Video card suggestions < $250.00 USD

[damage_inc]

Okay, when I first built my/this computer I did it cause I wuzz bored and at that time wasn't doing any gaming! My WinXP box was just so lonnnnng in the tooth that I had to geek out a lil'. hehe

It has an ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 motherboard, AMD Phenom II quad core 965 Black Edition processor and 4 Gigs of ram. Stock, nothings OC'd. At first I used the onboard graphics, as this was just a better surf the web/watch movies computer. Later I upgraded to a HIS Radeon 5770 1Gig video card. Yes, there are better cards now and this is why I'm asking...

AMD 7850 or nVidia 660(ti etc)??? 2 Gig cards minimum.

I dual boot and from what I've seen, I think, nVidia is the way to go as their drivers(proprietary) are better in Linux. I don't even use ATI drivers currently in LInux, I once switched and it made the desktop all sluggish and/or jerky feeling/looking.

So chime in with your setups and let me know, I'll prolly be buying this weekend. Thanks in advance,
- damage_

[powerzord]

For quake I recommend older cards , I have nvidia 8400 and 9500 , if your lucky u might find an agp 8x card , pro quake is the best

[foq]

Dude, that board has no AGP port. It's the year 2013, why would you recommend an AGP card?

CPU-Z Validator 3.1
This is my system. Old and outdated by today's latest and greatest, though it still does pretty good.

I don't think anybody really uses Linux to play games, so don't let AMD's lackluster Linux drivers put you off from buying a Radeon. Here's a Radeon 7870 GHz for just $20 more than the 7850 you mentioned. Performance summary of the GTX 660 (non-Ti, which is what you listed). As you can see the Radeon 7850 is slightly slower, but the Radeon 7870 GHz is slightly faster. Weigh your options based on your preferences. For $10 less (in the case of the Radeon I listed vs the GeForce you listed) you get a slightly faster card. Are the better Linux drivers worth that much to you, even though you're probably not gaming via Linux?

[powerzord]

If you can find a motherboard with agp x then you're set

[foq]

If this were 1998 then sure.

[damage_inc]

@powerzord: You're a funny guy. If I wanted that kind of performance I'd simply turn off three of my cores in the bios and re-enable onboard video Thanks, NEXT!

@foq: I use Linux almost full time and don't play the latest and greatest games yet so better 'Nix drivers could be the swing vote

Also I looked in my case, even though it seems kinda big, [Card Dimensions
11.69" x 5.5" x 1.73"] I don't think that 7870 will FIT! I'll measure again. Thanks for the input.

EDIT: Yeah, I just remeasured, not gonna fit

[DeadTenor]

This is what I have, if that helps your decision making...
EVGA 660 02G-P4-2662-KR

[damage_inc]

This is what I have, if that helps your decision making...
EVGA 660 02G-P4-2662-KR

What's your frame rate like in Darkplaces, or other similar quake engines, Dead'? You know, using some of the mods(smc etc) here?

[foq]

Well, if the 7870 won't even fit and the 660 would, I think we have a winner.

[DeadTenor]

What's your frame rate like in Darkplaces, or other similar quake engines, Dead'? You know, using some of the mods(smc etc) here?

Darkplaces with demo1.dem:
high poly models/skins/QRP textures/too many eye candy mods to mention
1920 by 1200
4x Anisotropic
2x AA
all eye candy on (including rtl lighting and bloom)
custom high quality config settings
averages about 125 fps (though I normally play with vsync on), with the lowest fps hitting 98 and the highest at 225 fps.

Rig: Windows 7 x64/8 GB RAM 80 GB SSD for OS, 500 GB 7200 RPM with Quake on the latter --latest Nvidia beta drivers

you can also watch this video, which was using the same video card though I had vsync on so the fps never goes past 60. The video is a couple months old and I was using rygels texturepack back then, but it gives you an idea of what it can do. Bear in mind that I was recording HD video at the same time so that was making a huge impact on the fps-- it still remained very playable.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDnhAgo3Y5E]Kleshik Coop mod for Quake Darkplaces 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

[damage_inc]

Got the card, same as yours 'Dead, going to install now...

UpDaTe: suhhhhh'weeeeeeeeet, plenty of horsepower now! I don't see(vsync off) or feel(vsync on) any double digits frame rates, loving it

[powerzord]

I recommended older cards for competive play, i have won many tournaments and am also in clan godly , dark places and spiffy graphics do need powerful cards, but that won't help you get the most frags

[DeadTenor]

Cool dude glad my advice helped out your decision

[damage_inc]

Cool dude glad my advice helped out your decision

Once you posted you frame rate(DP with all the trimmin's), yeah... it was already purchased Thanks.

[Mindf!3ldzX]

I recommended older cards for competive play, i have won many tournaments and am also in clan godly , dark places and spiffy graphics do need powerful cards, but that won't help you get the most frags

LOL. How bout you post your rig's specifications. Oh and how about a picture of the hardware you use as well with a hand written "Touch Buns?" on a sheet of paper in the same photo.


Old ass rig + Signed sheet of 'Buns'.

I think its safe to say everyone thinks you're full of shit so far...........

BUNS AHOY / PROOFS AHOY any day now PZ