Looking for a new mid priced video card


Recommended Posts

Pregen; Before the current gen. Progen; After the current gen.

At the price, the GTX 650 Ti sounds good. Unless its performance is really far from the 660

Grow up and listen to what I am saying. No one credible, including those in the industry, say "pregen". The massively used/preferred term is "last gen".

Someone please back me up, this 15" CRT guy is winding me up.

Grow up and listen to what I am saying. No one credible, including those in the industry, say "pregen". The massively used/preferred term is "last gen".

Someone please back me up, this 15" CRT guy is winding me up.

..... :/ Theres no need to get emotional about it.....

Topic at hand, is the GTX 660 vs the GTX 650 Ti price difference really worth it? If it is, then OK. If not, then Im not really interested in spending that much.

Topic at hand, is the GTX 660 vs the GTX 650 Ti price difference really worth it? If it is, then OK. If not, then Im not really interested in spending that much.

On a modern Intel Architecture, the price difference is probably worth it. Given your CPU (Core2 [email protected]) and resolution (1024x768), the answer is no.

On a modern Intel Architecture, the price difference is probably worth it. Given your CPU (Core2 [email protected]) and resolution (1024x768), the answer is no.

Indeed, which was part of my point earlier. :)

At 1024x768 he is more likely to run into a CPU bottleneck before a GPU bottleneck, which is something he should look into.

Thanks :) You guys are pretty much the only ones who helped out.

Damn I knew I had a bad feeling about two slot cards....

This is my PC case:

post-460145-0-95574300-1353354684.jpg

Ill try to explain via case slots from top to bottom :)

1: Nothing. ITs just two USB ports connected to the motherboard. I can remove them I don't care.

2: My current video card. The new one would go here.

3: Empty (notice the PCI slot)

4: My audio card (PCI slot)

5: RAID card

6: Empty (I BELIEVE that is a PCI-E 1x slot)

7: Empty (PCI slot)

Now what I wanted to ask if it will fit or not. Im not sure if all coolers are just standard to take up two PCI slots or is the actual cooler inside the machine a bit "higher". If not I COULD move my audio card to the very very bottom. I guess that's what Im going to do: Ill just move the audio card all the way to to the bottom (just in case and better air flow :)

Thanks to all! :)

Honestly i think upgrading your GPU is a waste of money.

If i were you i would save and upgrade the whole thing. A good AMD or Intel APU might actually perform better than your CPU with 660.

The core 2 duo used to be good CPU but they are really outdated. I'm using one at work and it's signficantly slower than a Core IE5 while working with Visual Studio and Creative Suite.

I can actually run in a CPU bottleneck with my Core I5 750 coupled to a 670. Anyway that's the only way i can explain my relatively low framerate in GW2 lol.

Honestly i think upgrading your GPU is a waste of money.

If i were you i would save and upgrade the whole thing. A good AMD or Intel APU might actually perform better than your CPU with 660.

The core 2 duo used to be good CPU but they are really outdated. I'm using one at work and it's signficantly slower than a Core IE5 while working with Visual Studio and Creative Suite.

Oddly enough I find it depends on what I'm doing. I currently run a Core2Duo E6600 coupled with an ATi/AMD Radeon HD3850 that is still pretty damn smooth.

At work most of the machines I've run are now i5 and i7 machines and for some reason have more performance hiccups than this machine. Maybe it's because at home I've always made sure my machine is finely tuned in all regards. I still play new games on it...in fact I have Deus Ex: HR on here...and it runs nice and smooth at 1680x1050...same with Fable III & Burnout Paradise, and so on.

Ordering the GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1GB as we speak.

Thank you for your post.

To be fair actually their post is fairly relevant. It's similar to what I was saying earlier in that you actually are quickly approaching a bottleneck situation where your processor is going to hold you back more than your graphics card. Once that point hits upgrades to the GPU will have little effect without more bandwidth at the CPU level.

Think of it like the literal neck of a bottle. The smaller that neck...the less that can move freely out of the bottle. That's basically what older parts do to a system over time.

I didn't give it much thought but is the 2GB version worth it for 22 euros? I ordered the 1GB version with 1 fan but I see the 2GB version has 2 fans.

Since I ordered it late Friday (was busy) it hasn't shipped yet so maybe I can email them and change it for the 2GB version....What is your opinion?

I have an Intel E6750 which is quite a similar setup and I game at 1280x1024 - one or two years ago I upgraded to a Radeon 5750. I can assure you the GPU upgrade (from a GeForce 8600 GTS) was quite a big help FPS-wise but I don't get the full FPS you can usually get from a 5750, probably because of a CPU bottleneck.

I didn't give it much thought but is the 2GB version worth it for 22 euros? I ordered the 1GB version with 1 fan but I see the 2GB version has 2 fans.

Since I ordered it late Friday (was busy) it hasn't shipped yet so maybe I can email them and change it for the 2GB version....What is your opinion?

Two fans will run much quieter than one fan that has to do double the work.

Two fans will run much quieter than one fan that has to do double the work.

Well noise really has never been a issue for me :) I really wanted to know if Ill get some extra performance out of those 2GB.

For PCs. generally the more RAM the better but not sure if its the same for video cards (in the sense of it being noticeable)

Well noise really has never been a issue for me :) I really wanted to know if Ill get some extra performance out of those 2GB.

For PCs. generally the more RAM the better but not sure if its the same for video cards (in the sense of it being noticeable)

More RAM is mostly needed for higher resolutions. At 1024x768 you won't really notice it.

Something I've been wondering about, why do you game at 1024x768? With a newer GPU you can probably run everything just as well on any higher resolution!

Well noise really has never been a issue for me :) I really wanted to know if Ill get some extra performance out of those 2GB.

For PCs. generally the more RAM the better but not sure if its the same for video cards (in the sense of it being noticeable)

At the moment, only in rare cases, like if you want to run the high-definition texture pack in Skyrim, or any other game loading gigantic textures. That said, I think 2GB will be useful in the near future, with new consoles coming out in the next year, and more reasons for developers to include high resolution textures, but then again, once that happens, the 650 Ti might not be able to run those games at highest quality anyway.

So... I wouldn't worry about it. As for the 1 fan / two fans, two of the same size is better, as you can run them at lower RPMs and get the same amount of cooling, but 1 bigger one is better than 2, IMO.

More RAM is mostly needed for higher resolutions. At 1024x768 you won't really notice it.

Understood.

At the moment, only in rare cases, like if you want to run the high-definition texture pack in Skyrim, or any other game loading gigantic textures. That said, I think 2GB will be useful in the near future, with new consoles coming out in the next year, and more reasons for developers to include high resolution textures, but then again, once that happens, the 650 Ti might not be able to run those games at highest quality anyway.

So... I wouldn't worry about it. As for the 1 fan / two fans, two of the same size is better, as you can run them at lower RPMs and get the same amount of cooling, but 1 bigger one is better than 2, IMO.

I enjoy several high-definition texture packs in PES sometimes.....I think we "future proofing" the card, the 22 euros is worth it.

Lets just hope where I am buying it from doesn't put any "but"s in there....

Thank you all once again for the help :)

http://www.techspot.com/review/603-best-graphics-cards/page12.html

Man I really hate everyone right now :p

Also, couldn't change it. They said it already shipped (didn't get a email about that but whatever) and I could make the change sending it back but all shipping costs were on me.

Ordering the GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1GB as we speak.

Thank you for your post.

That's what I got... the EVGA SSC version. Not a bad card for a mid-range one

http://www.techspot....rds/page12.html

Man I really hate everyone right now :p

Also, couldn't change it. They said it already shipped (didn't get a email about that but whatever) and I could make the change sending it back but all shipping costs were on me.

You made a good choice, trust me. FPS isn't everything. nVidia drivers really are much, much better. You have so many configuration options that actually work, you have nice extras like Adaptive VSync, FXAA, proper 3D (with all sorts of glasses) in all games, PhysX, ...

You made a good choice, trust me. FPS isn't everything. nVidia drivers really are much, much better. You have so many configuration options that actually work, you have nice extras like Adaptive VSync, FXAA, proper 3D (with all sorts of glasses) in all games, PhysX, ...

OK, thank you for reassuring :)

I mean my price point has indeed the lowest possible and it seems the one I got is pretty much good so :) The hate comment was a joke, most that been very helpful in this thread, so thank you once again.

Should receive it tomorrow :)

I got a decent card for sale.

I stuck it on eBay...It's got a day or so left and it is on a few watch lists.

View it here

Only thing ever used in the box was the card, which is nearly as clean as the date I installed it.

It's boxed with all attachments, software and instructions you need.

You've chosen a decent card. In the future when you want to play newer games (probably near future) you can keep it when you upgrade your cpu, ram, motherboard and maybe psu.

I wouldn't recommend getting a higher resolution monitor until you upgrade your CPU.

edit: sorry if you said, but what powersupply do you have (if you know)

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • First exciting thing to come to Windows in a long time ! This is the kind of things they should focus on, instead of cramming as much AI as they can in everything.
    • New AMD graphics driver fixes install issues and FSR 4.1 crashes on RX 7000 GPUs by Taras Buria AMD is rolling out yet another graphics driver. Version 26.6.4 is now available for download, bringing two important fixes. One is for those still using Windows 10 and having trouble installing driver 26.6.2. In fact, this patch is coming from the recently released hotfix, so it is not new if you are already running version 26.6.3. The second fix is for RX 7000 owners. AMD recently brought FSR 4.1 support to the previous-gen graphics cards, but there was a bug with certain games crashing when using FSR 4.1. I experienced this issue with Forza Horizon 6, so today's driver should take care of that. Here is the official changelog: Intermittent install issue seen when installing AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.6.2 on Windows® 10 systems for Radeon™ RX 7000 series and above graphics products. Intermittent application crash may be observed in some games with AMD FSR Upscaling 4.1 enabled on Radeon™ RX 7000 series graphics products. Known issues include the following: Intermittent application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Battlefield™ 6 on AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. AMD is actively working on a resolution with the developer to be released as soon as possible. Texture flickering or corruption may appear while playing Battlefield™ 6 with AMD Record and Stream on some AMD graphics products. AMD FSR Upscaling and AMD FSR Frame Generation may show as inactive in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition while playing Battlefield™ 6 when enabled on Radeon™ RX 9000 series graphics products. Failure to install may be observed while installing AI Bundle components in some regions with limited access to HuggingFace and GitHub. Model flickering or rendering failure may be observed in Maxon Cinema 4D and Blender on Radeon™ RX 7000 series and above graphics products. Users experiencing this issue are recommended to install AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1. Intermittent application crash may be observed on some models while running Blender on Radeon™ RX 7000 series and above graphics products. Users experiencing this issue are recommended to install AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1. You can download the AMD Radeon driver 26.6.4 from the official website here. Full release notes are available on the same page.
    • Amazon may use OpenAI and Nova models after Anthropic reportedly raises costs by Karthik Mudaliar Amazon is reportedly considering to use OpenAI models and even its own Nova family of AI models after Anthropic raised the cost of using Claude inside Amazon services. According to a report from The Information, Amazon is weighing its options to reduce costs under a new arrangement with Anthropic. But back in April, Amazon said it would invest $5 billion more in Anthropic, with the possibility of adding up to another $20 billion if certain commercial milestones are met. That investment actually came on top of another $8 billion Amazon had already put into the Claude maker. Anthropic, meanwhile, committed to spend more than $100 billion over 10 years on AWS technologies, including Amazon’s Trainium chips. Amazon isn't just a customer of Anthropic but also one of the most important backers and cloud partners. This is why it makes it interesting that Amazon is considering other alternatives to handle its internal workloads. Although Amazon has been building its own options for a while now. Its Nova family of AI models was announced in late 2024 for Amazon Bedrock, with models aimed at text, image, and video tasks. Amazon pitched the model around cost and latency at that time. With that said, OpenAI has also become a more realistic option recently for AWS customers as well as for Amazon itself. Earlier this year, OpenAI brought its latest models and Codex coding agent to Amazon Bedrock, after changes to its previously more restrictive Microsoft cloud arrangement. This allowed AWS to serve even those customers who wanted other alternatives from Claude, without having to move workloads out of Amazon's cloud. Evaluating alternatives could also be due to commercial pressure and not necessarily a sign of a damaged partnership between Amazon and Anthropic. Whether or not Amazon is actually considering switching entirely to OpenAI's models or its own Nova models remains unknown at this moment.
    • Samsung introduces new AI classroom tools and interactive displays at ISTELive 2026 by Fiza Ali Samsung has announced several new education-focused software features and interactive displays for schools during ISTELive 2026, taking place in Orlando, Florida, from 28 June to 1 July. The focus of these updates is on making shared classroom displays easier to use for teachers while giving IT administrators more control over managing devices. One of the key additions is the Samsung Account Management Solution (AMS). In many schools, multiple teachers share the same interactive display throughout the day, which means signing in and setting everything up can become repetitive. With AMS, teachers can log in by scanning a QR code or tapping an NFC-enabled ID card. Once signed in, their personalised workspace, including wallpapers, bookmarks, app shortcuts, and files, can be instantly accessed through Home Personalisation. Samsung has also included a screen lock feature, allowing teachers to lock the display if they need to step away briefly. Furthermore, the company is also updating its Education Portal with new tools designed for school IT administrators. The portal will allow IT administrators to register teachers, enrol devices, and manage user access from a central dashboard. Administrators can also link NFC cards to teacher accounts, making sign-ins quicker across shared displays. Another addition is a Tags feature that lets schools organise displays by building or classroom. Those tags can also be used to send emergency notifications to selected Samsung Interactive Displays through compatible platforms such as InformaCast and Raptor. Moreover, the tech giant's AI Assistant is gaining several new features aimed at supporting everyday classroom tasks such as lesson planning and classroom engagement. One of the features is Circle to Search, which lets teachers circle text or images on the display to quickly find related information, videos, or web results without interrupting the lesson. The content can then be brought into Samsung Whiteboard. Another feature, Live Transcript, converts spoken lessons into real-time captions, which could be useful for students with hearing impairments or those in multilingual classrooms. The AI Assistant also introduces AI Summary and AI Quiz. The summary tool creates summaries of recorded lessons, while AI Quiz generates questions based on lesson content so teachers can quickly check how well students are following along. Teachers signed in through Samsung AMS can also return to their previous AI-generated lesson materials without logging in again. Alongside the software updates, Samsung has expanded its Android-based Interactive Display range with three new models: the WAF-S, WAFX-PS, and WAHX-M. The WAF-S and WAFX-PS ship with Android 16, bringing updates to security, accessibility, and overall usability while maintaining compatibility with Google's education services including Google Classroom and Google Drive through EDLA certification. Meanwhile, the new WAHX-M is the biggest addition to the lineup, introducing a 98-inch display for larger spaces such as lecture halls and conference rooms. It will also be available in 65-inch, 75-inch and 86-inch sizes. Samsung says the WAHX-M further includes on-device AI features such as voice commands, text-to-speech, and an AI calculator, alongside support for Samsung AMS and AI Assistant. Samsung AI Assistant has been available since April, while Samsung AMS and the updated Education Portal will begin rolling out in July.
    • It's been $24 (single) or $89 (4-pack) for many days on both Amazon and Walmart as far as I know. That isn't a big discount. If these end up like the 1st gen, the 4-pack will routinely get down around $80, give or take a dollar. I think they have even hit $69 at times.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      rosiecharles earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      KMilenkoski1202 earned a badge
      First Post
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      536
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      269
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      150
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      97
    5. 5
      macoman
      62
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!