Video Cards

[bmwgs]

OK, to keep me from having to do a bunch of searching and reading stuff I really don't understand, what are the better video cards that are out now?  I do want the capability to run triple monitors, that is the main reason I am looking.

Everybody gets hung up on price, so lets say up to $500.00

Thanks

Fred

[Brooke]

Best place to look is Tom's Hardware "Best card for the money" articles, which are kept up to date and give their pics for best cards at different price points.

Latest one (November 2013) is here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

[guncrasher]

Best place to look is Tom's Hardware "Best card for the money" articles, which are kept up to date and give their pics for best cards at different price points.

Latest one (November 2013) is here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

site is useless as they dont really specify the card they're recommending for nvidia cards.  for example they name the 770 as one of the best high end graphics card for about 330 bucks.  then you look at places like newegg and see that the price range is from 299 to 629.  lots of different cards from different manufactures, with different options.  but which specific 770 are they really thinking about?  which is the best card for 330 bucks?

it would be simpler if they would say something like for 330 bucks the 770 2 GB xx any brand withing 30 bucks except for this brand which we think it's crap it's better.  unless you want to spend 420 bucks for the 4 GB version in which case any of this cards are good but this other one for 660 bucks is not really a good return on your money.


in other words they play it safe by just being generic about a card.


semp


semp

[BaldEagl]

site is useless as they dont really specify the card they're recommending for nvidia cards.  for example they name the 770 as one of the best high end graphics card for about 330 bucks.  then you look at places like newegg and see that the price range is from 299 to 629.  lots of different cards from different manufactures, with different options.  but which specific 770 are they really thinking about?  which is the best card for 330 bucks?

it would be simpler if they would say something like for 330 bucks the 770 2 GB xx any brand withing 30 bucks except for this brand which we think it's crap it's better.  unless you want to spend 420 bucks for the 4 GB version in which case any of this cards are good but this other one for 660 bucks is not really a good return on your money.


in other words they play it safe by just being generic about a card.


semp


semp

It seels pretty obvious to me that if you looked for an Nvidia 770 in the price range specified you're probably getting decent bang for the buck.  Move to the next higher or lower price point, not so much.

<--- rocket scientist.   

[Debrody]

If you would like to run games on 3 monitors, you might could use as much video ram as possible.
R9 290/290x <with non-reference cooling>, about 500$
GTX 780 - the same performace as the 290, about 500$
Theese are both decent products, that will run everything in the next 4-5 years.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

site is useless as they dont really specify the card they're recommending for nvidia cards.  for example they name the 770 as one of the best high end graphics card for about 330 bucks.  then you look at places like newegg and see that the price range is from 299 to 629.  lots of different cards from different manufactures, with different options.  but which specific 770 are they really thinking about?  which is the best card for 330 bucks?

Site is far from useless. For 330 bucks you get the basic 770 with its basic level performance. If someone is dumb enough to pay double price for factory overclocked or prettier packaged versions it's their problem.

[bmwgs]

Thanks for all the responses.  I don't know how you all get into this computer stuff, reading all the details concerning various video cards gives me a headache.

My goal is to set up a three monitor system.  I have done some research and have found a number of cards that would work, but he!!, I can't tell the difference between one card and another except for the video memory and the price.  I looked at the ones Debrody recommended, and the price doesn't scare me, but which one of the 780's are we talking about?  Same goes for the other one.

I don't need an overkill card, I just want a good one that will support three monitors.  The only game I really play is this one, but in case I decide to branch out and play some of the other higher end games, I want the capability to do it.  I guess what I am asking is if anyone has any specific card recommendations?

I have no interest in keeping up with the latest and greatest computer hardware.  I want to thank the folks that provide information to us that are too lazy or uninterested in doing all the research that is needed to keep us with this stuff.

Thanks

Fred

[Debrody]

I looked at the ones Debrody recommended, and the price doesn't scare me, but which one of the 780's are we talking about?

The NVidia reference design has a decent cooling. The ones on newegg are basically the same. Heard that EVGA has some nice warranty on their products though.

Actually theese cards might be overkill for AH, even with 3 monitors.

[Brooke]

for example they name the 770 as one of the best high end graphics card for about 330 bucks.  then you look at places like newegg and see that the price range is from 299 to 629.  lots of different cards from different manufactures, with different options.  but which specific 770 are they really thinking about?  which is the best card for 330 bucks?

There are basically only two tweaks that significantly change the price:  do they overclock it, and does it come with more video memory.  If you look at the review, they list clock speed and memory and all the relevant stats for the card.  So, you can find exactly that and pick your manufacturer of choice.  That is the best way to do it given the number of vendors and number of cards available.

[Brooke]

Thanks for all the responses.  I don't know how you all get into this computer stuff, reading all the details concerning various video cards gives me a headache.

I don't.  I just look at the Tom's  review, pick my price, and they tell me which card is best for that money.

The only wrinkle to that is that I prefer NVidia over AMD (just slight personal preference over time -- nothing against folks who like AMD better).  So, if the best card for the money is an AMD, I look at the hierarchy and find the NVidia card that is comparable.

[FLS]

Thanks for all the responses.  I don't know how you all get into this computer stuff, reading all the details concerning various video cards gives me a headache.

My goal is to set up a three monitor system.  I have done some research and have found a number of cards that would work, but he!!, I can't tell the difference between one card and another except for the video memory and the price.  I looked at the ones Debrody recommended, and the price doesn't scare me, but which one of the 780's are we talking about?  Same goes for the other one.

I don't need an overkill card, I just want a good one that will support three monitors.  The only game I really play is this one, but in case I decide to branch out and play some of the other higher end games, I want the capability to do it.  I guess what I am asking is if anyone has any specific card recommendations?

I have no interest in keeping up with the latest and greatest computer hardware.  I want to thank the folks that provide information to us that are too lazy or uninterested in doing all the research that is needed to keep us with this stuff.

Thanks

Fred

If you like driving sims then 3 monitors rock. For flight sims the aspect ratio of 3 monitors in landscape mode is less than ideal. You push a lot of pixels you never look at.

[Gman]

The performance difference between the 770 and 780 is pretty big, especially when you o/c the 780, which is fairly safe and easy to do.  An O/C 460$ 780 will run right up there with the Titan, even surpass it in some ways, something the 770 cannot do.  I'm not saying the 770 is bad, or even a bad deal, it's a great deal, but for another 130$ and an O/C utility, you can possess one of the fastest cards you can get with the 780.  The 780 is not just an overclocked prettier 770, far from it.

And I agree with the 3 monitor for AH, I used it for a while, and went back to a single monitor for a number of reasons.

[bmwgs]

I decided to go with the 770.  I hear what you are saying about the three monitors, but what the heck, I think I am going to give a shot.

Thanks for all the information.

Fred

[The Fugitive]

I decided to go with the 770.  I hear what you are saying about the three monitors, but what the heck, I think I am going to give a shot.

Thanks for all the information.

Fred

I was in the same boat, 3 monitors or one big one. I went with the one big one. I use a 39 inch 1080p tv/monitor. I can push the field of view (FOV) out almost as much as a 3 screen setup if I want. What I found is that keeping the FOV  set to auto, or bumping it up just a bit gives me better graphics of what IS displayed. I have a 670 card and I spot dots much farther out than many folks. I can see the plane forms better and so can see which way thy are going easier.

It really depends on what your looking to do for your "viewing". With TrackIR and 39 inches of viewing space, I can't see how it could be much better.

[Masherbrum]

I just built my machine last night and bought this card and it will keep me happy for at least a couple of years.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130925

Bought it the day before Thanksgiving.    As much as I wanted a 780 GTX, my wife would have credit carded me in the junk and didn't want to try and cross that bridge.