Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > New System Build > $400 left for gpu
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the collector   05-18-2009 at 12:30:16 AM



RAM: OCZ Platinum 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop
$94.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227381


CPU COOLER: ZALMAN CNPS9900LED 120mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler - Retail

$74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835118046


COMBO DEAL
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116488

HDDWestern Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822136319
$154.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.186064


COMBO DEAL
PSU: XCLIO GREATPOWER X14S8P4 850W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

CASE: XCLIO Windtunnel Fully Black Finish 1.0 mm SECC Chassis ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail

$214.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.187898


COMBO DEAL
MOBO: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

CPU: Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
543.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.190227

GPU? 400 DOLLARS LEFT TO SPEND. GAMING RIG.

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aevm   05-18-2009 at 12:42:41 AM
- 1 +

Not bad.

You could get a GTX 285, or even two HD 4890 cards.

Reply to aevm
the collector   05-18-2009 at 12:50:55 AM
- 1 +

JEEZ!!! finally somebody replies to me. you know i posted this same thing today three different ways trying to entice a response.

anyways, what do you recommend? because honestly i was thinking about getting two overcolcked msi gtx 260's for 174.99 each.

two 4890's are more than 400 dollars.

is one gtx 285 a better move than two 260's?

Reply to the collector
eagles453809   05-18-2009 at 01:28:03 AM
- 1 +

get two 4870s in cf...i would recommend the xigmatek or a TRUE over that zalman. they perform better.

Reply to eagles453809
aevm   05-18-2009 at 01:39:43 AM
- 0 +

It's Sunday, fewer people around to post replies :)

Two HD 4890s are $410, with a promo code.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102830
Right, it's over $400, my bad :)

Two GTX 260 would beat one GTX 285, but the last time I recommended that setup the OP cursed me because it was too noisy :(

You could also get a GTX 275 for $250 (includes a free game)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814143183
and add a second one later when it drops to $150.

About the cooler, check out the Scythe Mugen 2. It's half the price of that Zalman, extremely quiet, and performance matches the TRUE.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 0Mugen%202

Reply to aevm
the collector   05-18-2009 at 01:42:50 AM
- 0 +

I appreciate your time and advice aevm and eagles. thank you. im going to look into that 4890 deal you showed me. it wont hurt to go over my budget a little if the performance is worth the exztra money.

Reply to the collector
stevensl2   05-18-2009 at 02:05:19 AM
- 0 +

haha just go with your guts :) and remember to think about the future, like me, i dont plan on crossfiring or sli'ing so.. i sell my old graphic card to someone else when i decide i want to upgrade my GPU

------------------------------ http://www.speedtest.net/result/638783794.png
 Reply to stevensl2
the collector   05-18-2009 at 02:35:06 AM
- 0 +

by think about the future you mean take into account that direct x 11 is going to be released soon?

Reply to the collector
aevm   05-18-2009 at 09:02:44 PM
- 1 +

I wouldn't worry about DX11. By the time games stop supporting DX10, we'll all be old and unable to play games because of arthritis.

Besides, there are no graphics cards with DX11 support yet. The software part isn't ready either - expect it to arrive with Windows 7 in October.


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fullmetall   05-18-2009 at 09:11:00 PM
- 0 +

I would go with the evga gtx 285 sc edition, comes with cod 5 and is a really good gpu.

I bought it about 2 months ago.

Reply to fullmetall
Helloworld_98   05-18-2009 at 09:56:14 PM
- 0 +

^ except the 4870 X2 will beat it for a few $ more, well here it's a few £ less.

Reply to Helloworld_98
mursh   05-18-2009 at 10:59:06 PM
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I second the Scythe Mugen 2 I am running that on my i7 920 right now. I just built the system and haven't overclocked it or checked it under load temps yet but at stock speed at idle my 920 is running at 38c and the fan is seriously quite and pretty much inaudible. Very happy with it.

For the video card I would probably go with a single gtx 275 or 285 for right now. If you actually find a game one of these cards cant keep up with or a you start seeing its age in future games then you have the option to add a second card for cheaper prices.

The 2 gtx 260 is a killer set up, but you are already at the top and have no farther upgrade path.

The only other option I could give as far as future proofing is perhaps go with 1 gtx 260 that WILL play pretty much anything out there at high setting now. Then when the 300 series Nvidia cards come out in the future you can buy one of those and use your gtx260 as a stand alone physics/cuda chip.

Just my 2 cents.

Reply to mursh
the collector   05-18-2009 at 11:11:38 PM
- 0 +

hey mursh, i like those suggestions i think i am going with that cpu cooler aevm suggested. although, that cpu cooler seems like its a pain in the a$$ to install.

i was thinking the same thing you pointed about having no where to go with the two 260's, but for 350 dollars it still seems like a great deal. in the end, it would probably pay off to get one 285 for now, and buy another in a couple months. i bet with that 40 dollars im saving now on that scythe cpu cooler, i could put that towards an overclocked 285. i have to check the prices and availability. part of my problem is i have been relying alot on the newegg reviews.

whats this physics cuda you speak of? sounds pretty hardcore.

and i appreciate your two cents, maybe if i get enough people giving me their two cents i will be able to buy a gtx 295!!!

Reply to the collector
the collector   05-18-2009 at 11:15:23 PM
- 0 +

this 2009 video card chart toms has posted is making that 4870 x2 look solid. though i hear the card has problems with heating up.

Reply to the collector
the collector   05-18-2009 at 11:18:02 PM
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another reason i was thinking about the 260's in sli is the monitor i picked. 27.5" 1900 x 1200. the limited amount of material i read about sli and high resolution monitors suggesta that i should get some sort of sli setup. or is one bad a$$ card better for that resolution?


Message edited by the collector on 05-18-2009 at 11:19:19 PM
Reply to the collector
aevm   05-19-2009 at 05:15:28 AM
- 0 +

It depends on your favorite games. Here are some benchmarks for 1920x1200:

 

http://www.extremetech.com/article [...] 298,00.asp
In Crysis, the GTX 260, GTX 275, HD 4870 and HD 4890 are all pretty much identical and not very playable, with rates between 17 and 24 fps.

 

In Far Cry 2, the same cards are again very hard to distinguish, bit now they are doing an excellent job, with 50 fps or more. Note that your monitor will only show 60 fps, unless you've got one of the new 120Hz TVs. Most LCDs refresh at 60Hz, especially at high resolutions.

 

In Left 4 Dead, same as Far Cry 2, with all cards maxing the monitor with 60 fps.

 

In World in Conflict, again all tied around 40 fps, which is good IMO.

 

More expensive setups like HD 4870 X2, GTX 260 SLI, GTX 295, HD 4890 Crossfire or GTX 285 SLI should give you 60 fps everywhere. Whether you should go that far depends on how demanding your favorite games are.

 



Message edited by aevm on 05-19-2009 at 05:16:26 AM
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Outlander_04   05-19-2009 at 08:50:02 AM
- 0 +

what resolution monitor are you using ?

Reply to Outlander_04
fullmetall   05-19-2009 at 02:04:59 PM
- 0 +

I ran a 3870 on Farcry2 with mid to high settings, im sure a gtx 285/(4890 oc'd) will do the job.

Reply to fullmetall
the collector   05-19-2009 at 09:16:52 PM
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yeah, my 3670 in my dell xps 16 runs far cry 2 on high settings with playable frames.

so it looks like it is down to two gtx 260's in sli for 350 because that is great performance for the price.
or one 4870 x2 which will give me room for a more powerful upgrade once the price drops.

here is a compound question for you guys. the 4870 x2 has the highest memory clock speed, core clock speed, stream processors, and 2gb of ram. why is this not smoking every other card out there? what else contributes to the performance of a gpu that allows the gtx 295 to be so dominant?

Reply to the collector
fullmetall   05-19-2009 at 09:31:47 PM
- 0 +

honestly, i would like to know the same thing, the only thign i see different is the gtx 295 has twice the memory interface but, sitll ddr3.. but, for price, the 4870x2 is the best imo


Message edited by fullmetall on 05-19-2009 at 09:32:27 PM
Reply to fullmetall
Helloworld_98   05-19-2009 at 09:37:23 PM
- 0 +

^ especially here, £240 inc VAT for the XFX version of that card, add water cooling and you'll probably be up to 820mhz each gpu.

Reply to Helloworld_98
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