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Help choosing a card

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - Help choosing a card

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azm   05-08-2009 at 09:30:31 PM

hello, i need a new desktop, on a fairly tight budget. i've got most of it sorted out, but graphics cards really confuse me. i really can't tell which cards are better than others, as i see it it depends on the series, memory and gddr2/3/5 or something like that?

 

these are some of the cards i've been looking at:

 

XFX GeForce 9600 GSO 1.5GB DDR2 Far Cry 2 Edition HDTV/DVI (PCI-Express)

 

OcUK GeForce 9600 GT 1024MB DDR2 TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express)

 

XFX 9500GT 1GB DDR2 VGA DVI HDCP HDTV out PCI-E Graphics Card

 

Sapphire HD 4670 512MB DDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out PCI-E Graphics Card

 

these are all roughly the same price (although the xfx 9600 GSO is a little more), and i really can't tell which is the best, can anyone help me here? (if there is a better card i haven't mentioned in the same price range, please point it out)

 

the desktop it's going in is a fairly basic system, AMD athlon 64 X2 5000+ processor, 2gb ram (may upgrade this), 22" screen

 

this is mostly going to be used for not too demanding games, primarily world of warcraft, but i'd like to be able to play other games like Oblivion and Warhammer Age of Reckoning too.


Message edited by azm on 05-08-2009 at 09:32:01 PM
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Bronze Graphics badge Bluescreendeath   05-08-2009 at 10:12:33 PM
- 0 +

What are the specs for your power supply?

------------------------------ i7 920, E5300
GTX260, HD4870, HD4830
 Reply to Bluescreendeath
azm   05-08-2009 at 10:15:38 PM
- 0 +

300W, will i need to upgrade this?

Reply to azm
Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   05-08-2009 at 10:29:21 PM
- 0 +

We need to know the output on the +12v line not the Wattage. This is because the card will draw its power from this output.
Best of the bunch is the HD4670, the others have slower GDDR2 memory which will, well, slow them down.

Reply to coozie7
azm   05-08-2009 at 10:53:22 PM
- 0 +

i'm not building the computer from scratch, i'm buying a basic PC (Compaq SR58722UK) and adding a graphics card and maybe ram. i can't find the exact specifications of the Power supply on the PC manufacturer's page, but after rooting around in the downloadable manuals i found this:

"The system is designed to provide two amps (average) of
+5 Vv power for each board/card in the computer. The total +5 Vv current
draw in a fully loaded system (one with all add-in card slots filled) must not
exceed the total number of slots multiplied by two amps."

but i don't think that's what you were looking for is it?

i can email the manufacturer and see if they can give me more information if necessary.

the 4670 has less memory than the others, does that not make a difference? : /

Reply to azm
azm   05-09-2009 at 12:39:28 AM
- 0 +

i checked out the manufacturer's websites for some of those cards, and they all say they require a 400-450W PSU, so i guess i'll have to upgrade the PSU anyway.

the 4670 has 2x DVI outputs, but the monitor i was planning to get has 'D-SUB' input. is there an adapter i can use to use the monitor with this graphics card, or should i get a different monitor?

also, is it worth getting a 1gb version of the 4670? it's only slightly more expensive.

Reply to azm
AKM880   05-09-2009 at 01:30:03 AM
- 0 +

If you get the 4670 it probably won't need a new PSU, but we need to know the 12V Rail not the 5V.

Reply to AKM880
edeawillrule   05-09-2009 at 01:49:13 AM
- 0 +

I have this and I love it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161252

The best 4670 available IMO.

Reply to edeawillrule
AKM880   05-09-2009 at 04:22:41 AM
- 0 +

I agree, I love HIS ATi cards. Especially that awesome cooler design.

Reply to AKM880
Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   05-09-2009 at 07:33:19 PM
- 0 +

@ azm: Most cards come with an adaptor although some do come with that smaller D-SUB connector.
Do not bother getting a 1GB card unless there is no price difference, a HD4670 is just not fast enough to use the extra memory which is only really needed above 16x12 resoloution.
It might be better to drop a good 400W unit in, the Egg has some excellent units going cheap from Corsair, Pc Power and Cooling Seasonic, Coolermaster and OCZ.
Search by price and click on the 25-50 dollar price band.

Reply to coozie7
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