Best Single Card Solution for the $$?

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spaceman

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I am thinking the EVGA 260 on the Egg for $220 after MIR is the ticket. I don't really want to use a multiple gpu solution b/c that means buying a new mobo too. Step up ftw if the new versions come out soon.

I have to admit that I am biased towards Nvidia for drivers and rivatuner.

gaming at 1920x1200 native too so I want more than 512mb vram.

Anybody got another option? I want to keep it as close to $200 as possible.
 
That 260 is a good bet for a single-card solution. Anything multi-gpu would cost way more due to new mobo and possible psu and not perform much if at all better at the price.

If you wanted to save some dough with a corresponding drop in performance, the 4850's are pretty good too. But you said you're leaning nvidia and I don't argue with your choice at all-just offerring options.
 
spaceman said:
I am thinking the EVGA 260 on the Egg for $220 after MIR is the ticket. I don't really want to use a multiple gpu solution b/c that means buying a new mobo too. Step up ftw if the new versions come out soon.

I have to admit that I am biased towards Nvidia for drivers and rivatuner.

gaming at 1920x1200 native too so I want more than 512mb vram.

Anybody got another option? I want to keep it as close to $200 as possible.
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right now the GTX260 is probably your best bet, but I would not rule out ATI. I am still waiting to see how the 4870 1GB turns out. if it really does that much better at 2.3mp it currently available for 250 AR. And the reports coming in suggest that it matches or beats the GTX260 216 sharder core version.

really with the competition going on its going to be hard to get a "bad" deal now. I would actually worry more about the brand you use bought my GTX280 do the price point I could get it at and my screen size. If I had to make that choice now that would be different.
 
Yeah I would agree with Jeff. If you live in california especially, TD doesn't have sales tax in CA and has 5% cashback through live search.
 
Newegg is no tax in VA. The 4870 is tempting but I find the evga 260 hard to beat. Evga MIR are pretty quick and there is the step up thing too.

Which 4870 1gb is $250?
 
spaceman said:
Newegg is no tax in VA. The 4870 is tempting but I find the evga 260 hard to beat. Evga MIR are pretty quick and there is the step up thing too.

Which 4870 1gb is $250?
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the Diamond. it was in the hot deals I believe.
 
I thought the Diamonds had some issues? Well, who knows with the 1gb. Hmmm. That's different. The 4870 1gb sure is a beast.
 
I think you might be talking about the BB Visiontek. That is a 512mb. I am not playing with a 512mb card.

The reason why I was looking at the 260 vanilla vs the 4870 1gb is the $80 difference in price. I would rather get the 4870 1gb if they were the same price.
 
Diamond usually makes good cards, I'm sure any other brand had some cards fail, everyone blew that out of proportion when they said 1,000s. The HD4870 1GB is in between the 260 and 280 in 99% of instances, and is even on par with the 280 in a few instances.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3415

and plus, the new rivatuner works with the 4870's
 
spaceman said:
I think you might be talking about the BB Visiontek. That is a 512mb. I am not playing with a 512mb card.

The reason why I was looking at the 260 vanilla vs the 4870 1gb is the $80 difference in price. I would rather get the 4870 1gb if they were the same price.
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you only live once, you can't take the money with you. and you don't want Dual GPU. get the 4870 :)
 
spaceman said:
I thought the Diamonds had some issues? Well, who knows with the 1gb. Hmmm. That's different. The 4870 1gb sure is a beast.
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with some of the 3800 series. and as far as I know all the current 4870 are reference cards. I am not a fan of them due to an age old debacle known as the edge 3d but they have changed hands a couple of time or something. but 450 AR for a 4870X2 makes me pretty forgiving of them. and 250 for the 1gb 4870 is not bad either
 
I'd drop the extra cash to get the 4870 1GB, I believe; unless you would like to Step-Up to new technology or plan on only using the GTX 260 for a few months. With either card, I think you are getting a decent price to performance ratio, making it a tough call. Go with the decision that you won't regret.

For $260 AR, the 4870 1GB is a nice deal.

4870 1GB reviews:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/PowerColor-PCS-HD-4870-1GB-GDDR5/?page=1
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3415&p=6

4870 1GB upsides: great performance, @$260AR great Price:performance
GTX 260 upsides: lower cost, overclockability, EVGA is great and has Step-Up
 
I got my EVGA GTX 260 for about $210 AR and I can not be happier. At the clocks I have it it's got just about the exact same bandwidth as a GTX 280.
 
iroc409 said:
Wait, did I miss something? When did we start referring to display size in mega pixels? :confused:
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sense we are lazy typist and 2.3mp is quicker then 1920 by 1200 pixels or if you prefer 2,304,000 pixels. I figure that at H people will know what I am talking about.
 
In terms of price vs. performance you'd be best off with a 3870 (granted it's not latest gen) but they're dirt cheap. Course I assume you're upgrading from an 8800GT which is ~equal to the 3870 anyways.
 
I can't find the 4870 1gb for less than $299 atm. Where are you guys seeing $250-260?

I pulled the trigger on the bulk of my next rig yesterday. Just a monitor and GPU to go, so I'm looking around for the best deals ASAP atm.

-S
 
Ugh. After tax and shipping, it's only $10 cheaper than Newegg after the rebate. But I do get 2% back from Upromise with Tigerdirect, as opposed to 1% with the 'egg. That's almost $6 back, vs $3 on the 'egg. Decisions, decisions.

$299 w/ free shipping on Egg. $3 back. = $296
$299 w/ $30 tax and shipping on Tiger Direct. $6 back. $40 MIR = $283...but rebates are a pain.

So the real question is, "Is it worth $13 not to have to fuck with a rebate?" :rolleyes:

-S

PS- Thanks for the quick response, btw. Probably going to pull the trigger on the Tiger, just annoyed at Newegg right now. Going to take a lap around the house, with a pit-stop at the fridge, while I think about it.
 
semisonic9 said:
Ugh. After tax and shipping, it's only $10 cheaper than Newegg after the rebate. But I do get 2% back from Upromise with Tigerdirect, as opposed to 1% with the 'egg. That's almost $6 back, vs $3 on the 'egg. Decisions, decisions.

$299 w/ free shipping on Egg. $3 back. = $296
$299 w/ $30 tax and shipping on Tiger Direct. $6 back. $40 MIR = $283...but rebates are a pain.

So the real question is, "Is it worth $13 not to have to fuck with a rebate?" :rolleyes:

-S

PS- Thanks for the quick response, btw. Probably going to pull the trigger on the Tiger, just annoyed at Newegg right now. Going to take a lap around the house, with a pit-stop at the fridge, while I think about it.
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for real at 300 dollars I would just spend the extra 150 and get a 4870X2 at 450AR until the 6th. you have to wait for a 50 dollar rebate but still its a better deal I think.
 
Yeah, I hear ya!

But
a) I'm already about to spend like $780 on a monitor
b) I don't play anything particularly demanding atm (CoD4, HL2, WAR, WoW, and possibly Crysis Warhead)
c) I can always sell this card off to friends/craigslist/ebay later and upgrade if I need to.

In light of all these facts, I'm going to lay up for now and go with a 4870 or 4870 1gb. My wallet's been good to me lately. No need to punish it further than necessary. I just wish the damned 1gb models would come down a bit on Newegg!

-S
 
I still think $800 for a 26" is a bit much man. I have had both and a 24" isn't much different at all. I'm with you about the GPU though. I think the 260 is the better deal b/c it is almost $200 and the step up thingy too.

Evga rebates don't take forever do they? Hell, maybe next week they will be even cheaper.
 
spaceman said:
PNY 260 GTX for $214 after mir? Hard to beat that.
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I have been tempted to get a 260 for about a 2 weeks now, and it's the MIR that are keeping me away from doing it. I hate MIR, they are biggest load of crap. They should just mark it down to 214.00 and I'd buy 2 right now.
 
Bigbacon said:
I have been tempted to get a 260 for about a 2 weeks now, and it's the MIR that are keeping me away from doing it. I hate MIR, they are biggest load of crap. They should just mark it down to 214.00 and I'd buy 2 right now.
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lol

I am actually with you on this. I wanted to buy one this weekend but can't seem to get one for around $200 straight up. No hurry though. STILL waiting on my mobo, cpu, ram.
 
I'm surprised no one is talking about the 9800 GX2 for under $300, it has been dropped from the newer benchmarks but unless I'm missing something on the older ones it was as good if not better than a GTX 280 for around $100 less (and constantly better than the GTX 260 or 4870)
 
Arkangyl said:
I'm surprised no one is talking about the 9800 GX2 for under $300, it has been dropped from the newer benchmarks but unless I'm missing something on the older ones it was as good if not better than a GTX 280 for around $100 less (and constantly better than the GTX 260 or 4870)
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only in benchmarking. and forget high AA the real world playability is less then te GTX260 or the 4870
 
The 9800GX2 is persona non Grata. If it was $150 maybe but....

So the 260 216 gets beat by the 1Gb 4870? Did they Oc the 260 though? That is what I want to see. Anyone seen some good game play benches on a max oc 260 216?
 
if the 9800gx2 was 150 dollars, they would be a wonderful price/performance in SLI
 
Just picked up the GTX 260 core 216 for $260 shipped with no rebates to worry about. Couldn't justify the price increase to a GTX 280...
 
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