Looking for GPU to pair w/ MSI FM2-A75MA-E35

[thefrobel]

I just put together a new system and assumed the new
AMD integrated GPU core processors would be more than enough to run all the games I play (in comparison to the system I just left). While the non-graphics intense operations are WAY faster, gaming is about the same.

Looking to put a discrete GPU into this system. $50-$100. Prefer to stay AMD (vs. nVidia) for this board.

system specs:
FM2-A75MA-E35
AMD A4 5300
16 Gig KVR
SAMSUNG 840 120GB SATA III SSD
Rosewill CAPSTONE-450 450W

 

[ACTechy]

Unfortunately that mobo only has a PCI-E 2.0 slot, so you won't be able to really get the max out of a current gen card, but probably the best bang for you price range is going to be a 7770, which are on sale around $95 on newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127687

But again, you're not going to see the potential of the card, as it's going to have to step back to the PCI-E 2.0 slot.

 

[bryonhowley]

Even with PCI-E 2.0 you will not really see much of a performance decrease going with a PCI-E 3.0 card. There might be some decrease but not enough to really notice.

The problem really is the price point you are not going to get much of a card for $50-$100. However Newegg does have a SAPPHIRE 100358L Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition for $104 plus right now they have a $15 mail-in rebate putting the card at $89 after rebate http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202011 . Sapphire is also one of the best manufactures of AMD/ATI GPU's.

If you could push it to a $159 you could get a Sapphire HD 7790 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202033 . But in either case you would have a good GPU.

And do not worry about only having PCI-E 2.0 the difference in performance will not be noticed at all.

 

[ACTechy]

Even with PCI-E 2.0 you will not really see much of a performance decrease going with a PCI-E 3.0 card. There might be some decrease but not enough to really notice.

The problem really is the price point you are not going to get much of a card for $50-$100. However Newegg does have a SAPPHIRE 100358L Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition for $104 plus right now they have a $15 mail-in rebate putting the card at $89 after rebate http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202011 . Sapphire is also one of the best manufactures of AMD/ATI GPU's.

If you could push it to a $159 you could get a Sapphire HD 7790 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202033 . But in either case you would have a good GPU.

And do not worry about only having PCI-E 2.0 the difference in performance will not be noticed at all.

That's true...it's not a major performance improvement, that's why I still suggest a 7770. Some people would notice the 9-10% fps difference, but not most.

 

[thefrobel]

Well, either way, I'll only be going to a faster point, so I won't see a 'decrease in performance' regardless of the card I go with, in regards to the restriction between 2.0 vs 3.0.

W/ that being said, would the difference be so negligible that I'd see relatively the same performance increase on this board from this Sapph 100358L @ $104 GPU as I would from say this MSI R6570 @ $55 ?

*edit* In my search for discrete GPUs for this board/APU, I've come across some documentation stating that the AMD's A4-5300 does not support adding discrete GPUs. Resource I've since posted on AMD's forums asking or verification. I might end up switching this Processor out anyways.*edit*

 

[thefrobel]

AMD's Website also does not have 'Dual Graphics' listed for the Processor I have (A4-5300)...

Le Sigh Probably just ordering that 7770 AND an A6-5400 to go with it...

Thanks Guys

 

[Zero Cool]

Unfortunately that mobo only has a PCI-E 2.0 slot, so you won't be able to really get the max out of a current gen card, but probably the best bang for you price range is going to be a 7770, which are on sale around $95 on newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127687

But again, you're not going to see the potential of the card, as it's going to have to step back to the PCI-E 2.0 slot.

PCI-E 2.0 at 16x is the same as PCI-E 3.0 at 8x. Even a card like the 7970 would run exactly the same in either a PCI-E 2.0 or a PCI-E 3.0 slotted board. It makes absolutely no difference. See the link below for more info.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/07/18/pci_express_20_vs_30_gpu_gaming_performance_review/9#.UiYV0DZOPWM

 

[ACTechy]

PCI-E 2.0 at 16x is the same as PCI-E 3.0 at 8x. Even a card like the 7970 would run exactly the same in either a PCI-E 2.0 or a PCI-E 3.0 slotted board. It makes absolutely no difference. See the link below for more info.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/07/18/pci_express_20_vs_30_gpu_gaming_performance_review/9#.UiYV0DZOPWM

Thanks for editing the attitude. I have read that article before. I never made comparisons between 3.0 8x and 2.0 16x, because that would be irrelevant. I think there are cases where there is a reasonable difference between 2.0 16x and 3.0 16x, as mentioned in that same article. But this getting off topic at this point, since it doesn't help the OP.

 

[Zero Cool]

PCI-E 2.0 at 16x is the same as PCI-E 3.0 at 8x. Even a card like the 7970 would run exactly the same in either a PCI-E 2.0 or a PCI-E 3.0 slotted board. It makes absolutely no difference. See the link below for more info.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/07/18/pci_express_20_vs_30_gpu_gaming_performance_review/9#.UiYV0DZOPWM

Thanks for editing the attitude. I have read that article before. I never made comparisons between 3.0 8x and 2.0 16x, because that would be irrelevant. I think there are cases where there is a reasonable difference between 2.0 16x and 3.0 16x, as mentioned in that same article. But this getting off topic at this point, since it doesn't help the OP.

I just wanted to make sure the OP didn't think that his motherboard would limit the performance of a new GPU. Even GTX 680's in 3-Way SLI are only about 5-10% slower on PCI-E 2.0 vs PCI-E 3.0.

 

[Zero Cool]

PCI-E 2.0 at 16x is the same as PCI-E 3.0 at 8x. Even a card like the 7970 would run exactly the same in either a PCI-E 2.0 or a PCI-E 3.0 slotted board. It makes absolutely no difference. See the link below for more info.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/07/18/pci_express_20_vs_30_gpu_gaming_performance_review/9#.UiYV0DZOPWM

Thanks for editing the attitude. I have read that article before. I never made comparisons between 3.0 8x and 2.0 16x, because that would be irrelevant. I think there are cases where there is a reasonable difference between 2.0 16x and 3.0 16x, as mentioned in that same article. But this getting off topic at this point, since it doesn't help the OP.

Also, PCI-E 3.0 at 8x is very relevant. If you have two cards in SLI on any z77 or z87 board they will be running at 8x. Would you say that a current gen card running in SLI is being bottlenecked by its 8x PCI-E 3.0 slot? Of course not... but its exactly the same as one of those cards running by itself at 16x on a PCI-E 2.0 board.

 

[ihog]

Any GPU in that price range won't be able to saturate PCIe 2.0 x16.