Need a Temporary Gaming Video Card

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Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Well right now, I'll be honest.

I can run L4D2 on a 7800gt with all the settings at minimum, but it's still a bit "skippy" and I'm pretty useless with a rifle.

I want something that will run it at least smoothly on minimum or medium settings, and those are my only 3 options nearby that I can return within 2 weeks.
 
AshburnerX

AshburnerX

I think ether of those last two should be able to run it perfectly fine. I run it at low because I like optimum performance, but I could probably run it at medium on mine. However, do keep in mind that Left 4 Dead 2 seems to be having some problems with GeForce cards according to the forums. I've had weird graphic glitches with mine (which can be fixed by changing the resolution to reload the graphics) but it doesn't happen too often anymore.
 
SpecialKO

SpecialKO

If that's your requirement, I would ask how long you're going to need it.

Because an 8400 may support more advanced effects that a 7800gt, but it's a much weaker card and probably will have worse aggregate performance.

Tom's Hardware has a pretty good hierarchy chart for basic equivalency of performance.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2464-8.html

The performance-equivalent of a 7800gt is an 8600gts, 9500 gt, an X1800 XL or an HD 4650 with DDR2 memory
 
figmentPez

figmentPez

Staff member
Why Best Buy? Because you want to buy from brick and mortar?

You could get a much better price at Newegg or elsewhere online (or go with ATI), if you can wait a few days for shipping that is.

Note, those aren't the pick of the litter, just what I found quickly that had free shipping. There may be much better options for nVidia, and certainly are if you go ATI.
 
S

Soliloquy

I'm guessing it's because

A) it's temporary
B) she wants a place to return it to quickly and easily
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Reason being is I have a Best Buy nearby I can buy and return to.

My main system is going to be gone two weeks. My current "2nd system" is running my 3rd computer's video card, a 7800gt and I get choppy frame rates at low settings on L4D2, I just want something to tide me over for 2 weeks.
 
C

Cuyval Dar

Newegg is really good about returns, and those cards are all ripoffs. Might as well get a cheap Radeon 4670 off of the 'egg and call it a night. Besides, you never know when you might need that backup rig again.

---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------

Also, there is no way in hell you will run L4D2 at acceptable frame rates on a 8400GS.
 
Necronic

Necronic

Staff member
Sweet, my card is at the top of the list, a year after I bought it. Fuckin A the 4870X2 is an amazing card.

Only thing I can suggest is if maybe you have a Microcenter or even a Fry's might have a better deal on a card than best buy. Fuck, walmart may have a better deal...

 
C

Cuyval Dar

Shegokigo said:
Yeah, but by the time the newegg card gets here, I'll have gotten my system back. :paranoid:[COLOR=\"black\"]

---------- Post added at 03:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:48 AM ----------

[/COLOR]http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/video_lookup.php?cpu=GeForce+GT+220M

Depressing the hell out of me.
Click to expand...
That benchmark is for a Mobile or "M" card. eg, laptop.


Like I said, you may have need for that backup PC in the future, so you might as well just invest in a cheap, decent card anyway.

---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 PM ----------

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/video_lookup.php?cpu=GeForce+GT+220
Try this.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

At the moment, this 7800gt is outperforming anything at Best Buy for under $150 so I'm pretty much SoL.

Yes I need to invest in a backup card, mostly for my secondary computer to even be running when my main system gets back, I'm just financially tied up at the moment.
 
C

Cuyval Dar

Unless you go the Newegg route, yes, that 7800 GT beats out all of your choices.
 
C

Cuyval Dar

Higher memory and core clocks, because there aren't the thermal constraints of an Nvidia-style dual GPU card.

---------- Post added at 09:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:07 PM ----------

Also, SLI isn't remotely close to 100% efficiency.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Well, previously the Nvidia and ATI cards would be neck and neck and PhsyX pushed Nvidia over the edge for me.

The numbers I'm reading for the 5870 and later, the 5870 are just nuts. Granted, Nvidia hasn't released anything new yet but just wow. :eek:

Hm, though it seems the GTX295 is outperforming the 5870?

http://hothardware.com/Articles/ATI-Radeon-HD-5970-DualGPU-Powerhouse/?page=4

http://hothardware.com/Articles/AMD-ATI-Radeon-HD-5870-Unquestionably-Number-One/?page=6

I mean I know it's a single GPU card, but it's not convincing me to take it over the GTX295.

Though what TWO 5870s can do in Crossfire.... :drool:

---------- Post added at 04:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:19 AM ----------

WTF is this?

http://magicboxlive.blogspot.com/2009/09/ati-hd-5870-vs-gtx-285-benchmarks.html

---------- Post added at 04:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:28 AM ----------

I wonder what would would be smarter, dual 5870s or just a 5970....
 
C

Cuyval Dar

Shegokigo said:
Well, previously the Nvidia and ATI cards would be neck and neck and PhsyX pushed Nvidia over the edge for me.

The numbers I'm reading for the 5870 and later, the 5870 are just nuts. Granted, Nvidia hasn't released anything new yet but just wow. :eek:[COLOR=\"black\"]

Hm, though it seems the GTX295 is outperforming the 5870?

http://hothardware.com/Articles/ATI-Radeon-HD-5970-DualGPU-Powerhouse/?page=4

http://hothardware.com/Articles/AMD-ATI-Radeon-HD-5870-Unquestionably-Number-One/?page=6

I mean I know it's a single GPU card, but it's not convincing me to take it over the GTX295.

Though what TWO 5870s can do in Crossfire.... :drool:[COLOR=\"black\"]

---------- Post added at 04:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:19 AM ----------

[/COLOR]WTF is this?

http://magicboxlive.blogspot.com/2009/09/ati-hd-5870-vs-gtx-285-benchmarks.html
Click to expand...
Name one game that you play on a daily basis that uses Physx. Plus, Physx also runs very well on the CPU.

Plus, NV doesn't even have their answer to the 5xxx-series, and when they finally do, AMD will just hammer them again.

Both the single-GPU 5870 and dual-GPU 5970 are vastly more power efficient and faster, they actually support DX11, and there are a myriad of of other hardware improvements in areas like HD video rendering.
Not only that, but in the review you linked, both the 5870 and 5970 were unleashing a major can of whoopass on the 295 and 285.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Yeah, my bigger debate at this point is dual 5870s or a 5970 by itself.

Thankfully Jan/Feb is going to be good to me financially and I may try unloading my GTX295 for $300.
 
C

Cuyval Dar

Shegokigo said:
Yeah, my bigger debate at this point is dual 5870s or a 5970 by itself.

Thankfully Jan/Feb is going to be good to me financially and I may try unloading my GTX295 for $300.
Click to expand...
Personally, I would go with the fastest single card.
Remember, when Hydra comes out, that will pay off big time, being able to SLI/CF different cards from different vendors.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Shannow said:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
Click to expand...
I honestly, and completely wish you'd stop doing that.

If for anything other than I actually enjoy hearing your opinion on subjects instead of a complete waste of a post that really makes you come off as a completely inane mentally weak individual. When I know you could really participate and bring an interesting perspective on a number of conversations.

---------- Post added at 05:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:38 AM ----------

Only thing is, I'd buy the two 5870s together as it would be, but I see your point of being able to remove one and pop in another type later.
 
SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Irritating as it may be, I think you should just wait until you can replace your the video card in your main computer.

If you were trying to do big image/video-editing work, that would totally be a different case, but if all you're going to be unable to do for 2-3 weeks is pay L4D2, I would just hold off until you get your main machine back.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

I've actually been out of the house ALOT in the past 2 weeks, but when I'm home (and GF isn't home) I'm jumping between my PSP and L4D (at this framerate I can't even compete well in TF2) but I guess I'll focus more on my consoles as it is, instead of buying the video card I'm probably going to be getting Metroid Prime Trilogy.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Cuyval Dar said:
Higher memory and core clocks, because there aren't the thermal constraints of an Nvidia-style dual GPU card. Also, SLI isn't remotely close to 100% efficiency.
Click to expand...
The GTX295 is actually 2xGTX280 chips on one card (2x240 shader processors) but each only running at the speed of the GTX260 (576MHz). It's like having two "GTX260 Ultra" cards in SLI but on only one card.
The GTX285 is a die shrink of the GTX280, meaning the chip is smaller/uses less power/doesn't get as hot and therefore the clock speed can be increased. It still has the same 240 cores, but they run/shade/talk to memory about 12.5% faster. Additionally, the memory bus has been widened from 448bit (280) to a full 512bit (285) and the amount of usable RAM has been upgraded from 896MB (280) to a full 1GB (285).

In one L4D test, the GTX295 is only a measly 17% faster than a single GTX285 at low resolutions, but it climbs all the way up to 33% better at really high resolution with bells and whistles turned on. Mind you, according to their tests, the GTX295 also requires over 50% more power than the GTX285 to give you that 17-33% performance boost.

I have to stand by my original assertion. As I said previously in an earlier thread...
The short of it is that, for right now, ATI holds the triple crown for image quality, performance-per-watt, and framerate. So if you need these things, and you need them right now (and you don't want to get there by merely lowering your graphics settings), the 5870 is the way to go. If you can afford to wait (or can't afford to switch), then by all means wait to see what NVIDIA releases (3xx in Q1 2010), or even whether Larrabee is all that Intel says it will be (likely Q2 of 2010).
Click to expand...
But to your original question, of the three cards you specifically mention, I can't recommend any of them. I don't think I'd personally go for anything less than a 9500GT 1GB/HD4670 card (which are about $20 more than your three choices).

--Patrick
 
SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Shegokigo said:
Strange, the video card heirarchy shows the 9500gt lower than the 7800 I have right now. :blue:
Click to expand...
It's because there are different versions of both. The 7800 GT is better than the 9500 GT with DDR2 RAM, but about the same as the 9500 GT with DDR3.

And the 7800 GTX is just better.

Just something to keep in mind about the hierarchy chart (as with all benchmarkers really). Different cards will perform differently with different tests.

I like Tom's because they use both 3DMark that just pushes the card's capabilities from a math perspective and they current games at varying levels of video settings.
 
Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

I'm just gonna make this an all video card topic...

I'm running with Nvidia 8200M G for my laptop. Now, the chart posted earlier says three tiers up, which would be 6800 (128-bit) or in the range of ATI X1450, X1600, X1700, 2400 XT, X2500, 3450...

Firstly, why lower numbers, from 8200 to 6800... second, am I limited to that range, or... I don't know how high I can go, outside of price. I'd like to know where I'm "pushing it" with video cards.

Okay, know what? More importantly:

WHERE THE FUCK DO I BUY THEM?

All these sites, Nvidia's goes nowhere, I cannot find where to buy laptop video cards, unless somehow they're labeled the same as desktop video cards (or it doesn't matter). Example, I cannot find where to buy the 9800M GTX... Where do I buy laptop video cards without buying a laptop?
 
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