Need some advice,I'm planning to buy a videocard.

Pangahas

Ok first of all I'm not much of a techie person so I need some advice on buying a decent graphic/gaming video card, prolly one that has DX11.

My specs>
AMD AThlon(tm)64X2 dual Core Processor 5000+
2.6 GHZ 2GB RAM

The motherboard is A780 GM-A with built in ATI RAdeon HD3200 Graphics card.
-The ECS A780GM-A motherboard is equipped with one second generation PCI Express x16 slot for videocards, two PCI Express x1 slots for high bandwidth devices and three PCI slots. Along the bottom of the ATX-sized motherboard are the audio, COM, and three USB2.0 headers.

I'm looking at ATI Radeo HD 5670 coz I can get those fairly cheap here but I'm not entirely sure if its compatible or if its good enough. either that or a 6570.

I have a newb question though those cards says ddr3, I know that for memory slots I only have DDR2 so for video cards does it matter?I mean I do have PCIx16 slot so does that mean I have to use cards that have DDR2 as well?

Ashaman73

Standalone video cards have their own memory, which is often much faster than the main board memory and have nothing to do with main board memory at all, so it doesn't matter if your mainboard has DDR2,DDR3 or whatever, important is only the slot, that is PCI Express.

There're some option you should consider:
1. Do you want the newest technology ? (more important for developers)
2. Do you want better performance ?
3. Do you want a passive cooled video card ? (no noise)

Newer technology is only fun when you have or write software which supports it. Most modern games doesn't utilize the advantages of the newest hardware at all, at best on paper. Always rememeber, that current gen is still XBox360/PS3

Performance wise you can get more from a 5XXX than from a 6XXX for the same money.

Pangahas

Thanks for clearing that up,now I know

Guess I'll weigh my options and try to go what I can get the most of with my limited budget.

Joshua Stubbles

What is your budget? I bought a Nvidia GTX560 for about $150 a few months back, it works extremely well for all 3d apps and any modern game (runs skyrim at ultra, BF3 at high). The card is probably cheaper now, too.

Your mobo is holding you back though. Integrated ATi graphics? Not so great. ATI in general have some wonky driver issues with both games AND applications. I'd honestly say you're better off getting an Nvidia card. I've owned both in the past and always had issues with ATi, never with Nvidia.

Pangahas

Unfortunately I only have limited budget at most probably a little over 100$.And yeah I tend to have some driver issues but I'm stuck with what I have atm.Thanks for the tip though.

PhattyEwok

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

Check out this website. They break it down per price category

Also this table breaks it down by performance. Good reference for discerning between generations

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

TicoTaco

I got a ASUS 6770 for 120$. All I had to do however was by a bigger case, and a new PSU. The card is terrific though, I can run Skyrim, Just Cause 2 , Crysis 2 all maxed at 1920x1080.

I don't know much about hardware, but this 6770 hasn't let me down.

Lemme correct that, all maxed minus AA turned on ingame.

rfisher90

Good day! I agree with you, I'm not a computer expert and thank you for the advice. I know it is very important to know the computer because everyone using that like home, office and school. Everything that we want to know found in the computer. You just surf the net and you get a lot of information.

Regards,
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