Video Card Update

I had this topic up elsewhere but will have to ask again. I want to update my video card. I have the following: AMD Radeon HD 6570, Windows 7, 64 bit. It should be under 9 inches. about 20 CM? to fit the tower.

I like the Radeon card. Really do not want to pay over $200 USDs for it.

I remember this

I suggested you look for a Radeon 5970 which is an older card but, according to Chillblast, remains a really good spec. The only card I would change mine for is a 7970, but the upgrade wouldn't give me a great deal more than I have now.

Sue77 wrote:

I remember this

I suggested you look for a Radeon 5970 which is an older card but, according to Chillblast, remains a really good spec. The only card I would change mine for is a 7970, but the upgrade wouldn't give me a great deal more than I have now.

Uh, the 5970 is huge - over a foot long, actually. She'd need a new case (and in all likelihood, a new PSU) if she grabbed one...

Not something I'd recommend either -- crossfire setups (the 5970 is a dual GPU card, that's part of why it's a foot long) tend to have pretty bad microstutter and quirky driver issues.


baaack on topic: because of your case being small, the biggest/most powerful card you could fit in (at your price range and size restrictions) would probably be a 7770 - they tend to run a hair under nine inches and should be able to play most games, though it certainly won't max newer things. what PSU (power supply) do you have? that's always a factor with upgrades.

Where do I find the info for the PSU?

Thanks, Josh. Another question. I am not crazy about NVIDIA but would I be able to do better if I switched to a NVIDIA card? I would like to get the best possible deal.

Nakia the Rogue wrote:

Where do I find the info for the PSU?

Thanks, Josh. Another question. I am not crazy about NVIDIA but would I be able to do better if I switched to a NVIDIA card? I would like to get the best possible deal.

It'd be the little box in the bottom (or top) of your case - big, rectangular and usually grey. It'll have a sticker on it with its model and specifications (here's an example of a power supply - the sticker location is usually on the side)

No point in showing brand loyalty with computer components; if you find an nVidia card that meets your requirements in regards to size and power, go for it -- the best sites to check reviews of cards are TechPowerUp, Guru3d and HardOCP usually.

Thanks, Josh, much appreciated.

This may help with your decision. I've been told by Martin at Chillblast he is now recommending Nvidia graphics cards as they have half the failure rate of Radeon. 3-4% as against 7-9%.

Sue, I will also check with Best Buy and see what they recommend. I have a local store and they have an excellent reputation.