Would the 192 bit memory interface on the 660 Ti hurt it in multi monitor gaming?

gaming monitor reviews 2012 image

Deadboy90

Would my 256 bit 6850 be better suited for it? I'm already playing bf3 on medium-high with 3 monitors.

Answer
Between those two there's no comparison... the GTX 660 Ti is comparable to a Radeon HD 7950!

The 192-bit bus would hurt when trying to push detail levels to max on multiple monitors but overall the GTX 660 Ti crushes the 6850. It even leaves the 6870, 6950, 7850 and 7870 in the dust.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6159/the-geforce-gtx-660-ti-review/11
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_660_Ti_Power_Edition/21.html
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/09/13/nvidia-geforce-gtx-660-2gb-review/5

What gaming computer can run Crysis 2 full graphics with no FPS drops ?

Mokats

Doesnt matter the price give me the specs i have 6 grand to spend

Answer
Either of these would do nicely:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229340
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229344

Or go for higher quality and more power with this:
http://www.digitalstormonline.com/comploadhailstorm.asp?id=676382

You'd only need to go above that if you're running multiple monitors.

If you still want more power, go for this:
http://www.digitalstormonline.com/compload550d.asp?id=676463

You could spend more, but even the cheapest of these computers can easily max Crysis 2 (which is less demanding than original Crysis, Arma II and Battlefield 3)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7850_HD_7870/13.html
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/03/05/amd-radeon-hd-7850-2gb/3

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Would buying a 3GB graphics card be better than buying a new processor and then a new graphics card with less?

gaming monitor reviews 2012 image

The Close

I could use a new processor, but i also could really use a new graphics card. But I also don't have much money, so i was wondering if i just buy a graphics card with increased gb if it'll cover the bottleneck from the processor?

Answer
No.

Amount of VRAM is one of the *least* important specs on a graphics card, it's the MODEL that determines performance, not the memory. Having 3B rather than 2GB doesn't matter unless you're running multiple monitors or resolutions like 2560x1600 and up.

Your fps are determined by your model of card, and cards under $150 aren't powerful enough to use more than 1GB anyway (so it's just a scam paying extra for 2GB on budget cards)

http://www.hardware-revolution.com/mistakes-when-buying-video-card/

Your graphics card is more important than your processor... as long as the processor is "good enough" you're fine. Your in-game performance is approximately 70% dependent upon your graphics card.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GT_520/10.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gt-640-review,3214-3.html
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/09/13/nvidia-geforce-gtx-660-2gb-review/5

Which of these graphic cards should I buy?

Mansour

My budget is around $200, which of these graphic cards should i buy?
GTX 570
Radeon 6850
Radeon 7850

you can give me another one if you think its better :)

Thanks!

Answer
The Radeon HD 6850 doesn't belong in this conversation. That's a $150 card, much slower than the others. The HD 6850 is weaker than the HD 6870, GTX 560 and GTX 560 Ti, all of which are still slower than the HD 7850 and GTX 570.

Overall, the GTX 570 is a slightly better performer and has better drivers. However, it only has 1.28GB of video RAM, making it less desirable if you're gaming at 1920x1080 or higher resolution.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7870-review-benchmark,3148-21.html

Today's highest-end games running on maximum detail at 1080p already require more VRAM than that. If your monitor resolution is 1680x1050 or lower, then the GTX 570 would be a better choice than the Radeon HD 7850. Also note that BF3 is a title that runs better with Nvidia cards anyway. In BF3 even the GeForce GTX 560 Ti matches the Radeon HD 7850. But overall if you're gaming at 1920x1080 or higher resolution, you'll want the 2GB Radeon HD 7850.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/03/05/amd-radeon-hd-7850-2gb/4

If you can spend $30 more, your best option is the brand-new GeForce GTX 660 (non-Ti). That has performance equal to a Radeon HD 7870.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130826

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-660-geforce-gtx-650-benchmark,3297-7.html
http://www.techspot.com/review/572-nvidia-geforce-gtx-660/page5.html

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Help me choose the best parts to build a computer build?

gaming monitor reviews 2012 image

Dominik

Lately I have been thinking about building a computer rig. I decided to use a forum post to do so.


1. What is the purpose of the computer? (Note: If you are planning to say multimedia, you will have to be more specific as all types of systems are capable of doing that)
Programming. - Visual Studio 2012, Microsoft Office 2012, Compiling, Graphics, Adobe Master's Collection ( Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Fireworks ). Very very little gaming will be done. This rig is not intended to be a gaming rig.

2. Are you open to alternate ideas/products giving similar better performance but offering more VFM / sellers? If not- why?
Yes

3. What is your MAX budget?
3000 dollars

4. Planning to overclock?
Maybe. I heard that overclocking on processors wear them down. Don't know if it's good to overclock.

5. Which OS are you planning to use?
Windows 7 Professional

6. How much hard drive space is needed?
2 TB

7. What resolution will the screen run at & whats the size of the screen you want?
If you already want have one and want to use it, mention its resolution and size.
Screen resolution: 2560 x 1440 WQHD, 27 inch

8. How would you rate your hardware knowledge from the count of 1-10? (1 being the lowest, 5 being you are somewhat in sync with the current performers and 10 being the highest)
8

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Done by an assembler

10. When are you planning to buy the system?
3 week

11. Are you one of the types looking out for "future proof" configurations?
No

12. Are there going to be any components that you don't want to include in this new rig? If yes, do mention.
i3 and i5 processors

13. Which city do you live in and are you open to buying from shops from other city/states?
USA and want to buy parts in the USA

Answer
$3000 is beyond overkill for such a machine. However, it sounds like this is a business machine and therefore I suggest you buy a business class workstation from a Tier 1 manufacturer because you don't want to be troubleshooting stuff by yourself while your money-making computer is down. you want to call someone and have them send the replacement part overnight.

If you insist on building, i'd suggest nix327's build from here

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/toms-hardware-bestconfigs-build-a-pc,3453-3.html

but replace the i3 with an i7-3770 (not the K version since you won't be overclocking) and upgrade the 64GB SSD to the 256GB Samsung 840 in the other build. You'll still be well below $1000 so invest in a nice monitor, maybe one of the 27" 1440p models since I know developers like their real estate space. The onboard GPU in the i7 is more than enough to power that resolution for software development and the occasional flash based game.

How much computer stuff would I need to play Rome Total War 2 for optimum performance and graphics?

Bryce

Need a new computer. Not really a tech junkie so keep the explanation simple. What kind of computer would be good? How many graphics or Sound cards would I need? How much will it cost me to play this game. Im such a fan I must know

Answer
Well it's not released yet, so nobody is 100% certain right now. However, it's going to have a new engine and people expect it will have similar requirements to Total War: Shogun 2.

http://diaryofdennis.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/total-war-rome-2-estimated-system-requirements-and-release-date-probably-2013/

So basically, that means a desktop computer around $800-$900. The bottom-line specs you'll want:

1 - Core i5 processor (2nd or 3rd generation)

2 - At least 4GB of RAM (almost all new systems come with 8GB anyway)

3 - A graphics card around $125-$150, at least a Radeon HD 7770 or GeForce GTX 560 SE. Get a $170 card like a GeForce GTX 560 or Radeon HD 6870 and you'll be way in the clear.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5541/amd-radeon-hd-7750-radeon-hd-7770-ghz-edition-review/14

Building from scratch is the best option, as pre-built systems typically don't have good graphics cards. You could always buy a $600 computer from Best Buy and upgrade the graphics card and power supply yourself, or pay a tech to install 'em for you. You could also look into getting a custom-built system from CyberpowerPC or Ibuypower's websites, but that costs more.

Here are some stock computers that would work:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229335
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227412
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227435

But you'd be better off buying this:
http://www.amazon.com/Gateway-DX-Series-DX4860-UR14P-Desktop/dp/B007W11590/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1349292447&sr=1-2&keywords=gateway+desktop+i5

Then adding these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130661

If you're planning to play on a full HD monitor (1920x1080 resolution) then you should get a 2GB graphics card. But the card model is more important than the memory. Don't think for a second that a $60 card with 2GB would work. You'll need a gaming-level card, like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129230

Anyway, upgrading a starting computer might save you $100-$150 compared to looking for a pre-built system with the specs you want.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What is a good cheap graphics card?

gaming monitor reviews 2012 image

kyler960

I am looking for a good graphics card for gaming. I need a graphics card that can play BF3 and other good games like that. I am looking to spend $300 at the most i can go a little over.
my specs are
64 bit op
intel core of I5 2300
6 Ram
Intel HD Graphics
and could a better monitor help at all?
my monitor is a SyncMaster 793S

Answer
It looks like CasualPC is cutting and pasting things without a clue as to what he's saying. While the Radeon HD 7850 is certainly a nice $250 card, it's direct competition from Nvidia isn't the GTX 550 Ti - that's a $125 card.

A better monitor probably won't help, but then again you haven't mentioned your existing monitor specs ;)

In general, it's the opposite. With a 1600x900 monitor you get better performance (in terms of fps) than with a 1920x1080 monitor, because there are fewer pixels that need to be processed. The higher your screen resolution goes, the more powerful (and expensive) a card must be in order to achieve high fps. Other things like lower refresh times and better contrast may improve visual quality, but higher resolution lowers performance.

Anyway, to support any gaming cards over $110 you need a good power supply. At least 500 watts and preferably 600 watts. So if your computer only has a stock 300W power supply, you'll need to upgrade that first.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017

Assuming the PSU takes a chunk of your $300 budget, your best option is the 2GB Radeon HD 6950, which is a fantastic deal at $200 even:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102987

If you don't mind stretching your budget a little (or if you already have a good PSU), then $250 cards like the Radeon HD 7850 and GeForce GTX 570 are worth considering:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161406
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130613

However, I don't recommend buying either of those right now, because Nvidia's new GTX 660 Ti hits store shelves within the next 2-3 days, and it's expected to outperform both of those cards by a fair margin. I'd wait to see what reviews of the GTX 660 Ti are like, because it's probably going to be the card everyone wants in that bracket. And if nothing else, the introduction of a newer-generation faster card will probably mean immediate price cuts on existing models. So by waiting a few days you''ll probably see lower prices on the Radeon HD 7850.

Keep in mind, cards of that level are only needed if you're trying to play BF3 on ULTRA settings at 1920x1080 resolution. If your monitor resolution is 1680x1050, even $170 cards like the GeForce GTX 560 and Radeon HD 6870 are enough to play BF3 smoothly on ultra settings, or high settings at 1920x1080.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121446

Battlefield 3 performance:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5541/amd-radeon-hd-7750-radeon-hd-7770-ghz-edition-review/17
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/03/05/amd-radeon-hd-7850-2gb/4

Good luck!

GTX 680 sli or Radeon HD 7970 crossfire for Battlefield 3?

Torsten D'

I obviously intend too get good performance. I have looked at the benchmarks for multiple games and they seem to outperform each other in different games. I will be using a Intel i5 2500k or the ivy bridge equivalent. Also will a 950 watt PSU be good enough for this system? Intend to mainly be playing Battlefield 3 and Crysis. So 7970 crossfire or GTX 680 sli? Please help.

Answer
if you are goin to spend that lot of money, on big resolutions (two monitors) CF 7970 win over sli gtx 680 by much look at this link http://www.chw.net/2012/04/geforce-gtx-680-vs-radeon-hd-7970-review-en-2-way-slicf-y-multi-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-137568 and also single 7970 win to single 680 where it really matter: mounster games like Metro 2033 or Shogun 2 total war, i don't know why but in the rest of soft games, nvidia outperfome to ati. I'm getting gtx 680 just because i need a powerfull videocard but small and fresh for my midle case, plus i live in Venezuela and i can take advantage over the warranty transfer of evga. what i hate of 7970 is the too big size and that has not physix and i love physix.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers