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What video card to run off a 430 watt psu

Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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Anonymous
Graphics card Master

Hey guys I'm new here and I have a question. I'm looking to buy a video card at or under $200 and I need help. I will be playing at 1280x720 only as the pc will be hooked up to my HDTV. I love the graphics of the pc but I like using a HDTV like I'm playing on a console lol. With the HDTV I can sit on the couch or the lazy boy and be comfy when I game and save my eyes by not being all up on a smaller monitor. Here are the system specs so you can factor in the power being used

antec 300 case with all case fans being used
antec earthwatts 430 watt power supply
gigabyte p45 ds3l mobo
e8400 @ stock, I'm gonna try for 4ghz overclock
arctic cooler freezer 7 pro cooler
2 1gb sticks of crucial ddr2.800 MHz ram
1 DVD burner
1 seagate 500gb hard drive
I don't have the rig yet it's coming this week and it has a evga 8800gs video card in it. I want to buy a new video card in a month but I don't know what to get that is gonna be the best bang for my buck and work with my psu. I want a nvidia card I won't use a ati card. My system is pretty bland as you can see, not alot of stuff hooked up at all, the only thing I'm gonna add later is replace my DVD burner with a blu Ray drive. I will be playing cod4,mw2, fo3 goty edition and dirt 2
I'm thinking if I stay at 1280x720 that the 8800gs may be good enough but I don't know.

Do you think the 8800gs is enough card for those games at 1280x720? To be perfectly honest with you I like gaming on the HDTV, it allows me to be comfy while gaming and not need a monster video card hence me saving money. I don't know if the 8800gs will be enough or if I need a better card. Those games listed are all I'm gonna play. My budget is $200 for a video card but I'm sure a $100 card would probably be more then enough. Please tell me what you guys think about what my 8800gs will be capable of and if it's not enough what card should I get that's compatible with that psu. I believe it has 33amp on the 12volt rail and it only has 1 6pin pci express connector.,

Thanks in advance guys

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Graphics card Expert

IMO a newer card is a better choice for 2 reasons

1. DX11 compatible, especially if you play Dirt 2.
2. Future proof. Also, down the road you can throw in another, and it wouldn't be as outdated.

Maybe a 5770 or something would be a better choice... unless you're not feeling like spending $150 on a video card. But, that's just me.
Great performance/dollar value, and low power consumption.
Graphics card Master

the 8800GS is more of an entry level card at this time, luckily you don't play at a demanding resolution. You would be limited to medium settings on your games. A 9800GT would be a better option if you can find one around $80, or even a GTS250 at around $100. Both cards will let you play at high-very high settings with the GTS250 being the better of the two.

Nvidia will be releasing new mid-level cards this summer so you can wait until then for more Nvidia options.
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Graphics card Expert

If you're buying now you would be silly not to put a 5770 in there. It is the best card out in terms of price/performance and performance/watt. It would also last you longer than any of the others. I'd say 2-3x the performance of a 8800GS - The difference between all the eye candy on with AA enabled or med-high settings, low/no AA
Anonymous
Graphics card Master

Cmon guys nvidia only, I have used 2 ati cards before and the nvidia cards got better framerates and I had alot of driver issues with the ati cards.

I have no problem spending $200 on a card guys, I want something that will last me at my low ree for at least 2 years. I was thinking of getting a gtx260 or 280 but I don't know if that psu will handle it. Once again no ati cards
Graphics card Master

Quote:
Cmon guys nvidia only, I have used 2 ati cards before and the nvidia cards got better framerates and I had alot of driver issues with the ati cards.

I have no problem spending $200 on a card guys, I want something that will last me at my low ree for at least 2 years. I was thinking of getting a gtx260 or 280 but I don't know if that psu will handle it. Once again no ati cards


you would need a PSU upgrade for the gtx260 or GTX280, hence my original recommendations
Anonymous
Graphics card Master

Well I checked out the psu calculator site and it says for my rig with the CPU overclocked to 4ghz with a gtx 260 216 core the recommended psu size is 365 watts with a gtx280 a 411 watt psu.

I have a 430 watt psu now so I'm guessing I need to find a good deal on a gtx 260/280
either one of those cards should last me 2 years at my resolution
Graphics card Master

The maximum load for the +12v rails on your PSU is actually 360w. I would not recommend using a GTX 260/80 on that power supply. The GTX 260 may work but you will be pushing it to its limits which is never a good idea. It will both shorten the lifespan of the PSU and operate at lower efficiency than a more reasonable load.
Just get a GTS 250; it really should be great for your resolution and is a good choice for even up to 1680x 1050. Your PSU shouldn't have a problem with it either. The GTX 260 and 280 are intended for much higher resolutions and would be overkill for your current monitor.
Graphics card Expert

Saying that nVidia averaged better fps than ATI cards completely depends on the cards you were comparing... not sure why you'd ignore ATI when they're value is generally great. nVidia and ATI both have their place.

That's like saying an apple is faster than a PC.

If you NEED nVidia, sure get a GTS 250.
The 5770 performs better, consumes less power, runs quieter, etc etc
Just trying to give good advice, not start an argument.
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