Best Value PCi GFX card for around £100 ($150!)

[nikmondo]

Hi Guys,

Could you please tell me what the best value PCi GFX card for around £100 ($150) is? I have a basic GEFORCE gfx card which is not cutting the mustard!

Thanks peeps,
Nik

 

[gamerk316]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064.html

There you go

 

[evongugg]

Welcome to the forums!

Do you mean PCI Express or simple PCI?

 

[San Pedro]

Hopefully you mean PCIe

If so then the ATI 4850 would be a good choice.

If simple PCI then you're screwed because there is good PCI video card.

 

[outlw6669]

I would recommend a 4830 for £99.86 inc VAT.
It is quite a powerhouse and a great value.

 

[nikmondo]

Thanks for making me welcome, you seemed like the busiest forum on the net so I thought I'd join up!

Well my PC is only a 6 months old from PC world so i'm guessing its PCIe. My current GFX card is a GeForce 3200 which is obviously well out dated!

 

[vkaraoke]

Is it a Geforce 3 200TI?

 

[nikmondo]

Hmmmm i'll have to wait until I get home to check.

Is this one any good.....?

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/palit_hd4850/

 

[outlw6669]

Yes, the 4850 is a step above the 4830 and would be recommended if you can extend your budget a little more.

 

[nikmondo]

lol i've actually got a GeForce 8300 GS!! Obviously very out dated now!

 

[nikmondo]

Looking on the chart below can you please inform as to why some cards appear near the bottom and then re appear near the top!?

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/257067-15-9600-9800

 

[outlw6669]

That would be due to using more than one of the specified card in Crossfire (ATI) or SLI (nVidia).

 

[nikmondo]

Guys, Is the Nvidia BFG GTX 260 maxcore OCX 896MB as good as the 4850?

 

[coozie7]

Fastest card in your price range is the HD4830, the 9600GT is a little slower but cheaper and the HD4850 is a little faster but you`ll be pushed to find it for under 100 UKP.
Those are your choices, now, use a price comparason site to check prices because they vary quite a bit from vendor to vendor.
And the GTX260 is one full league above the HD4850 at twice the price.

 

[coozie7]

Sorry, got involved elsewhere. What about the power supply? PC World, like most builders do n`t exactly overspecify that and you`ll need at least 450 Watts (500 is better) for a HD4850.

 

[outlw6669]

Guys, Is the Nvidia BFG GTX 260 maxcore OCX 896MB as good as the 4850?

Yes, in most games the GTX 260 will outperform the 4850.
I is not the best option in it's price range, however.
For about the same price as a GTX 260, you can get the faster 4870.
The 4870 will outperform a GTX 260, just squeeze out a win on the Core 216 variant and it can come close in performance to the GTX 280.
As it can be found for around the same price as a GTX 260, it is a much better buy.

 

[nikmondo]

Fastest card in your price range is the HD4830, the 9600GT is a little slower but cheaper and the HD4850 is a little faster but you`ll be pushed to find it for under 100 UKP.
Those are your choices, now, use a price comparason site to check prices because they vary quite a bit from vendor to vendor.
And the GTX260 is one full league above the HD4850 at twice the price.

The GTX 260 is only £105.74 as per the article in the latest micro mart magazine which is slightly over my budget.

I did wonder if I would need to add a better power supply! So could I have recommendations please!? Also I was thinking of upgrading my DDR RAM. I wasn't planning on spending more than £50 on the RAM so some advise would be grateful......or I could post on the memory section if need be.

Cheers guys,

 

[nikmondo]

The GTX 260 is only £105.74 as per the article in the latest micro mart magazine which is slightly over my budget.

Cheers guys,

I'm guessing that was a miss print on the magazines behalf!!

 

[coozie7]

They`re practicaly giving RAM away at the moment, you should easily find 4Gb of 800 MHz memory for under 50 pounds anf 2Gb for less than 30.
For a PSU Corsair seems to be held in high reguard here as does OCZ, so I`d check out prices for 500-550 Watt examples but you really need to tell us what yours is...
Oh and you can find loads of stuff and compare prices on sites like Kelkoo.

 

[nikmondo]

They`re practicaly giving RAM away at the moment, you should easily find 4Gb of 800 MHz memory for under 50 pounds anf 2Gb for less than 30.
For a PSU Corsair seems to be held in high reguard here as does OCZ, so I`d check out prices for 500-550 Watt examples but you really need to tell us what yours is...
Oh and you can find loads of stuff and compare prices on sites like Kelkoo.

Thanks Coozie, when i'm home i'll check my PSU output and post it on here.

Cheers mate.

Nik

 

[nikmondo]

They`re practicaly giving RAM away at the moment, you should easily find 4Gb of 800 MHz memory for under 50 pounds anf 2Gb for less than 30.
For a PSU Corsair seems to be held in high reguard here as does OCZ, so I`d check out prices for 500-550 Watt examples but you really need to tell us what yours is...
Oh and you can find loads of stuff and compare prices on sites like Kelkoo.

Coozie,

Is there a way of checking the PSU output using a program on the PC? I looked at the label and to be honest I was totally confused!

It would help if i knew what i was looking for too!


Your help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Nik

 

[outlw6669]

If you post what is on the label, we can help you understand it.
Most important would be the manufacturer, model, +12v amperage (by rail or combine if it gives it) and overall wattage.

 

[nikmondo]

ok great i'll have a look over the weekend.

 

[nikmondo]

Here goes!

The make is FSP GROUP INC.

MODEL NO: FSP250-60HEN

AC INPUT 220-230V-2A.50hz

Actually i'm guessing it's 250w as it says total output continuous shall not exceed 250w.

So I need a new PSU me thinks!

 

[coozie7]

@nikmondo; Sorry, I was sure I`d posted about the PSU question earlier today;(
Checking it out it only has 12v-8A and 12v14A, not enough for what you have in mind.
The cards so far suggested (ATI4830/4850, Nvidia 9600GT) would all need about 500W from a good supplier such as Corsair or OCZ.