Looking to max out my friend's rig on a budget

[LordJummy]

So I recently fixed up my friend's Q6600 based rig, but it badly needs a new GPU so he can play recent games at decent settings.

I want to get something for him second hand off eBay or CL if possible as he doesn't have much spare cash right now.

Opinions on best budget card that won't be bottlenecked by a Q6600 at 1080p please! I normally buy for myself and I'm not bottlenecked, so I'm not 100% on what to get for him. I'd like to keep it around $100 for his sake. I bought one of my gtx 480s for $200 earlier this year so I don't think it will be too hard. Lots of good CL deals here.


PLZ HALPS

 

[xBruce88x]

get an aftermarket cooler (decent one around $25) and overclock that q6600 if you're worried about a bottleneck. As for gpu... I'd say a 6770 would be decent, tho a 6850 would be nice or at least a GTX550TI, 560 non-ti or GTX460/SE

 

[LordJummy]

What do you think about running a GTX 280 with it?

I found a 280 locally for about $40 - and they are still pretty decent.

 

[Jarman]

I'd look on ebay for a 460 or something, pref the 1gb version. Clock that q6600 if it has the good stepping to about 3.5 and you're good.

 

[AlienIsGOD]

I found a 280 locally for about $40 - and they are still pretty decent.

haggle with him, try and get it for 30-35 dollars. But yes for a price like that, its good. At the least it will hold him over for awhile until a decent card can be afforded.

 

[BlackOmega]

Hard to beat a 280 for $40. Although It makes you wonder what's wrong with it if he's selling it for so cheap.
If DX11 is of no concern, then definitely get that 280. @ 1080p it should plow through most games with ease.

 

[eidairaman1]

No matter what machine you have there will always be a bottleneck. But that machine should be able to run a 4 or 5 series if he is serious about a NV card, otherwise id grab a R500 series

 

[LordJummy]

Hard to beat a 280 for $40. Although It makes you wonder what's wrong with it if he's selling it for so cheap.
If DX11 is of no concern, then definitely get that 280. @ 1080p it should plow through most games with ease.

Nothing wrong with it, there are just a ton of good deals to be had via craigslist here. I bought two gtx 480's for $350 total this year via CL. One of them was an OEM, the o ther was brand new in package pny.

I found a gtx 580 last night for $225 almost brand new. I missed it though, someone bought it before I could.


I think I'm going to get him the 280 for now so he can play SWTOR until he saves up some $$

 

[eidairaman1]

Nothing wrong with it, there are just a ton of good deals to be had via craigslist here. I bought two gtx 480's for $350 total this year via CL. One of them was an OEM, the o ther was brand new in package pny.

I found a gtx 580 last night for $225 almost brand new. I missed it though, someone bought it before I could.


I think I'm going to get him the 280 for now so he can play SWTOR until he saves up some $$

Ya if he did a vid upgrade now he would be able to later do a CPU, Ram, Mobo Upgrade.

 

[JrRacinFan]

I think i saw a couple unlockable 465's over at the BST's for $150. There's also Spartan805's 6850.

 

[BlackOmega]

Nothing wrong with it, there are just a ton of good deals to be had via craigslist here. I bought two gtx 480's for $350 total this year via CL. One of them was an OEM, the o ther was brand new in package pny.

I found a gtx 580 last night for $225 almost brand new. I missed it though, someone bought it before I could.


I think I'm going to get him the 280 for now so he can play SWTOR until he saves up some $$

Wow those are some damn good deals. I can usually find some good deals around me too, but they're usually far and few between.

Although I did find a 1 month old 560Ti for $130 about 4 months ago.

 

[LordJummy]

Wow those are some damn good deals. I can usually find some good deals around me too, but they're usually far and few between.

Although I did find a 1 month old 560Ti for $130 about 4 months ago.

yeah i monitor CL constantly for key words and try and snipe the best deals. I often resell things for a quick $100 or so on the weekends.

 

[thebluebumblebee]

get an aftermarket cooler (decent one around $25) and overclock that q6600 if you're worried about a bottleneck. As for gpu... I'd say a 6770 would be decent, tho a 6850 would be nice or at least a GTX550TI, 560 non-ti or GTX460/SE

A 6770 is a 5770, rebadged. A GTX550TI is an overclocked GTS450 which has about the same performance as a GTS250. A 1GB GTX 460 is hard to argue against. I picked up 2 GTX460's for $200 recently from CL. If the MB will handle SLI, getting one GTX460 now and plan on a second one latter. Same thing with Crossfire.

What do you think about running a GTX 280 with it?

Does he have the PSU for a GTX280?

I found a gtx 580 last night for $225 almost brand new. I missed it though, someone bought it before I could.

Stolen!

 

[LordJummy]

Does he have the PSU for a GTX280?

Yeah I cleaned up his rig and upgraded him to an 850 watt XFX black edition that I had.

 

[thebluebumblebee]

My local CL has a GTX470 for $100, retail box included

 

[JrRacinFan]

Although I did find a 1 month old 560Ti for $130 about 4 months ago.

I need to start scrounging through CL.

 

[Jarman]

wtf is cl?!

 

[LordJummy]

I need to start scrounging through CL.

yeah bro, CL is a gold mine if you are on at the right time.

just make sure you check daily in the computer/electronics sections. I have a script that searches my keywords and dumps to a log file that I have tailed in my VM desktop. then I just browse through legit deals and make offers. you can make some decent money on the side from reselling certain stuff. I mostly do it for fun though.

a while back I traded a razer naga for a loaded core2duo rig with a couple 1TB drives, nice capture card, full tower case, etc. I stripped it down to the bare bones rig and resold it for a lot more than the razer naga was worth brand new lol.

 

[eidairaman1]

Craigs List

 

[BlackOmega]

I need to start scrounging through CL.

Back in august I found a month old XFX 5850 for $120. The guy never registered for the warranty, I did and got it. (2 year warranty if registered after 30 days).

I find NIB stuff all the time. There was a guy selling 990x's NIB for $600. Wished I had the money for those at the time. Could have EASILY made a profit of $400 per CPU.

 

[LordJummy]

So I talked to the guy with the gtx 280 a minute ago, and he's going to do $35 if I pick it up.

Pretty sweet deal, no?

 

[Jarman]

yer....u wouldn't get it for triple that here in the uk

 

[LordJummy]

yer....u wouldn't get it for triple that here in the uk

sweet. looking at eBay I see I'm getting a nice deal.

the guy is now going to drop it off for the extra $5. so $40 lol. fine with me. it ends up being cheaper not wasting gas to drive there.

 

[BlackOmega]

Wow great deal. And you can always use it as a power PhysX card later on.

 

[LordJummy]

Wow great deal. And you can always use it as a power PhysX card later on.

Yeah, this is for my buddy who doesn't know a thing about hardware. He'll probably use this card for a few years. He had an nvidia 6k series card in there lol, so this 280 will blow his mind.