Best graphics card for less than $300?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
J

jman123

Junior Member
Oct 28, 2011
8
0
0
I wanted to get a new graphics card, what's the best one I can get for less than $300 and let me play Batman Arkham City and Deus ex: HR at max settings? Or would I have to spend more for a card like that?

I currently have a 1GB Radeon HD 5450
 
Last edited:
Leyawiin

Leyawiin

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2008
3,204
52
91
GTX 570. Just make sure you have a PC that can support it (proper power supply, strong enough CPU, resolution worth playing it with, etc...).
 
J

jman123

Junior Member
Oct 28, 2011
8
0
0
This is what I have so far based on what Cpu Z told me:
Motherboard: MSI G31TM-p21
CPU: Pentium Dual Core E6700 @ 3.2GHz
Memory: Kingston DDR2 4GB (2GB in both slots)

and my monitor is an Acer 19' LCD. 1440x900.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
no point in putting a $150 gpu in that system much less a $300 one. just in general your cpu is not going to cut it some newer games never mind the massive bottleneck it will be for any decent card especially at just 1440x900. I probably would go no higher than a 5770/6770 for your system and resolution.
 
Elixer

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
762
126
jman123 said:
This is what I have so far based on what Cpu Z told me:
Motherboard: MSI G31TM-p21
CPU: Pentium Dual Core E6700 @ 3.2GHz
Memory: Kingston DDR2 4GB (2GB in both slots)

and my monitor is an Acer 19' LCD. 1440x900.
Click to expand...

That is pretty low res...your current video card will still be OK.
Low end CPU as well.
Your pretty much almost two generations behind of what is available now.
I'd say save up some $$$ and go for a new system, and you will be happier.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Elixer said:
That is pretty low res...your current video card will still be OK.
Low end CPU as well.
Your pretty much almost two generations behind of what is available now.
I'd say save up some $$$ and go for a new system, and you will be happier.
Click to expand...
um a 5450 will not be OK as it is VERY slow and does not even come close to meeting minimum requirements for most newer games.
 
J

jman123

Junior Member
Oct 28, 2011
8
0
0
So I should just wait a while and go for a complete upgrade then? I'm not a big PC gamer and I mostly use my current PC to watch my shows and movies in HD, but I wanted to play the two games I listed in the OP.
 
Spikesoldier

Spikesoldier

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2001
6,766
0
0
OC that CPU. you should have lots of FSB headroom.

by getting a good cooler and OCing you should be able to lower the CPU bottleneck you will have when paired with that 6950.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
jman123 said:
So I should just wait a while and go for a complete upgrade then? I'm not a big PC gamer and I mostly use my current PC to watch my shows and movies in HD, but I wanted to play the two games I listed in the OP.
Click to expand...
well your current card is so slow right now that a 5770/6770 would be a massive upgrade and allow you to play nearly all games just fine. a much faster card than a 5770/6770 will be held back by quite a bit at just 1440x900 and with your cpu would provide no playable difference. a few cpu intensive games may be a little slow at times when it comes to minimum framerates but you should certainly go ahead a grab you $100 card for now if you do not want to upgrade everything.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Spikesoldier said:
OC that CPU. you should have lots of FSB headroom.

by getting a good cooler and OCing you should be able to lower the CPU bottleneck you will have when paired with that 6950.
Click to expand...
even with the cpu oced a bit, a 6950 will be a huge waste at 1440x900 with that Pentium dual core. a 6850 will make much more sense in that situation. I still say 5770/6770 for the OPs current setup and stock cpu though.
 
bryanW1995

bryanW1995

Lifer
May 22, 2007
11,144
32
91
toyota said:
well your current card is so slow right now that a 5770/6770 would be a massive upgrade and allow you to play nearly all games just fine. a much faster card than a 5770/6770 will be held back by quite a bit at just 1440x900 and with your cpu would provide no playable difference. a few cpu intensive games may be a little slow at times when it comes to minimum framerates but you should certainly go ahead a grab you $100 card for now if you do not want to upgrade everything.
Click to expand...

I'd even go so far as to say just grab something cheap/used for ~ $50 like a 4870 or gtx 260. Both of those are at least as fast as 6770, and then your system will be in a pretty good spot for when you perform your much needed overhaul in a year or two.

toyota said:
even with the cpu oced a bit, a 6950 will be a huge waste at 1440x900 with that Pentium dual core. a 6850 will make much more sense in that situation. I still say 5770/6770 for the OPs current setup and stock cpu though.
Click to expand...

I'd say grab a used card like I mentioned, then spend the other $250 on a dirt cheap system upgrade.
 
Leyawiin

Leyawiin

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2008
3,204
52
91
Last edited:
Spikesoldier

Spikesoldier

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2001
6,766
0
0
toyota said:
even with the cpu oced a bit, a 6950 will be a huge waste at 1440x900 with that Pentium dual core. a 6850 will make much more sense in that situation. I still say 5770/6770 for the OPs current setup and stock cpu though.
Click to expand...

agree that the system isnt balanced well. agree that a 6850/460/6770 would be a better match.

i think OP can hit ~4.0 with that CPU hes got barring thermals. that will give it a little more kick in the pants.
 
crisium

crisium

Platinum Member
Aug 19, 2001
2,643
615
136
Some games are still very GPU bound, even at a low res like 1440x900, so don't poo-poo his upgrade options too much. A Radeon 6850 would still show him improvement over a 6770 in several games, and if he is willing to pay for it then he should. BF3, for example, probably performs 95% as well on a stock E6700 as a stock i5 2500k.

In GPU intensive games, you will see up to a 33% improvement with a 6850 over a 6770. In some games you will see very little or no difference, but if you were willing to drop $300 then a 6850 for $149 or less is worth it to you.
 
Stuka87

Stuka87

Diamond Member
Dec 10, 2010
6,240
2,559
136
crisium said:
BF3, for example, probably performs 95% as well on a stock E6700 as a stock i5 2500k.
Click to expand...

Uh, no. An e6700 is NOT going to be able to feed the GPU fast enough. A 6850 would not even be worth it IMHO unless he plans on getting a new mobo/cpu at a later date.

A 5770/6770 is more than enough for the CPU that he has.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
crisium said:
Some games are still very GPU bound, even at a low res like 1440x900, so don't poo-poo his upgrade options too much. A Radeon 6850 would still show him improvement over a 6770 in several games, and if he is willing to pay for it then he should. BF3, for example, probably performs 95% as well on a stock E6700 as a stock i5 2500k.

In GPU intensive games, you will see up to a 33% improvement with a 6850 over a 6770. In some games you will see very little or no difference, but if you were willing to drop $300 then a 6850 for $149 or less is worth it to you.
Click to expand...
well as some one who owned a slightly faster E8500, I can tell you it would be a waste in nearly every case to have a card faster than a 5770 at just 1440x900 with an even slower cpu. even in BF 2, I was completely cpu limited at 1920x1080 with an E8500 and gtx260. I could lower my res to 1280 and get the exact same framerate. about the only game that would show any worthwhile improvement with a card faster thana 5770 at that res with the OPs cpu would be the STALKER games and Metro 2033.

OP even mentioned Deus Ex HR so this is about what the OP would see. notice the Phenom 2 X2 at 3.0, which is as fast or faster than his Pentium Dual Core, only gets 33fps. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/deus-ex-human-revolution-performance-benchmark,3012-7.html



Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
Last edited:
happy medium

happy medium

Lifer
Jun 8, 2003
14,387
480
126
jman123 said:
This is what I have so far based on what Cpu Z told me:
Motherboard: MSI G31TM-p21
CPU: Pentium Dual Core E6700 @ 3.2GHz
Memory: Kingston DDR2 4GB (2GB in both slots)

and my monitor is an Acer 19' LCD. 1440x900.
Click to expand...

gtx460 Msi hawk will max your system.for 120AR
 
J

jman123

Junior Member
Oct 28, 2011
8
0
0
I decided to get a HD 5770 for the time being and do a complete upgrade sometime next year.
 
bryanW1995

bryanW1995

Lifer
May 22, 2007
11,144
32
91
Good plan. I'd wait and get the IB equivalent to 2500k (3500k maybe?), that system should last you a LONG time.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
happy medium said:
gtx460 Msi hawk will max your system.for 120AR
Click to expand...
lol, why do you keep pimping that card so much. a gtx560 with two brand new games is a slightly better overall deal for just 40 bucks more. keep the games or sell them but either way a gtx560 will be the same cost or cheaper in the end.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom