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Thread: Which graphics card?

  1. #1
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    Which graphics card?

    (Not sure if this shouldn't go in "Hardware and laptops", but as that is more about problems getting hardware to work, I'll post here)

    Currently my machine has an Asus ENGT430 graphics card (so basically Nvidia GT430). I am not (yet?) much of a gamer, so for now this works just fine. Should I want to upgrade to something with a bit more oomph, what would you recommend?

    Constraints:

    - price: I know I could go out and buy a €500 card, but let's say I don't want to spend more than €100 (that would mean $100 for hardware on sale in the US).

    - power: I have a 300W PSU and don't want to replace it just to accomodate a graphics card.

    - brand: considering Linux support, it should have a Nvidia chipset.

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    Re: Which graphics card?

    For $100 maybe a GTS450.

    Keep in mind that the second digit in the model number is the performance indicator while the first digit indicates the series, so a 450 would more than likely be faster than a newer 640.

    Heres a site wher you can do a quick rough comparison purely based on specs http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php alternatively look up one of the many sites with benchmark listings.

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    Re: Which graphics card?

    Quote Originally Posted by mips View Post
    For $100 maybe a GTS450.
    Recently upgraded to this card. Slightly old, but definitely a great choice. I can't complain

    Edit: noticed your PSU. The GTS 450 would be too high for 300W. I'd really recommend you upgrade to a 450W or 500W PSU from a good brand like Corsair or Antec so you have much more room for upgrades. The PSU is something you don't want to skip on.
    Last edited by kaldor; September 27th, 2012 at 01:45 PM.

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    Re: Which graphics card?

    amd's does provide linux support for there drivers
    what brand is your 300w psu? some lie about there wattage
    since you are looking for a upgrade for a gt 340 you should consider a better psu
    corsair/seasonic/antec/ocz/pc power cooling are some good brands
    when i upgraded from my gt 430 i went to a 550 ti (67.99 after rebate last black friday)
    here is a psu calculator
    http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
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    Re: Which graphics card?

    Consider using integrated graphics instead of a dedicated video card, since you are not much of a gamer.

    The 3D graphics on Intel Ivy Bridge chips, HD Graphics 4000, has come a long way and does quite well at a lot of games.
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    Re: Which graphics card?

    It's good to see that the "ATI is no good on Linux" thing persists.

    Don't get me wrong. I like NVIDIA products. But the myth that ATI graphics are more problematic than NVIDIA is just that. A myth.

    AMD bought ATI quite a while ago. Before AMD bought ATI and turned it around, ATI's reputation was well deserved. But that colors everyone's opinions to this day. It's not the old ATI. It's AMD/ATI.

    What I would suggest is this: rather than ask in a forum where you might get a brand-loyalty flame war, go to Phoronix or another website and read reviews of cards in your price range. Pick the one that looks like it best serves your needs. Don't worry about the manufacturer. They are both good. Worry about features and price.

    And yes, a better PSU is a must.
    Last edited by QIII; September 28th, 2012 at 03:23 AM.
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    Re: Which graphics card?

    Quote Originally Posted by QIII View Post
    It's good to see that the "ATI is no good on Linux" thing persists.

    Don't get me wrong. I like NVIDIA products. But the myth that ATI graphics are more problematic than NVIDIA is just that. A myth.

    AMD bought ATI quite a while ago. Before AMD bought ATI and turned it around, ATI's reputation was well deserved. But that colors everyone's opinions to this day. It's not the old ATI. It's AMD/ATI.

    What I would suggest is this: rather than ask in a forum where you might get a brand-loyalty flame war, go to Phoronix or another website and read reviews of cards in your price range. Pick the one that looks like it best serves your needs. Don't worry about the manufacturer. They are both good. Worry about features and price.

    And yes, a better PSU is a must.
    +1, I am actually using an ATI GPU atm, and I have not had any issues with it!

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    Re: Which graphics card?

    Quote Originally Posted by yeehi View Post
    Consider using integrated graphics instead of a dedicated video card, since you are not much of a gamer.

    The 3D graphics on Intel Ivy Bridge chips, HD Graphics 4000, has come a long way and does quite well at a lot of games.
    My system (i3-2120, H61) has HD-2000 built-in graphics, I don't think that performs better than my current video card, but I might be mistaken.

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    Re: Which graphics card?

    Quote Originally Posted by pqwoerituytrueiwoq View Post
    amd's does provide linux support for there drivers
    what brand is your 300w psu? some lie about there wattage
    Thanks for the link.
    My PSU is Asus (or at least included by Asus):

    http://www.asus.com/Barebone_PC/V_Se...specifications

    I see now it is 350 Watts peak.

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    Re: Which graphics card?

    Quote Originally Posted by Statia View Post
    I see now it is 350 Watts peak.
    You might just squeeze it in with a 350W psu but it would be very close, 500W is recommended, http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages...oundup,15.html

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