Best non SLI/Crossfire Video Card?

[rcaladlr]

Hello,

It's my first time building a new rig. I'm trying to find the best video card for running current games like SWToR and Arkham City, etc. I definitely cannot afford the GTX 560ti and was looking around the range of $180-200 or below.

 

[Deemo13]

You will probably do nicely with a Radeon 6870 or a REGULAR GTX 560 (not the Ti version). Either will run most games at high or the highest settings. Some might prefer Nvidia or ATI, but honestly I would just find whatever one is the cheapest you can find.

 

[Sunfighterlc]

If you can handle rebates and the 10 dollar off promocode you could squeak in one of these. Only 3 eggs though? not sure of the quality. I used an XFX motherboard before though, never had any problems with it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150523


Edit- ouch, just read the reviews...might wanna avoid this one actually LOL. I learned my lesson READ FIRST BUDGET SECOND! lol.

 

[rcaladlr]

Thank you for the fast reply! I don't know if this helps, but I have an i5-2500 (no K) and a 1680x1050 Monitor. Would this change your recommendation?

 

[eyefinity]

The 6870 is practically impossible to beat in performance for the price. For 1680x1050 I seriousy doubt any other card comes close.

 

[Sunfighterlc]

I agree at your resolution a 6870 is MORE than enough. You can get a good-top quality 6870 instead of the tight budget low cost crap 6950 I listed ! lol.

 

[FtsArTek]

The 6870 is practically impossible to beat in performance for the price. For 1680x1050 I seriousy doubt any other card comes close.

In it's price range. Best performance for price overall has to be the GTX460, actually, even now... But I suggest a GTX560, or if that's a bit too much for you, an EVGA GTX460 FTW edition.

 

[rcaladlr]

I see, thanks for the recommendations again. I've been thinking to get the GTX 460 for a while now but I felt I needed to ask. I will try to go for the Radeon 6870 or GTX 560.
Thanks again!

 

[eyefinity]

In it's price range. Best performance for price overall has to be the GTX460, actually, even now... But I suggest a GTX560, or if that's a bit too much for you, an EVGA GTX460 FTW edition.

I actually had this discussion with another poster an hour ago.

you can get a 6870 and Dirt 3 for less than a gtx 460 now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161389

The cheapest 460 gtx is $163 with no free game. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130571

$13 less, free game, a good 20% faster card.

There is no contest.

 

[rcaladlr]

I know this is unrelated, but those Rebate expire at 11/30, do they like offer more after that date?

Also GTX 460 vs HD 6870?

 

[Deemo13]

I would go with the 6870, it has alot of juice to power most modern games. The 6870 is the better choice.

 

[manu 11]

yeah, 6870 is a vert nice card, and if you want to upgrade your monitor in future, it will give you better performance than the gtx 460

 

[rcaladlr]

Alright. Thanks for the advice!

 

[dalauder]

6870 is hands-down a faster card.

If you're building a new rig though, let us help you with all the parts. Start a new thread and fill this out: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261222-31-build-advice
Then post a link to that thread here.

 

[rcaladlr]

^ Thanks, here's my list:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/328312-31-very-builds

 

[dknightxs]

Hello,

It's my first time building a new rig. I'm trying to find the best video card for running current games like SWToR and Arkham City, etc. I definitely cannot afford the GTX 560ti and was looking around the range of $180-200 or below.

since you have low budget

ill recomend a HD6850...it works fine.. i had it for 4-5 months and it ran everything at max details on 1980 X 1080 resolution ...so dont think ull have any problems...and its not that much slower than a 560ti

 

[rcaladlr]

Just an update. I might end up buying a new monitor. For some reason there are more 1920x1080 monitors available and almost the same price as the 1680x1050 ones. Would the HD 6850/6870 or GTX 460/560 work well with that resolution?

 

[dalauder]

I'm gonna post in the other thread too.

If you already have a 22" 1680x1050, don't waste your money upgrading to 1920x1080--spend that money on a graphics card. The 1920x1080 monitors have 17.5% more pixels--that means about 15% lower framerates. With a midrange card like yours, that will actually matter.

I have a 1920x1080 (1080p) monitor at work and a 1680x1050 at home. I don't notice enough of a difference to care between the two--but I would notice the fps difference (if they had comparable gaming cards). That's why I prefer resolutions no higher than 1600x900 on laptops--because anemic laptop graphics cards do better at lower resolutions. Personally, I prefer the shape of 1680x1050--it fits 11x17 construction drawings better.

 

[FtsArTek]

I actually had this discussion with another poster an hour ago.

you can get a 6870 and Dirt 3 for less than a gtx 460 now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161389

The cheapest 460 gtx is $163 with no free game. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130571

$13 less, free game, a good 20% faster card.

There is no contest.

Hmm. In New Zealand we can get a decent pair of GTX460s for.. give or take... $140-170 bucks, depending on where you get them. So that, at a guess, is at $100 or so USD?

 

[dalauder]

Hmm. In New Zealand we can get a decent pair of GTX460s for.. give or take... $140-170 bucks, depending on where you get them. So that, at a guess, is at $100 or so USD?

Are you talking about GTX 460 1GB's, 768MB's, or SE's? Anyhow, GTX 460 1GB's were about $130 when they were nearing the end of production. Now that they're out of production, they are getting inexplicably expensive. I'd say $US130 would be a more reasonable price for them. $163 is pretty ridiculous.

 

[FtsArTek]

1GB SC EVGA cards. The FTW editions were only $10 more last time I saw one.

 

[dalauder]

GTX 460's are a better price in NZ.

 

[FtsArTek]

Hell yeah.

 

[rcaladlr]

Best answer selected by rcaladlr.

 

[rcaladlr]

Thanks everyone!