia higher end hardware.

Though EVGA seems to be doing much better in past years with pricing due to the likes of MSI, and some other brands making more and more comparable/competing cards, like MSI's Twin Frozr Series Cards.

I've had Radeon's before, several times, never had issues really with them, just that they sucked back then for Folding@Home, and before F@H and GPU Processing, I also never had a problem with Radeon's at all, in fact they were even better than Nvidia cards of the time.

Have had a 9700 Pro (back in the day, it ran every game I had at high/highest settings, only 2x or 4x AA, and 1600x1200 just fine, with exception of DOOM 3 & Far Cry),

HD 2600 Pro (Good low end budget stand in card, highest setting game I could run at decent frame rates was Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, with everything maxed at 1024x768 and get 20-30fps),

HD 4830 (open box card that ran way way WAY too hot at just idle), & 2x HD 4870's (though I could never get Crossfire to work right on my current board with these two).

I'm actually thinking about a low end 5550 or similar for a Home Theater PC in the coming months, if I can nab a good Mini ITX motherboard with a x16 PCIe slot in it.