Best Graphics Card for my system???

[Rockrz]

My new PC is Win 7 64 bit, has the ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. P8Z77-V LK Rev X.0x mobo, with 3.30 gigahertz Intel Core i5-2500K processor with 32 gigs of RAM and is overclocked from the manufacturer at 4.0 gigs. It has a 1200 volt power supply

So, it came with the EVG GeForce GTS 450 1024mb graphics card... and it went bad. It started freezing up every few seconds, so I went over to Fry's and bought the EVG GeForce GTX650 2gb because they guy at Fry's said Nvida was the p00p.

But, I don't like it. It's occasionally gets slow, and I can hear it start working each time I get busy doing alot of stuff on my computer (no gaming here, just business stuff like webdesign, office applications, working with graphics)

So, I'm thinking of throwing a few more dollars at this since I can take this unit I bought from Fry's back, and I can write all this off of my taxes anyway since it's my main business machine.

My previous computer (from '06, running XP Pro, recently rebuilt with a new mobo, running an AMD quad 4 processor... and runs great!) has a graphics card from ATI that is still being used after the rebuild since I never had any problems with it.

So, I'm thinking I need to go with ATI (isn't that the same as Radeon?)... maybe that's my brand since I've had good results with them on my other system.

So, I'm thinking of going with the: Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 7970 OC 3GB GDDR5 DVI-I/HDMI/2x Mini-Displayport PCI-E 3.0 Graphics Card GV-R797OC-3GD. It is the Factory Overclocked Edition: Core Clock: 1000MHz (Std 925MHz)

I found this on Amazon for $389, and keep in mind I'm getting the $149 I spent for the current one back so I'm only spending around $250. It's at - http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Rade...UTF8&colid=3VXTCM83EX6CV&coliid=IAHT71WH5AR15

Is this a good choice, or should I be considering other graphics cards before making a decision?

 

[Rockrz]

Or, should I be looking at the Diamond AMD Radeon HD 7970 PCIE 3G GDDR5 Video Graphics Card 7970PE53G at Amazon.com: Diamond AMD Radeon HD 7970 PCIE 3G GDDR5 Video Graphics Card 7970PE53G: Electronics ?

Or, maybe look at the Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC with Boost 3GB DDR5 DL-DVI-I/SL-DVI-D/HDMI/DP PCI-Express Graphics Card 11197-03-40G at http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-D...1&keywords=SAPPHIRE+Radeon+HD+7970+OC+Edition ?

These are all around the price range I'd like to stay in.

Also another question... my computer only has one lead that plugs in to the end of the graphics card. Do any of these mentioned about require two leads? If so, how do I accommodate that?

Can I split the one lead I have into two, or would I have to install another lead from whereever it connects to, like power supply?

 

[Chalky Emultion]

hi,

the HD 7970 is a good GPU. Another one I suggest to you is the GeForce GTX 680, which is a bit faster than the Radeon HD 7970. I'm telling this to you because I always had issues with ATI...
Anyway, the HD 7970 is a very good GPU

 

[Rockrz]

OK, so all I need for the second connector is to a standard power plug in, right.

My PC came with extra power cables with ends that look like the one the graphics cards takes.
Apparently the upper level cards have two power leads.

 

[Chalky Emultion]

...all you need to do is connect the power leads to the card.
Most of cards come with adaptators in-box...

 

[Rockrz]

OK, so my computer now just has one power lead going to the graphics card.

I've noticed the higher quality graphics cards have what appear to be TWO power leads.

So, I'd have to find a power plugin in my tower to connect the second power lead.

 

[Chalky Emultion]

I've noticed the higher quality graphics cards have what appear to be TWO power leads.

So, I'd have to find a power plugin in my tower to connect the second power lead.

Yes.

If you don't find it, in the box of your graphics card you will find adaptors for other power plugins. Check it when you buy the graphics card.

 

[bobkn]

OK, so my computer now just has one power lead going to the graphics card.

I've noticed the higher quality graphics cards have what appear to be TWO power leads.

So, I'd have to find a power plugin in my tower to connect the second power lead.

High-end graphics cards use PCI-E(xpress) auxiliary power connectors. Some (GTX680) use two 6 pin connectors. Others use one 6 pin and one 8 pin. (Many power supply makers use 6+2 pin connectors, that can be used as 6 or 8 pin.) I've seen some rare cards that use two 8 pin connectors. There are adapters that can combine two 4 pin Molex connectors (of the sort used for old IDE drives) into a single 6 pin PCI-E output.

I'm curious as to what your power supply really is. A 1200W PSU in a prebuilt system would be possible, but unusual.

 

[Rockrz]

Velocity Micro builds customer computers and they have many options, one of which is a larger than you probably need power supply.

I picked a medium level performance package when I ordered this system and it came with the 1200 pwr supply. I guess you could email them and ask them what company makes their power supplies for them.

BTW, it came with a bag of custom connectors I guess for the purpose of being able to upgrade the graphics card. Some have two leads to plug up a card that takes dual power plug ins.

I know you guys like to build your own, but for someone that would rather buy a nice custom built system assembled in the US with lifetime english speaking American tech support... Velocity Micro is hard to beat.

This is the second system I've gotten from them and they are quality builds using name brand parts.

 

[Rockrz]

So... what's the best way to handle the drivers?

I was thinking of uninstalling the old driver first, then shut the system down, install the new graphics card, then boot back up with the CD for the new drivers in my CD rom drive so windows can install them on it's own as soon as it recognizes the new hardware and looks for drivers for it.

Does this sound like what I need to do?

 

[bobkn]

So... what's the best way to handle the drivers?

I was thinking of uninstalling the old driver first, then shut the system down, install the new graphics card, then boot back up with the CD for the new drivers in my CD rom drive so windows can install them on it's own as soon as it recognizes the new hardware and looks for drivers for it.

Does this sound like what I need to do?

That's pretty much it, except I'd forget the driver CD.

Download the latest drivers for the card, from www.amd.com or www.nvidia.com (depending on the card's type).

Uninstall the drivers for the old card. Shut down, rather than rebooting. Replace the old card with the new. Boot back into Windows. You'll probably get the generic Windows graphics drivers. Install the new graphics drivers. Reboot. Bob's your uncle.

 

[Rockrz]

Yeah, I forgot that I've already downloaded the latest driver.

Someone posted a link for that earlier and I've got it already.

 

[Skullwipe]

Don't let windows install it's own drivers. Download the driver package for the new card from ATI/AMD or NVIDIA, uninstall the old drivers. Your computer will revert to VGA mode at this point.

Swap out the graphics cards, make sure new card is firmly seated and that the PCIe power connectors are fully inserted into the new card. Boot up your system and install the drivers that you downloaded, restart after it completes.

 

[Rockrz]

OK, so if I un-install the current graphic card drivers and my computer will reverts to VGA mode... and then I install the new graphic card, once I re-boot isn't Windows going to install it's generic drivers automatically?

I'm thinkin it might be best to burn the new card's drivers on to a CD, and put it in the CD-Rom drive before I boot it up the first time with the new card installed.

That way, maybe Windows will look at the CD-Rom drive first and see these drivers match the device it is looking for drivers for... and automatically install the right drivers.

Think this would work? Otherwise, I guess my question is... how do you prevent Windows from trying to install it's own generic drivers automatically when I first boot up?

 

[Skullwipe]

You can remove them after it does. In the Start menu search field type devmgmt.msc and you can do it from there.

 

[Rockrz]

Oh, I thought I wasn't supposed to let Windows load it's generic drivers in the first place?

 

[RoasterMen]

I've noticed the higher quality graphics cards have what appear to be TWO power leads.

So, I'd have to find a power plugin in my tower to connect the second power lead.

Yes.

If you don't find it, in the box of your graphics card you will find adaptors for other power plugins. Check it when you buy the graphics card.

Never had problems with ATi

 

[Rockrz]

Yeah, I'm hoping the new ATi graphics card will perform better than the Nvidia that's in there now.

I was doing some graphics work earlier today just messing around and it froze up twice! And, I'm not even doing any gaming, just business based graphics work in Power Point, Photoscape, The Logo Creator (flash based graphics prog), etc.

Over this weekend I'm going to get this new Radeon HD 7850 2GB installed and hopefully it won't give the occasional freeze that the GeForce GTX650 is giving me.

I hear the Radeon HD 7850 can be overclocked... anybody know where I can find a good tutorial to get the poop on how to do that?