Need help picking a graphics card

[TheCalling15]

I need suggestions for a graphics card. What can run PR on medium settings? Try to keep it under $150-125 please. Thanks.

[LITOralis.nMd]

You can run at all high for around US$125 if you do some price shopping online and find a sale.

As always, please find out the exact make and model of your power supply and the rated wattage, so we don't suggest a card which requires more juice than your PSU can supply.

My general reply to those in the US asking for websites:
Quote:
My suggestion is based upon finding the best prices, not on specific hardware...

start checking online deals websites daily:
my personal preferred bargain hunting websites:
Amazon.com Warehouse deals on SSDs. (I picked up a Crucial M4 256Gb SSD for US$149 in November, which was cheap then and is still cheap now, it was an open box return that had a total of 12 power cycles used, i.e. almost brand new.)
slickdeals.net
fatwallet.com
bensbargains.net
dell.com outlet deals in conjunction with coupons I find on the web.
amazon.com Gold box deals
email subscription to newegg.com for their daily deals
email subscription to us.ncix.com for their weekly deals

others I check from time to time:
techbargains.com
subscribe to tigerdirect.com email daily deals.
subscribe to buy.com email daily deals.

Sign up for accounts on slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com
You can create keyword searches that are instantly emailed to your email address you sign up with,
set up email deals alerts for "Radeon" "gtx" "psu" "i5-2500k" "ssd"
set up a filter in your email to put all those alert emails to a single folder.
you'll get some desktops and notebooks mixed in the emails, but it's a pretty good otherwise.
depending on where you live,
microcenter.com
frys.com
hhgregg.com
ncix.com
All run deals for brick and mortar retail stores.

[TheCalling15]

You can run at all high for around US$125 if you do some price shopping online and find a sale.

As always, please find out the exact make and model of your power supply and the rated wattage, so we don't suggest a card which requires more juice than your PSU can supply.

Athena Power AP-MFATX35 350W Mini ITX / Micro FLEX ATX / ATX12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply for many HP Slimline System Upgrades/Replacement - Newegg.com

This is the power supply I'm going to get along with the new GPU.

[LITOralis.nMd]

That PSU is for a smaller PC case,
if that is true,
At the moment I'd suggest a Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 or a GeForce GTX 750 Ti with a short PCB, they have a ridiculously low 55W or 60W TDP , and there are some very compact and quiet designs available on the market.

The GTX750 is definitely in your price range right now,
might take a bit of web searching to find the GeForce GTX 750 Ti in your price range.

Finding the GeForce GTX 750 Ti is definitely worth the increase in horsepower.

[TheCalling15]

LITOralis.nMd;1996567']That PSU is for a smaller PC case,
if that is true,
At the moment I'd suggest a Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 or a GeForce GTX 750 Ti with a short PCB, they have a ridiculously low 55W or 60W TDP , and there are some very compact and quiet designs available on the market.

The GTX750 is definitely in your price range right now,
might take a bit of web searching to find the GeForce GTX 750 Ti in your price range.

Finding the GeForce GTX 750 Ti is definitely worth the increase in horsepower.

It is, thanks! And will a 3.2 Ghz processor and 4 gigs of ram be good? Thank you again for your time!

[MaSSive]

Which 3.2Ghz processor? With quad yes, dual core will choke with that GPU. You can get more RAM since its not that expensive but you'll do fine with 4 and a 64bit OS.

[TheCalling15]

Which 3.2Ghz processor? With quad yes, dual core will choke with that GPU. You can get more RAM since its not that expensive but you'll do fine with 4 and a 64bit OS.

It was a triple-core, but do you have any quad-core cpu's you can suggest to me? And yeah, I have Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS.

[MaSSive]

Tripple core so I assume its AMD build? Post system specs, especially mainboard model numbers.

[TheCalling15]

Tripple core so I assume its AMD build? Post system specs, especially mainboard model numbers.

AMD Athlon II X3 450 3.2GHz Triple-Core Processor (ADX450WFGMBOX) - PCPartPicker

This would be the one, and yes, it's compatible with my mobo.

[MaSSive]

I would still need your mainboard model to be able to suggest CPU. Its important because of architecture. If its AM2+ mainboard it wont run some of the newer quadcore processors.

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (HDZ965FBGMBOX) - PCPartPicker

[TheCalling15]

I would still need your mainboard model to be able to suggest CPU. Its important because of architecture. If its AM2+ mainboard it wont run some of the newer quadcore processors.

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (HDZ965FBGMBOX) - PCPartPicker

EL1358G-51W Mainboard Specs

Here you go.

[MaSSive]

I assume that this is your computer.

eMachines EL1358G-51W Desktop PC Athlon II X2 220 (2.80GHz) 3GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Windows 7 Home Premium - Newegg.com

Based on the info I got from this page it has 220W power supply unit which is low for running this type of graphic card and processor. You must upgrade it to at least 550W brand name PSU!

Also it supports quad core phenom proccesors up to 95W tdp so the one I linked will not work.

See Phenom II X4 945 and Phenom II X4 955. Remember that it must be 95W Thermal Design Power!

It may be hard to find them in stock in shops, so try ebay or alike sites.

[TheCalling15]

I assume that this is your computer.

eMachines EL1358G-51W Desktop PC Athlon II X2 220 (2.80GHz) 3GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Windows 7 Home Premium - Newegg.com

Based on the info I got from this page it has 220W power supply unit which is low for running this type of graphic card and processor. You must upgrade it to at least 550W brand name PSU!

Also it supports quad core phenom proccesors up to 95W tdp so the one I linked will not work.

See Phenom II X4 945 and Phenom II X4 955. Remember that it must be 95W Thermal Design Power!

It may be hard to find them in stock in shops, so try ebay or alike sites.

Thanks!

[MaSSive]

One more thing...



I just saw this image and its worrying me. If your PC looks like that on the inside, then it has no slot for a GPU! Do not waste money you do not have where to insert it. You can upgrade CPU but its not worth it.

[TheCalling15]

One more thing...



I just saw this image and its worrying me. If your PC looks like that on the inside, then it has no slot for a GPU! Do not waste money you do not have where to insert it. You can upgrade CPU but its not worth it.

Look at the black slot on the very top, that's were the GPU goes. I've watched GPU installation videos on YT using the same mobo. It's there!

[LITOralis.nMd]

Expansion Slots
1 * PCI Express x16 (Low Profile Only)
1 * PCI Express x1

In light of that, the best you'll do is the AMD R7 250 or AMD HD 7750

Something like this is your best bet:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814131576

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentatio ... id=1&leg=0

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=XFX-R725LF

TDP is around 67Watts for these models.

[TheCalling15]

LITOralis.nMd;1997187']In light of that, the best you'll do is the AMD R7 250 or AMD HD 7750

Something like this is your best bet:
Newegg.com - PowerColor AXR7 250 1GBD5-HLE Radeon R7 250 1GB 128-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 CrossFireX Support Low Profile Ready Video Card

SAPPHIRE R7 250 1GB GDDR5 Low Profile MICRO HDMI

R7250AZLF4;R7-250A-ZLF4 XFX AMD Radeon R7 250 1GB GDDR5 VGA/DVI/HDMI Low Profile PCI-Express Video Card - AMD Radeon - SuperBiiz.com

TDP is around 67Watts for these models.

Awesome, thanks. Would a 350w PSU be fine for the AMD Phenom II x4 955 and the HD 7750?

[LITOralis.nMd]

350W should be fine.

the low profile HD 7750 1GB has a reference design TDP of 55W .
the AMD Phenom II x4 955 has a reference design TDP of 95W . (But can go as high as 115W under stress testing)
That leaves plenty of headroom for the rest of the components.

[TheCalling15]

350W should be fine.

the low profile HD 7750 1GB has a reference design TDP of 55W .
the AMD Phenom II x4 955 has a reference design TDP of 95W . (But can go as high as 115W under stress testing)
That leaves plenty of headroom for the rest of the components.

Awesome. Thank you.

[TheCalling15]

350W should be fine.

the low profile HD 7750 1GB has a reference design TDP of 55W .
the AMD Phenom II x4 955 has a reference design TDP of 95W . (But can go as high as 115W under stress testing)
That leaves plenty of headroom for the rest of the components.

What settings could I run with this?

-AMD Phenom II x4 955
-PowerColor Radeon HD 7750 1GB
-G.Skill Value Series 8GB DDR3-1333