Graphics Card Confusion/Questions

[Jasper Jeffs]

I want to upgrade my graphics card, I'm looking for a Nvidia because I've always used them without any problems. I haven't updated mine in a while because I usually update my computer's weakest part piece by piece, the graphics card is now that weakest piece and I'm having trouble finding a new one. I usually buy cheap graphics cards (£40-80) so that my PC is still good enough to run new games to a nice standard, but not a cutting edge monstrosity. My current graphics card is a Nvidia GTS250, I'd like to upgrade it in anticipation for Skyrim and other future releases.

I'm currently considering buying a GTX 520 [http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/52123/EVGA-Graphics-Card-GeForce-GTX-520-1GB-PCi-E]. I've read that the "X" usually means it's a faster card, but then why does this GT440 [http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/50267/Asus-GeForce-GT440-1GB-GDDR5-PCI-E-2-0-DVI-Native] cost more? Can anyone recommend a good Nvidia graphics card in the £40-80 range? I'd prefer it to be cheaper, but if there's a noticeable difference I'd pay more, just not as much as the £100-300 things that get replaced by something else at the same price ridiculously quick.

Thanks!

 

[Joccaren]

Honestly, for Skyrim, I don't think you will need more than the 250. I'm planning on running it on my 9800GTX, a 6 year old card. It WILL run it on max settings, as it has for everything else except Battlefield 3.
I'm personally going for a 560Ti, but that is $200, and thus out of your price range. Wish I could get a 590, but I don't have the money.

And BTW, the 1-300$ cards are fine, its after that that the prices get stupid. The 560Ti 2GB version is about the highest I'd buy on a tight budget (As I am doing...). That, or you could just get another 250, and put it in an SLI. That would definitely see you set for Skyrim.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Dude - without any bias toward either nVidia or ATI - if you are on that tight a budget you can get waaaaaay more bang for your buck with an ATI card. You will be hard pressed to find an nvidia card thats good for the next year or two for 80 quid, you can however get a HD 5770 for that (for instance).

Yeah, pretty much this, ATI is a much better choice if you're on a budget. This [http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-performance-radeon-geforce,2997.html] right here pretty much recommends all ATI cards if you're going sub 170 bucks or so. After that it's even, but ATI have the value for money cards, definitely.

 

[Uber Evil]

Any chance I might hijack this thread since it is in a similar vein to what I want to know? I was looking at either a 550Ti or a 6770. I was leaning towards Nvidia for their PhysX capability, but if the 6770 performs a lot better I might be swayed. Opinions?
EDIT: And I know that the 6770 is a rebranded 5770, but I thought that I heard it has some slight improvements.

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

Dude - without any bias toward either nVidia or ATI - if you are on that tight a budget you can get waaaaaay more bang for your buck with an ATI card. You will be hard pressed to find an nvidia card thats good for the next year or two for 80 quid, you can however get a HD 5770 for that (for instance).

Honestly, for Skyrim, I don't think you will need more than the 250. I'm planning on running it on my 9800GTX, a 6 year old card. It WILL run it on max settings, as it has for everything else except Battlefield 3.
I'm personally going for a 560Ti, but that is $200, and thus out of your price range. Wish I could get a 590, but I don't have the money.

And BTW, the 1-300$ cards are fine, its after that that the prices get stupid. The 560Ti 2GB version is about the highest I'd buy on a tight budget (As I am doing...). That, or you could just get another 250, and put it in an SLI. That would definitely see you set for Skyrim.

I've looked around and after reading various posts and comparisons, I figure I may as well just pay more now so I get more value for my money. The 560 Ti costs around £180 here, which is kinda steep. I've still gotta buy a new screen (punched the other one and it broke) and mouse, but I'd be prepared to pay £120 or so. The 550Ti [http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/50813/KFA2-Geforce-GTX-550-Ti-1GB-Blue-GDDR5-PCI-E-2-0] seems to be around that price, would be that a worthwhile upgrade from my GTS 250?

I'm not just updating my PC for Skyrim, I want it upgraded by its release, but I'm primarily upgrading it for future releases.

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

If you get the GTX 460, youll have sligthly few marks for around 60% the price of the 560Ti.
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/28691-nvidia-geforce-gtx-560-ti-vs-gtx-460-1gb-clocks/
Check it out.

What do ya mean few marks? Benchmarks mean nothing to me because I can't understand them, haha. The GTX 460 is £125 here, I r confuss. D:

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

The thing with nVidia cards is, in that price range, you are going to get shitty value for your money. In my experience at least, you are always better off with an ATI card until you hit the 150-200 euro mark.

And the other thing is, I cant say for sure whats best, because I only know hardware prices in Germany and they are through the roof and completely different from the ones in Britian or the US anyway.

If you are set on nVidia, and if you have no more than 120 quid, get ready to upgrade again in a years time while spending twice as much as you need to now. If you need to buy more stuff and thats why you are so tight, and you know you will have to upgrade in a year or two anyway, why not save the 50 bucks for your screen and mouse and go with an ATI card?

Let me ask that differently... Why are you set on nvidia? Is there a specific reason? Maybe we can clear something up.

I'm used to Nvidia, even with the low amount of knowledge I have on Nvidia, I'm still more knowledgeable with them than I am with ATI. I know how to install them, I've had no problems with them etc. It's like how I buy Belkin adapters instead of Linksy, or an iPod instead of a Zune; they're familiar.

I'm not sure if you think I want the best PC possible, because I don't. I just want a considerable upgrade that will allow my PC to run newer releases better. If I saved my money for next year I'd be buying next year's top end graphics as opposed to a decent upgrade that still allows my PC to run games at an above average standard. It's not so much I don't have the money either, I just don't see the point paying £200+, is the difference really worth it?

The performance of a GTX 460 is only a few poitns or marks belowthe 560Ti.
And here in the USA its roughly 65% the price of a GTX560 Ti
newegg lists the GTX 560Ti as 240 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130623
the GTX 460 is 160 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130570
See if you can find venders that sell EVGA cards. and check the prices of each card.

I can see here [http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?pq=linksy&hl=en&sugexp=kjrmc&cp=10&gs_id=1l&xhr=t&q=evga+gtx+460&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=909&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1180458946988517028&sa=X&ei=3CesTs2HE5So8AOossmTCw&sqi=2&ved=0CGgQ8wIwAw#start=0] that they're around the £125 price range, would you say the 460 is better than the 550 Ti? That's around the same price as well.

 

[-Seraph-]

I'm gonna have to vouch for FranBunny on this, the GTX 460 is an excellent card for a reasonable price. I'm running it (the MSi version) in my rig and can play pretty much anything at most of their highest settings. It really is one of the best cards you can get for gaming if you aren't planning to break the bank over upgrading.

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

I didnt say better, I was refering to the price value.
the GTX 460 is only 65% the price of a 560Ti and its rather close in spec performance, but if the 560Ti is really only 30 pounds more than get the GTX 560 ti.
PRice for power the GTX460 is a better choise for value in the USA, but it doesnt seem that way in the UK.
I personally have a GTX 570 and theres no game my PC cant handle I play Starcraft 2 on extreme and only get lags when i have like 100+zergs on my screen vs the enemies units.
lol.
Gotta love the swarms.
Go for the GTX 560 ti.

Also make sure you register the card when you get it so you can get their epic warrenty(if you buy EVGA. I wont buy any other card now because of EVGA's support.

Noo, the 560 Ti (60! ) is about £180, the 550 Ti (50!) is £110, which is around the same price as the GTX 460. I know the 560 Ti is better, but is the 550 Ti? :3

 

[loc978]

All I can say is, pricing computer parts in the UK is strange... I guess it goes more by what gets the best rate on shipping than actual performance. We in the US always take the prices we get for granted, since we have this huge, easy shipping relationship with all of east Asia.

...that said, with new Nvidia GPUs, pay more attention to the last two numbers for performance... and go with the 460. Generation 5, series 20 is a newer low-end GPU, Generation 4, series 60 is a slightly older, but mid-to-high-end GPU. GT and GTX designations are put there by the manufacturer of the video card, but generally mean they're squeezing more performance out of the on-board GPU than a GS model.

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

The GTX 460 is better overall, but a fair bit especially for being lesser.
Go for the GTX 460.

Does a "superclocked" card make much difference? I assume that means they've been overclocked or something, but the difference in price from a non-superclocked one (like this [http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/NVIDIA/NVIDIA+GTX+460+Series/MSI+GeForce+GTX+460+SE+OC+1024MB+GDDR5+PCI-Express+Graphics+Card+?productId=46864]) and a superclocked one (like this [http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-evga-gtx-460-superclocked-3800mhz-gddr5-gpu-763mhz-shader-clock-1526mhz-336-cores-2x-dl-dvi-i-mi]) is £25. I'm probably gonna get a GTX 460, I just don't know if the latter version is better or even worth the extra price. I don't know how to overclock either. :L

Thanks for ya help, btw.