Best GPU for AM3 AMD 870

[TioD1124]

So I have been trying to figure out a few things while reading other posts that are pretty much similar to mine, but this post is just for me to verify what I think I'm understanding from reading all this:

1.) Just like the title says, what would be the best GPU for the motherboard I have? I do have a price limit that I would like to place in selecting my GPU:

Cost: ~$175(more or less, depending if a little more will go a long way and vice versa)
Goal: be able to run FFXIV on medium settings with no problem (30-40+ FPS)

Specs:

CPU Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103934

Power Supply ANTEC 500W (sadly I don't know much more than that)

Memory G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

Mobo AM3 AMD 870
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131651

Tower Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153


2.) This is more for my understanding, but since there's only 1 pcie 2.0 slot on my mobo, will having a 2.1 GPU not work for the mobo I have? I'm guessing that it will not, but I do want to ask just to make sure.

3.) If I was guessing right about #2, then when I was looking more closely into the GPU's that were posted on this website as the best GPU for their price, I've noticed that most of them require a 6-slot Power Connector or something like that. I wouldn't have a clue as to where to hook that up on my mobo since it doesn't really point that out on the website. Is it important to have that plugged in, and if so, where should it be plugged in?

 

[refillable]

1. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150561

You have a decent system there The card I suggested will work nicely

2. Pci-E 2.1 are backward compatible with Pci-E 2.0, so it would be fine

3. I am assuming you have this kind of antec: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371035

(Please confirm!)
This is a pretty nice budget PSU, it has 2 Pci-E 6-pin connector and will be fine for the card I suggested.

6-pin Pci-E connectors look like this if you are wondering what. It should be available on one of the cables from the PSU. Plug it right to the card, it should be plugged to the top-end of your graphic cards.

The left side is the 6-pin, if plug those, the right side one is 8-pin, yes it is compatible when you can split the 2 pin to make it a 6-pin.

Hope this helps and clear your confusion .

 

[TioD1124]

Best answer selected by Tiod1124.