need help choosing video card

easonator

Junior Member
Jun 24, 2008
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Hi, I'm planning to put together a budget gaming rig. I already picked out the hardware I need from newegg.com and put them on my wish list. However, I'm stuck with what video card I should get. I have a few questions about video cards.

Is 1 uber powerful video card better than 2 mainstream video cards powered by SLI or crossfire?

I wanna play games like AoE 3, Company of Heroes, Empire Earth 2, Starcraft 2 (when it comes out), Red Alert 3 (when it comes out), Crysis, Supreme Commander, and maybe a few others I can't think of right now. I wanna play all those games with maxed out graphics except for Crysis and Supreme Commander. I'm mainly into RTS games for the pc and could almost careless with FPS games. I only wanna get Crysis and Supreme Commander for benchmarking.
 

Quiksilver

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2005
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Originally posted by: easonator
Originally posted by: Jesusthewererabbit
What resolution will you be playing at?

Well I'm probably gonna be playing on my small 19 inch HDTV.

Soo...

Originally posted by: Jesusthewererabbit
What resolution will you be playing at?

19" doesn't really translate into resolution. If you don't know the resolution, could you give us the make/model of the TV?

Originally posted by: easonator
Is 1 uber powerful video card better than 2 mainstream video cards powered by SLI or crossfire?

To answer that, it all rests on the resolution. Chances are 99% sure you won't need a GPU like a GTX280 or SLI/Crossfire solutions. In fact I wouldn't be looking at anymore than a 4850 or GTX 260 just because it would be highly unlikely your 19" TV would exceed 1600X1200 in resolution size.
 

easonator

Junior Member
Jun 24, 2008
16
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Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Originally posted by: easonator
Originally posted by: Jesusthewererabbit
What resolution will you be playing at?

Well I'm probably gonna be playing on my small 19 inch HDTV.

Soo...

Originally posted by: Jesusthewererabbit
What resolution will you be playing at?

19" doesn't really translate into resolution. If you don't know the resolution, could you give us the make/model of the TV?

Originally posted by: easonator
Is 1 uber powerful video card better than 2 mainstream video cards powered by SLI or crossfire?

To answer that, it all rests on the resolution. Chances are 99% sure you won't need a GPU like a GTX280 or SLI/Crossfire solutions. In fact I wouldn't be looking at anymore than a 4850 or GTX 260 just because it would be highly unlikely your 19" TV would exceed 1600X1200 in resolution size.

lol I guess the highest resolutions you can get, well at least ideal resolutions on a 19 inch monitor. I haven't been gaming on a pc in 4 years. I have a polaroid HDTV. Ok, I did some research and my 19 inch polaroid supports 1440 x 900 pixels.
 

Quiksilver

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2005
4,726
0
71
Well, the only 19" Polaroid TV's I can find in a quick search were all 1440X900 in resolution; so either choice I mentioned previously would be more than enough.

:p my research got confirmed with your edit.
 

easonator

Junior Member
Jun 24, 2008
16
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0
Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Well, the only 19" Polaroid TV's I can find in a quick search were all 1440X900 in resolution; so either choice I mentioned previously would be more than enough.

:p my research got confirmed with your edit.

lol ok then. So what is sli/crossfire used for then? When should you use it?

Do you have any suggestions on a good gpu with a good price for the performance you get out of it?
 

Quiksilver

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2005
4,726
0
71
Originally posted by: easonator
Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Well, the only 19" Polaroid TV's I can find in a quick search were all 1440X900 in resolution; so either choice I mentioned previously would be more than enough.

:p my research got confirmed with your edit.

lol ok then. So what is sli/crossfire used for then? When should you use it?

Do you have any suggestions on a good gpu with a good price for the performance you get out of it?

SLI/Crossfire is basically for those who have to have bleeding edge performance; basically for resolutions greater than (or at) 1920X1200.

If your not afraid of overclocking your card I'd suggest this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121266

Otherwise....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814129112
 

easonator

Junior Member
Jun 24, 2008
16
0
0
Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Originally posted by: easonator
Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Well, the only 19" Polaroid TV's I can find in a quick search were all 1440X900 in resolution; so either choice I mentioned previously would be more than enough.

:p my research got confirmed with your edit.

lol ok then. So what is sli/crossfire used for then? When should you use it?

Do you have any suggestions on a good gpu with a good price for the performance you get out of it?

SLI/Crossfire is basically for those who have to have bleeding edge performance; basically for resolutions greater than (or at) 1920X1200.

If your not afraid of overclocking your card I'd suggest this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121266

Otherwise....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814129112

Oh ok so basically you don't need sli/crossfire if you aren't playing in high resolutions.

I've never overclocked before. How much hotter does it get inside there? I'm willing to do it, but do I need anything else to keep the temps cool?