I can get the GTX 280, GTX 280 FTW 2gb or the GTX 275 1792mb edition. Which one is better for gaming on an AMD 64 X2 4600+ with 8gigs of RAM on 1280x1024? I'm going for these cards as I want it to be useful for 2-4 years.
the 5850 may just bottleneck a X2 4600+.
To be honest, the video cards your looking at, you need at least a quad-core, maybe an AMD X3 to run w/o much bottleneck
It's not that the 5850 will bottleneck a X2 4600+. It's the other way round.
Anyways, +1 5850, if you find one. In your case, you gotta upgrade your CPU, too.
BTW, check if the rest of your system is compatible, specially your PSU.
They all can do better at more than 1600x1200 or something like that.
If 1280x1080 is your resolution then i would say go with 250
Or if you like ati then take a look at 4850
intel in general get pair with Nvidia ................N ............amd with ATI
As you have AMD 64 X2 4600+ a rather go 4 the HD 5870 or 5850 as they has DX 11 capabilities with will be useful 4 NEXT generation of gaming...........
but as the HD 5870 N 5850 will surely bottleneck the system .............make an extreme overclocking of yur AMD 64 X2 4600+
ATTENTION!!!! extreme overclocking means that yur CPU will be boost 30% more than the stock speed of 2.4 Ghz....therefore around 2.9 and 3.0 Ghz
make sure that U have a decent trademark n a reasonable Wattage of yur PSU......
And finally make sure that U have a very good cooling system......liquid or air