fried video card

[wmills]

So, I fried my video card yesterday.  I want to get something that will increase my performance without breaking the bank.  Question:  How much card to I need to run 1024 hi res package?  Machine is running a E8400 Wolfdale 2 core (slightly overclocked) with 4 mb ddr2 ram (I know).  Am thinking of an Nvidia 650 ti or Radeon 7770 (1GB, 128 bit).  I might add a couple sticks of ram, too, if that will make a noticeable difference, but I foresee a motherboard upgrade in the not-too-distance future and don't want to spend money on ram I can't use on the new board if I don't have to.

Any thoughts, experiences appreciated.

<S> wmills

[Bizman]

I could run 1024 HiRes with my Radeon HD3870/512 Mb with mostly 59 fps, so the 7770 should do that with ease. Other than that, my machine is very similar to yours, E8500, 4 Gb DDR2 RAM, WinXP.

[gyrene81]

you're only running 4 megabytes of ram? can't be using windows with that... 

if you're still running winxp, adding memory won't do much for you. a 1gb video card, depending on the gpu specs, should get you up to 1024 textures in the hi-res pack. a gtx-650ti should get you better performance than a 7770 but...if you're planning on a system upgrade, save your money to get a better video card to go with the other upgrades.

[wmills]

Err, yeah.  That should have been "gb."  I'm old.  There was a time . . .

[wmills]

Thanks for the input. 

<S> wmills

[RTHolmes]

my GTS 250 runs AH, HiRes in HD with everything apart from shadows on at a pretty solid 60fps if that helps.

going by that, anything with a passmark over 1000 should be ok (minimum):
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

[numb1]

But no one is saying what resolution they are running it at lol..I get 1000 fps on 800by600 lol..

[MrRiplEy[H]]

But no one is saying what resolution they are running it at lol..I get 1000 fps on 800by600 lol..

Excellent point - requirements for the displaycard zoom up fast when screen resolution goes up.

[BaldEagl]

My machine is similar to your's; Intel E6750 OC'd to 3.2 Ghz, 4 Gb Kingston Hyper-X DDR2 800 RAM and an EVGA GTS 8800 512 on an EVGA 780i motherboard with Win XP Pro.  It runs 1024 textures without shadows, reflections or grass (all other graphics maxed) at a steady 59 fps on a 22" LG monitor at native resolution (1680 x 1050 IIRC).

The biggest problem you'll have is fitting in a newer, higher RAM vid card into a 32 bit OS if that's what you have as it will limit your system RAM even further (mine only uses 2.75 Gb's of the 4 Gb's installed as the vid card and mobo allotments eat into it).  If you're running a 64 bit OS then it won't matter how much RAM the vid card carries.

In either case don't waste your money on more RAM.

[Bizman]

But no one is saying what resolution they are running it at lol..I get 1000 fps on 800by600 lol..

Good point. I used to have 1920*1200, now 2560*1600. E8500, 4Gb ddr2, HD3870 512Mb, Gigabyte GA-EP35 mobo, XP Pro, 1024 textures, 59 fps mostly solid.

[RTHolmes]

by in HD I meant 1920x1080, 60Hz

[MrRiplEy[H]]

by in HD I meant 1920x1080, 60Hz

Full HD is 1080p, HD is 720p.

[Debrody]

I had an ati 4670 in my old machine, with 4 gigs of ddr3 1600 and a phenomII at 3.2GHz. Was running AH in full HD, hi res tex on, 2048 texture size, anti-aliasing one notch from the top, 2048 shadows, everything else maxed, but the smooth shadows were disabled, with a steady 55-60fps. It only became short with the smooth shadows, 4096 shadow texture size, and later with the ground cutter and the reflections. With my current 5830 (~7770 level), same type of CPU, twice as much system ram, i have everything maxed out but the anti-aliasing (one notch from the top) and the dynamic reflections set to static. It could handle it 2 notches better, but i dont like the way this feature looks that way.

If youre only using your computer to play AH, surf the net, do some daily work, a 7770 or a 650ti might be a good choice for the next 2-3 years. That old C2Duo will be able to handle that. But if youre planning to build a completely new system, then i would buy an at least 7870-7950-660ti-670 level card so your new build might last much longer.

[LCADolby]

my GTS 250 runs AH, HiRes in HD with everything apart from shadows on at a pretty solid 60fps if that helps.

going by that, anything with a passmark over 1000 should be ok (minimum):
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

1684!

Whoo-hoooo! 5770 FTW 

[numb1]

I just built my new rig and have yet to come back to AH.But in offline i am at 150+fps maxed out at 1440p..

But i do have a 3570k TWO 7950 boost cards in crossfire and 8gigs of 2133mhz ram running on a Asus Sabertooth mobo