Graphics card for Q6600

[okos2k9b]

I have a Q6600 @ 2.9 GHz with 4GB DDR2. What is the best graphics card for this CPU actually?

 

[Robert Cook]

if you get a gtx 950 I think you will be pretty happy. a 960 would be the limit to which the CPU simply cannot keep up. getting total system memory to 8GB would be a nice move as well if you have a 64 bit OS.

 

[need4speeds]

Don't waste your cash on more memory. I am still gaming on 4gb. So far the games that claim to need more memory are running fine.

Since eventually you will upgrade the cpu+board+memory. So going with a faster gpu is not a waste if you can reuse it later on.

Because it's likely you don't have a large power supply. I would pick the low wattage RX480 or GTX1060 if your buying new.
A used GTX660, 660ti, 670 and HD-7850, 7870, R7-265, 270, 270x and 370 all are easy on power too.

If your power supply is ok, maybe a cheap used card like a $20-$30 HD-4870 or GTX280 would be ok. A $30-$40 HD-5870 or something like that would be ok too.
Running winxp or win7 32bit? Most newer games now need win7 64bit and higher to run but most older games run fine on those older cards in
win xp running DX9.0C.

A used GTX680, 770, are at least as fast as the GTX960. They will run very fast in winxp 9.0C but can also run DX11.
A HD-7970, R9 280x or if it's cheaper a HD-7850, 7870, 7950, R9 280, R7 265, 270, 270x Geforce GTX660, 660ti, 670,760ti, would be ok too.

Look at gaming benchmarks so you know where the card places.

 

[need4speeds]

The more i think of it, look for a used GTX680 or GTX770. They are in that $80-$130 price range that you need for this.

Look in local used ads, Always ask to see the card working. It's used so that comes with all the stuff and risks...

 

[okos2k9b]

Don't waste your cash on more memory. I am still gaming on 4gb. So far the games that claim to need more memory are running fine.

Since eventually you will upgrade the cpu+board+memory. So going with a faster gpu is not a waste if you can reuse it later on.

Because it's likely you don't have a large power supply. I would pick the low wattage RX480 or GTX1060 if your buying new.
A used GTX660, 660ti, 670 and HD-7850, 7870, R7-265, 270, 270x and 370 all are easy on power too.

If your power supply is ok, maybe a cheap used card like a $20-$30 HD-4870 or GTX280 would be ok. A $30-$40 HD-5870 or something like that would be ok too.
Running winxp or win7 32bit? Most newer games now need win7 64bit and higher to run but most older games run fine on those older cards in
win xp running DX9.0C.

A used GTX680, 770, are at least as fast as the GTX960. They will run very fast in winxp 9.0C but can also run DX11.
A HD-7970, R9 280x or if it's cheaper a HD-7850, 7870, 7950, R9 280, R7 265, 270, 270x Geforce GTX660, 660ti, 670,760ti, would be ok too.

Look at gaming benchmarks so you know where the card places.

My PSU is good. I'm running win 10 64 bits. I come from a GTX 260. My purpose is playing at modern games like Mirror's Edge Catalyst, for example.

 

[need4speeds]

Ok that changes quite a bit.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst? That will barely run on my A6-3650@3.56ghz with a GTX680. Wow the similar GTX770 gets only 19.7 fps. Likely 15fps once you drop from a i7 to my Llano. Would be 10fps with your slower Q6600.
That has to be the hardest game to run to date. This is the "Crysis" of 2016 for sure.

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/mirrors-edge-catalyst-benchmarks-megathread.2476369/
https://hardforum.com/threads/mirrors-edge-catalyst-performance-testing.1901949/

There is no way. Even if you swapped out the cpu for a 771 Xeon with the socket 775 mod. (If you also have the right board and chipset too) DDR2 memory will hold the cpu back too.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3220966/amd-core-black-edition-8370-amd-a10-series-apu-a10-7890k.html#18769305
If you look on this thread. I found a great Xeon system. I am sure if you look on Amazon you can find more of them.

 

[need4speeds]

R9 290X with a i5 3570K@3.4ghz

http://www.tweaktown.com/guides/7880/mirrors-edge-catalyst-graphics-performance-tweak-guide/index.html

Well it looks like i found the 1st game that wont run on my system, thanks. Now my system is going obsolete too.

-Next time do not park your dusty socket 775 system next to my dated Llano system as it caught the same computer needs updating virus yours has. lol.