Choosing a graphics card.

Hi,
I am buying a new computer and I am stuck between graphics cards as this computer is going to be used for gaming. Games like The Sims 3 F.E.A.R 2, GTA4 ect...

The first graphics card is a ASUS EN7600GT.

http://uk.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=6&l3=271&l4=0&model=1078&modelmenu=1

http://uk.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=6&l3=271&l4=0&model=1175&modelmenu=1

The second card is a XFX GeForce 8600GT

http://www.xfxforce.com/en-us/products/graphiccards/8series/8600gt.aspx



Could anyone advise me on which one to buy and use?

Thanks,
Dale

 

I'm also agree with PeteC, but I wanna give you a new option: A Radeon HD 4850m that's a very cool video card that will easily run the games you told, now if the $$$ is an obstacle, choose the HD 4770, it has GDDR5 memories and its performance is almost the same than the 4850, but if you want to go by the "Green way" (Nvidia) I recommend you the 8800gts or the 9800gts , those are very cool cards. I hope it helps
Cheers, and good luck with your new computer.

PS: Btw, make sure buying a 500W or upper Power Supply

 

If we knew your budget, we could help more... But even so, I would go with a GeForce 9 series over the 8 (ironic, I know, as I went to another 8 even when 9 was out... ), it's just so much more powerful (a 9500GT owns the 8600GT, and isn't that much more expensive)

 

Thanks for all your help.

My price range is around £90

I was thinking of going for the 8800 after seeing the price and reading reviews. I don't know much about anything above that.

 

For £90, you can definitely skip the 8600GT. A quick search of Dabs would indeed show an ATI Radeon HD 4850 to be within your budget (about £1 or so over with delivery), as is a GeForce 9600 GT. Both cards are 512 MB.

 

Make sure you heed Thewhipman's advice and ENSURE you have an adequate PSU in there. Current GPUs are more power hungry than CPUs as they can contain 100s of millions more transistors on the die. Because of these power demands, newer graphics cards often require additional power connections directly from the PSU. So not only must your PSU have enough horsepower, it must have the necessary power leads too.

Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom of the page. I recommend setting Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. If not listed, check a comparable card (same graphics engine and RAM) from a different maker. The key specifications, in order of importance are:

1. Current (amperage or amps) on the +12V rail,
2. Efficiency,
3. Total wattage.

Then look for power supply brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Ensure the supplied amperage on the +12V rails of your chosen PSU meets the requirements of your video card. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. I strongly recommend you pick a supply with an efficiency rating equal to, or greater than 80%. Look for the 80 Plus - EnergyStar Compliant label. And don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation).

Also, if your case cannot extract, and prevent the buildup of heat, you need to increase it's cooling capacity (typically by adding more or larger fans), or buy a different case - and FTR, I will never buy a case that does not support large (at least 120mm) fans and a washable air filter.

As this is a new build, I will add another 2 cents on cases. A good case will last you through 10 or more years of upgrades. There is often a desire to get a case with a fancy facade and flashing lights. No doubt they look cool, but after about 2 seconds of that, what's happening on the monitor (or monitors if you are a dual monitor fan ) becomes what's important. Lights do nothing for performance, consume some power, generate some heat, and do nothing for performance - worth repeating. A fancy facade becomes an outdated fad almost as quickly. A case should sit quietly, and discretely out of the way and be allowed to do its job of physically protecting the components inside from kicks, bumps, and heat. I like Antecs, but there are many other excellent cases that aren't out to make a fashion statement, and will fit in any decor.

Because everyone must (and is, right?) opening their cases at least once a month to inspect for dust buildup, and cleaning as necessary, you need easy access. The sheet metal edges should be "dressed" - either rolled or covered to prevent cut knuckles, and more importantly, blood on the electronics! The case must be ridged, with reinforced corners (especially important with aluminum cases) to prevent flexing and torque on the motherboard. Support for at least two large case fans to provide the desired front to back air flow. I like cases that have support for front mounted fans to draw cool air in - preferably through an easy to remove, washable filter.

One more cent - understand that if you buy a retail version of a CPU that comes supplied with an OEM heatsink fan assembly, using any other cooling solution VOIDS THE WARRANTY on the CPU! The warranties will also not cover damage if overclocked either - regardless the motherboard's ability to OC them. This applies to both Intel and AMD - proof (official links) available upon request.