What Graphics card should i buy £100-£200 For Gaming

[Jasper Chavasse]

Ok so i am new to this stuff But i need to what the best graphics card i can buy with £200?. Thanks (For gaming)

Machine name: USER-PC
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.140303-2144)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: GA-78LMT-S2P
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD FX(tm)-4100 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs), ~4.0GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 7678MB RAM
Page File: 2532MB used, 12820MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: 120 DPI (125 percent)
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 64bit Unicode

Card name: AMD 760G
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9616)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key:
Display Memory: 3319 MB
Dedicated Memory: 508 MB
Shared Memory: 2811 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)

 

[the54thvoid]

Hi, welcome!

My, yes you are new to this stuff...

I'm not going to entertain the "I can't find my graphics card" statement as that makes no sense unless you literally know nothing about PC components. However, your choice of gfx card depends on your requirements - light browsing, modern games, resolution of your screen. Invariably you will be asked what your system specs are and to put them in your profile. But if you can't find your gfx card - how are you going to know your PC parts?

Unless you have a laptop? Also - I do see an image icon in your post but it's not displaying.

 

[64K]

Ok so i am new to this stuff and i cant find my graphics card :'D But i also need to know what the best graphics card i can buy with £200?. Thanks

To get good advice for your graphics card choices you should post your system specifications before spending any money. Your CPU or PSU could be a factor limiting your choices. Did you buy a PC? If so, what is the make and model?

 

[eidairaman1]

System specifications please

 

[xBruce88x]

can you literally not find the card (usually the one the monitor is plugged into) or just having trouble identifying its model number?

 

[Kursah]

That might help get you started if you are unsure of what PC hardware components are what. Welcome to TPU and I hope we can get you sorted!

 

[Vario]

Ok so i am new to this stuff and i cant find my graphics card :'D But i also need to know what the best graphics card i can buy with £200?. Thanks

Go to your start menu and type "dxdiag" this will tell you what graphics card you have now and your system specifications. On "System" Tab it will display your processor and "Display 1" will tell you the graphics card.

 

[Jasper Chavasse]

To get good advice for your graphics card choices you should post your system specifications before spending any money. Your CPU or PSU could be a factor limiting your choices. Did you buy a PC? If so, what is the make and model?[/QUOTE

I dont know the make just bought it of Ebay about 2 years ago.

 

[GhostRyder]

Based on specs and system this is my recommendation:

XFX R9 280X

Would be the best I would recommend with that system. However you do not have the PSU listed unless I just missed it so I would suggest checking that first to make sure that it has enough power for the machine and card.

Open the side panel and tell us your PSU model to help us out because depending we may have to suggest an alternative.

 

[Jasper Chavasse]

Based on specs and system this is my recommendation:

XFX R9 280X

Would be the best I would recommend with that system. However you do not have the PSU listed unless I just missed it so I would suggest checking that first to make sure that it has enough power for the machine and card.

Open the side panel and tell us your PSU model to help us out because depending we may have to suggest an alternative.

Thanks looks good but where can i find my PSU?

 

[64K]

Thanks looks good but where can i find my PSU?

Follow the power cord where you plugged it in to the back of the computer case. There will be a box inside your case. That is your PSU. It should have a make and model # and probably a wattage listed on the side.

 

[GhostRyder]

Thanks looks good but where can i find my PSU?

What 64k said, if you can give us the wattage and brand we can determine what GPU will work with it.

 

[Jasper Chavasse]

Its a ATX P4 with 500w is that it?

 

[64K]

This may be a 2 rail PSU. Jasper look on the PSU and see what is says under +12 V and post it here and see if it has more than one +12 V listed and post the number under that as well. You don't want to overload the amps rating of a rail.

 

[Jasper Chavasse]

This may be a 2 rail PSU. Jasper look on the PSU and see what is says under +12 V and post it here and see if it has more than one +12 V listed and post the number under that as well. You don't want to overload the amps rating of a rail.

Ok it says+5 +12 -5 -12 +3.3 +5vsb TOTAL
32a 14A 0.5A 0.8A 28A 2A 500w

 

[eidairaman1]

Since its an unknown make and model other than 500 watts. You might want to have it upgraded. Also probably take your pc to a local shop for work

 

[XL-R8R]

The only "ATX P4" PSU's I've every come across are generic and nasty. They wont provide anywhere close to their rated output and if you try, sparks will ensue and most dont even have anything close to a PCI-e 6/8 pin so its Molex adapters and further issues.

So... you'll be needing another PSU.


That being said.... check out these two links:
EVGA 500w 80+ Silver PSU @ £34
XFX R9 280 3GB @ £170


The total is about £6 over your highest mentioned budget but represents the best value for money upgrades I could find.

You could also chose to spend a bit extra and get this instead:
Asus R9 280 DirectCU II 3GB

You'd then be £16 over-budget but personally, I'd still opt for the latter option when it comes to a GPU.
XFX are renowned for making a shitty cooler these days... their 280 looks like an example of that... Asus on the other hand make some very competent designs; the DirectCU being one of them.

 

[Jasper Chavasse]

The only "ATX P4" PSU's I've every come across are generic and nasty. They wont provide anywhere close to their rated output and if you try, sparks will ensue and most dont even have anything close to a PCI-e 6/8 pin so its Molex adapters and further issues.

So... you'll be needing another PSU.


That being said.... check out these two links:
EVGA 500w 80+ Silver PSU @ £34
XFX R9 280 3GB @ £170


The total is about £6 over your highest mentioned budget but represents the best value for money upgrades I could find.

You could also chose to spend a bit extra and get this instead:
Asus R9 280 DirectCU II 3GB

You'd then be £16 over-budget but personally, I'd still opt for the latter option when it comes to a GPU.
XFX are renowned for making a shitty cooler these days... their 280 looks like an example of that... Asus on the other hand make some very competent designs; the DirectCU being one of them.

How big would the diffrence be between the two cards as i am willing to make the extra run with my money.

 

[XL-R8R]

The difference in performance should be little-to-none.

However, the Asus card has a better cooler.


Thats all.


Either way, you need that PSU lol

 

[eidairaman1]

Yup no matter what card you get you need a power supply otherwise youll trash your existing hardware and that new video card

 

[Jasper Chavasse]

The difference in performance should be little-to-none.

However, the Asus card has a better cooler.


Thats all.


Either way, you need that PSU lol

But the thing i dont get is the psu u recommended to me was the same 500w as my existing one whats the diffrence i take myn just plane up sucks

 

[rtwjunkie]

The difference can be huge. The EVGA one listed is also 500 watts, true, but the quality difference is huge. The 12v delivery is going to be for more amps, as well as consistent. Also, it will have a good number of connectors for multiple hard drives, as well as 8 and 6 pin connectors to properly hook up a video card.

Budget psu makers frequently exaggerate the wattage, and even if not, the 500 watt listing may be maximum surge capacity. The ONE thing you cannot cut corners on ever is the PSU.

 

[XL-R8R]

This^


Also, the EVGA unit is Silver rated so it should save you a bit of money per year vs a generic unit.. not just in saved gear from it not blowing up either lol

 

[GhostRyder]

Here ill give you an example of what people are trying to say:

A few months back a friend of mine bough a cheap case/PSU combo from Apevia via newegg.com. The system was hooked up to an A10 6800k, MATX gigabyte board, ram, and SSD which ran fine for 2 months playing games like League of Legends. He then added an HD 7870Ghz edition card (R9 270X now) and plugged in one connector from the PSU and an adapter to make the extra 6 pin available. The machine ran for 2 days like that and then blam while playing a game of League at a LAN party the machine randomly shut off and failed to turn on again. Basically the PSU was dead as a doornail...

He later swapped for an SFX Gold Rated 450Watt PSU (Silverstone) which is less than the off brand had and yet its still running strong for 4 months with the same system.

Moral of the story is to use a name brand bronze or higher rated PSU and you will be fine but when you step into the cheap off brands you run into issues normally with the 12v rails not delivering the adequate levels of power stable which causes failures of not just the PSU but the components they are powering.

If you want to upgrade, I agree with @XL-R8R to buy a better PSU and an R9 280. I cannot recommend EVGA right now but there are many great brands out there of PSU's like Antec, Silverstone, Rosewill, etc.

 

[XL-R8R]

He will struggle to find a better PSU for his budget than the EVGA.

Certainly so when you consider the EVGA unit is Silver rated and the closest 'decent' PSU I could find to that was a Bronze rated but about £12 more and 450w.


He will do fine with that 500w unit I listed, it looks to be quite the budget-minded/value for money PSU.