Best video card for 302.99 ?

[sdqpub]

I have 302 dollars and 99 cents. Whats the best video card I can get. Currently I own an ATI X1950 XT
[EDIT]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This week.
USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming [Battlefield Bad company 2 and Left for dead 2 mostly. I also play TF2, Portal and WOW.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: ATI Radeon X1950XT Thermaltake Toughpower 650W
OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Socket 775 LGA. Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-UD3R Chipset: Intel P45
RAM: 4GB DDR2-SDRAM PC2-6400 (Gskill F2-8500CL5-2GBPK)

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com
PARTS PREFERENCES: No preference.
OVERCLOCKING: Maybe.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1400x1050

Thanks in advance for your advice [/edit]

 

[sdqpub]

just read the stiky...editing...

 

[Aneesh@4GHz]

You can buy this graphics card for 300$

 

[nforce4max]

The GTX 470 is a safe bet but if you are wanting to stay with ATI then it is a 5850. Personally I like the GTX 470 but then again the 5850 uses less power than my old x1900xt (700mhz oc) at stock clocks. Any way take your pick since those are the best card over all at that price segment and the most one should spend on a single card in my opinion.

 

[jerreece]

Well, for your resolution you don't need a $300 video card. Do you plan on a Monitor upgrade any time soon? Also, 1400 x 1050 is an odd resolution.

Realistically, to play your games at your current resolution, anything more than a $230 GTX 460 1GB would be wasted. And I'm not certain even that good of a card is really required. If you want to OverClock, the MSI GTX 460 Cyclone 1GB is a good card to look at.

If you wanted to game @ 1920x1080/1200 (new monitor) then I could see doing an ATI 5850 or GTX 470. But at your resolution, it's just not needed. Besides that, the only game you listed that really requires much GPU power is Bad Company 2. And at 1400 x 1050 you just don't need a $300 GPU.

If you really want to spend the $300 in total, the Asus GTX 470 recommended above comes with a Free Mafia II game download. So that would be great. You could also save some money, and get an ATI 5850 for $259 (less power draw, cooler)

Gigabyte ATI 5850 $259.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125318&cm_re=ATI_5850-_-14-125-318-_-Product

 

[sdqpub]

never thought on upgrading my monitor....Thanks for the advice jerreece! Will look into that, and probably go with the 470
time to do some research on monitors...

 

[Aneesh@4GHz]

IS there ant big difference between 1400 x 1050 and 1920x1080?The HD5850 is also a good option,i recommend nvidia because of ATI driver problems.

 

[nforce4max]

To be honest your monitor is just fine unless you have some issue with it. With the pace of games and mods to go along with it just upgrade your card then enjoy playing at settings that wouldn't be possible at higher res. like 24x or 32x forced aa.

 

[Aneesh@4GHz]

To be honest your monitor is just fine unless you have some issue with it. With the pace of games and mods to go along with it just upgrade your card then enjoy playing at settings that wouldn't be possible at higher res. like 24x or 32x forced aa.

+1^

 

[marco324]

the gtx 460 might be a better buy for $200 it's a new chip runs cooler uses less power and is only slightly slower ten the gtx470 heres a good review
The GeForce GTX 460 series is to be based on a new chip. Initially the Fermi architecture that you have all seen on the GTX 465, 470 and 480 is based on the GF100 chip. The Mid-range GeForce GTX 460 is still based on that Fermi architecture, yet for this round NVIDIA designed a new chip, so this is not a GF100 with disabled Shader clusters. Make no mistake here, the architecture is still based on Fermi, same setup, same caches, yet now a much smaller chip with less transistors (2.1 Billion to be precise), called the GF104. GF104 is a less complicated chip to manufacture as the smaller transistor count directly relates to better yields, better heat levels, better voltages and thus a better TDP as well. It is a smaller chip to produce.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-geforce-gtx-460-hawk-review/2
http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-geforce-gtx-460-hawk-review/11

http://www.ewiz.com/query.php?dp=1&dt=2&categry=636&name=Nvidia-GeForce&brand=&pa0=&pa1=&pa2=1GB&pa3=&pa4=&pa5=&pa6=&pa7=&searchStr=Search+from+current+results&myanchor=%23displaytop&brand=&pa0=&pa1=GTX460&pa2=1GB&pa3=&pa4=&pa5=&pa6=&pa7=&nl=30&searchStr=Search+from+current+results&ob=r&myanchor=%23displaytop

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127510

 

[Mousemonkey]

the gtx 460 might be a better buy for $200 it's a new chip runs cooler uses less power and is only slightly slower ten the gtx470 heres a good review
The GeForce GTX 460 series is to be based on a new chip. Initially the Fermi architecture that you have all seen on the GTX 465, 470 and 480 is based on the GF100 chip. The Mid-range GeForce GTX 460 is still based on that Fermi architecture, yet for this round NVIDIA designed a new chip, so this is not a GF100 with disabled Shader clusters. Make no mistake here, the architecture is still based on Fermi, same setup, same caches, yet now a much smaller chip with less transistors (2.1 Billion to be precise), called the GF104. GF104 is a less complicated chip to manufacture as the smaller transistor count directly relates to better yields, better heat levels, better voltages and thus a better TDP as well. It is a smaller chip to produce.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-geforce-gtx-460-hawk-review/2
http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-geforce-gtx-460-hawk-review/11

http://www.ewiz.com/query.php?dp=1&dt=2&categry=636&name=Nvidia-GeForce&brand=&pa0=&pa1=&pa2=1GB&pa3=&pa4=&pa5=&pa6=&pa7=&searchStr=Search+from+current+results&myanchor=%23displaytop&brand=&pa0=&pa1=GTX460&pa2=1GB&pa3=&pa4=&pa5=&pa6=&pa7=&nl=30&searchStr=Search+from+current+results&ob=r&myanchor=%23displaytop

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127510

But it still has disabled cores which is why there are only 336 instead of 384.

 

[Tamz_msc]

If you are considering a monitor upgrade, save a little more and get a GTX 460 + new monitor.If not then the GTX 470 is the most powerful card that you can get for 300 bucks.

 

[Aneesh@4GHz]

If you are not upgrading you monitor,(as nforce4max said)
just upgrade your card then enjoy playing at settings that wouldn't be possible at higher res. like 24x or 32x AA!

 

[marco324]

i realize that the 470 is a better card but not a $100 more and someone was on the forum looking to spend another 50 to $80 more on after market cooling and always have option to sli them and new cards coming out soon just a thought

 

[nforce4max]

i realize that the 470 is a better card but not a $100 more and someone was on the forum looking to spend another 50 to $80 more on after market cooling and always have option to sli them and new cards coming out soon just a thought

Get the AMP edition but only if you are interested in single or two way sli only. It's 3 slot cooler is a turn off for many but it is a better value over all.

 

[sdqpub]

Best answer selected by sdqpub.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey