Low to mid range GPU for mATX....?

[jfenwick]

The comp is for my wife, mATX build so small is good...too bad I can't just swap in my GTS and find myself something new What do you think of these options?

$30: NCIX.com - Buy EVGA E-GEFORCE 7300GT 350MHZ 256MB 667MHZ 128BIT DDR2 PCI-E VGA DVI-I HDTV Out Video Card - 256-P2-N445-LX In Canada.

$46: NCIX.com - Buy EVGA E-GEFORCE 7300GT 350MHZ 512MB 532MHZ 128BIT DDR2 PCI-E VGA DVI-I HDTV Out Video Card - 512-P2-N447-LX In Canada.

$46: NCIX.com - Buy Galaxy GeForce 8500GT 500MHZ 512MB 700MHZ DDR2 PCI-E VGA DVI TV Out Low Profile Video Card - 85GFE8HDFCXX In Canada.

Prices are not bad for here in Canada...I'm leaning towards the 512MB EVGA right now, better life than the 256....she won't need a GPU but I want something that we can swap in CS:S, WC3 and others in during LANs. Otherwise i'd leave it at onboard....

If anyone wants to know the mobo is going to be GIGABYTE GA-MA69GM-S2H at this point.

 

[darksideleader]

the 7300Gt #30 looks good, the 8500GT for something a little more future proof

 

[jfenwick]

Yeah...but I like the HDTV option of EVGAs, since her comp will be in same room as mine I figured I'd stream the HDTV in so I can watch and play now

how significant a difference will i see between the 256 and 512?

Probably the most demanding game we'll run into with this system will be starcraft 2 once it comes out... our LAN games right now are pretty tame and either card will play them fine....not sure what the system demands will be for SC2

 

[darksideleader]

errr um the HDTV out is old crap for old analog tvs. Any videocard with DVI can connect to a HDTV with a DVI out. HDMI and DVI has both the same quiality (Digital) so you won't be missing out anything.

More memomy will only help with higher resolutions and textures. I read Starcraft 2 might release a DX10 version, mabye go for the 8500GT.

If you can play smoothly right now, why bother upgrading. Get a new videocard when SC2 comes, you'll have more better choices for videocards.

 

[jfenwick]

Good point maybe that's what I'll do....wait and see how SC2 looks when released and see what the needs are.

Thanks for the DVI pointer....know next to nothing about that sort of stuff.