Best graphics card for battlefield 3

[comicdude319]

Hi
I need to upgrade my intel q45/q43 video card so i can play Battlefield 3 and i have done a lot of research and am on a small budget and have narrowed my decision down to 2 video cards
the XFX R7 250E 800MHz 1GB DDR5 and the
EVGA GeForce GT 640 4096MB GDDR3 (this also comes in 2 gb)

I am wondering which will be better and last me the longest before i will have to upgrade again
Also i was wondering although I am looking at the 4gb Gt640 would the 2 gb still be better than the other card i am looking at and how many watts will the power supply need to be to run these as i need to upgrade that too

links
http://www.amazon.com/XFX-250E-800MHz-Graphics-R7250EZNP4/dp/B00JM5XX9O/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1406432386&sr=1-2&keywords=AMD+7750

http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-4096MB-Graphics-04G-P4-2647-KR/dp/B008Y8PNRA/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t

also note my processor is intel core 2 duo
thanks a lot

 

[spliceberry101]

Out of those, I'd do the R7 250. If you are looking to spend $80-$100, Id even look at the R7 260X on sale, or a used R9 270. Ive seen R9 270 as low as $100 on ebay with less than 2 months use (now that crypto mining has tanked)...excellent bang for the buck.

Any 400w PSU from a reputable maker would be fine.

 

[comicdude319]

Out of those, I'd do the R7 250. If you are looking to spend $80-$100, Id even look at the R7 260X on sale, or a used R9 270. Ive seen R9 270 as low as $100 on ebay with less than 2 months use (now that crypto mining has tanked)...excellent bang for the buck.

Any 400w PSU from a reputable maker would be fine.

Hi i was just looking at this and it says the opposite http://www.hwcompare.com/15323/geforce-gt-640-ddr3-vs-radeon-r7-250/

would you still suggest the same card

 

[Pr3di]

Check also the links below, and afterwards make your choice:
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-250-vs-GeForce-GT-640
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2112801/250x-1gb-640-4gb.html

However, if you can get a used R9 270 or R9 270x, you would be much better off.

 

[comicdude319]

Check also the links below, and afterwards make your choice:
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-250-vs-GeForce-GT-640
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2112801/250x-1gb-640-4gb.html

However, if you can get a used R9 270 or R9 270x, you would be much better off.

Thanks Heaps I have found a Sapphire Radeon R7 260X on ebay within my budget would that be any good for battlefield 3 online what settings would i be able to play on and is there any risk of buying a second hand video card this one is only 1 month old thanks also how powerful would my power supply need to be

 

[Pr3di]

Here is some tests that include the R7 260x in BF3 on Ultra:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-r9-280x-r9-270x-r7-260x,3635-9.html

You should be on with Medium settings.

As far as buying a used card is, you should only do it as long as you have a safety net, as in being able to return it within a week or so, or some way to get your money back in case the card is faulty.

I for one try to only buy used things when I can actually test it.

 

[LucoTF]

Check also the links below, and afterwards make your choice:
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-250-vs-GeForce-GT-640
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2112801/250x-1gb-640-4gb.html

However, if you can get a used R9 270 or R9 270x, you would be much better off.

Thanks Heaps I have found a Sapphire Radeon R7 260X on ebay within my budget would that be any good for battlefield 3 online what settings would i be able to play on and is there any risk of buying a second hand video card this one is only 1 month old thanks also how powerful would my power supply need to be

The 260x has a TDP of 115w, pretty much any PSU with a 6-pin graphics card connector will be fine.

For settings, what you will find is that you will be able to turn all but a few settings to max (as there's generally only a couple in any game that really affect framerate)

 

[comicdude319]

Thanks if i Can not find this new for a reasonable price what settings would a XFX R7 250E 800MHz 1GB DDR5 play Battlefield 3 online at

 

[LucoTF]

$90 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150688&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[comicdude319]

$90 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150688&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Sorry can't order from here because i live in new zealand thanks anyway

 

[LucoTF]

Ok well how about any of these? (try to get DDR5 / GDDR5 not ddr3)

- R7 250x, 260, 260x
- HD 7770, 7790 or 7850
- GTX 750 or 750 ti
- gtx 650 ti

 

[LucoTF]

I personally have no qualms about buying second hand hardware. At your end of the graphics card market you're unlikely to run into trouble, it's the higher end stuff that gets abused (like for mining). Just the usual warnings about researching the seller and stuff

 

[comicdude319]

Thank you for your help

 

[comicdude319]

which one from your list is best
- R7 250x, 260, 260x
- HD 7770, 7790 or 7850
- GTX 750 or 750 ti
- gtx 650 ti

 

[LucoTF]

which one from your list is best
- R7 250x, 260, 260x
- HD 7770, 7790 or 7850
- GTX 750 or 750 ti
- gtx 650 ti

The 750ti, 7850 and 260x are the best three (in that order), 750ti is the strongest but they're all very similar

 

[comicdude319]

which one from your list is best
- R7 250x, 260, 260x
- HD 7770, 7790 or 7850
- GTX 750 or 750 ti
- gtx 650 ti

The 750ti, 7850 and 260x are the best three (in that order), 750ti is the strongest but they're all very similar

Thanks heaps youve been a big help any idea what wattage power supply i would need for the 750ti

 

[LucoTF]

Any, it's a super low power card. As long as what you've got isn't total garbage you won't even need an upgrade

 

[comicdude319]

Any, it's a super low power card. As long as what you've got isn't total garbage you won't even need an upgrade

will a 255 watt do and does it need a 6 pin connector or powered by the slot

 

[LucoTF]

Any, it's a super low power card. As long as what you've got isn't total garbage you won't even need an upgrade

will a 255 watt do and does it need a 6 pin connector or powered by the slot

almost all 750ti cards do not need external power, but check the exact model here on thw before buying

You have a core 2 duo which is 65w, the 750ti is 65w. Your 255w would probably power it ok, is it a dell 255w?

 

[comicdude319]

Any, it's a super low power card. As long as what you've got isn't total garbage you won't even need an upgrade

will a 255 watt do and does it need a 6 pin connector or powered by the slot

almost all 750ti cards do not need external power, but check the exact model here on thw before buying

You have a core 2 duo which is 65w, the 750ti is 65w. Your 255w would probably power it ok, is it a dell 255w?

I think it is dell are there any risks if it is underpowered
On amazon it says it only requires a 300 watt supply could you recommend a good cheap one please thanks

 

[LucoTF]

Dell PSUs are usually underrated for wattage so I think you'll be fine.

 

[comicdude319]

But is there any risk of damage if the card is underpowered

 

[comicdude319]

Just looked it up and i think i will buy a new power supply could you recommended a good cheap one please

 

[LucoTF]

Total wattage doesn't really matter, it's about what your PSU can deliver on the +12v rail that matters. And as you're running a dell, a standard power supply may not even fit in your tower (I would need to know the model).

As I said I think you'll be fine to run a gtx 750 or 750ti on your existing supply, but if you want to get a cheap PSU then EVGA / Antec / XFX / Seasonic (and some corsair) are the units to look for

 

[comicdude319]

Thanks so much for your help I will probably buy a new power supply just to be safe but again thank you