Upgrading GTX 745, $200 max budget

[builditfilmitM]

I'm looking to purchase a new GPU soon, and I've been looking mainly on Tiger Direct because my debit card gives me cash back when I shop there. My max budget is around $200

(I used the GPU advice template so apologies if my post appears fragmented)

I'm using it for gaming while Fraps recording at the same time, as well as creating content with the Adobe CC Creative Suite. (Premiere and Photoshop) I play games such as GTA 5, Cities Skylines, SimCity, The Sims 4, The Sims 3

My current GPU is an Nvidia GTX 745 and I have a 460 watt PSU

I have a stock HP Envy desktop with 12 Gb of Ram, Intel i7-4790 processor and a HP 2AF3 Motherboard

I prefer parts from Tiger Direct in this case, but I will also buy from Amazon or Newegg if the price is better.

Preferably an Nvidia Card

I'm not an expert on computers so I'm not totally sure what overclocking is.

My monitor resolution is 1920x1080

A lifetime warranty on the card would be nice but not a must.

 

[jetfighter545]

Personally my favourite sub 200 card is the ASUS GeForce GTX 750 Ti. It may have 2GB less graphics memory than your current card, but it really packs a punch in terms of performance. Here is a page to compare the two cards:
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/GeForce-GTX-745-vs-ASUS-GeForce-GTX-750-Ti

The only problem is that the 750 ti takes up more power than the 745 and a PSU upgrade might be in order if you want a $200 GPU to work in your system. The 750 Ti takes up only 5 more watts TDP, but if you want to game on it it probably wont work. I'm surprised even your card runs on that Psu.

 

[Karadjgne]

The 750ti will run (the non added connector version) on a 300w psu and really isn't much of an upgrade from the 745 as far as performance goes. The gtx745 min req psu is 350w, so op is in more than good shape there.

The best card you can do is the nvidia gtx960. Min req psu is 430w so all is good there. Go to pcpartpicker.com and look up the gtx960 under video cards. There's several different versions @$180-$200, although that's often final price after rebates. Asus currently has an extra $30 rebate from newegg as well as a free game, I believe.

 

[jetfighter545]

The 960 is way over $200 mate unless you buy it used. Nobody likes used cards. And also, the 960 might run on his PSU, but you are pushing it to the max if you are on load. I doubt it could run.

 

[builditfilmitM]

Based on Karadjgne's suggestion, I'm thinking about going with this GTX 960

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814126007

 

[Karadjgne]

@jetfighter545. You may want to do a little research before advertising your opinions, mate. You can get gtx960's for anywhere from $167.99 to $249.99 depending on brand and model. The gtx960 is a 120w card on average, the cpu is 84w and the rest of the system won't see 100w total, that includes fans, drives, ram, mobo and the rest. Grand total for op's system before any OC, will be @308w, and thats with everything running maxed out, which is semi impossible. Normal usage will put his system in the 200w-250w range at best. Even if Op did OC, with something like the 180w CoolerMaster Hyper212, that would still put max usage at @400w, still well within the 460w rating of his psu.

Need more?

@OP, blower style gpus have 2 semi important factors about them vrs direct fan style. 1) they do require slightly more attention to dust cleaning, its the nature of all those small tunnels the air moves down vrs wide open heatsinks, and 2) for those with smaller cases that can have airflow and heat issues, blowers are a very good source of exhaust as the gpu heat is vented directly outside the case, not exhausted into the case as with most aftermarket gpus. Other than that, I have 2x Asus gpus, a 660ti and a 970,and they are rock solid performers.

 

[builditfilmitM]

@jetfighter545. You may want to do a little research before advertising your opinions, mate. You can get gtx960's for anywhere from $167.99 to $249.99 depending on brand and model. The gtx960 is a 120w card on average, the cpu is 84w and the rest of the system won't see 100w total, that includes fans, drives, ram, mobo and the rest. Grand total for op's system before any OC, will be @308w, and thats with everything running maxed out, which is semi impossible. Normal usage will put his system in the 200w-250w range at best. Even if Op did OC, with something like the 180w CoolerMaster Hyper212, that would still put max usage at @400w, still well within the 460w rating of his psu.

Need more?

@OP, blower style gpus have 2 semi important factors about them vrs direct fan style. 1) they do require slightly more attention to dust cleaning, its the nature of all those small tunnels the air moves down vrs wide open heatsinks, and 2) for those with smaller cases that can have airflow and heat issues, blowers are a very good source of exhaust as the gpu heat is vented directly outside the case, not exhausted into the case as with most aftermarket gpus. Other than that, I have 2x Asus gpus, a 660ti and a 970,and they are rock solid performers.

Thanks for all your help. I have one more question before I completely decide on the GTX960. I've heard that with my HP power supply, it would only allow proprietary graphics cards to be powered through it. Is this false?

Also, how can I tell if my PSU has the correct power connections?

 

[Karadjgne]

The gtx960 requires a single 6pin pcie connector from the psu. Generally it's a single connector on that wire, there won't be multiple connectors like the bigger 4pin molex. It'll have 2 or 3 yellow wires on top and black or black and brown wires on bottom. Since you say it's an OEM psu, I'm unsure without pictures of all the connectors, or a list, if that particular unit has one or not. It'll be the only 6pin though if there is one, as no other components use a 12v 6pin connector other than the gpu.

A graphics card is just that, an add on component. No different than a hard drive or sound card. You can use any that fits the slot, which in your case would be a pcie x16 slot, the long one directly under the cpu slot. The claim of proprietary would be false for an add in gpu. The only proprietary things in a HP build are the case, the mobo and Windows, and occasionally a psu.

 

[g-unit1111]

The 960 is way over $200 mate unless you buy it used. Nobody likes used cards. And also, the 960 might run on his PSU, but you are pushing it to the max if you are on load. I doubt it could run.

Really? I got my EVGA FTW for $189 on a Newegg sale.

 

[jetfighter545]

Really? I got my EVGA FTW for $189 on a Newegg sale.[/quotemsg]
(that was supposed to work)
On sale though.

 

[maxalge]

(that was supposed to work)
On sale though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125807&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=


http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=EV-960G2D5&c=CJ


http://www.ncixus.com/products/?usaffiliateid=1000031504&sku=105119&vpn=GV-N960WF2OC-2GD&manufacture=Gigabyte&promoid=1210



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