Best graphic card for $600

[bonecrusher]

I am building my new gaming rig in a week my config i sorted most of my parts but i dont know which graphic card to go with

9800 gtx+ in 3 way sli
OR
gtx 260 in 2 way sli
OR
hd 4870 in cf

 

[krnmastersgt]

Why do you need any of those? Most games will run off just 1 260 or 4870 just fine, and when it scales, SLIed GTX+s would do better than that too. Also I hope you didn't forget, but 3 way sli requires a board capable of it, which for Tri-SLI is usually $200+.

 

[bonecrusher]

i have evga 780i mobo and also i am planing to buy 24 inch dell lcd moniter

 

[OCGuy]

I would say no on the tri-sli right off the bat. Then it comes down to your preference for either 260's or the 4870's, between that Id go with the 260's for the 896MB of VRAM. Or you can wait a couple weeks for the X2 4870 card, which will have 1GB of RAM (2GB, but it isnt shared)

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: bonecrusher
i have evga 780i mobo and also i am planing to buy 24 inch dell lcd moniter

MAYBE YOU SHOULD TYPE IN CAPS TO HELP GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS!

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: bonecrusher
I am building my new gaming rig in a week my config i sorted most of my parts but i dont know which graphic card to go with

9800 gtx+ in 3 way sli
OR
gtx 260 in 2 way sli
OR
hd 4870 in cf

Ati 4870X2 / 4870 crossfire or 260 SLI (overclocked)

 

[krnmastersgt]

22" monitor pretty much means you aren't going higher than 1680x1050, and at that resolution just 1 GTX+ could probably run any game you can think of at max everything, if you wanna be on the safe side just 1 4870 or 260 and you're pretty future proofed to for that res.

Also, Crossfire doesn't run on the 780i, you'd need a new motherboard fyi.

 

[HOOfan 1]

He said he was getting a 24" monitor..I would think the 9800GTX+ dual Sli would do the trick though.

 

[Denithor]

I would say single GTX 280 ($400AR) or SLI 9800GTX ($350-400).

Two 9800GTX in SLI mode will kill nearly everything out there today in most cases (as long as SLI works with your games). Just look at these pages (1 2) of benchmarks for a general comparison of these cards.

 

[Quiksilver]

Originally posted by: bonecrusher
i have evga 780i mobo and also i am planing to buy 24 inch dell lcd moniter

Crossfire does not work in nForce motherboards.

So throw that out.

Tri-SLI isn't worth the money for the performance it has.


Only options would be GTX260/9800GTX+ in SLI or a single GTX280.

 

[bonecrusher]

I am HAPPY to get gtx 280 but pricing in india almost cost you around $1000

 

[taltamir]

I would say a single 260 or 4870 for a 24 inch monitor. SLI if you get a bigger monitor.

 

[unr3al]

Boy prices are screwed up. Same here in SA, nearly $1000 for a GTX280 with the latest price drops... The HD4870 goes for less than half that though. The GTX260 SLi option would be the best choice; tri SLi is pointless (performance from the third card is in no way worth the price) and as already stated, you don't have Crossfire on an nVidia board.

 

[KIAman]

How would anybody determine the best under $600 setup if they don't know the prices? List the prices of

1. GTX260
2. 9800GTX+
3. 9800GX2

Then we can give an intelligent response.

From your OP, I would say 2xGTX260 SLI

 

[RussianSensation]

If you are set on getting a dual card setup and want multi-monitor support, get 4850s. They seem to be the most reasonable "value". There is no need to spend $600 on an SLI setup.

9800GTX OC SLI vs. 4850CF vs. 4870CF vs. 280 SLI

 

[SolMiester]

He is in India, the 4850 will die out there!!...LOL

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: bonecrusher
i have evga 780i mobo and also i am planing to buy 24 inch dell lcd moniter

Um, you guys realize that a 780i motherboard only supports SLi right? Because... That would kinda put off the idea of any ATI product. (Besides maybe a 4870X2) My suggestion is to go with the 260s although I kinda wish you'd get a 4870X2 (is it out yet?).

 

[TC91]

Well the crossfire thing on nforce, everyone keeps saying it doesnt work but I never seen anyone actually try it out in the real world to see if it actually works or doesn't. I don't see how the nforce boards differ that much from intel chipsets when using multiple ati cards, technically I think it would work since the ati display drivers don't check for a specific chipset like the geforce drivers.

Anyways if you must spend 600bucks on a graphics system, then i would go gtx 260 SLI, as the 9800gtx+ only has 512mb of vram. Or you can wait and get the 4870x2 or if you wanted, you could test out 2 4870's on the nforce to see if it works or not (I would greatly appreciate that).

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: TC91
Well the crossfire thing on nforce, everyone keeps saying it doesnt work but I never seen anyone actually try it out in the real world to see if it actually works or doesn't. I don't see how the nforce boards differ that much from intel chipsets when using multiple ati cards, technically I think it would work since the ati display drivers don't check for a specific chipset like the geforce drivers.

Anyways if you must spend 600bucks on a graphics system, then i would go gtx 260 SLI, as the 9800gtx+ only has 512mb of vram. Or you can wait and get the 4870x2 or if you wanted, you could test out 2 4870's on the nforce to see if it works or not (I would greatly appreciate that).

Oh my god...

It doesn't work, period. Done, end of discussion. He has to get either 4870X2 OR 260 SLi. Also don't expect to get another 4870X2 either because, it WON'T WORK ON A NFORCE BOARD.

You are basically asking him to be a guinea pig for your stupid project that will end up costing him 600$ and which 300$ of will go down the drain and NOT be used. (INTEL = CROSSFIRE, NFORCE = SLi. THEY DO NOT WORK THE OTHER WAY)

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: TC91
you could test out 2 4870's on the nforce to see if it works or not (I would greatly appreciate that).

Thats a joke, right?

 

[TridenT]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: TC91
you could test out 2 4870's on the nforce to see if it works or not (I would greatly appreciate that).

Thats a joke, right?

Sadly, I think it isn't a joke... -_-

 

[TC91]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555

Originally posted by: TC91
Well the crossfire thing on nforce, everyone keeps saying it doesnt work but I never seen anyone actually try it out in the real world to see if it actually works or doesn't. I don't see how the nforce boards differ that much from intel chipsets when using multiple ati cards, technically I think it would work since the ati display drivers don't check for a specific chipset like the geforce drivers.

Anyways if you must spend 600bucks on a graphics system, then i would go gtx 260 SLI, as the 9800gtx+ only has 512mb of vram. Or you can wait and get the 4870x2 or if you wanted, you could test out 2 4870's on the nforce to see if it works or not (I would greatly appreciate that).

Oh my god...

It doesn't work, period. Done, end of discussion. He has to get either 4870X2 OR 260 SLi. Also don't expect to get another 4870X2 either because, it WON'T WORK ON A NFORCE BOARD.

You are basically asking him to be a guinea pig for your stupid project that will end up costing him 600$ and which 300$ of will go down the drain and NOT be used. (INTEL = CROSSFIRE, NFORCE = SLi. THEY DO NOT WORK THE OTHER WAY)

well the last time i checked you were allowed to return graphics cards.

 

[Hugh H]

I have two 9800 gtx in SLI and they work great. But if the prices of the gtx 260 were back then the same they are now, I would have definetely gone with gtx 260 SLI. You would be set for a long time.

**Make sure you have a good, capable PSU.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: TC91

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555

Originally posted by: TC91
Well the crossfire thing on nforce, everyone keeps saying it doesnt work but I never seen anyone actually try it out in the real world to see if it actually works or doesn't. I don't see how the nforce boards differ that much from intel chipsets when using multiple ati cards, technically I think it would work since the ati display drivers don't check for a specific chipset like the geforce drivers.

Anyways if you must spend 600bucks on a graphics system, then i would go gtx 260 SLI, as the 9800gtx+ only has 512mb of vram. Or you can wait and get the 4870x2 or if you wanted, you could test out 2 4870's on the nforce to see if it works or not (I would greatly appreciate that).

Oh my god...

It doesn't work, period. Done, end of discussion. He has to get either 4870X2 OR 260 SLi. Also don't expect to get another 4870X2 either because, it WON'T WORK ON A NFORCE BOARD.

You are basically asking him to be a guinea pig for your stupid project that will end up costing him 600$ and which 300$ of will go down the drain and NOT be used. (INTEL = CROSSFIRE, NFORCE = SLi. THEY DO NOT WORK THE OTHER WAY)

well the last time i checked you were allowed to return graphics cards.

In most countries there is no such things as "returns", in fact, even if the item is DEFECTIVE they will not let you return it, they will LAUGH at you for suggesting... and tell you to send it to the manufacturer, if the item is physically damaged (and thus not covered by warranty) they will say either that you broke it, or that you should have checked it in the store.

keep in mind he lives in India... and they want 1000$ for a single GTX280 there...

 

[ZootyGray]

4870