[SOLVED] A recommendation on a used VGA for my rather old PC

[Da Rossa]

Hi! I want to replace my graphics card. I have a PC built in 2012, and I obviously cannot optimally play my games (Starcraft 2, CS:GO and even MTGA), nor can I play some of the more recent titles at all. However, I'm short on cash right now, and some said a VGA upgrade would bring the most significant performance boost for a certain fixed amount of money.

Here is my current setup:

Processor: Intel Core i5 3450 @3.1GHz
MoBo: Gigabyte Z77M-D3H
Memory: 16384MB DDR3 Corsair 1333MHz
VGA: Saphire ATI Radeon HD 7770 1024MB 128 bits
SSD: Kingston SUV400S372240G 240GB
4 HDDs
Power Supply: Corsair VX450
OS: Windows 10 Home
Monitor: Samsung T270B350 @1920x1080, 60Hz

The budget cannot be precisely estimated; so please use common sense considering the remainder of the parts above: I want a better gaming experience, but I can't spend a sum equal to a new, decent card.

What would be the best option of a used video card to buy, considering the above?

 

[digitalgriffin]

Hi! I want to replace my graphics card. I have a PC built in 2012, and I obviously cannot optimally play my games (Starcraft 2, CS:GO and even MTGA), nor can I play some of the more recent titles at all. However, I'm short on cash right now, and some said a VGA upgrade would bring the most significant performance boost for a certain fixed amount of money.

Here is my current setup:



The budget cannot be precisely estimated; so please use common sense considering the remainder of the parts above: I want a better gaming experience, but I can't spend a sum equal to a new, decent card.

What would be the best option of a used video card to buy, considering the above?

Rx570 4gb on the used market or a rx580 8gb or 1060 6gb.

I tend to be a little leary however of used cards of that gen. A lot of them were used for mining and might not be reliable.

I stuck a rx580 in this replace my 7970 on my 3770k. I got about an 80% uplift (depending on game)

Should you expect similar increase? Maybe maybe not. Depends on the game and the settings. Your cpu is your bottleneck to modern games however once you update the card. A used $50 3770 and a used $95 rx570 might make a reasonable gaming rig for those games as long as you turn some settings down at 1080p

 

[wi5pa]

Just buy a brand new gtx 1650 super approx £150,
I would not waste time on buying a used graphics card for that price.

 

[groo]

If someone is "giving it away" maybe, but fairly new cards can fail too. I'd not buy unless I could install and test or see tested. Or from someone I know and trust.
The R7 370 in my office computer gave up the ghost after maybe 2 years at most of OBG quality work. I went to OBG after it died without a problem, until recently I had to upgrade. So basically, I'm saying they die quick without being flogged doing datamining too.

 

[wi5pa]

The old graphics cards were hit and miss,
the new ones are so much more reliable, designed to be worked hard,
and youll get a warranty with a brand new card to calm your worries

 

[Da Rossa]

Thanks everyone, that should about do it. Which means: I currently can't upgrade my VGA.

The old graphics cards were hit and miss,
the new ones are so much more reliable, designed to be worked hard,
and youll get a warranty with a brand new card to calm your worries

Just to be clear, are you saying I should currently stay away from used video cards, since the now-used ones are either power-hungry or had been worn by stress computation (mining), like @digitalgriffin said?

 

[wi5pa]

There are some bargins to be had,
just be careful, do alot of research, only buy from a trustworthy source, the usual advice,

Make sure you buy something that will give you better performance,

Its hard when your on a budget, or wait and save up for a new one,
Just think that £150 now would last you at least a couple years, so $75/year, or would be $50/year for 3 years, etc etc

Just research a bit more into it before you spend any money.

 

[Da Rossa]

There are some bargins to be had,
just be careful, do alot of research, only buy from a trustworthy source, the usual advice,

Make sure you buy something that will give you better performance,

Its hard when your on a budget, or wait and save up for a new one,
Just think that £150 now would last you at least a couple years, so $75/year, or would be $50/year for 3 years, etc etc

Just research a bit more into it before you spend any money.

Will do. I forgot to mention I'm Brazilian, and Tom's Hardware forums are for me the reference, but when you say "£150", I have to think proportionally and factor the extra taxes my country imposes: for instance, last time I checked, 1GBP = 7.11BRL. So what if this is a signal that I should focus more on work rather gaming right now?

 

[groo]

one area I'd be more willing to buy used is the CPU. get yourself an i7 that fits your board like an 3770. toss on a new mid range vid card (possibly less than wi5pa suggested), and you will be gaming for awhile on that set-up.