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Looking for a video card.

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I've yet to buy a graphics card for my new gaming build, and have been through as many "final decisions" on cards that you could count :banghead:. I know my criteria, so here we go.

  • I don't want to pay over $250, including shipping. I always try to find things with free shipping.
  • Trusted brand with great quality, customer service, personal experience with them, and preferably a lifetime warranty.
  • I don't want anything "iffy" from a weird brand, or anything with a large percentage of DOA's, artifacts, overheating, or demonic spirits harboring in it's nooks and crannies. I want something generally accepted as a great card.
  • I've been looking into and know the most about Nvidia cards, but I'm willing to go with an ATI if the price is right.
  • I have a large, well ventilated case, a 750W PSU, and my motherboard can do Crossfire if needed, but not SLI.
  • Nvidia= Nothing lower than a 9800 GTX+
  • ATI= Nothing lower than a HD 4850
  • No lower than 512MB onboard RAM
  • I don't really want any less than 200 stream processors (although I know the 9800 GTX+ only has 128)
  • No lower than 600MHz core clock
  • No lower than 2000MHz memory clock
  • Around 1400MHz shader clock
  • Also, I'd prefer a vanilla card that's a little cheaper over a pre-OC'ed card that costs more.
  • I'll be playing on a 1360x768 monitor (as of right now)
  • It should be able to get around 30 FPS on Crysis (high settings, maybe some AA), and should be able to play any game on the market with great FPS on high settings with some AA. I mainly play TF2 & L4D, I own Bioshock and some other titles, so I want generally really good FPS.
  • I've been looking at the GTX 275's (or multiple brands, kinda wanted an EVGA) and HD 4870's (HIS, other brands) so yeah. Help me out :)
 
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Hmmm.. at that resolution a nice vanilla GTX 260 would max everything out with all of the eye candy. So would a 4870 1gb card. Flip a coin? :laugh: Or just get whatever is cheaper. :toast:
 

trickson

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Hmmm.. at that resolution a nice vanilla GTX 260 would max everything out with all of the eye candy. So would a 4870 1gb card. Flip a coin? :laugh: Or just get whatever is cheaper. :toast:

I agree but the GTX260 will be a faster card ..
 

ShadowFold

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I agree but the GTX260 will be a faster card ..

Yes, the GTX 260 has a bit more horsepower, but at that resolution, the performance is equal, hence get whatever is cheaper.
 
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GO XFX. Altough most of their product dont have free shipping nor they have good stock oc, they oc good, are sexy and they warranty CANNOT BE BEATEN.

GTX 275
GTX 260
HD 4850
 
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Last edited:

enaher

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So no one likes EVGA? I thought everyone liked them.

That seems like an excellent deal for that HD 4850. Will I be able to get playable FPS in Crysis with it?
Also, I got links to 2 XFX GTX 260 Core 216's. They have the exact same specs. (the have a different design), but one is $10 more and they both come with a few games. Which is best?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150329
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150361

I like EVGA, id get EVGA over XFX any day, mmm ignore my XFX GSO, it was free...
 

ShadowFold

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So no one likes EVGA? I thought everyone liked them.

That seems like an excellent deal for that HD 4850. Will I be able to get playable FPS in Crysis with it?
Also, I got links to 2 XFX GTX 260 Core 216's. They have the exact same specs. (the have a different design), but one is $10 more and they both come with a few games. Which is best?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150329
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150361

The 190$ one is 65nm and is reference design. I prefer reference designs and coolers over non-ref stuff so I'd be a little biased there.
 
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The 190$ one is 65nm and is reference design. I prefer reference designs and coolers over non-ref stuff so I'd be a little biased there.

What is a "reference design"?
 

ShadowFold

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The design nvidia sends to it's partners. Non-reference PCB's usually have lesser quality parts..
 
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The 190$ one is 65nm and is reference design. I prefer reference designs and coolers over non-ref stuff so I'd be a little biased there.

didnt saw that one :banghead:. Also as it has free shipping and a rebate, it will end up cheaper than the core edition.
 
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