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Upgrading old card $200ish budget (Done)

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I have a crappy OLD video card. It's leftover from my husbands' old build and I figured I'd use it in my recent one until it died.... well it died and I don't know what to get... it's just so overwhelming.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: When the choice has been made so shall the purchase.

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: I play mostly Sims 3 and run Catia V5 on this computer... other than that mostly just research and such... I need to be able to research while playing games and I run two monitors.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: I actually don't remember but the GPU really outdated... it's from like 4 years ago minimum so I'm not sure it's even relevent... PCU is 600W.

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: The only specs I know are the CPU is an i3, and I need a PCI express video card.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I would prefer Best Buy but if they have nothing good then microcenter or maybe amazon.... whatever really.

PARTS PREFERENCES: I really have no preference for brand... I've always bought the best deal/rated product I could get...

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I really just want a good card... quiet operation would be nice but I know I have a lot of constraints that might make that hard (price, needs). Also, if there is a superior brand I should be looking for, I will pay extra for quality. I just want it to last...

Edit: Moved PCU Spec to appropriate point on list and added comment.

Edit: Bought the Galaxy Technology-GeForce GTX 560 Graphic Card - 850 MHz Core - 2 GB GDDR5 SDRAM - PCI Express 2.0 after reviewing several of your answers. I got it for 205 shipped and am pleased to say that Sims3 is running so much better, and skyrim looks phenomenally better, and catia... well it's catia... it runs so it's good. Thanks for the help everyone!

More about : upgrading card 200ish budget

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Graphics card Expert

With an i3? playing sims, you will LOVE a GTX 560 ($120-140)

It will hande 2 1080p Screens

There are 5 companies that produce this card with thier own creative heatsinks, so chose the one that has the "this card is quiet!" review :p 

Get 2 for SLI? Much more significant improvements in SLI with 2 screens.

Ebay has great deals on gently used 560's.
Graphics card Authority

Quote:

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: I actually don't remember but it's really outdated... it's from like 4 years ago minimum so I'm not sure it's even relevent...


It is relevant... the power supply is the single most important thing in a computer, really, and often overlooked which results in major problems.

You need to find out the make and model of the PSU and list it here before any reasonable recommendation can be made.

RussK1 said:
Quote:

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: I actually don't remember but it's really outdated... it's from like 4 years ago minimum so I'm not sure it's even relevent...


It is relevant... the power supply is the single most important thing in a computer, really, and often overlooked which results in major problems.

You need to find out the make and model of the PSU and list it here before any reasonable recommendation can be made.



Power supply is 600W
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Graphics card Expert

One thing that is really important is that if you want to drive 2 1080p screens your going to need an SLI setup.

The only worthwhile SLI setup at 200$ for 2 screens would be 2 GTX550's or GTX 460's.

A single gtx 560 could power 2 screens, but the tempratures of the card would be high, and it would idle at higher clock speeds (more stress)

Best solution

Graphics card Master

These would be your best options neither is 200 but both are $209.99 after MIR 239.99 MSI R7850 Twin Frozr 2GD5/OC Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

$229.99 GIGABYTE GV-N560OC-1GI GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

bigcyco1 said:
These would be your best options neither is 200 but both are $209.99 after MIR 239.99 MSI R7850 Twin Frozr 2GD5/OC Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

$229.99 GIGABYTE GV-N560OC-1GI GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...


these would have to be separate suggestions because you cannot mix or get crossfire to work on an SLI mobo
Graphics card Authority

aylajayn said:
Power supply is 600W


Trust me, that doesn't mean anything.

But to answer your question for $200 the GTX 560ti ZOTAC AMP! is a good choice. Has 950mhz core clock and is $180 after MIR +$7.56 shipping = $187.56.

ZOTAC AMP

I really don't like playing the MIR game but the 7850 listed above is a solid choice above this GTX 560ti.

Comparison HERE

PCIe 3.0 is backwards compatible just like 2.1, 2.0 is to 1.0.
Graphics card Expert

Keep in mind that your trying to run 2 1080p screens, 1 card to power 2 screens is alot of stress if you want to research and game at thesame time.

A cheap SLi setup of 2 GTX560SE' would be your best bet.

If your board is sli however.

Would come in slightly over budget @ 220$ for both of them.
Graphics card Authority

Quote:
Keep in mind that your trying to run 2 1080p screens


Where does she say she wants to run two displays? ↓↓↓↓

Quote:
I have a crappy OLD video card. It's leftover from my husbands' old build and I figured I'd use it in my recent one until it died.... well it died and I don't know what to get... it's just so overwhelming.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: When the choice has been made so shall the purchase.

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: I play mostly Sims 3 and run Catia V5 on this computer... other than that mostly just research and such... I need to be able to research while playing games and I run two monitors.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: I actually don't remember but the GPU really outdated... it's from like 4 years ago minimum so I'm not sure it's even relevent... PCU is 600W.

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: The only specs I know are the CPU is an i3, and I need a PCI express video card.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I would prefer Best Buy but if they have nothing good then microcenter or maybe amazon.... whatever really.

PARTS PREFERENCES: I really have no preference for brand... I've always bought the best deal/rated product I could get...

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I really just want a good card... quiet operation would be nice but I know I have a lot of constraints that might make that hard (price, needs). Also, if there is a superior brand I should be looking for, I will pay extra for quality. I just want it to last...

Edit: Moved PCU Spec to appropriate point on list and added comment.
Graphics card Expert

aylajayn said:
I have a crappy OLD video card. It's leftover from my husbands' old build and I figured I'd use it in my recent one until it died.... well it died and I don't know what to get... it's just so overwhelming.

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: When the choice has been made so shall the purchase.

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: I play mostly Sims 3 and run Catia V5 on this computer... other than that mostly just research and such... I need to be able to research while playing games and I run two monitors.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: I actually don't remember but the GPU really outdated... it's from like 4 years ago minimum so I'm not sure it's even relevent... PCU is 600W.

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: The only specs I know are the CPU is an i3, and I need a PCI express video card.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I would prefer Best Buy but if they have nothing good then microcenter or maybe amazon.... whatever really.

PARTS PREFERENCES: I really have no preference for brand... I've always bought the best deal/rated product I could get...

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I really just want a good card... quiet operation would be nice but I know I have a lot of constraints that might make that hard (price, needs). Also, if there is a superior brand I should be looking for, I will pay extra for quality. I just want it to last...

Edit: Moved PCU Spec to appropriate point on list and added comment.


Yes, she does.
Graphics card Authority

austing said:
Yes, she does.


Running a game on one monitor and desktop on the other doesn't require a multi-card set-up. I do it on a measly Quadro FX3700 2x 1080p. Far different from Eyefinity or surround...

if you want to sped at least 200 bucks or less on a video card aka graphic card aka GPU, go with amd 7770 their in a good price range and their quite good for their price. i seen a couple of videos using the 7770 gfx aka video card playing a game called battlefield 3 full settings with no lag and using fraps at the same time. dont believe what other people say about those cards. their is proof that those cards are worth it. so with people playing bf3 a intensive resource hogger you should be able to play sims 3 and design in Catia V5 with no problems. but if u want to listen to people that say go with nvidia then spend a arm and a leg for one.

fpresiado said:
if you want to sped at least 200 bucks or less on a video card aka graphic card aka GPU, go with amd 7770 their in a good price range and their quite good for their price. i seen a couple of videos using the 7770 gfx aka video card playing a game called battlefield 3 full settings with no lag and using fraps at the same time. dont believe what other people say about those cards. their is proof that those cards are worth it. so with people playing bf3 a intensive resource hogger you should be able to play sims 3 and design in Catia V5 with no problems. but if u want to listen to people that say go with nvidia then spend a arm and a leg for one.


wow you rant makes you sound so close minded.. every site like newegg i check has nvidia cards at roughly the same price as ATI cards. and with CATIA software the nvidia cards may be the better cards to go with because the software may take advantage of their CUDA technology which would improve performance.

the one advantage ATI has right now is you can have more than 2 monitors on one card even if you get a entry to mid level card.. NVIDIA can only do this with the 6 series right now but you can have more than 2 monitors if you go for an SLI setup.

captaincharisma said:
wow you rant makes you sound so close minded.. every site like newegg i check has nvidia cards at roughly the same price as ATI cards. and with CATIA software the nvidia cards may be the better cards to go with because the software may take advantage of their CUDA technology which would improve performance.

the one advantage ATI has right now is you can have more than 2 monitors on one card even if you get a entry to mid level card.. NVIDIA can only do this with the 6 series right now but you can have more than 2 monitors if you go for an SLI setup.



only thing that is cheaper or comes close to it in pricing is the 550ti series. i have read around they are good cards but they have their faults. as for 7770 cards i haven't seen any thing that gives major problems. so yeah about your simple minded comment, their is no need for that keep that kind of comment to your self.
Graphics card Authority

fpresiado said:
only thing that is cheaper or comes close to it in pricing is the 550ti series. i have read around they are good cards but they have their faults. as for 7770 cards i haven't seen any thing that gives major problems. so yeah about your simple minded comment, their is no need for that keep that kind of comment to your self.


Dude, what are you talking about?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?

The 550ti sucks!
Graphics card Authority

austing said:
The GTX560SE is the best out of the

GTX560
GTX560ti
GTX560SE


No the GTX 560se is the lowest of the 560's with 288 cores, next is the vanilla 560 with 336, 560ti with 384 and finally, the GTX 560ti 448.
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