Graphics card bottleneck?

[Killface]

Anyone know the most powerful graphics card i can get that wont be bottlenecked by This?

 

[DiebytheSword]

It's rather hard to justify the purchase of anything other than a newer nVidia card, regardless of bottlenecking.

 

[Killface]

Yeah, i got an 8500GT right now, but its not putting out enough horsepower for my liking..


I cant play gears of war ='[

Either way, would the most advanced nVidia card be bottlenecked by my processor? I want to buy the most advanced one i can, but still have it so my processor doesn't bottleneck it. Ya know?

 

[L]

I used to have an 8500GT too, went for an 8600GT Overclocked (From BFG) and damn, did the performance ever jump. My Processor is 2.6 Dual Core, not sure how much higher you'll get.

I think they're going for pretty cheap at the moment.

 

[DiebytheSword]

8600 or 8800 should be fine in your rig, and will be a big boost compared to the lame duck 8500.

 

[Killface]

Yeah... well it was cheap so whatever...

I was thinking about this EVGA 8800GT. What do you guys think?

 

[DiebytheSword]

Looks good, do you have a PCI-E x16 slot available for it?

 

[Killface]

Why yes i do. I made sure of that back when i upgraded my PC.


Should've went to LGA775 though.... =/

 

[KarrdeKNR]

if you're gonna get an 8600 make sure you get a 512 meg model. It cleans the floor with my 256. But if you got the green, 640 meg 8800 GTS or 8800 GT. Both decent cards but the GTS might be the weaker of the two from what I've seen, not sure.

 

[TigerGEO]

I recommend you get a 9600GT

 

[Killface]

If it wont be bottlenecked by my processor... Then sure.
I just need something better than my 8500GT

Damn, i hate typing with busted knuckles.......

 

[Almighty_Gir]

lol, i don't get this "latest card" crap

i'm still running a 7900GS, 256mb.
and i can run any game, including crysis, on full spec with no problems. 4gb of RAM probably helps, but only really for load times, and helping with 3dsmax and zbrush.

what's the deal?

 

[Prozac]

i'm still running a 7900GS, 256mb.
and i can run any game, including crysis, on full spec with no problems.

and then you woke up.

you obviously don't have a real clue what you're talking about.
8500 is absolute crap that can't run crysis.

 

[Almighty_Gir]

lol, when i get my own pc back, i'll post specs, and you can do all the tests you like. i assure you, it works.

 

[TigerGEO]

If it wont be bottlenecked by my processor... Then sure.
I just need something better than my 8500GT

Damn, i hate typing with busted knuckles.......

You won't get bottlenecked by your processor since the card is not the best but not the worst out there it's a decent one for your processor and it's better than 8600GT.

 

[KarrdeKNR]

I think the 7900 might pwn the 8500. But damn, how the hell you get that thing to run crysis on high. Maybe it might be that mine's a mobile version of the 8600, but I choke to death on crysis even on medium. 'course, that might be because I'm trying to run it in DX10 mode.

 

[Prozac]

it's because he's lying.
7900 256mb can't run crysis on high.

7900 blows 8500 out of the water though, 8600 too.

 

[SSJ4boneVegeta]

Just a rule of thumb for ATI and Nvidia, anything with Y600 and less are crap cards with Y being a variable representing 7 or 8 for Nvidia and X1 or HD2/3 for ATI. They are all considered mid range cards all the way to low end.

Also someone correct me if I am wrong but if ur processor is bottlenecking ur gaming, then that would mean it's handling its tasks slower than the video card and therefore not meeting it's potential. So then a faster video card wouldn't fix the bottlenecking but instead a fast processor would. With that said though, I don't think the P4 Prescott is doing that and even if it were a better video card than that mid range you have would probably be a good idea.

Did u mention what game u are playing?

 

[Almighty_Gir]

*shrug* i've never had any problems =/

 

[Hishi]

From my standpoint. The 8500GT is not a gamer video card unless you're playing older or less demanding games. I'm not very fond of the 8600GT either, it's better but nothing worth buying unless you're really tight on cash.

If you wanna play a lot of PC games (smoothly) on pretty good detail, I suggest you at least buy a 9600GT. The 9600GT is leaps and bounds ahead of the 8600 series.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130334

You're definitely getting the BANG for the buck. The 7 series is aging and it will do well on some games like BF2, but it won't fare well on future games.


As for the bottle necking, a P4 single-core may bottle neck better video cards today but I doubt a 7 series. Even then, the bottle neck is only somewhat, the overall performance of the card is still there.

I have a 8800GTS (better than ANY 7 series card) and it gets it's a** kicked by Crysis on high so he is lying. RAM won't make much of a difference besides loading times.