EVGA GTX285 FTW 2GB

[switch420]

I want to purchase a used EVGA GTX285 FTW 2GB but it seems it BSOD's and crashes in a lot of games and is no longer made. This has been confirmed from the seller. He is asking $225 as is works but overheats? BSOD's..... anyone know if I can just flash the bios and down clock it a little and have a 120mm fan blowing on it from the side...think it wqill be worth $220? Warrenty if viod once its sold and it has been sold before. Please HELPPP I need need GPU and dont have much money.

 

[sabot00]

Bad deal.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131184&cm_re=5850-_-14-131-184-_-Product
5850 performs better, only $289 shipped, DX11, less power-consumption, and has DiRT 2 included.

 

[mindless728]

i wouldn't buy it if i were you, the seller even says it causes crashes (though we don't know why), especially since it doesn't have a warranty

you would be better off getting the extra $75 together and getting the Radeon 5850, its a bit faster than the GTX285

 

[switch420]

But my motherboard supports 1-2 SLI not crossfire :/ I'm not rich cant buy new mobo he said it only crashes on him on games like Crysis n stuff but other people say COD WOW L4D2 ETC.... Plz help

 

[switch420]

i mena 1 2 or 3 video cards in sli

 

[mindless728]

a single card from either vendor works fine, crossfire/sli is for muli gpu support (ie greater than 1)

so the single Radeon 5850 would work fine in that motherboard

you could even keep the 8800GTS for any game you need Physx support in as a dedicated Physx card and have the 5850 as the main

 

[switch420]

Well I could sell my GTX 250 OC 1GB and my 8800GT for what... $175 for both? $150? I just really need a really cheap solution and if I could find one for that card then sell my cards I wouldnt lose anything :/ I don't know. Just tired of 19 FPS in GTA IV lol

 

[sabot00]

That GTX 285 is crap.
You don't need more than 1 GB, it crashes, overheats.
Get the 5850, offers 10% better performance, runs cooler, less power-consumption, only $289, and DiRT 2.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131184&cm_re=5850-_-14-131-184-_-Product

I guess it all boils down to this question: Why would you knowingly buy a hot card that crashes & overheats without a warranty?

 

[mindless728]

well, you could just lower the settings for GTA IV and keep the current cards

though i will say this, cheap and good performance usually don't go together, sometimes you will find an amazing deal, but don't expect it

also keep in mind if you play Physx heavy games you may want to keep one of these current cards to have a dedicated Physx card, unless you wouldn't mind dropping Physx support (though keep in mind, not many games use Physx, and don't expect a lot to have it since developers don't want to alienate a large part of gamers with ati cards)

i would say just save up the money for the 5850 and just lower the settings in GTA IV, though this could be a cpu bottleneck in the game since it can eat quad cores pretty good

EDIT: if you do decide to save for the 5850, pony up the extra $20 and get teh XFX model, double lifetime warranty is good

 

[switch420]

That GTX 285 is crap.
You don't need more than 1 GB, it crashes, overheats.
Get the 5850, offers 10% better performance, runs cooler, less power-consumption, only $289, and DiRT 2.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131184&cm_re=5850-_-14-131-184-_-Product

I guess it all boils down to this question: Why would you knowingly buy a hot card that crashes & overheats without a warranty?

Good point. Just trying to save some money and I can rebuild the card with new thermal paste and put extra fans on. I know I dont need 2GB its just the other specs. Just real short on money is all. And I like fixing things. Thanks for your advice it is good. That card looks great just not the cheap fix I was hoping for.

 

[mindless728]

Good point. Just trying to save some money and I can rebuild the card with new thermal paste and put extra fans on. I know I dont need 2GB its just the other specs. Just real short on money is all. And I like fixing things. Thanks for your advice it is good. That card looks great just not the cheap fix I was hoping for.

i guess a cheap fix would be to OC the GPU in your current system as far as you can (assuming GPU bottleneck)

 

[sabot00]

I personally never buy used cards, if you can stretch to $289 then the 5850 blows all nVidia single-GPU cards out of the water (5870 is still top-dog), if you can't go that high then there's still a very nice 4890. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150438&cm_re=4890-_-14-150-438-_-Product

The 8800GTS 512MB is still a great card (5-10% less than 4850).

 

[switch420]

Yeah you're right I'm just addicted. I have a problem. LOL.

 

[sabot00]

If you want more performance then that's fine. What resolution?

 

[switch420]

1920x1080 23" Asus..also thinking about purchasing a 47" HD TV on a best buy card. So thats when I thought the 2GB would come in handy

 

[sabot00]

A 5850 will push 4xAA or even higher on that resolution with everything maxed out.

 

[demon69120]

I agree. Why don't you want to pickup a 5850? For the price of a nice gpu cooler that might not even fix it as well as that used card you could buy a brand new 5850 maybe with a vapor-x fan system. The 5000s are really all that, I can crossfire two 5770's with a 500 watt PSU (although I only have one currently). My 5770 maxes Crysis Warhead at 1900 x 1080 enthusiast at around 30 fps with AA off (which doesn't matter with that high of res!). A 5850 supposedly is 50% better than a 5770 too...
Hell, if I were you I'd sell the 8800 GTS for like $50 or whatever then keep the GTS 250 for physx in case you need it in the feature and have a 5850 pounding everything else. IMO a 5870 right now is pointless because... what CAN'T a 5850 do?

Yeah, sell the 8800 GTS, buy a new 5850. Forget buying and repairing an 285 GTX.

 

[sabot00]

Well a 5870 isn't useless, certainly more gap than the 8800GTX/Ultra did, 5870 does Eyefinity better.

 

[jennyh]

PLEASE change your signature OP.

 

[Bluescreendeath]

Well I could sell my GTX 250 OC 1GB and my 8800GT for what... $175 for both? $150? I just really need a really cheap solution and if I could find one for that card then sell my cards I wouldnt lose anything :/ I don't know. Just tired of 19 FPS in GTA IV lol

The GTAIV is a CPU-intensive game due to its poor coding. Your DualCore is probably one of the main reasons why you're lagging.

If you live next to a Microcenter, consider upgrading to a Core2Quad since they have CPUs for the cheap.


As the others have said, a 5850 will perform very well - it's better than a GTX285 and equal to two 4850s Xfired or two GTS250/9800GTXs SLIed.