Graphics card under $130

[zain6267]

Hello,
I need help deciding on a graphics card for a new PC I am building. This is my first time building a pc so I don't know much about it.

BUDGET: Under $130, but If a good one for around $110 could be found that might be preferred.

USAGE: Gaming (Battlefield 3, Diablo 3, Arma 2 etc.) decent settings and Watching movies.

The PC I am building will probably have:
Alpine 700W Blue PSU
Corsair 8GB DDR3 1600MHz Vengeance Memory
Intel Core i7 3770 3.4GHz Socket 1155 8MB Cache Processor
Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 Z68 Socket 1155 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard

PARTS PREFERENCES: I would prefer AMD cards over Nvidia

OVERCLOCKING: Probably at some point

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Want at least 2 year warranty

 

[gamerkila57]

MSI HD 7770 $114 AR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127664

 

[sebasmon]

If you can't pick that one up, go for the AMD Radeon hd 6850. It sells for $129 in a bunch of places

 

[El Tigre]

You can get this if you want Nvidia, it will run circles around the HD 7770. It's $120 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125412

 

[Augray37]

An HD 7770 is more than he'll ever need at 1280x1024

 

[gamerkila57]

I would not attach anything I own to that garbage PSU. You may want to start there first before purchasing a graphics card.

his psu would be fine with an HD 7770

 

[Augray37]

How about this and that CX430...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161379

That puts you at $137.50+tax before the $10 rebate.

 

[DarkOutlaw]

You might be able to get a 550 ti for $100-$110.

 

[gamerkila57]

You might be able to get a 550 ti for $100-$110.

the 550 TI SUCKS ?

 

[zain6267]

Is the PSU really that bad? If so what do you recommend? And would MSI or Saphire or Asus be better?

 

[DavidY]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371045

At $38, Antec VP-450 has a max load rating of 360 watts. The Corsair CX430V2 has a max load rating of 336 watts.

Dave

 

[sebasmon]

There's nothing wrong with the PSU. Asus is always good, but Sapphire has good Radeon cards as far as I know

 

[zain6267]

Thanks for the replies, two more questions though. Would a hd 7770 still be ok for a 1920x1080 resolution and what would an alternative to a hd 7770 be?

 

[Onus]

A quality modern PSU has full range active PFC (no little voltage switch) and some level of 80+ certification. The Antec VP-450 is a notable exception; efficient and otherwise modern. Seasonic, Antec, Corsair, XFX, and Enermax/LEPA are among the better brands. The problem with cheap PSUs is not just their wasteful inefficiency, or even that they're only good for 50%-75% of their labels, it is also that they tend to omit neat little features like transient filters, or they may provide their own spikes, damaging attached parts over time; or if/when they die (sometimes without obvious cause), they take other parts with them into the fiery abyss.
If this PC is to be used for gaming, drop that i7 for a cheaper but just-as-fast i5 (hyperthreading does not help in games, and may actually hurt), then use the savings on a reasonable PSU and a stronger graphics card. Something like an i5-3450 with a HD6870 would be a lot better for games than an i7 with a HD7770. Get a 500W Antec Earthwatts and you'll be good to go.

 

[Augray37]

an hd 7770 would be OK for 1920x1080, not great. Something like a 6850 would give about the same performance. For under $130, a 7770 will probably be your best bet. You can always crossfire it later if you want.

 

[zain6267]

Wwho would a good psu be from, would Xentec or CiT be fine?

 

[DavidY]

Good PS brands include Seasonic, XFX (Seasonic), some Antec which are Seasonic, most Corsair, PC Power & Cooling (Seasonic),

This link shows a number of different games at different rezs and different cards (low to mid end)...good to compare fps at your particular rez and your favourite games (hardcore enthusiasts like 60+ fps...others may be happy with 40+ fps):

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/HD_7750/1.html

Dave

 

[zain6267]

I'm shpping at newegg and amazon. I just dont want to shell out too much fr a power supply. But I'd also appreciate if most my power supply is eccicient and lasts

 

[DavidY]

$60 XFX 550 watt Core Edition Pro Series: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RJ8EKI/?tag=pcpapi-20

$60 w/ 15% off promo code Seasonic S12II 520 watt: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094

Both are 80 Plus Bronze certified.

Dave

 

[Augray37]

+1 to dave

 

[zain6267]

What about a HD 6670 or 6770?

 

[Onus]

Without replacing the PSU, a HD6670, HD7750, or perhaps a HD6770 could be run. Since it looks like the machine hasn't been built yet ("The PC I am building will probably have:..."), it looks like balancing it better for gaming makes more sense than finding the strongest card that will run on a dicey PSU.
i5-3450+HD6870 will be a much stronger combination in games than i7-3770+HD6770.

 

[zain6267]

If I were to replace the PSU with this http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-500-Watt-Certified-Compatible-Platforms/dp/B004W2T2U6/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343210554&sr=1-3&keywords=corsair+builder. Then what would you recommend, I just don't want to spend too much.

 

[zain6267]

Also, my thinking currently is, once I build my i7 with whatever graphics card I get, eventually I'll be able to buy another graphics card and crossfire it. Whereas if I get an i5 with a better graphics card, it wont be as good in the long run.

 

[Onus]

That PSU is decent. You could run a HD7870 on it.
Your resolution right now is fairly low though. You could get something like a HD7850, which would probably remain sufficient for quite some time even after you upgrade your monitor.
If you aren't planning a monitor upgrade, a HD7770 would be sufficient, and you would be unlikely to ever need another one.