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Started by Denz13 | | 12 answers
Best Graphics card <£250
Hi all,
I've recently started building a gaming rig, so far I have the following:
CPU - i5 2400
Mobo - Asrock Extreme 4-m z77
RAM - 8GB

What is the best GPU to suit this build costing under £250?

Thanks in advance
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Best solution chosen by Denz13

a b U Graphics card
April 27, 2014 4:49:26 AM

In 1080p resolution, you can get good frame rates with R9 280X with a decent price. There is a little FPS difference between 770. And AMD cards are going to be much more optimized as next-gen consoles are AMD systems. ;) 
a b U Graphics card
April 27, 2014 4:47:50 AM

I've read a few reviews and on that resolution are both capable of going over 60fps which should be enough for a tv.

April 27, 2014 4:23:27 AM

Thanks again for the replies. This is certainly not an easy decision between the 770 and 280x.

I think I'm swaying more towards the 280x, but still not 100% sure.

I'm building this rig as an alternative to buying a next gen console. So as long as it's at least on par with next gen consoles I'm happy. Obviously i want to get the best performance within my budget, which is what's making the decision hard. A lot of review sites show better frame rates with the 770. But in real terms would there be any noticeable difference compared to the 280x?

I'll be gaming at 1080p only as I'll be using a Samsung TV as my display. Is there anything else I need to consider when choosing a card if I'm using this resolution?
a c 198 U Graphics card
April 27, 2014 2:59:12 AM

I'd be reluctant to purchase used parts from E-bay, particularly when the seller has a 'no returns' policy (read the small print).
Anyway, if you're going to go used why not go all the way: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sapphire-AMD-Radeon-R9-290-Tr...
Just bear in mind the cooler on this thing is MASSIVE, about 31 c.m. long!
The R9 270 4Gb is not in the same league as an R9 280, much less the even faster 280X: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-graphics-card-revi...
a b U Graphics card
April 27, 2014 1:32:17 AM

You can go for the graphics card. :) 
a b U Graphics card
April 27, 2014 12:16:26 AM

Get the R9 280X 2GB. The performance of the R9 280X is far more superior than any R9 270X. I suggest you to get the Sapphire R9 280X Dual-X BOOST or the XFX brand. Don't get an R9 280X with a reference cooler since it will give more noise.
April 27, 2014 12:12:52 AM

Thanks for the replies, R9 280x 2gb or R9 270x 4gb?

I'm also looking for a card that doesn't sound like a jet engine as my gaming rig is situated in my living room connected to the main TV and will also be used for watching films, so low noise is a must. Any suggestions here?

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