Sub-$100 Video Card

[spdiscus]

Looking for ideas for a better, budget video card. Something cheap and good enough for most games. I want to play without setting everything to the lowest settings. I don't buy many new PC games, but I'd like to switch to PC as my primary platform this year.

Current PC:
Windows 7 64-bit
6GB RAM
Dual-core Pentium E5300 (2.6GHz each)

I'm running my factory-installed ATI X1300, which is mostly shit. My monitors are 1920x1080 native, so that's my target resolution.

Thoughts? I may spend some time on anandtech this weekend, but I haven't done any research yet.

[brandonjclark]

Looking for ideas for a better, budget video card. Something cheap and good enough for most games. I want to play without setting everything to the lowest settings. I don't buy many new PC games, but I'd like to switch to PC as my primary platform this year.

Current PC:
Windows 7 64-bit
6GB RAM
Dual-core Pentium E5300 (2.6GHz each)

I'm running my factory-installed ATI X1300, which is mostly shit. My monitors are 1920x1080 native, so that's my target resolution.

Thoughts? I may spend some time on anandtech this weekend, but I haven't done any research yet.

The 5670 isn't a bad card @ $89.99. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102869&nm_mc=Criteo&cm_mmc=BAC-Criteo-_-Video+Cards-_-Sapphire+Tech-_-14102869) But if you could go just a LITTLE higher in price you could get a beast (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130591)that your E5300 couldn't even handle at full speed.

Syl, what are your recommendations?

[spdiscus]

Thanks! The EVGA is tempting. I should have also noted that I need dual-DVI, which the XFX doesn't offer. I'm using a dual-DVI breakout right now with the ATI's, uh, <heads to google> DMS-59 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMS-59) port.
I may stretch beyond the $100 boundary. I'm just upgrading my work computer for now, but I'll eventually move my owned components to a new rig late next year.

[lockwoodx]

$118.00 Geforce GTS450 1GB
http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/public/bZWf1f6BJRcesc2NNiSiZS6VsP4udqmuCMeei7Ax-xFc9G0i159zb3yloz1wL044EqkoMuPuGuBJBFLepjb0T3RNK3-DQ46LvmYXZL9SpAFK0CJErDNFdFXZ_nTl

DVI (DVI), HDMI (HDMI), PCI Express 2.0 x16, Plug-in card

Get unparalleled game realism on the hottest titles like StarCraft 2 and Civilization C. NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 dominates the competition with more than 2x the DirectX 11 geometry processing power. Get unparalleled game realism on the hottest titles like StarCraft 2 and Civilization V. GeForce you rig and gear up with the latest industry leading technologies like high performance NVIDIA GeForce drivers and incredibly realistic NVIDIA PhysX in-game effects. And with award-winning NVIDIA 3D Vision, spoil your senses with eye-popping 3D in games, Blu-ray 3D, photos, and on the web - only with GeForce.

Here (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=pny+xlr8&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=K4K&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&resnum=4&biw=1285&bih=788&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2131307451174432532&ei=5_8YTZWEHsz_nAfiic3GDg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CGwQ8wIwBg#)

[Jotoco]

Don't forget that you may need a new Power Source, because those beasties draw some juice.

I use and love ATI cards, and recommend any of then, specially the 6850, that can be hacked to work at the same specs as the 6870.

[gzsfrk]

My Radeon HD 4850 is certainly mid-range nowadays, but it still runs everything I throw at it just fine. I run Civ 5 maxxed out at 1680x1050, and it handles the load great.

Also, if anybody wants a fantastic <$50 card, the Radeon HD 4650 is an awesome performer for the price.

[Anenome]

$200 is a sweetspot for nice budget cards these days, seemingly. You get niiiiiice for the price of nice.

[brandonjclark]

Yeah, Matt has some good points. If you're really not looking for a super performer a 5570 is a good choice. I just slapped one in my kids computer (low-pro) and they're playing games like SupCom2 and Batman Arkham Asylum.

[Samstag]

A radeon 5750 is a really good card you can get for under $100 if you shop around. It can play all the graphic-intensive games at high-res and medium quality, or medium-res and high quality at respectable frame rates. I've been loving mine.

[Syl]

I actually can't help out with the sub-100 market. If you have the power supply, i'd try to find a used HD4870 or HD56xx or HD57xx series, maybe a GTX 450 or so.

I've been doing nothing but looking at the crazy $300~ market for a while, my next upgrade is probably going to be a HD6950.

[spdiscus]

Looks like the 4650 will win this round. I don't want to upgrade the PSU, and good enough is good enough, right? (for now)

Thanks, all.

[Abednigo]

My Radeon HD 4850 is certainly mid-range nowadays, but it still runs everything I throw at it just fine. I run Civ 5 maxxed out at 1680x1050, and it handles the load great.

Also, if anybody wants a fantastic <$50 card, the Radeon HD 4650 is an awesome performer for the price.

That's what I got a few months ago. Although the trial of Starcraft II acted a little weird (black blocks flashed on the screen occasionally). Not sure if that was the card or what since the onboard video didn't play it at all. Otherwise I can play most games at medium or high settings. But I kind of wish I had gone a few steps higher. I had to tone down WoW from max settings from my old video card that died.

[spdiscus]

And to be a complete asshole, I'm foregoing the video card purchase and getting instead a wired 360 controller. Many of my PC games are older platformers (GOG and Steam sales), and I hate those with keyboard and mouse. I'd rather enjoy the feel of those games than upgrade the look of the few newer games I currently own.
I'll get a grown-up card when I build the new rig next year.
/worthlesshumanbeing

Thanks for the help, everyone.

[gzsfrk]

Although the trial of Starcraft II acted a little weird (black blocks flashed on the screen occasionally). Not sure if that was the card or what since the onboard video didn't play it at all.

Sounds like the card is either defective or is having over-heating issues. I had a Radeon 9800 that did the same thing on some DX9 games (like Elder Scrolls). Turned out to be a defective GPU, which ATI replaced for me after I reported the problem. You should give their support line a call and see if you can't get them to replace yours as well.

[brandonjclark]

Yeah, I had a Radeon 9800XT that was overheating from day one! Those things ran soooo hot. Sure, they could run Unreal 2004 well, but the fuckers would overheat in no time.

[Abednigo]

Sounds like the card is either defective or is having over-heating issues. I had a Radeon 9800 that did the same thing on some DX9 games (like Elder Scrolls). Turned out to be a defective GPU, which ATI replaced for me after I reported the problem. You should give their support line a call and see if you can't get them to replace yours as well.

I've been meaning to get the full game. Once I do I'll try it again and give them a call if it still does it. But now that I think of it, Plants vs. Zombies won't run with HD Acceleration on (the game window goes black). Peggle does the same thing. But I read it was an issue with the ATI driver and Pop Cap games.