Best gpu for $200-$250

[Kyushu]

Build selection so far is:

intel i7 930
asus p6x58d premium
corsair ddr3 6gb 1600mhz
corsair h70 CPU cooler
cm storm sniper
corsair hx850w
samsun px2370 1920x1080

looking for the best gpu I can get for 200-250. Will be playing ffxiv 3-8 hours at a time about 3-6 days a week. And need the gpu to last 1-2 years.

 

[SecrtAgentMan]

GTX 460

 

[MattNo5ss]

+1 to GTX460 1GB

 

[Kyushu]

Which gtx 460 is best? I am liking the evga gtx 460 1gb superclocked the one with the fan in the middle of it.
Is that the best choice?

 

[MattNo5ss]

I would get either eVGA or Gigabyte. Don't pay extra for the "Superclocked," you can easily OC these beasts yourself. If you go with eVGA, then you may want to look into the -AR model cards since they have lifetime warranty.

 

[Kyushu]

I really like the gtx 460 MSI Cyclone 1gb card. Is it a good one? Also I'd like to run it in sli, is that ok with that fan design? Will running those cards in sli possibly damage the fan on the top card against the bottom card? Will the top gpu be able to get enough air to be effective?

 

[MattNo5ss]

I have a MSI R5770 Hawk that's good and hasn't given me problems. You can SLI the MSI Cyclone, no problem. The top card will always run hotter than the bottom card, that's something you have to live with when you go SLI/Xfire.

 

[Bobnova]

Unless you can find a cheap 5850, the gtx460 dominates that category.

 

[Kyushu]

So I'll go with the msi gtx 460 cyclones 1gb unless someone has any good reason that I shouldn't.

 

[badboyeee]

GTX 460 1GB

 

[Bobnova]

Sounds good to me.
Personally I am not likely to buy anything but Asus, Gigabyte, or Biostar. I like their warranty setup the best.

 

[Lavacon]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150494

XFX 5850 ^

$15 off w/ promo code EMCYWZV57, ends 8/23

$255.

If not.... 460 1gb all the way ;-)

 

[Jmtyra]

+1 GTX 460

 

[Bobnova]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150494

XFX 5850 ^

$15 off w/ promo code EMCYWZV57, ends 8/23

$255.

If not.... 460 1gb all the way ;-)

Good find! That's what i'd get, if possible.
Unless you can find a gtx460 1gb for $200-210.

 

[ratbuddy]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150494

XFX 5850 ^

$15 off w/ promo code EMCYWZV57, ends 8/23

$255.

I'd go with this one if you're gonna be playing FF14 as a full time job

ATI cards just do way better in the benchmark for that particular game, and there's no guarantee SE or Nvidia will ever bring performance up through driver or game updates.

 

[jdsparks21]

by far i would buy a GTX 460 best bang for the buck

 

[ratbuddy]

I'll spell it out more clearly: the ATI 5850 and 5870 completely dominate benchmarks in this game. The OP said 3-8 hours an 3-6 days a week playing just FF14. That makes the 460 not the best card for his application. Yes, it's a great card overall (hey, I bought one too), but it's not the right card for this specialized situation.

edit: See http://www.ffxivorigin.com/content/benchmark-scores-72/ for the first result that jumped out at me.

 

[Kyushu]

I heard that about that benchmark. A Lot!
However, I also heard that the ffxiv benchmark is not accurate with the gtx 460 cards. I've read a lot that it's not the drivers on the gtx 460, but the benchmark that's not optimized.

Do a search on benchmark or reviews of the msi gtx 460 1gb cyclone and you'll find benchmarks where this particular gtx 460 did just as good in all games except with the ffxiv benchmark.

So while I've read that the 5850 is better on the ffxiv benchmark, I've heard an equal amount that the ffxiv benchmark is not accurate especially with the nvidia.

The msi cyclone gtx 460 1gb card is $230 right now. I've read nothing but good things about this card at atleast 5 different websites.

That 5850 does seem like a great deal, however I know nothing about that version of that card. I know for a fact performance can vary with different designs and companies of the same card...

So if anyone has that exact 5850 and can tell me how it performs (fps, heat, noise etc..) that would be awesome.

I'd rather get the 5850, but that damn benchmark inaccuracy makes things really unclear and confusing for me.

 

[Bobnova]

Kyushu, the OP is going to be playing just FF14, nothing else.
That makes nvidia a bad idea, because like you said, they are not good in that game.

 

[Neuromancer]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150494

XFX 5850 ^

$15 off w/ promo code EMCYWZV57, ends 8/23

$255.

If not.... 460 1gb all the way ;-)

Excellent find! I was going to lookup that new EAH5830... suppposedly OCs like a monster and when OCed = a 5850 (would do more research before I beleived that though...)


A $200 dollar 460 though is right there though.. tempting...



EDIT: Yah bobnova.. what games you play will heavily sway what card is right for you...