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Recommend a vid card please

A

Alvein

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 22, 2004
Messages
223
Hi,

I've just built a system with a 2600K in an ASUS Gen3, and I would like to hear options about video cards.

I plan to game at 1080p with high settings (i.e., not obsessed with everything maxed out), mostly, recent FPS's.

My budget is about $300, but there's a catch. I surely need to include a new PSU because my current one is an OCZ 500SXS, and you'll probably tell me to put that in the trash bin.

Also, I'm not in a rush. I could wait one or two months if you say it's not the right time to buy a video card.

Thanks for read. ;)
 
So, to clarify, you want a PSU and GPU for around $300, or were you just stating that you are going to change the PSU?
 
If you are lucky you may be able to snag a 580 off ebay for 350$

You could also get 6970's for around 250$ on ebay but with all the bitcoin shananagins i would be hesitant on buying 6850 and up on ebay.

You could buy one off newegg for 350$.

Myself, I would spend 100$ on a new 800+ watt PSU and then get a 6950 when it goes on sale for 200$
 
Hi. It would be great to keep the PSU, but I doubt this can be possible. So in reply to your specific question, yes.

Those 300 are not really carved into stone, though.
 
I'd be very reticent to buy a video card in e-bay.

I've not seen 6950's for $200 so far. Is this the card I should look for?
 
I'd say keep an eye open for sales. I was recently able to pick up an Antec 620w PSU for $50 with a $15 MIR and an OC'd 560 Ti for $250 with a 30 MiR on Newegg. I know right now you can pick up this Gigabyte 6950 for $240. It benchmarked very well on Tom's Hardware and has a really good cooler on it as well. That leaves you $60 for a PSU. This is the 560 Ti I picked up if you're curious.
 
OK. But, is this a bad time to buy a card? I'm almost upgrading from nothing, so I can wait if it's worth it.

Also, which difference could I see between a 6950 with 1GB and one with 2GB?
 
New AMD cards should most likely come out next month with at least a paper launch. At that time lots of people on the forum will probably be dumping 6950s, 6970s, GTX 560ti's, GTX 570's, and GTX580's. This will also cause a price drop on new 68xx and 69xx from the various e-tailers.

The problem is just about all of those cards suggest having a PSU with higher wattage than you have (not that you would be using more than 500 watts in most circumstances). Actually, after checking your PSU on Newegg, if it's the one I am thinking of, then you also have an issue of the PSU only offering a single 6pin power connector. If that is the case quite a few few cards want at least dual six pin and that means using one or more molex converters. Yep, even this 6870 2GB for $210 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150563 wants a dual 6 pin

There will be roughly zero difference in regards to 1GB vs. 2GB of VRAM at 1080p if you do not max pretty effects. At least this year. Games coming out late 2012 or in 2013 will probably be pushing 1GB barrier at 1080p.
 
That's a heck of a deal on a 6950, especially on a 2GB version. You should probably be able to manage another $40-50 from selling the game coupons. You did well =)

This Antec HCG 620w PSU is one of the cheaper ones we tend to recommend. It seems to be on a Newegg Shellshocker about once every couple weeks for $55 or so. Otherwise, I would recommend the Corsair TX series.
 
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