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Thread ID: 124778 2012-05-18 20:28:00 best budget video card Mike (15) Press F1
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1276173 2012-05-18 20:28:00 I'm looking for a new video card and wondering which is the best budget video card (yes I know I get what I pay for) :)

GeForce 210
GeForce GT 520
Radeon HD5450
Radeon HD6450

Are there any brands I should go for or stay away from? Looking at paying no more than ~$80

Cheers,
Mike.
Mike (15)
1276174 2012-05-18 20:34:00 www.tomshardware.com
:)
Trev (427)
1276175 2012-05-18 20:40:00 Also, is onboard video using CPU (i5) any good? better than a $80 video card? I don't really understand how that works :)

Edit - that would be Intel HD 2500 (if that means anything?)

Mike.
Mike (15)
1276176 2012-05-18 21:44:00 Depends what video output you use (VGA, DVI, or HDMI). There's nothing wrong with using onboard video. It just saves you buying a videocard (if its onboard).

You can get a 210 for 51, 520 for 80, 5450 for 67-80, and a 6450 for 75 from Pbtech. Only reason I dont use Nvidia cards, their drivers are crap and crash too much. And the only reason I would get one is they support CUDA, ATI cards dont
Speedy Gonzales (78)
1276177 2012-05-18 21:58:00 I'll be using DVI primarily and occasionally HDMI with the TV. the mobo I'm looking at has all three. I do play games, but wouldn't call myself a gamer. I'm leaning towards the 520, but not sure if its better or worse than the others.

A slightly different topic - does the HDMI on a graphic card (or onboard) supply audio if I plug it into my TV? Or will that depend on the card? Not a requirement, but might be nice to have :)

Mike.
Mike (15)
1276178 2012-05-18 22:11:00 HDMI does support video and audio. So, you wont need a separate cable for sound. All you need, is an HDMI cable to connect it from the card to the TV. If you install a card (with HDMI/VGA/DVI), on it, your mobo may have to have a SPDIF header on it (so, you can connect a wire from it to pins on the card). Otherwise you wont get sound. But others (like some ATI cards), have it onboard. So you dont need the wire.

Nothing wrong with DVI either. I use DVI on an HD monitor. I still get 1920*1080. But if I want sound, I need a 3.5mm audio cable. The monitor does have HDMI as well. But the Xbox is connected to the HDMI connection

Also, if the TV is 3D, and you want to use HDMI for 3D, the video card (has to support HDMI 1.4/1.4a I think it is - most are 1.3)
Speedy Gonzales (78)
1276179 2012-05-18 22:55:00 I use a 6450 fanless I like but then I don't play games and it fitted my budget gary67 (56)
1276180 2012-05-18 23:05:00 I have a very good budget card the GT 520. I can play Rage, Skyrim, Burnout Paradise, Mass Effect 3 on the highest settings and Crysis on some medium and high graphics settings. Great card for the price!! No the best card in the world but probably the best budget card. Don't get a GeForce 210 or HD 5450
they have slower clock speeds. I've seen them preform and they are pretty bad. Yeah, get the GT 520. I am very happy with my one.
ChazTheGeek (16619)
1276181 2012-05-18 23:23:00 Based on my experience with graphic cards - and I seem to change quite a lot between ATI and NVIDIA, NVIDIA seem to have troublesome software but good hardware and ATI seem to have troublesome hardware but good software. Currently I have an ATI 6950 and also a NVIDIA 550 Ti and have swapped them out several times depending what I am doing. Despite the 6950 ranking miles above the 550 in terms of performance, it seems to be only just better (smoother) on any games I play, although seems to be a bit laggy to respond in some situations compared to the 550. So I have a bit of a trade off, smoother but laggy, or a little jerky but faster responce. I hope all this will be solved with a new card next month.

ANyway, I would select a card based on what you plan to do with it, not a lot going from your budget so either, maybe leaning slightly towards the GT520. I recommend you stay away from Sapphire and any card that says "FLEX".
As I said, my opinion only.
Iantech (16386)
1276182 2012-05-18 23:27:00 GT 520. It's also better than the 6450, the GT 520 has got higher clock speeds. ChazTheGeek (16619)
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