Graphics card update recommendations

[Roganzar]

I'm looking to upgrade the graphics card in my desktop as I have a little money to blow on it. I have an ATI Radeon HD 4600 currently installed and haven't had any problems with it, so let's not start a flame war with Nvidia. Now I'm not looking for top of the line über expensive model. Just an upgrade that isn't more than $200-300. Something that runs Witcher 2 on medium to high is kinda the area I'd like to get at, or as close as makes no nevermind.
While I know enough about this stuff to know what's good and what isn't, I'm hoping for some useful advice and experiences.
Please put in costs (links are good), user friendliness, install ease.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Looking at video card reviews where many cards are compared for the game you are interested in, is normally the way to get an idea on this.

E.g http://www.techspot.com/review/481-amd-radeon-7970/page10.html

 

[Kevlar Eater]

The HD 6950 [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150523] would be a huge boost for you, assuming your motherboard and power supply can support the card. It can run Witcher 2 on ultra settings, minus ubersampling, though the game is a bit CPU-intensive as well.

 

[Roganzar]

Im gonna bump this because im thinking about getting a new graphics card (currently rocking the HD 5770), but im not sure if I really need one and if I do I dont know which ATI card to go with.

(By the way, the 5770 can run Witcher 2 on high, but not ultra settings. Worth mentioning. Just remember, if your CPU is outdated, your GC wont do much good.)

I'm pretty sure the CPU is still good, I've had this for just over a year. So that shouldn't be a problem unless I get some $1000 card.

Looking at video card reviews where many cards are compared for the game you are interested in, is normally the way to get an idea on this.

E.g http://www.techspot.com/review/481-amd-radeon-7970/page10.html

Thank you for the charts. Those are actually useful. They would be more useful if they had what the GFX cards cost but that's not really what they were concerned with, so no problem.

I'm using Witcher 2 as a benchmark since when I played it it seemed to hurt my computer when the fighting started or to much was happening on screen.
I'm just trying to get this to where it will be able to hold up to future games for the next few years.

Keep the suggestions coming.

 

[Griffolion]

I'm looking to upgrade the graphics card in my desktop as I have a little money to blow on it. I have an ATI Radeon HD 4600 currently installed and haven't had any problems with it, so let's not start a flame war with Nvidia. Now I'm not looking for top of the line über expensive model. Just an upgrade that isn't more than $200-300. Something that runs Witcher 2 on medium to high is kinda the area I'd like to get at, or as close as makes no nevermind.
While I know enough about this stuff to know what's good and what isn't, I'm hoping for some useful advice and experiences.
Please put in costs (links are good), user friendliness, install ease.

My suggestion:

[a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130623"]1GB EVGA GTX 560 Ti FPB[/a]

Reasons:

Middle of your budget
The 560 Ti architecture gives solid performance for what you want
Overclockable if that's your scene
EVGA as a vendor are the best when it comes to warranty support (THE best)
Not too bad as far as power requirements go, just make sure you have an okay PSU to handle it

All graphics cards are the same when it comes to installation. Take the old one out, put the new one in, plug in cables and you're away. Install drivers and then you're done.

I will just reiterate, you will need a decent PSU, 550W with a decent 12V rating like something from Corsair or Antec.

 

[Tanakh]

I would go with what they already reccomended, 1GB GTX 560 TI or HD 6950. Nvidia if you want to just install and play and Radeon if you are willing to mod your card (http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/159).

Not much more to say rly.

 

[octafish]

I like Nvidia so I'd say a GTX 560 Ti, (The Ti does make a significant difference over the vanilla) good driver support makes it out perform similarly speced Radeon cards in actual games but it is more expensive. The real bargain are the Radeon cards, the 6870 is great, quite cheap and will probably give you the performance you seek, but the 6950 can sometimes be flashed to 6970 specs.

 

[ResonanceSD]

560Ti 448 core edition will be perfect for you.