Best gaming video card for PCIe 2.0 x16 sub £100

[andykillen]

Been sent on a mission by my boys to find the best video card I could sub £100, as is their limit from birthday money. Everything latest and greatest is PCIe 3.0 and looks the ticket, yet they have only PCIe 2.0 x16.

Please can anybody recommend a PCIe 2.0 x16 video card (dvi or hdmi) that is really aimed at gamers (on windows 7). As I said the budget is £100, so please if you know the card needs over 300w PSU let me know as I will have to factor that in by making then housework slaves to pay it off

Thanks loads to anybody that can spare the time to help me out.
all the best
Andy

[kalniel]

PCIe 3.0 is completely backwards compatible, so don't worry about that!

[andykillen]

Hey Kainel

Totally appreciate that PCIe 3.0 is backwards compatible slot type and will just downgrade to run at PCIe 2.0 speeds if the card is put in the slot. My problem is that the motherboard have a maximum capability of PCIe 2.0 x16.... thus the question.

Sorry I was not obvious in my question. Hoping you can help me further.

[cptwhite_uk]

I think your confused Andy, all current graphics cards will work in your motherboard. Your motherboard isn't an issue.

Having said this youd be wise to up your budget slightly. £110 will net you this HD7850 1Gb, a very capable card.

http://www.waeplus.co.uk/item/205020...FXQftAodvyEARA

Never heard of this company myself, but they've got about 4/5 based on 5000 reviews with Google, so obviously legit.

https://www.google.co.uk/products/se...g&ved=0CAwQwhI

Your nVidia option would probably be the GTX650 Ti

http://www.waeplus.co.uk/item/265885...FXQftAodvyEARA

But that's going to offer considerably less performance as can be seen here:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/778?vs=781

[AETAaAS]

I would avoid WAE+, I think those Google reviews are seeded. Look at their reviews here: http://www.qype.co.uk/place/2245287-WAE--Birmingham

At £100, you are looking at the 7790 or 650Ti.
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-x...dvi-hdmi-plus-
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-e...hdmi-plus-free

[kalniel]

Hey Kainel

Totally appreciate that PCIe 3.0 is backwards compatible slot type and will just downgrade to run at PCIe 2.0 speeds if the card is put in the slot. My problem is that the motherboard have a maximum capability of PCIe 2.0 x16.... thus the question.

I'm saying it's not a problem. You can put a sub £100 PCIe 3.0 card in a PCIe 2.0 x16 motherboard slot and experience no performance degradation in the slightest.

[andykillen]

All, many thanks for your feedback and support. The lads have been looking at the XFX HD 7770 so far, I'll check out all of your other suggestions.

really though, many thanks for putting me straight.

[scaryjim]

If £100 is an absolute limit, there's only one sensible option:

http://www.ebuyer.com/490680-his-hd-...card-h779f1gd+

7790 for £99.99

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What PSU and CPU does the system have??

[shaithis]

300w (unknown) PSU and any "gaming" card is a gamble.

Although I'd save a bit more, get a PSU and look for a second hand bargain. You can get GTX570 cards for well under £100 second hand now. Totally bargainous...

[Domestic_Ginger]

Also does the PSU have a 6 pin plug?



If you can read the label on the side of the PSU, how many amps at 12v does it supply?

[Zak33]

if I may be so bold as to suggest a passive card?

Because... from experience.. they sell second hand much better for more dough than cards with fans....

and because within 1 year your boys will want to upgrade... you;ll need to sell today's purchase on ebay

So I suggest a 7750 Ultimate from Sapphire

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-s...rt-dual-link-d

That is a good card. We know it's good because we gave some away to people to review. It's under budget, just, uses very little power, is silent.

Keep the box, and all the contents.. keep it immaculate, and sell it when you upgrade.

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-reader...te-review.html

[Zak33]

then there is the £110 option, if you can't get the massive passive heatsink from the 7750 above...

Sapphire again, a 7770 this time with their excellent VaporX cooler

(I'd not jump into an XFX Card... really... I wouldn't)

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-s...640-cores-hdmi

now this puppy had 2 full reviews on it....

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-reader...70-review.html

and

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-reader...70-review.html

[andykillen]

All, thanks again. Yep I think I will need to get new PSU's, as from all of my checking out of the video cards that are liked, they are all minimum 450w. Once I rip the cover open I will also know if it has the correct plug type to power the card also, but from memory (dim and distant) I think it does.

I am starting to come round to the idea of 2 paths:
1. House salves do much work cleaning to pay for the PSU's they need and get a super new card
2. Get a good 2nd hand card + a new power supply.

Listening to the lads they would not be so happy with option 1...unsurprisingly. I will have to look at the 2nd hand market to see what's available right now, which I think will be substantially easier all round.

at the risk of sounding like a broken record, thanks everyone for your help, suggestions and support. really appreciated.

[Domestic_Ginger]

Come back when they've worn their poor little fingers to the bone. Plenty more help if you need it.

Relatively speaking when looking at cards you can use two methods for comparing how good graphics cards actually are.

Best quick reference:-

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ew,3107-7.html

Latest review on techpowerup will have a relative performance chart at the resolution you plan to use i.e.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Z...TX_770/26.html

[AGTDenton]

I'm saying it's not a problem. You can put a sub £100 PCIe 3.0 card in a PCIe 2.0 x16 motherboard slot and experience no performance degradation in the slightest.

Agree with Kalniel on this.
I'm currently using a PCIe 3.0 nVidia 680 in a PCIe x16 2.0 slot running at x8 speed and notice no downgrade in performance. Everything is ramped to the max in every game.