I need a durable GPU for less than 1080p gaming please help!

skorm88k · Jul 22, 2015

Hi tom's hardware community, i need your advice in which GPU is better for my, i have a 200/240$ budget and i want a GPU for 1080p or even lower resolutions like 1440x900, i using a really old monitor, with only a VGA conection (the model of the monitor: AOE 717Vwx) and i dont think i could change my monitor in a really long time so i have to stay with this one, the thing is that i need a really durable and reliable card, that can last for a really long times without any problems, that stays at really low temperatures even after hours of gaming, my last gpu last 5 years and i want that amount of time and even more since i dont think i could chance it in again a really long time.

thnks to hours of searching i got to the conclusion that the GTX 960 is almost perfect for me (i really like NVIDIA, so if i could stay with NVIDIA ill be so happy) but i dont want to waste my money, i only have one chance to buy a card and i need it to be perfect.

Before i go on, i have something to say, i dont care if i run the games in medium/high or ultra or if i get 60fps on everything, i just want a reliable gpu that can play any game i throw at it now and in the future (games like fallout 4 are my goal)

My questions are:

1) which one? the GTX 960 2GB or the 4GB? (keep in mind that i wont be able to reemplace the gpu in 6 or even 7 years, so i need something prepare for the future)

2) which brand should i go? gigabyte, asus, evga, msi? (i really like the MSI and the ASUS one because i think these are the best ones in terms of temperatures and build quality)

3) there is another card that will fill my request? remenber, i need the perfect card for me, i only have one chance so i cant screw it!

thanks guys! and sorry for my bad english, its not my former language im from latin america!

PD: Sorry if i asking for to much, but i really really dont want to screw it because i want to comeback to pc gaming so much right now

Darkbreeze · Jul 22, 2015

The 4GB model only offers any performance gains in a small handful of games, and is mostly only useful when using the GTX 960 in SLI, so I'd avoid paying needlessly for something that's probably not going to benefit you.

For the most part, any of the models aside from reference cards, made by EVGA, Gigabyte, MSI, EVGA or ASUS are going to have similar performance (Within a few percent) and similar cooling, so I'd choose a model that best fits your budget.

For your budget, I'd say this card would be fine for you. The R9 280X has a little better performance, but it also uses more power and requires a slightly higher end power supply. What is the model of your current power supply as this is most likely going to be the single biggest factor in what card will work best for you without having to buy a power supply as well, unless the model is unacceptable for use with any of these cards.

callofDEEP · Jul 22, 2015

whats your psu?
i found a good deal on a gpu

skorm88k · Jul 22, 2015

I have a 800w Psu , 2gb of vram will be enough for decent gaming at high settings in the future? i really want to play Fallout 4 in really good settings

techgeek · Jul 22, 2015

As darkbreeze has said there are only one or two games that benefit from the 4GB version, and only if you are gaming at 1080p or above. Part of the issue is that the GPU isn't powerful enough to render frames fast enough with detail setting high enough to utilize more than 2GB. So even with a 4GB model, if you turn up the details to utilize more than 2GB, your framerate will be too low to play anyway.

As far as brand preference, they are pretty close. I look at the cooling solution first. Noise and heat are a priority to me. Then I look at warranty length, and then price. I have an ASUS Strix 980, it's an excellent card. Cool, quiet, comparable warranty to other cards.

As for a perfect card, I'm not sure that is a realistic target. However the 960 is a pretty good card. They are power efficient, and thus relatively cool. For the resolution you are playing at, it's right where you need it to be for performance for most games with high to very high details (game dependent). Realistically though, performance is not a static target. Expecting that games will demand the same amount of performance at a given resolution for 5 years may be a little unrealistic.

skorm88k · Jul 22, 2015

Another thing i forgot to say is that i only can buy the card on Amazon since the money is from a gift card, so i'll have to stick with the price show on amazon

Darkbreeze · Jul 22, 2015

What is your PSU model, not it's capacity (watts)? There are 800w models that can barely maintain half that capacity for any length of time if at all. Knowing your model will tell us whether or not it should be used with a relatively high end, and costly, card like that or if you are likely to be putting your hardware at risk.

turbopixel · Jul 22, 2015

If you have the choose for 2gb or 4gb model and want use it for 5 years, then 4gb is more future proof. At the moment, this seems wasting money, but in future you will be thankfully. I think for 900p resolution the GTX 960 is more than enough and future proof. Btw, Nvidia allows to select higher resolution than your monitor can display. Then it will rescale to your monitors resolution. This looks better than your monitors nativ resolution.

And myself tries to avoid AMD too. I have used an AMD/ATI 5770 for 5 years too and it was a good card. But later I got more and more driver issues. Reading in the benchmarks of actual games, Nvidia cards and features gets more support of developers and drivers seem to work better. That is my personal opinion and please don't flame me on that! If you want a reliable card for a long time, I would stay with Nvidia. Also the actual cards are working with lower temperatures and less noise than AMD cards.

What RAM is installed? If you have less than 8gb, then I suggest to upgrade ram too. If possible.

Darkbreeze · Jul 22, 2015

The only way 4GB makes a card more "future proof", which is a misnomer anyhow since there is no proofing against the future when we don't have the information to determine what demands the future will bring to hardware or what new technologies software may provide, is if you plan to add a second card later.

The information as laid out by techgeek above explains exactly why it doesn't benefit games and that's unlikely to change. What WILL change, is that games will become more resource greedy and the performance of current cards won't be capable of playing current games in the future as well as they can now. That's held true since the beginning of gaming and won't change in the future unless modular cards that can simply be added to for upgrading comes along. And by that, I don't mean SLI or Crossfire, which seem to get less and less support from developers these days.

skorm88k · Jul 22, 2015

I have a really generic PSU, i bought it in my country (Venezuela), the PSU says "Sonic Gear, ATX 800W" thats all i could tell you darkbreeze. I have 8GB of DDR3 Crucial ballistix sport 1600mhz, turbopixel.

skorm88k · Jul 22, 2015

Thanks to all you guys are saying to my i think the MSI GTX 960 2G its the best deal, i dont know, what you guys think? the msi cooling technologic seems really good, i'll be honest, if i could run Fallout 4 in High settings ill be so happy, because my goal is that game right now, and i think MSI will give me the most durable card, what you guys think?

Darkbreeze · Jul 22, 2015

Then I would plan to also upgrade the PSU. You really, REALLY, don't want to be using an off brand, cheap power supply with a high end card. If you had any idea how common it was for hardware to be damaged by low end power supplies you wouldn't even consider it.

You want something of 450w or more that's listed at LEAST tier 3, and most preferably tier 1 or 2 on the following list. You'll need to choose the card model first though so you can be sure the PSU has the necessary PCI power cables. Some GTX 960 models only need a single 6 pin connector while others use an 8 pin. Some power supplies don't have a 6+2 or 8 pin connector, like the Antec VP-450, but would work well with a model that only requires a single 6 pin.

techgeek · Jul 22, 2015

skorm88k :

If Fallout 4 is the priority, I'd consider waiting until it's release. Or at least wait to see if there is any performance data on the beta. Since you have a gift card, it's not going anywhere. However I don't know your situation, maybe you need a card now. If you can wait though, that's what I'd do. Waiting usually means you'll get the same card for less, or a better card for the same amount of money.

turbopixel · Jul 22, 2015

> http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-960/specifications
The official specification for GTX 960 says at least 400 W. Even low end, cheap psu with 800 W should have enough juice to power a GTX 960. But if that psu is unsecure, then it could damage someday your hardware. If possible, then upgrade your psu too. 400 W is enough, just make sure it is a good brand like Super Flower or Seasonic. Additionally it should have at least 80+ Bronze (or better Gold).

If money is the problem, then maybe we can find a solution.

Btw, I even did use my GTX 970 with a 400 W psu for a month. ;-) That was possible, because it was a good one.

Darkbreeze · Jul 22, 2015

The 80plus rating is irrelevant to whether the unit is reliable and trustworthy. Most very good units are 80plus certified, but not all 80plus certified units are good.

Using a gaming card with a power supply that is not rated for, and can provide, the minimum capacity called for by the unit is a good way to damage both the power supply and possibly the card too. Or simply have it not work at all.

turbopixel · Jul 22, 2015

Darkbreeze :

If you reply to me, I never told that. I just say, it should have at least efficiency of Bronze rating. And higher ratings needs higher quality build. So, it is not irrelevant.

Darkbreeze · Jul 22, 2015

turbopixel :

Saying it should have at least a Bronze rating is not a true statement. As I said, it does NOT matter whether any given power supply has an 80plus rating or not. The Antec VP-450 for example, is a very good unit, but it has no active PFC and therefore cannot gain 80plus certification. This does not mean it is a bad unit, it's a very good unit, it simply doesn't carry the certification despite the fact that it DOES have very good efficiency as well.

There are many older designs that are far better choices than some of the newer off brand or cheap budget name brand units, but do not carry a certification. That's what I'm saying, and so the fact remains that 80plus certification IS in fact irrelevant. It's nice for a unit to have it, if it actually is capable of performing up to the standard set by it's rating, but there are MANY cheap ass units that have 80plus certifications or at least have a liar label on them that are total crap which is why it's irrelevant when selecting a power supply. It was nothing against YOU, just a clarification so as not to confuse anybody with the idea that having that certification means it's a good unit.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/10/04/80_plus_irrelevant_to_you_when_buying_psu/#.Va_H7hHbJhF

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/power-supplies-with-fake-80-plus-badges/

I need a durable GPU for less than 1080p gaming please help!

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