Onboard GFX....

Hi Guys,

I really had my heart set on an ASUS P5B Deluxe mobo but I can't help but feel that I can't warrant the expense for a discrete gfx card at the moment, so I have a couple of questions!

If I don't play any games at all (and am not going near vista) would I see any benefit in going with a low end discrete graphics card over onboard?

Secondly, if the answer to the above is 'no' then can anyone recommend a good mobo with onboard gfx. I'll be running a core 2 duo (probably e6600) and would like something that would overclock fairly well.

Thanks for all your help, this is a great forum.

Maybe just buy a cheap gfx card on flea bay?

The motherboards with onboard graphics running the G965 chipset tend to be poorer overclockers than the standard 965 ones.

Id recommend buying a cheap gfx card, they are only about £20.

most mobo's with onboard gfx dont overclock well. it's usually the high end/mid range mobos that do. buy a 7300gt pci-e on scan they are pretty cheap.

If I'm honest, take the price cut of a e4300, get pc2-6400 ram and a cheap 7600 - much better all round performer, especially if you overclock..

theres a version of the gigabyte ds3 which has onboard gfx

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=476331

But would there be *ANY* performance benefit if I'm not playing games with getting a discrete card over the onboard? I'd like to keep the E6600 for the extra cache (and the cpu multiplier's the same as the E4300 so should overclock just as well, no?).

This should have the best onboard gfx currently - should be available shortly.
If all you're doing is Office & browsing etc. it should do that fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BUFF

This should have the best onboard gfx currently - should be available shortly.
If all you're doing is Office & browsing etc. it should do that fine.

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good call :thumbsup:

Integrated graphics do require constant access to the main memory, so in theory take some performance away. In practice, I doubt you could tell.

Thing is, whilst people are pointing you at the 7300 cards they are way over spec for what you want. A 6200 "turbocache" should do you proud, or the recent re-badging the 7100. This gives you a frame buffer on the video card, and generally better connectivity (like a DVI output). Scan have one for under 19 quid

Hmm, forums aren't letting me edit that last post. Actual link was supposed to be to this specific card. Sorry about that :)

Thanks a lot danceswithunix, think I'll go for that one. I'm sure the extra 20 quid is worth it even if it's just so I can get the P5B, and who knows... maybe one day if I wake up in the middle of the night with an uncontrollable urge to murder people I can pick up an 8800gtx later!