Best value card for ~$150

[Hospitaller]

Making a budget build for a friend.

Other relevant parts:
i3-2100
8 GB 1333mhz ram
Samsung 830 SSD
A case with fans

Currently picked out the GTX 550 Ti 1GB for $120. I can go up to ~$150 if there's a good deal on something faster.

I want something that will run cool for the performance, because he's probably not going to be monitoring heat at all. My GTX 560 Ti would be perfect except it's $200.

 

[GaiaHunter]

6870.

 

[Hospitaller]

My impression is that amd cards in the 6000/7000 generations run hotter/louder than equivalent nvidia cards. I don't know if this is true for all of them -- I'm not a fanboy of either brand, I've used both.

I would rather pay $20 more to get an equally performant card that runs cooler.

 

[Crap Daddy]

I want something that will run cool for the performance, because he's probably not going to be monitoring heat at all. My GTX 560 Ti would be perfect except it's $200.

150 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127593

 

[Arkadrel]

150 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127593

560ti > 6870 > 560 (non ti).


Something like this (a 6870) is 4$ more (but faster than a 560):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150521

$154.99 (after MIR).

Currently picked out the GTX 550 Ti 1GB for $120. I can go up to ~$150 if there's a good deal on something faster.

550 ti for 120$ isnt really good value.
its slower than a 6850 or 7770.

*IF* you want something cheaper than 150$, a 7770 is probably around 35% faster than a 550ti.
MSI has a model for ~109$ on newegg.

Something else in favor of the 7770 is that its 28nm technology => lower power usage, high performance/watt.

 

[Face2Face]

I would go for the HD 6870 as well. Yes, I have one but it's been a great card overall and a great card for the price point. I am going to be upgrading soon (because I need 2GB for Skyrim) As far as the heat and noise goes, I think they are pretty equal to GTX 560. I guess depends greatly on the cooler. I have the cheap HIS 6870 and it's not loud at all. Also runs in the high 60's when loaded.

 

[blackened23]

My impression is that amd cards in the 6000/7000 generations run hotter/louder than equivalent nvidia cards. I don't know if this is true for all of them -- I'm not a fanboy of either brand, I've used both.

I would rather pay $20 more to get an equally performant card that runs cooler.

I don't know where you get that 6000 runs hotter and louder than 400/500 but, AMD has always had more efficient designs until the Kepler arrived. Not that I care about efficiency, but for someone who cares there are two factors to consider: The 6000 series has really good efficiency, and secondly the low end nvidia cards are junk. The GT640 is a steaming of god awful and is second rate compared to nearly everything - 6870, 7850, 7770, the list goes on.

The candidates to consider are:

7770
6770
6870
7850
GTX 460
560ti

 

[Rvenger]

They all can run hot if your case has poor ventilation

 

[futurefields]

I don't know where you get that 6000 runs hotter and louder than 400/500 but, AMD has always had more efficient designs until the Kepler arrived. Not that I care about efficiency, but for someone who cares there are two factors to consider: The 6000 series has really good efficiency, and secondly the low end nvidia cards are junk. The GT640 is a steaming of god awful and is second rate compared to nearly everything - 6870, 7850, 7770, the list goes on.

The candidates to consider are:

7770
6770
6870
7850
GTX 460
560ti

I'm curious why you left out the 6850, which outperforms the 460, the 7770, and the 6770, and is within the budget.

 

[futurefields]

In fact new 6870's are out of the thread starters budget. According to Newegg. 170 > 150

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...n=6870&x=0&y=0

The best choice for the TS is a 6850, in my opinion.

 

[xcal237]

OP if your willing to dish out $50 more quids

http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-G...ywords=HD+6870

even lower price on evga store

http://www.evga.com/products/prodlist.asp?switch=20

 

[Crap Daddy]

560ti > 6870 > 560 (non ti).

That is correct. I was suggesting the OP the best card for 150$. Without a doubt the best card under 150$ new is the GTX560 non Ti. If OP can find a 6870 that would suit his budget then it is the better deal.

 

[lopri]

It is unbelievable how long 6870 stays at this price point. I got mine for $150 shipped a year and a half ago.

 

[fishsauce]

What is your friend's resolution/monitor?

 

[Roland00Address]

This is a simplistic comparison but it helps get you an idea of the card speeds (I would not get a 550ti). Numbers are for crysis warhead from anandtech gpu bench 2012 at 1920x1080, Frost Bench Enthusiast Quality. You can use the same logic for other games (for example if your friend prefers battlefield 3 I would recommend nvidia.)

17.7-550ti
17.7-7750 (the 75w version at 800mhz)
20.7-7770
26.2-6850
26.5-560 (non ti at stock clocks)
29.7-560ti
30.4-6870

This is a great tool use it
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/GPU12/372

 

[futurefields]

OP if your willing to dish out $50 more quids

http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-G...ywords=HD+6870

even lower price on evga store

http://www.evga.com/products/prodlist.asp?switch=20

I think it would be smart if we ask the TS what psu he is planning on using before we start recommending GTX 480 level gpus, which also exceeds his budget by $50 from $150, which he is already stretching from $120 (aka did you even read his entire first post before you replied recommending the 480?)

 

[futurefields]

(because I need 2GB for Skyrim)

Yet consoles are running the game with 512mb at total system RAM.

Might just sell my PC that I just built and go back to consoles. That's all the developers care about anymore.

 

[vailr]

What's the best PCIe 3.0 + 28nm GPU card (nVidia 600 series or AMD 7000 series) in the $150 to $200 price range?
And: whatever happened to the AMD 7790, which was supposed to be the economy grade 7000 series card that yet still provided a 256-bit memory interface?

 

[Rezist]

If you can stretch to 200$ the 7850 2gb is by far the best bet.

 

[bryanW1995]

It is unbelievable how long 6870 stays at this price point. I got mine for $150 shipped a year and a half ago.

Classic half full/half empty scenario. Glass is half full for you ($150 6870 1.5 yrs ago) and me ($200 gtx 480 1 yr ago), but it's half-empty for anybody who needs a card right now.

 

[blastingcap]

Depreciation only goes so far, then it starts to flatten out for a long tail, maybe because there is still some demand out there for old cards for SLI/CF purposes, thus propping up the price. I'm in the market for an Athlon II X2 and years after it was introduced it's still clinging to $50 at most places.

 

[xcal237]

Yet consoles are running the game with 512mb at total system RAM.

Might just sell my PC that I just built and go back to consoles. That's all the developers care about anymore.

trust me i did that... and right now im trying to get rid of my ps3 stick with pc gaming

 

[SickBeast]

I just balked at a 7850 for $160 and went for a nicer 7870 for $195 instead. Prices are dropping on the 7850s and I would say they're a great option for the OP once prices settle a bit.

 

[lopri]

Classic half full/half empty scenario. Glass is half full for you ($150 6870 1.5 yrs ago) and me ($200 gtx 480 1 yr ago), but it's half-empty for anybody who needs a card right now.

I guess I could look at it that way. (my post could have conveyed such meaning, reading again) But actually I was lamenting the situation where there hasn't been a progress in that price sector.

I recently built a system for my family member with that 6870 and it will likely stay in that system until it outlives its use. (likely many years)

 

[blastingcap]

OP, here is a 7850 + Deus Ex game for $180 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150617

Edit: never mind that's a 1GB version. But the 2GB versions aren't much more than that.