The entry level video card hot deals thread

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VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
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I can and will run any of the games I have to throw at it. It can easily play a few games at their highest settings, but only some.

Cons: HOWEVER, the single fan that is attached to it does little to remove the heat that is generated. Along with that heat comes some serious artifacting that causes many things, even my desktop to be become unplayable and crash.. I would only recommend it if it had more fans to dissipate heat, I am resorting to also using a desk fan until I get my new GPU soon.
It can barley compete with a gtx 750ti.
Hmm. Not sure if worth it. You could get a 750ti 1GB GDDR5 model for $75 from Newegg recently.

This only has 768 stream processors, the R7 260X has 896, I believe. So this is lower than an R7 260X, which is extremely slow for modern gaming these days, as it is.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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You could get a 750ti 1GB GDDR5 model for $75 from Newegg recently.

It is actually a 2GB model:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121896


This only has 768 stream processors, the R7 260X has 896, I believe.

Yes, the R7 260X has 896sp at about the same clockspeed as the 768sp this card has.

Regarding modern gaming......I personally would use this with a 1280 x 1024 resolution for demanding titles.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
106
Virtual Larry,

For people that aren't into gaming much, I am thinking a combination of 21.5" (or 24") 1080p and 17" (or 19") 1280 x 1024 monitors works really well for productivity, web browsing and video watching. Then if the game is too much for the low end card on 1080p they can just switch to the 1280 x 1024 monitor and not suffer from the artifacting that results from running a lower (ie, non native) resolution on a 1080p monitor.

This is one reason I emphasized the DVI-I output on that card.....because many of those really cheap second hand 1280 x 1024 LCD monitors only have VGA.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
126
Instead of buying two monitors, why not get a cheap 1080P monitor and a cheap entry-level 1080P card like the GTX1050 to drive it. Gaming at less than 1080P is so ghetto.

Edit: Sorry, I just remembered this is the entry-level video card thread. Mea Culpa, and carry on.
 
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cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
106
Instead of buying two monitors, why not get a cheap 1080P monitor and a cheap entry-level 1080P card like the GTX1050 to drive it. Gaming at less than 1080P is so ghetto.

Yes, a 1080p monitor is what I expect most people to already have.......but adding the second (1280 x 1024 resolution) monitor works out nice because it is cheap and doesn't take as much desk space as a second 1080p monitor.

And as far as gaming at less than 1080p being ghetto.....I only see that being a problem if the monitor is a 1080p and running a lower (ie, non native) resolution is necessary. (example: running a game at 1280 x 1024 resolution looks much better on a 1280 x 1024 monitor than it does on a 1080p monitor)

Also remember this is a card for people that aren't into gaming that much.....but don't mind paying a bit more money than what a display card costs.

P.S. I also wonder if a 1280 x 1024 LCD (for a second monitor) would even be good for the person buying a GTX 1050? (This if 2GB of VRAM won't be enough for 1080p low settings at some time in the next few years?) EDIT: I suspect this may already have happened with Deus EX Mankind Divided based on the Very high VRAM usage happening at the high end of 1080p---> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2016...ivided_dx12_performance_review/7#.WH90i1w0CUI (However, even if it hasn't happened.....some people might like 1280 x 1024 simply because they want higher detail settings at lower resolution over lower detail settings at higher resolution.)
 
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cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
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As a comparison to the GTX 750 Ti 2GB @ $74.99 AR FS and GTX 1050 2GB @ $99.99 AR FS here is R7 370 4GB for $79.99 AR FS which would be better in VRAM heavy games:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131707&ignorebbr=1

Furthermore, the 1024sp @ 860Mhz should put in the GPU core in the ballpark of the 896sp @ 1100 Mhz of the R7 260X......but with much better bandwidth due to the 256 bit bus (R7 260X has 128 bit bus).

14-131-707-Z01.jpg







14-131-707-Z02.jpg
 
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PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
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I have that MSI R7 card, bought it at the same price. I wouldn't recommend it. The DDR3 memory means it doesn't perform how you think it would. I think it works about as well as a HD4850, albeit at much lower power draw. It works fine in my VM server as a low power passed through card to play minecraft on, but be aware of its limitations.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
126
Thanks, I almost bought a couple. Sounds like they don't quite make it for a G4560 1080P gaming rig. (Maybe 1280x1024?)
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
126
It looks like I got this for $45AR last Jan. I thought that was a pretty meh deal then but it met my niche needs. $35AR sweetens it but its just hard to recommend these cards when you can get a 460 for $70. But that's just a general problem with the $50 and down market for video cards.

It depends upon what you're playing with it. It ran Minecraft absolutely great in linux at 720p, but that isn't exactly a stressful example. I also played mount and blade warband at 1600x900 during some tests and that ran well, again, not expecting much. I believe I ran the heaven benchmark and sort of concluded it was around the 4850 level.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
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MSI Low profile RX 2GB 460 for $84.99 AR free shipping:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814137089&ignorebbr=1

14-137-089-V01.jpg


(If it comes up $5.39 shipping, click on it again (or add to cart)....it will change to free shipping. Newegg has some problem with its servers that causes the wrong shipping price to display from time to time)

P.S. There is also a 4GB version of this card that hasn't appeared on Newegg yet. I'm very interested to see how this will compare in price to the various low profile GTX 1050 2GB (The MSI LP GTX 1050 2GB is currently $110 AR free shipping)
 
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cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
106
MSI Low profile RX 2GB 460 for $84.99 AR free shipping:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814137089&ignorebbr=1

14-137-089-V01.jpg


(If it comes up $5.39 shipping, click on it again (or add to cart)....it will change to free shipping. Newegg has some problem with its servers that causes the wrong shipping price to display from time to time)

P.S. There is also a 4GB version of this card that hasn't appeared on Newegg yet. I'm very interested to see how this will compare in price to the various low profile GTX 1050 2GB (The MSI LP GTX 1050 2GB is currently $110 AR free shipping)

Price has dropped on this card to $78.99 AR free shipping.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
126
I think that's a pretty good deal on that R7 250 since its got GDDR5. Its no powerhouse or anything, but I'm not sure if I've seen anything better at $30 before. No rebate either. I almost bought it even though I own a pile of low end AMD cards already. Finally convinced myself I really don't need any more of them at any price really.

I might pick up one of those GT 710s, they're not generally a good deal since nvidia really cuts both balls off their low end stuff but its also never on sale it seems either.
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
12,968
221
106
Regarding the previous discussion of using a 1280 x 1024 secondary monitor for low resolution gaming that actually might work out better than I expected if the primary monitor is 1080p (or greater resolution) IPS model. (re: TN panels have less in put lag than IPS).

TN panel for gaming
IPS panel for creative work and watching video.
 
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