What graphics card to buy?

[TristanMercer]

I am currently shopping for a new GPU. I currently have a Nvidia GT 520 1GB.

Problem I am running into is everytime I enable shadows, my fps goes from an average of 30 down to 7 or under.

Here are my current system specs:

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2320 CPU @ 3.00GHz (2993.29 MHz)
Memory: 8173 MB
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Service Pack 1 (Build 7601)
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce GT 520/PCIe/SSE2

Power supply is 300 watt. I can purchase a new one with a new GPU, so no problems there.

I do not want to go broke on the card as my funds are limited. Max price I am looking at is around $200 - $250 for the GPU.  I am definitely wanting Nvidia because of the OpenGL platform that SL uses.

I have looked at the GTX 550ti. Nice card but also old technology at the same time as the card came out last year. Could someone recommend any of the 600 series cards for me? Best bang for the buck kinda thing. I don't need a professional $700 card nor will I be using SLI in the future. Pros and cons to the card would be helpful as well since reviews on sites sometimes do not give a clear picture. I will probably be buying this off newegg.

Thanks in advance for those who are computer hardware geniuses.

 

Edit: I am using the Firestorm viewer. Love the way Nirans looks but just too laggy for my system with everything enabled.

[Parhelion Palou]

I'd recommend the GTX 660 (not the Ti - it's over $300) for the $200 - $250 range. That would give you plenty of performance for SL. Here's an article about it: The GeForce GTX 660 Debuts
You'd need a 450W or greater power supply for it.

The next step down would be the GTX 650 Ti, which is in the $140 - $170 range at Newegg. The recommended power supply is 400W or greater.

The 660 is supposed to be a good card. The 650 Ti is new & I haven't heard much about it yet, but I did read it's a solid improvement over the 550 Ti.

[Maryanne Solo]

I Dont use nvidia cards but this ATI has Open GL latest support @4.2 or something if Im not wrong. Saw it somewhere.

It seems to be the most advanced card in this price range having all the latest bells & whistles, (PCIE 3.0) and is 256bit.

This isn't an ad and I don't even know if they do online sales but its what I have chosen after weeks of research and might get it today if I'm in that area perhaps.

Just some info to consider?

http://www.zipcomputers.com.au/store/view_product.php?product=vga-pcx-sa-hd7850

If you happen to live in Sydney could be worth a look and as they say on the website

"We open seven days" aah sooo glasshopper.

[Perrie Juran]

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Maryanne Solo wrote:

I Dont use nvidia cards but this ATI has Open GL latest support @4.2 or something if Im not wrong.

Saw it somewhere

.

It seems to be the most advanced card in this price range having all the latest bells & whistles, (PCIE 3.0) and is 256bit.

This isn't an ad and I don't even know if they do online sales but its what I have chosen after weeks of research and might get it today if I'm in that area perhaps.

Just some info to consider?

http://www.zipcomputers.com.au/store/view_product.php?product=vga-pcx-sa-hd7850

If you happen to live in Sydney could be worth a look and as they say on the website

"We open seven days" aah sooo glasshopper.

---

Pwease to note dat shud da mudder bored only support PCIE 2.0, it wud not gain advantaj frum a 3.0 cod.

Dis was razed in a tread in da technogeekolgy sub forum dat i kint find now.

And youse also is gonna reeely ta knead a huger supply of da joose.

 

 

[TristanMercer]

---

Parhelion Palou wrote:

I'd recommend the GTX 660 (not the Ti - it's over $300) for the $200 - $250 range. That would give you plenty of performance for SL. Here's an article about it:

The GeForce GTX 660 Debuts

You'd need a 450W or greater power supply for it.

The next step down would be the GTX 650 Ti, which is in the $140 - $170 range at Newegg. The recommended power supply is 400W or greater.

The 660 is supposed to be a good card. The 650 Ti is new & I haven't heard much about it yet, but I did read it's a solid improvement over the 550 Ti.

---

Thank you Parhelion. I read the article you linked. Also went to newegg and checked on the prices.

 

Gigabyte - $230 with a $20 mail in rebake

MSI - $240 with a $15 mail in

EVGA - $224 with $10

ASUS - $234 with $10

 

I am guessing since these are probably using the same chipsets, that the performance difference, if any, is going to be slim. Save as much as I can deal and go with the Gigabyte?

 

[Parhelion Palou]

I have a Gigabyte 660 Ti & am quite happy with it.

 

[Maryanne Solo]

Oh wow yes of course thank you Perrie.

I was too excited about my new card to think it through thoroughly.

I ended up with a HD Radeon 7890 which just is supreme. Almost $300 AUD though.

But that's ok cause its better than my little sisters one now lol.

Minimum power supply we use for our builds is 650 watts these days.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Maryanne Solo wrote:

Oh wow yes of course thank you Perrie.

I was too excited about my new card to think it through thoroughly.

I ended up with a HD Radeon 7890 which just is supreme. Almost $300 AUD though.

But that's ok cause its better than my little sisters one now lol.

Minimum power supply we use for our builds is 650 watts these days.

---

As I understand it the card will work but you'd be spending money on features that will never function.

But I am seriously no expert on the subject. Like the cards will list a 'minimum' power supply.  But we know SL is demanding.  So is a larger supply smarter?  I really don't know the answer but my logic says probably.

I was looking at upgrading my card so what i did was type for instance into Google 250GTS versus 550TI and you get results like this:  http://www.hwcompare.com/9750/geforce-gts-250-1gb-vs-geforce-gtx-550-ti/

Gives some easy to follow comparisons.

Most of what I understand about graphics cards I learned in the technology sub forum here.

 

[Qie Niangao]

I have the EVGA overclocked 2GB version of the 660, and it's been great (so far -- the build is less than a month old).

One thing: when you upgrade the power supply, you may need to upgrade the cooling. (Of course, you may already have plenty, if your memory is really clocked at almost 3GHz!)

[Orca Flotta]

Have a looksie at the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II TOP.

Review here: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/asus_geforce_gtx_660_ti_directcu_top_review,1.html

According to the guru ... it's a gem!

 

[TristanMercer]

Thank you guys and gals for the tips and card recommendations.