What is the best graphics card or cards I could buy for under $400?

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Clay54412

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Hello, I recently bought a self built computer from a friend and although it's pretty decent, i would like to upgrade it... Here are my specs:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07 GHz 3.07 GHz

Ram: 4.00 GB

64 bit operating system

Geforce GTX 650, 1 GB video memory

What would be the best graphics card or cards for under $400? I also asked a question here about upgrading the ram to 16 Gb but since I have 4.00 gb of ram, could I combine the 16 gb with it to make it 20 gb of ram??? Also what is the best 16 gb of ram I could buy??? My current ram is Ripjaw I think..

Thanks in advance...
 
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You don't need 16GB or 20GB of RAM at all. It's just extra money for no reason that would divert money away from more important upgrades. It's physically impossible for even the newest games to use more than 8GB right now, and really they don't even use that much.

Pick up a 2GB GTX 770 and upgrade to 8GB of RAM.
The 770 will perform slightly better than the R9 280X.
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You don't need 16GB or 20GB of RAM at all. It's just extra money for no reason that would divert money away from more important upgrades. It's physically impossible for even the newest games to use more than 8GB right now, and really they don't even use that much.

Pick up a 2GB GTX 770 and upgrade to 8GB of RAM.
The 770 will perform slightly better than the R9 280X.
 
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Clay54412

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Really?? How is more than 8 GB unnecessary for gaming?? The xbox one and ps4 use 8 gigs and they seem a little behind gaming pcs... I never understood that..also I see that in recommended requirements for certain high end games such as crysis 3 or others, it says 8 gb ram recommended..but I noticed in games when following or meeting the recommended requirements the fps at max settings is usually good but nothing dominating...could someone inform me on that?? I've been confused by that for years lol.. thanks..
 
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Clay54412

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And what's your ultimate recommendation on best graphics card deal and best ram deal for ultimate gaming max graphics/fps performance? thanks..I just don't want to regret any decision is all lol.. ty

Really the 770 is better than the other one you mentioned???
 
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The PS4 and Xbox One have weird RAM.
The PS4 shares VRAM as if it was RAM, and the X1 shares RAM as if it was VRAM.
Neither of them are as effective as having completely separate pools of RAM and VRAM like PCs.

In addition, games recommend 8GB when they're 64-bit, because technically they can access that much, but they never use it all.
8GB is recommended instead of, for example, 6GB, because 6GB is very rare. The recommended specs are already overkill as far as RAM is concerned, and benchmarks confirm this.

I have 8GB of RAM and it usually doesn't go past 40-45% in games. At most it hits 60%.
 
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because presently nothing uses more than 4GB's or even that really with 8 GB's of ram playing BF4 On ultra I see 4GB's used that includes the system tasks and such so really no games is using more that 2GB's presently if they di you still have 4 more GB's of head room. Thus 8 GB's still is and will be for sometime more than enough memory for a high end gaming PC my 16 GB's was merely cause I can....
 
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Yes it is. The 280X is kinda high due to cryptocurrency mining.
 
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Clay54412

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Ok well now I'm kinda changing my mind and willing to go for a $500 budget maybe no more than $525 for a graphics card..Best recommendation?? Or am I better off settling for a 770? I also still gotta buy ram though..
 
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780 at 529 on newegg you can get my GPU a GTX 780 Classified it is well its a powerhouse and its as close as you can get to a 780 Ti's performance without getting a 780 Ti. Overclocked they can beat the Titans and if you go into extreme cooling and the Dual LN2 Bios and really put it to its maximum its one of the top performing-est cards on the current market.
 
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Yes lol... by alot all of these cards are. they all average about 11.5'' inches long and about 4.5'' wide the 780 classified is not just an aftermarket cooler but a new pcb housing better higher quality VRM's and a few more odds and ends like a switch for the dual bios
 
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Clay54412

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I have another question...Can my motherboard support that graphics card?? Also, can that motherboard support 16 gb of ram???

Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. SABERTOOTH X58 Rev 1.xx
Serial Number: 107686860001513
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0603 10/29/2010
 
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Clay54412

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Really???? That's great but weird because I just asked that same question to someone else on this forum and he said it only supports 6 Gb of ram??? I hope not...! :(( Is that true??? Could you confirm it? Ty
 
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