Getting Away With a Cheap Graphics Card

theraindog writes "High-end graphics cards get all the glory, but most folks have a difficult time justifying $300 or more for a single PC component. But what if you could get reasonable performance in all the latest games from a budget card costing as little as $70? With game developers targeting the relatively modest hardware available in current consoles and trickle-down bringing cutting-edge features down to budget price points, today's low-end graphics cards are more capable than ever. To find out which one offers the best value proposition, The Tech Report has rounded up eight graphics cards between $70 and $170, comparing their game performance, Blu-ray playback acceleration, noise levels, and power consumption, with interesting results."

Re:Hmmm

[jd]

Well, not many movies came out in 1920. Even fewer in 1080 - the Norman cameramen could never grasp the fact they needed to hold the camera straight.

Re:Wow.... $170 is cheap?

[i_liek_turtles]

That sounds like the words of a <i>terrorist</i>.<br><br>Why do you hate America?

What is this bullshit?

[Seriman]

The 8600GT 512 has been available for a while now, I have one myself, and it was ~$120. They're even cheaper these days. That card can handle about anything you care to throw at it, unless you're running Vista, at which point you shouldn't care about the cost, because you're already paying Mistress Xanthia hundreds per month to kick you in the beans.

I never spend more than

[mandark1967]

$700 for a video card solution. Unless I'm going SLI, then it's like $1200 or so for two cards because you gotta get 'em the day they're released...NOT after the inevitable price drop. Of course, you gotta throw in extra for the water blocks and pump, and tubes, and reservoir and such, so in reality I never spend more than like $850 each...Unless I am buying for my Tri-SLI capable board...then it's like $2450, and add like $250 for a 1200watt PSU and like $550 for three water blocks and stuff, so it's like close to, but under $3000 for video cards...wait...why is there only Raman Noodles in the cupboard?

Re:Wow.... $170 is cheap?

[commodoresloat]

It's a choice - spend big and get great performance, or spend small and get shitty performance.

Not like it's fucking rocket science.

Let me get this straight -- in rocket science, you can spend small and get great performance?

Re:Wow.... $170 is cheap?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a choice - spend big and get great performance, or spend small and get shitty performance.

Not like it's fucking rocket science.

Let me get this straight -- in rocket science, you can spend small and get great performance?

:polishes glasses:

Negative, in the field of rocket science, you are more apt to spend big and get shitty performance.