Looking to Upgrade My Video Card

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 14, 2015

Windows Experience Index rates my Win7 64-bit System a 5.4 and lag while playing Skyrim has prompted me to seek a cheap way to upgrade my video card. I'd like to only spend $75, but am willing to go as high as $100 if the difference in performance (from $75) is dramatic.

The motherboard is PCI Express 2.0, and from what I've read (here), PCI Express 2.1 is backwards-compatible, so that limits the video card options to choose from (in addition to the budget).

Tom's Hardware recommends this:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ew,3107-2.html

EVGA 01G-P3-3731-KR GeForce GT 730 1GB 64-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 Low Profile Ready Video Card - Newegg.com

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487051&cm_re=EVGA_01G-P3-3731-KR-_-14-487-051-_-Product

GPU: GK208 (Kepler)
Process: 28nm
Shader Units: 384
Texture Units: 32
ROPs: 8
Core Clock: 902MHz
Memory Clock: 1250MHz GDDR5
Memory Bus: 64-bit
Memory Bandwidth: 40.0GB/s
Memory Capacity: 1GB
DirectX, OpenGL 12 (feature level 11_0)/4.4
Max. TDP: 25W
Aux. Power Connector(s): N/A
Min. Power Supply: 300W

And this is what I currently have installed (GeForce 9500 GT):
(Excerpt from Piriform's "Speccy")

Manufacturer NVIDIA
Model GeForce 9500 GT (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM v1.1)
GPU G96
Device ID 10DE-0640
Revision A2
Subvendor EVGA (3842)
Current Performance Level Level 0

Technology 65 nm

Die Size 144 mm²
Transistors 314 M
Release Date Jul 29, 2008
DirectX Support 10.0
DirectX Shader Model 4.0
OpenGL Support 3.0
Driver version 8.15.11.8593
BIOS Version Version 62.94.29.0.50
ROPs 8
Shaders 32 unified

(Memory) Bus Width: 128 Bit

Count of performance levels : 1
Level 1 - "Perf Level 0"

GPU Clock 594 MHz
Memory Clock 499 MHz
Shader Clock 1512 MHz

I'm comparing the differences in specs between the two, and obviously the GT 730 is better than what I have, but while comparison shopping on NewEgg I see other video cards with similar specs, but with (for example) more Video RAM (2, 3 and 4 Gbyte, vs only 1 Gbyte), but the RAM Is DDR5 (vs. DDR3). Also differences in clock speeds makes things confusing. I don't know what spec is more important than any others, etc... Would it be better to have twice the RAM with a slower clock speed? One concern is if the manufacturer overclocks the GPU to make it look like it performs better, but then it burns-up and dies within a short time.

I don't like the idea of contradicting Tom's Hardware, but I don't like the idea of blindly obeying them either. Looking for some insight into where the best value is at the price range.

One thing I've noticed while shopping on NewEgg, is that once the selection is limited to PCI Express 2.0/2.1 x 16, all the GPU's are GT 730's. GT 740's are mentioned in the filters, but none show-up as a result. Any help appreciated, and thanks in advance.

Also (big question), What's the difference in performance between 64-bit memory bus and 128-bit memory bus, and how important is that overall? Example, with everything else being equal, which performs better, a video card with 1 Gbyte RAM and a 128-bit bus, or a video card with 2 Gbyte RAM and a 64-bit bus?

What I'm attempting to isolate and understand here is which of these is more important to performance, RAM, or memory bus. If I have to make an either/or choice in order to stay within budget, should I pick one, or the other?

UPDATE***

Since posting I've spent some time browsing options on NewEgg and have determined that certain specs are either/or at this price range and Interface (PCI Express 2.0 x16)

Memory Size: 1 Gbyte vs. 2 Gbyte
Memory Interface: 64 bit vs. 128 bit
Memory Type: DDR3 vs. GDDR5
Core Clock: 700 - 1000 Mhz

Again, which of these have the most impact on performance? Which can be sacrificed, i.e. "downgraded" in order to save money?

Emerald · Jul 14, 2015

Here is the order of importance:

Memory Type: Get DDR5/GDDR5
Memory Interface: Get 128bit
Core Clock: The higher the better
Memory Size: Might not see much difference between 1GB and 2GB

What is the make and model of the PSU?

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 14, 2015

Emerald :

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the clarity.

The PSU is a Corsair CX 430.

I find it odd that Core Clock is more important than memory size. The range of clock speeds is from about 700 Mhz to 1000 Mhz. Based on your post, you are saying that it would be better to have 1 Gbyte of RAM running at 1000 Mhz, than 2 Gbyte of RAM at 700 Mhz? True?

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 14, 2015

Also, I just read that PCI Express 3.0 x 16 is backwards-compatible, and should work with my motherboard that was built with PCI Express 2.0 x 16. I want to make sure that this is true, before I spend money on a new card. This opens up the selection because previously I was excluding PCI Express 3.0 from the display results.

Emerald · Jul 14, 2015

"you are saying that it would be better to have 1 Gbyte of RAM running at 1000 Mhz, than 2 Gbyte of RAM at 700 Mhz?" Yes

This might be worthwhile taking a look at:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487046

rcald2000 · Jul 14, 2015

@Blake_Gentlee

I like Emerald's choice very much. But I think this one might be an even better deal (below). Either choice, you can't go wrong.

MSI N750-1GD5/OC G-SYNC Support GeForce GTX 750 1GB 128-Bit GDDR5
$64.99 after $30.00 rebate card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127788&cm_re=gtx_750-_-14-127-788-_-Product

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 15, 2015

Emerald :

I've been all over NewEggs search results looking at video cards for 2 days and haven't seen that one. I agree, that seems to be a better deal than the Tom's recommended budget video card. For an extra $20, you get all the right specs at that price range, etc..., 128 bit, 1000+ clock speed, GDDR5, the fact that it is EVGA is a plus (to me, I'm in Texas), plus it's a GT 740 (up from GT 730), but didn't I read that a GT 740 was an overclocked GT 730? How much better is a GT 740?

One thing gives me pause though, and that is the "all solid capacitors) of the MSI video card. How important is that for video cards? I know the "can" (cannister) style caps are prone to failure on motherboards, but have never read about weak capacitors being a point of failure for video cards. Is that a real solution to a real problem, or marketing?

rcald2000 :

On paper I think your choice is better, but I have horrible luck with factory rebates.

rcald2000 · Jul 15, 2015

Yeah, I understand. I had back luck with the $10 MSI rebate that I tried to submit online for my GTX 970. I got the clear sense that MSI makes the process long and aggravating for no reason at all. So I understand.

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 19, 2015

rcald2000 :

Update, and FYI: I'm still looking around NewEgg, and thinking HARD at your recommended video card. So tempting.... I've done the same search at least 7 times.

128 bit
GDDR5
2 Gbyte RAM
PCI Express

There are also a couple of Gigabyte cards I like. I'm a bit of a Gigabyte fanboy, but with motherboards. Does Gigabyte have (and deserve) the same reputation with their video cards?

Also, there's an MSI with "Solid Capacitors". How important of a factor is that? Does it use less power, last longer, more efficient, run faster, etc...?

rcald2000 · Jul 19, 2015

"Solid capacitors", I don't know what that means. I know what capacitors are, but not sure of the relevance of "solid". Anyway, your post inspired me to buy the very card that I recommended to you. I figured that I could install it in my mom's computer, so her grand children can play their simple games. I'll let you know how it goes. God help MSI if they try to screw me out of my $30. If they do, I will make it my mission to yell across social media to tell my story. For now, I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 20, 2015

rcald2000 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127788&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo

Sorry, I meant to post this link. See what you think about it. I have a the same question on badcaps too. Figured they'd be the experts on caps.

rcald2000 · Jul 20, 2015

I knew which card you were referring to. I literally meant that I don't know what they mean by their statement "solid capacitors". I wouldn't overthink the purchase if I were you. I normally just look at the customer reviews to decide if I'm going to buy something.

Blake_Gentlee · Jul 20, 2015

rcald2000 :

You've been talking to my friends and family, haven't you? Anything worth thinking about, is worth "overthinking" about too.

http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=47782

I'm telling my wife she can't have something because we can't afford it, while I'm shopping for a video card I don't really need. There's a lot to "overthink" about here. The only advantage I have in the situation is that she doesn't understand the technical details enough to know how little I really don't "need" this upgrade. But I have the bug, and it's bugging me. So, as long as I'm in the situation where I can't find the perfect set of circumstances to pull the trigger, I'm going to obsess over the situation and learn as much as I can. I've already learned quite a bit, considering where I started.

Still haven't figured out those "CUDA Cores" and how important they are. But I'm thinking that, in the $100 price range, they probably wont' mean much one way or the other, plus all the cards I'm looking at have the same (380 or so) number. And, in another forum, there's a guy in a similar situation that I was able to help due to the research I've been doing, so maybe this thread might be useful to someone else, here.

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