How 'bout the 550 ti, eh?

[WindowsDOS]

So, how 'bout it? As some of you may know, I am looking for a GPU, and want whats best for me. I was looking at the 6950, and it's really great, but I only have a 14in monitor and a tri care 2.6ghz CPU so I would hinder its full abilities. So, I came to the 550ti. I can run many games well, has a nice OC version from EVGA, and is all I really need/want. Any thoughts on this card with my specs as listed:
Phenom ii x3-unlocked to x4 @ 2.6ghz
8Gbs DDR3 RAM
14in 1360x768 monitor
450watt PSU--recommends 400watt PSS, so I think I'm good here, but idk.
Thanks

 

[iam2thecrowe]

you would be better off going for the ati/amd 5770 or 6770. they both perform the same as the 550ti, but use a lot less power and you should have no issue running them from your current psu. a 14" monitor? really? do yourself a favour and upgrade the monitor.

 

[WindowsDOS]

Meh, I like my monitor. And thanks for the tips on the and stuff. GPU's really hard to get them exactly where you want em. The 6770? I've seen benchmarks lower than the the 550ti, but maybe they were wrong?

 

[wa1]

Well, for 14" monitor then 6770/550ti is more than enough to maxed out almost anything.
Also for CPU, OC it a little bit would be a good idea even for just 1360x768 monitor.
Any card higher? You need to upgrade PSU first...

 

[WindowsDOS]

Well newegg is saying that with a 550ti I would need 400watts so I think that's fine since I have 450, also the 6770 is a 2.1 pcie and my mobo is 1.0. Ove had problems with 2.1 in 1.0 before so it looks like it'll have to be the 550ti,but if that's not the best choice for me, then any 2.0 gpu's? Money isn't the concern but I don't want to spen higher than 170~. I am currently trying to oc my CPU but ocing is new to me so u don't know how well I can do in that area.

 

[wa1]

wait, are you sure your pci-e slot is 1.0? Then avoid 2.1 cards, you'll be much safer with 2.0 cards.

What is your mobo? Your board is support ddr3 memory type already so I'm sure pcie slot is already 2.0.

 

[WindowsDOS]

My mobo is a GA-M68MT S2P rev 3.0. All it says are pcie x16, so I don't know for sure if it is 1.0.

 

[4745454b]

Looks like thats an AM3 board, so you have 2.0 sockets.

What about a GTX460? Better performing then either of those cards.

 

[WindowsDOS]

Well the 460,for me, seem to be a bit unessecary. At my preferred price range, I don't see any 460's that are faster of more powerful than the SuperClocked 550ti.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Oc'd 460 is faster than oc'd 550. If it's a good brand psu 450W will do.

There is no 2.1, it's the same as 2.0 and 2.0 is basicly the same risk as the so called 2.1.

 

[WindowsDOS]

Are there any programs to oc te 460? I've had issues with a 2.1 in a 1.0 though so I might stay clear

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Yeah. MSI afterburner, EVGA precision. 2.1 is the same as 2.0 according to a moderator. They came up with the 2.1 because of the issues which shouldn't be because pcie should be backwards compatible . . .

 

[WindowsDOS]

Okay. I was looking at newegg and the 460 doesn't have as much cores and stream processors and other stuff as the zotac amp 550. Do those really matter

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Not only. I can't tell you what makes the difference excactly, maybe someone else, but just look at benchmarks, they tell you the "real story".
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/313231-15-edition

 

[WindowsDOS]

They sure do! D: well my CPU is only at 2.6ghz as a quad core, and I have no oc experience, so would that bottleneck the 550ti or the 460?

 

[4745454b]

I don't see any 460's that are faster of more powerful than the SuperClocked 550ti...the 460 doesn't have as much cores and stream processors and other stuff as the zotac amp 550.

WTF are you talking about? The 550TI has 192 "cores", while the GTX460 has 336. The GTX460 is a much better card. Try looking on newegg again.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

They sure do! D: well my CPU is only at 2.6ghz as a quad core, and I have no oc experience, so would that bottleneck the 550ti or the 460?

Nope.

 

[WindowsDOS]

K well I think right now it'll be the 460! Thanks guys!

 

[WindowsDOS]

Best answer selected by WindowsDOS.