Take a Crash-Course in How To Buy a Video Card

[Griffolion]

If you're a PC gamer, then you know that the one component in your rig that you can't afford to screw around with is the video card. You can half-ass the motherboard, the memory, the hard drive, even the processor if you need to, but if you're serious about games then you better be serious about your display adapter, because that onboard crap isn't going to cut it.

Half ass on the motherboard, you open up your computer to a plethora of instabilities.

Half ass on the processor, your graphics card that the writer is so keen to put on a pedestal won't be given information fast enough to render. This, children, is known as a bottle-neck. You can alleviate the problem through overclocking but not everyone likes that and the majority of the damage has already been done through the simple choice you made.

Half ass on the hard drive and your boot up times and game loading times will become insufferably long, not to mention opening yourself up to short MTBF's and LOSING all your data unless you run a backup.

Half ass on the memory and, like the motherboard, you open yourself up to your computer becoming massively unstable especially under load, which funnily enough is what your computer goes under when you're gaming.

Balance is the key to any good system, not least a gaming system; all components play their part. I'm willing to let the writer off as what they wrote IS promoting a choice of graphics card but I would have lost all faith in their knowledge should they have even hinted at half-assing on the power supply, but thankfully they had more sense.

Just to make sure this post isn't inflammatory, i'll end this list of facts with 'IMO'.

 

[TheComedown]

Yea, make sure your case can handle the massive size of some of these cards. I bought an ASUS HD 5850 this year, and I had a hell of a time rearranging everything to squeeze it in between my PS cables and my HDD in this huge Antec 300 case. It definitely wouldn't have fit into my old case.

Haha the Antec 300 is actually a pretty small case, compared to most micro atx cases yeah its big, but its small even by midtower standards let alone a full sized atx tower.

 

[SageRuffin]

Ah hell... I just bought a Radeon HD 5770 (1gb, GDDR5) a few days ago and installed it. I kinda wish I new about this earlier.

Ah well. I dunno why I'm tripping. I'm sure my new PC will still entertain me for years to come.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Half ass on the motherboard, you open up your computer to a plethora of instabilities.

I think you're really overstating things. If you're a performance user, if you're going to overclock, then yes, the situation is different, but again, if that's the case then obviously that guide isn't for you.

Consider this: Is the average, non-power-PC-gamer going to notice the difference between Corsair XMS3 and XMS3 Dominator Ram? Of course not. So buy the regular stuff and put the 50 bucks you saved toward a better video card. That's really all there is to it.

I'm not going to jump into a drawn-out argument over the relative merits of one component over another, and I absolutely agree that anyone who tries to piece together his own rig with no knowledge beyond SPEND MORE MONEY is a moron. But as a basic guide for people who don't know and don't care about the intricacies of what's going on inside their box (and that's the vast majority of people), it's got very real merit.

 

[Antari]

"So if you have $700 (or more - and yes, that is possible) to drop on a video card, you're going to be buying yourself an outstanding gaming experience, even if the rest of your computer isn't so special."

Ok Crack victim ... you go ahead and spend $700 bucks on a video card. I'll spend $700 building an entire computer system and be better off. Advertising makes for HORRIBLE advice.

 

[Griffolion]

Half ass on the motherboard, you open up your computer to a plethora of instabilities.

I think you're really overstating things. If you're a performance user, if you're going to overclock, then yes, the situation is different, but again, if that's the case then obviously that guide isn't for you.

Consider this: Is the average, non-power-PC-gamer going to notice the difference between Corsair XMS3 and XMS3 Dominator Ram? Of course not. So buy the regular stuff and put the 50 bucks you saved toward a better video card. That's really all there is to it.

I'm not going to jump into a drawn-out argument over the relative merits of one component over another, and I absolutely agree that anyone who tries to piece together his own rig with no knowledge beyond SPEND MORE MONEY is a moron. But as a basic guide for people who don't know and don't care about the intricacies of what's going on inside their box (and that's the vast majority of people), it's got very real merit.

When i say half ass on the motherboard, i'm meaning lower quality, unbranded motherboards or brands that have not got a good name i.e ASRock. And its nothing to do with overclocking, i've had people come to me who use their computer for nothing but word and internet surfing who have had a bad motherboard because their vendor or manufacturer half-asses on the motherboard (and probably other components too).

A PC gamer is already, to some extent, a power user because the actual concept of PC gaming (at least modern PC gaming) demands some degree of enthusiast level hardware. Now there are plenty of vendors/manufacturers that cater to this by taking the building aspect away from the process and just giving them a pre-made rig ready to go.

And no, the average user won't notice the difference between those two sets of kits, mainly because even the middle of the road corsair stuff is still enthusiast class by the sheer way corsair manufactures its modules. Other companies like Hynix and even modules that are completely unbranded are probably more appropriate for the kind of user you're on about but in a gaming rig, those lower class modules are what i would call half-assing.

Aside from my pokey comments at the general knowledge level of the OP, my main concern was that people may see those comments about how its ok to half-ass on other components in order to get a beasty graphics card and actually DO that. Thats probably the ultimate false economy a prospective PC gamer can fall into, my main message was balance; no intricate knowledge required, just a bit of help from a friend or a forum about what would be the best for your money.

Btw if anyone wants a bit of help putting a rig together on paper, PM me or get on the toms hardware forums, i'll be more than glad to help you.

Ah hell... I just bought a Radeon HD 5770 (1gb, GDDR5) a few days ago and installed it. I kinda wish I new about this earlier.

Ah well. I dunno why I'm tripping. I'm sure my new PC will still entertain me for years to come.

The 5770 is very good for gaming, its the entry level gaming card for ATI but still has prowess, especially if you are prospecting to put it in crossfire with a second 5770.

Basically, don't worry, you're fine .

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

Yea, make sure your case can handle the massive size of some of these cards. I bought an ASUS HD 5850 this year, and I had a hell of a time rearranging everything to squeeze it in between my PS cables and my HDD in this huge Antec 300 case. It definitely wouldn't have fit into my old case.

Haha the Antec 300 is actually a pretty small case, compared to most micro atx cases yeah its big, but its small even by midtower standards let alone a full sized atx tower.

I suppose I should have added "huge compared to my old case, anyways,".

 

[Zer_]

The 5770 is very good for gaming, its the entry level gaming card for ATI but still has prowess, especially if you are prospecting to put it in crossfire with a second 5770.

Basically, don't worry, you're fine .

This.

Like I said earlier in this thread. Two 5770s in crossfire is a popular alternative for power users at this time.

 

[Wicky_42]

What's annoying is that PC gaming is getting to the point where unless you drop the price of an xbox every 6-18 months, you won't get to max out the eye candy

I'm gonna guess you don't PC game, or you'd know how silly that comment was, especially compared with the lack-lustre graphics of console games. PCs can easily go strong for years with quite a reasonable starting budget and a bit of self assembly. I built mine shortly after Crysis came out, and could almost play it on max settings. I'm still playing most games on almost max settings, so yeah - no upgrades in the last three years and still doing fine.

 

[Nurb]

What's annoying is that PC gaming is getting to the point where unless you drop the price of an xbox every 6-18 months, you won't get to max out the eye candy

I'm gonna guess you don't PC game, or you'd know how silly that comment was, especially compared with the lack-lustre graphics of console games. PCs can easily go strong for years with quite a reasonable starting budget and a bit of self assembly. I built mine shortly after Crysis came out, and could almost play it on max settings. I'm still playing most games on almost max settings, so yeah - no upgrades in the last three years and still doing fine.

I do PC game and I built my own, and I said max out settings, not "almost". If you or anyone else builds a new PC for gaming and can't play the newest game at max settings then something is wrong.

 

[Wicky_42]

What's annoying is that PC gaming is getting to the point where unless you drop the price of an xbox every 6-18 months, you won't get to max out the eye candy

I'm gonna guess you don't PC game, or you'd know how silly that comment was, especially compared with the lack-lustre graphics of console games. PCs can easily go strong for years with quite a reasonable starting budget and a bit of self assembly. I built mine shortly after Crysis came out, and could almost play it on max settings. I'm still playing most games on almost max settings, so yeah - no upgrades in the last three years and still doing fine.

I do PC game and I built my own, and I said max out settings, not "almost". If you or anyone else builds a new PC for gaming and can't play the newest game at max settings then something is wrong.

Or they budgeted skilfully, making the most of cheaper components But yeah, if I'd made a rig that could play Crysis at max, nothing else would be a difficulty. I think the point still stands.

 

[Branches]

Price is not in direct relation to performance. GPUs should be researched and researched again until one sticks its head out at you and says "Hey, I can help you run this at high settings at 1920x1080"

 

[Signa]

I'm still rocking a 2007-issue nVidia 8800GT, but New Vegas is showing me I'd better cut my outsized lunch budget (campus student center food court, how I love thee), drop 20 pounds, and take advantage of my good credit to get my hands on a new gaming PC.

Wow, you too? I have to say, it's a sign of the times when you can run a 3 year old card and have minimal issues with games. I'm still rocking all my games at 1920x1080, max settings with the exception of 2 or so. Games are getting too expensive to make to bother with higher details, and consoles are holding any other developments back. I plan on getting a GTX470 soon though. It looks to be the closest to what I will need for the next 3 years.

3 years. Damn. Some cards barely lasted 2 in the past.