Good Card to Pair with E6600

[bobross419]

I'm currently using an ATI HD2600 Pro that I will be upgrade in the near future. I'm running an E6600 on an Asrock 775Dual-VSTA. I can have a mild overclock, but I'm not currently overclocked. I'd like to find a good video card to pair with this E6600.

From another thread on AT I found this link: CPU Scaling with the Radeon HD 4870 X2

Does anyone know where I can find something like this, but using an E6600 paired with a few different vid cards?

Based on the 775Dual-VSTA thread in the Mobo section of AT I would prefer to go with an ATI card as they seem to work a little better with this Mobo. Would a 3870 be a good match for this proc? I am on a budget, so I don't want to spend gobs of money on a vid card. I'd like something where either the vid card or the proc is just barely bottlenecked by the other for my money. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Arkaign]

4850, 4830, would probably be a better deal for you. 3870 is outdated, no reason to buy it unless it's in a firesale.

Also, what resolution do you game at? The vast majority of people now have 19" (1440x900), or 20/22" (1680x1050) LCDs, which see reduced gains from going with a nutty video card like a GTX 260/280, or 48x0 X2.

 

[lavaheadache]

In short, Your Cpu is powerful enough that even the fastest card out there is going to be sufficiently utilized. I wouldn't go Quad fire or Tri sli but provided you crank up the AA, AF you'll be making good use of a GTX 280/260 or 4870. If I were you I would jump on a 1 gig hd4870 or GTX260 216


** edit since yuo are on a tight budget, Arkaign gave some good suggestions. What kind of budget is tight though?

 

[bobross419]

I'd like to keep the price as close to $100(USD) as possible. I looked and the cheapest 4870 on Newegg is ~$200.

Unfortunately, I'm getting married mid-January and this will be purchased shortly after the wedding, so I will have to get my fiancee on board with the price. The 4850's might be doable at ~$150, but I'd probably be looking more towards the 4830. How do the 4670s stack up against the 4830s?

If anyone has a link to multiple tests run with different GPUs on the E6600 I'd really appreciate the hard data.


I'm using a Dell 17" LCD that has a fixed ratio of 1028x768 or something like that... I"m at work so I can't check

 

[Arkaign]

IIRC, the 4830 and 4670 are admirably close. At your screen size, get whatever is cheaper. You'll be able to push 1024x768 with all details at nutty framerates with either card.

 

[Wreckage]

If you don't mind a rebate you can get a 9800GT for around $100. Otherwise a 9600gt can be had for well under $100.

 

[bobross419]

Originally posted by: Wreckage
If you don't mind a rebate you can get a 9800GT for around $100. Otherwise a 9600gt can be had for well under $100.

I'd seen those, but my mobo has much better support for the ATI cards, and as buggy as the 775Dual-VSTA is I'd rather not chance it. Thanks very much for the suggestion though

@Arkaign

Thanks for the info on that. I'll upgrade my LCD eventually, but probably not soon enough that it should matter

On that note, which brand would you guys recommend? IIRC there is a manufacturer or two that give lifetime warranties and let you trade up when you're card is ready for a replacement. I think this would be a good investment for me.

 

[Leyawiin]

The HD 4830 is quite a bit stronger than the HD 4670. For $20-$30 more it would be well worth it. Oftentimes its just a few FPS behind an HD 4850 and finding one for $100 (or less) after rebate shouldn't be an issue.

 

[bobross419]

Originally posted by: Leyawiin
The HD 4830 is quite a bit stronger than the HD 4670. For $20-$30 more it would be well worth it. Oftentimes its just a few FPS behind an HD 4850 and finding one for $100 (or less) after rebate shouldn't be an issue.

Awesomeness Thanks for that

 

[TC91]

another vote for 4830

 

[lavaheadache]

well, since you're not buying till mid january there is plenty of time for a lot to change until then. Make sure you keep popping in here and checking out everybodies brags and moans about whatever card they have. When the time comes to buy, analyze everything you've read over this past month and pull the trigger. By then surely hd4850's will be available for $100

 

[bobross419]

Originally posted by: lavaheadache
well, since you're not buying till mid january there is plenty of time for a lot to change until then. Make sure you keep popping in here and checking out everybodies brags and moans about whatever card they have. When the time comes to buy, analyze everything you've read over this past month and pull the trigger. By then surely hd4850's will be available for $100

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll probably be doing just that. I haven't spent too much time in the Vid Card section, but it will be going on my list of daily checks I was really looking for a place to start looking though.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone.

 

[tigersty1e]

If I'm not mistaken, your board only hits PCIE x 4.

That along with your cpu will bottleneck a card.

I recommend you upgrade to this mobo...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128358


and then pick up a 4850.

 

[bobross419]

Originally posted by: tigersty1e
If I'm not mistaken, your board only hits PCIE x 4.

That along with your cpu will bottleneck a card.

I recommend you upgrade to this mobo...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128358


and then pick up a 4850.

I appreciate the suggestion, but 130 for a new mobo is way out of my budget. I will be upgrading in the future, but I don't have the ability to upgrade at once... right now a vid card is the upgrade that I am looking towards. Vid + mobo just isn't an option at this point in time

 

[MarcVenice]

There's really no need for such an expensive board. But, I do not know how much a HD4850 will be bottlenecked by your pci-e x4 slot. There are mobo's for $35 AR though, which do have a full pci-e x16 slot.

My advice, buy it now. The moment you get married, you can't do or buy anything fun anymore, or that's what people keep telling me. I mean, why would she agree with you spending 100$ or so on a piece of technology that will only take away qaulity time between you and her ?

 

[Arkaign]

Do this : http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813130217

and this : http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814125244

That board isn't awesome or anything, but it's worlds better than what you've got. You can turn around and Ebay your old board for $25 or whatever. Total investment will be ~$100.

Added bonus is that the features on that board are decent, 8 channel sound, Intel X3100 video, Gbit Lan, and so on. Later on when you get more $$ saved, you can keep your video card, and sell your old box with the onboard video to someone for business/school use. Then you can grab a new mobo/cpu/case/ram/hdd and be set.

 

[Canterwood]

I think if you cut back a little on the honeymoon, you'd be able to spend more on a better video card.

Its all about priorities you know.

 

[bobross419]

Originally posted by: Canterwood
I think if you cut back a little on the honeymoon, you'd be able to spend more on a better video card.

Its all about priorities you know.

Oh man, if the fiance even knew I was considering this there wouldn't be a honeymoon =p Too bad she isn't into computers like I am lol.

 

[drum]

Originally posted by: bobross419
I'd like to keep the price as close to $100(USD) as possible. I looked and the cheapest 4870 on Newegg is ~$200.

Unfortunately, I'm getting married mid-January and this will be purchased shortly after the wedding, so I will have to get my fiancee on board with the price. The 4850's might be doable at ~$150, but I'd probably be looking more towards the 4830. How do the 4670s stack up against the 4830s?

If anyone has a link to multiple tests run with different GPUs on the E6600 I'd really appreciate the hard data.


I'm using a Dell 17" LCD that has a fixed ratio of 1028x768 or something like that... I"m at work so I can't check

don't let your fiance see that :laugh: that won't help your purchase any. 4830 btw