Please recommend a video card

[DodgerLD]

Hi,

I'll be purchasing an Intel E8400 and an Asus P5Q mobo soon, and I need a PCIe 2.0 video card to go with it.

I don't play games, or use 3D software much at all, so it doesn't need to be super-powerful. In fact my budget it fairly low.

I'd like between 128 and 512 MiBs of memory, GDDR2 (or maybe 3), PCIe 2.0, and dual outputs.

I'm thinking ATI Radeon HD ... perhaps something by Asus.

Any recommendations/warnings?

Thanks,

D.

 

[krnmastersgt]

If you're on a budget why not get a board with an integrated gpu? E8400 is overkill imo for what you're describing, but your call. As for the video card, why do you need all the memory if you're not gaming/using 3d apps? PCI-E 2.0 is also a useless tag they stick on cards for now since they'll run on PCI-E 1.1 just as well. I'd say just go for the cheapest card from a reliable company/decent warranty with dual outputs and call it a day.

 

[FalseChristian]

I'd recommend a nVidia GeForce 9600 GSO.

 

[nbowman]

Originally posted by: DodgerLD
Hi,

I'll be purchasing an Intel E8400 and an Asus P5Q mobo soon, and I need a PCIe 2.0 video card to go with it.

I don't play games, or use 3D software much at all, so it doesn't need to be super-powerful. In fact my budget it fairly low.

I'd like between 128 and 512 MiBs of memory, GDDR2 (or maybe 3), PCIe 2.0, and dual outputs.

I'm thinking ATI Radeon HD ... perhaps something by Asus.

Any recommendations/warnings?

Thanks,

D.

before we go any farther, what do you plan to use it for? from the sound of it, I agree with KRN so far a motherboard with an integrated GPU might be just the thing - especially if your budget is low. and depending on what you plan to use it for, you may not even need the E8400, a e7200/7300 or e5200 or an AMD processor roughly equivalent may suffice.

 

[DodgerLD]

I use it for web and application development, including work with Photoshop. I also run virtual machines which would surely benefit from some hardware virtualization support.

I prefer to have separate m/board and GPU.

If I buy a fast processor now, I don't have to worry about upgrading my PC for a few years. But maybe you're right, maybe an E7xxx would be sufficient.

Damn, I thought I had the CPU & mobo selected ... LOL.

 

[vj8usa]

There's really no point in having discrete graphics if you don't need 3d acceleration. Even if you're watching HD movies, there are integrated chipsets that can offload the decoding, and at any rate your CPU should be able to handle it by itself if needed. As for virtualization, your VM's video will be virtualized, so it doesn't really matter what your host machine's video card is.

Edit: just noticed you need dual outputs. I guess that's reason enough to buy a separate card (but even then, you might as well just get the cheapest card you can find - I've seen 7300s going for free after rebate that'd suit your purposes).

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: FalseChristian
I'd recommend a nVidia GeForce 9600 GSO.

Why? He said he doesn't game at all!!!!! He could use an integrated GPU or maybe the cheapest PCI express card he can get his hands on.

 

[Wreckage]

Here ya go cheapest DX10 (Vista Aero) video card I could find, also passive cooling.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102808

If you don't mind a rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102724

 

[vj8usa]

Originally posted by: Wreckage
Here ya go cheapest DX10 (Vista Aero) video card I could find, also passive cooling.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102808

If you don't mind a rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102724

You don't need a DX10 card for Aero. It doesn't use any SM4 features that I'm aware of.

 

[Dadofamunky]

No. I strongly think you should get the E8400. You'll be very happy with the performance for 2D productivity apps. Also, more that $70 for a video card isn't necessary, so a 9600GT or something like that is just dandy for dual-display. For what you're doing, CPU power and enough RAM is king. An E5200 or E7xxx and such is a false economy, given the minimal price difference. With 8 Gigs of inexpensive DDR2, you can also set up a scratch disk in memory even under a 32-bit OS and Photoshop will scream. Also, I've heard around here that Photoshop CS4 supports CUDA on Nvidia cards, which supposedly means that you can load Photoshop directly onto the video card and get (this is ONLY what I've heard) exponential increases in performance. The 8800GT, 9600GT on up support this capability.

You can't really get a video card with less than 512 MB RAM these days.

Don't let people talk you down. I believe in buying stuff that will last. Why buy something you'll just want to replace in six months?

 

[palladium]

Agree with the E8400, OP would certainly benefit from the extra CPU power when he does his PS. I'm not sure how much performance increase he'll get from CUDA in CS4 - IMO it should be of a low priority. Of course, if he wants CUDA, 9600GSO should be the sweet spot for it.

 

[DodgerLD]

The version of Photoshop I have is old. I'm not exactly a 'hardcore' PS user, so I don't need an in-memory scratch disk, etc.

I just think that if I'm spending $450, what's an extra $60? I'm thinking that the faster clock, double L2 cache, faster FSB, and VT would be worth the extra money?

As for the video card, I'm happy to go with something 'cheap'. What about this one? http://za.asus.com/products.as...model=2051&modelmenu=1

Thanks for all the feedback so far.

 

[Keysplayr]

Next question. Do you need dual DVI output? I see the cards being linked to have 1 DVI and 1 standard VGA connector.
What kind of monitors do you have? LCD? Do they have DVI connections? Or are you using CRT's?

 

[Qbah]

I'd recommend a HD3450, so that link you posted fits my recommendation to the letter Passive cooling and can play the odd game too if it comes to that. Or perhaps try looking for a HD3470 with two DVI ports if you need that. I think there's a HD3450 with 2x DVI too though. Had one before I bought my current one and there's nothing bad I can say about it. Worked like a treat

Best parts? Cheap, passive, helps with HD content.

 

[DodgerLD]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
Next question. Do you need dual DVI output? I see the cards being linked to have 1 DVI and 1 standard VGA connector.
What kind of monitors do you have? LCD? Do they have DVI connections? Or are you using CRT's?

I'm using one LCD (DVI) at the moment, but I might get a CRT later for design work ... I doubt I'll need dual DVI within the next few years.

Thx.

 

[Keysplayr]

Ok, then any one of the cards, including the one you linked to, will be fine. However, if you decide on another LCD (with DVI) when the time comes instead of a CRT, you may benefit from Dual DVI. Just my opinion and always thinking for the future when I buy my PC parts.
DVI can run standard VGA via an adapter that is usually supplied with the card. You cannot go the other way around, e.g. A standard VGA to DVI. Better to have Dual DVI as it can do either 2 CRT (2 adapters), 1 LCD + 1 CRT (1 adapter), or 2x LCD (no adapters).

IMHO.

In which case, something like this would be fine:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814131038

 

[DodgerLD]

Thanks for all the help. I don't think dual DVI is worth the extra money right now, as I'm not likely to need it any time soon.

I'll probably go with the Asus ATi Radeon HD3450 - 256MB - PCI-E EAH3450/HTP/256M (or 512M, not much more expensive -- are there any benefits to additional GPU memory for non-3D applications?).

D.

 

[Keysplayr]

You think that more RAM is worth the extra expense, something you may never need with 2D apps, yet you won't pay a little extra for dual DVI, something you may very well use. Your thinking is just a bit off on this one. Switch around these two priorities. Just trying to help you out here. Which is what you wanted.

Bottom line. It's much MORE likely that you will need Dual DVI in the future rather than extra RAM on the card for 2D apps. Put your money where you will most likely need it.

 

[DodgerLD]

I didn't say that, I asked if there were any benefits to having extra GDDR for 2D applications. Also, the price difference is far smaller.

Asus ATi Radeon HD3450 - 256MB - PCI-E EAH3450/HTP/256M ? R 379.00 ~ $38.45
Asus ATi Radeon HD3450- 512MB - PCI-E EAH3450/HTP/512M ? R 456.00 ~ $46.31 (+ 20%)

Asus EAH3650/HTDI/256M ? R 779.00 ~ $78.98 (+ 105%)

 

[Keysplayr]

I linked you to this card which is just as cheap as your lowest prices card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814131038

34.99.

512MB GDDR2 and Dual DVI. Best of both worlds for a cheap price.

And to answer your question, you would be fine even with a 128MB card for just 2D.

 

[DodgerLD]

I forgot to mention in my first post that I'd like passive cooling.

 

[Keysplayr]

I give up.

 

[DodgerLD]

Sorry, I didn't mean to mess you around. I appreciate your help.

 

[Keysplayr]

No problem at all. :thumbsup: