Buying a Grpahics card for my new cpu needed for my son to play games

[cameroncsadler]

I Recently bought a computer for my family and had my friend who knows more build it. He told me what parts to buy since he had extra copy's of windows 7 and told me it would be cheaper too let him put it together than find one already put together. He had me buy parts online. The items he told me to buy were from a website www.newegg.com which he assures is reputable, he took the parts and put them together promising the computer was up to date using brand new technology and should be able to do anything i need it too. I have to admit its much faster than any computer i have ever used but my son says it cant play his computer games. I asked my friend and he said its because it needs a graphic card which he can put in that it was using some form graphics hooked on too the processor. I don't know anything about games my son told me i need to get him a 5870 video card from radon ati. I payed about 750 dollars to make this computer ( I am not rich) this extra part cost over 400$. I looked around at the website and found other cards from the same compay with close numbers and with good reviews one was a card with numbers 4850 was 124$ no shipping and a ati 4650 for on 65$. I don't want to spend more than i have too but if it will help my computer ill buy the more expensive card but my friend says he does not know about video games or what they require and to ask you what i should do. I will provide a link to the items i bought from the website already in hopes of helping me. The game that did not work on was called fallout. I want to know if any of those cards are good, if any cards i don't know about are good. I am not willing to spend 400$ on something for video games but i will spend 50-150 if it will improve my computer let him play his games and not need to be replaced or mess up my already very fast computer. If you do respond know that i will not take the advice of someone who does not show me a reason for what they are saying please give me some information so i can make an informed decision thank you. I apologize for any typos i have not learned how to type very well yet. Also is this game the only game or one of a select few my computer cannot play or will this be very common. Thank you

Links to items purchased + windows 7

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254039
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.323383
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.320159
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

What you currently have is a IGP, or graphics on the main mother board.
What screen res is it> The 5870 most likely isnt needed and a 4850 should suffice, that is, if your resolution isnt that high

 

[hundredislandsboy]

You've got a good CPU. Don't buy a cheap videocard. Go with the 4870. It will be more than enough for Fallout unless you have a 26" or larger rmonitor.

 

[cameroncsadler]

1920x1080 i listed monitor in links above is 4850 good enough if not i might not buy one at all i cant afford more than 150 dollars i don't understand how you need a 400$ part when an xbox is less and can play on a large screen. also i f you know of better card i just went purely off reviews of cards high in my price range on the website i used to purchase the other parts. Thank you for the response more welcome also if you could tell me why which card is better i always like know as much as possible and i leanr new things about computers every day and still feel i don't know anything about them.

 

[cameroncsadler]

why is 4870 much better than 4850 the numbers are close and 4870 is about 50$ more. Thank you for replies but i would also appreciate more reasons thank you

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

The larger the number, the greater the performance usually.
The ram is much faster, enabling for faster operations, as is the core clock speeds, meaning more info is processed quicker as well.
So, the 4870 has GDDR5 ram, and is faster than GDDR3 ram.

 

[cameroncsadler]

Thank you Jaydeejohn so in your opinion since i will own this computer for a awhile it will be worth investing in the 4870 card and goign a bit over what i wanted to pay. i do now notice the last 3 numbers are the same with the model he wanted first place im not sure if thats important or not.

I see http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150436&cm_re=4870-_-14-150-436-_-Product

this will cost me close to 200$ this must me a lager leap than the numbers implied but i am assuming that since you mentioned this difference and my monitor was expensive this means i should invest in this more expensive part to better sync with the parts already in my computer and that you recommend me buying that card?

 

[mactronix]

Looking on new egg you can get a 5770 for around what you are looking to spend. Depending on the game its as good or better tham a 4870 and has the probability of getting a bit better due to driver improvements.
As its quite a new card the drivers will tend to concentrate on finding improvements with the newer archetecture rather than the older 4 series.
Its a DX11 capable card which will mean it ha support for newer games that come out with DX11 but as there are no full DX11 games yet exactly how well it will handle them is guess work. A 4870 cant play DX11 at all.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_5770/

Mactronix

 

[cameroncsadler]

Thank you this is great news
at new egg the exact card that http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161317&cm_re=5770-_-14-161-317-_-Product

And not only is it cheaper than the 4870 due to free shipping according to the charts on the link you attached it is not much different than than the 400$ card in frame rate on all those good video games

Also the fact it can play new good games and most others cant is good to know i found you message very helpful i will check this thread again before i go to bed but as of now i think i will order it, it is right around where i wanted to pay and seems like a very good part. I think armed with this information i will have a very happy id he was very excited to know i was considering this. Thank all of you for your help.

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

Excellent choice, the 5 seeries , or the 5770 is newer, higher the better, or newer, in this case. Often, the lower following numbers after the first means a lessor card, but, being a new card, it often leap frogs the last generations 1 higher model, or is equivilent, as it is here, except, the newer card allows for more features/improvements

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

This topic has been closed by Jaydeejohn