Well, my current GPU is pretty much about to die - it just crashed when I tried to bring back the desktop from the screensaver and there are hundreds of bad pixels on just about everything (SEN especially because transparency is complicated to render). I know a number of other people who have had their EVGA 7900 GT's fail, so I think it's just a bad card overall. It's over two years old, so I'm pretty sure any warranty has expired, too

I'm getting a new computer in a year, but I've come to terms that my GPU could go completely any minute. So, I thought I'd ask here what a decent replacement would be. I want to be able to run a game like Star Wars Battlefront II (a year or more old, I don't remember) not necessarily at full settings but at least well, and I would like to stay under $100; under $75 would be even nicer (this card just needs to last me a year). I'm an nVidia person, so I would definitely prefer an nVidia card unless there's a clear advantage to switch. If it isn't obvious, I need a pci-e 16 card and my power supply puts out.. I'm not sure actually, but it's at least 350 and I think it might be 500.

I thought I'd ask around here before I ran off and got something random on newegg.

Just get pickout a geforce 8500 you dont need it to last long right?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048+106791921+1067928608&name=GeForce+8500+GT

Right; I'm only getting a new one now because I'm in imminent danger of having no graphics card. I don't even have onboard graphics.

Actually, if I have one other request, avoid cards that naturally run hotter than others. My computer has pretty crappy cooling (stock fans) and isn't in the most ventilated space to begin with.

I think the 8500 is a little weak, and more so its an odd-ball card. I wouldnt go with it DTBK, i just wouldnt.

So if it has to last you a year, and you have crappy cooling, id go with this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121231R
Its ASUS so it should be reliable and it also has a killer fan. Itll run you about 55$. I have an 8600GT 512MB, but its PNY. Id say it preforms pretty well, does Oblivion@Very high@1280x1024.
Note: Its open box, meaning all you get is the card itself, but seeing as your just throwing this in an already working comp i dont think you need any adapters/wires/driver disks right?

Anyway, good luck.

Try contacting EVGA and see if they'll replace it for you. A lot of the time they'll send you a newer card for free (or so I've heard). Worth a shot at least.

It's more than two years old. I doubt it's worth the effort

Well, I agressively vacuumed inside my computer, and almost broke it. Nothing happened when I put it back together (BAD sign), but it turns out I must have blown or knocked the ATX power connector loose Anyway, it helped the idle core temperature drop from 60 to 45 (actually, I think it helps that the room temperature has dropped from 85 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, too).

As for cards, I just see a couple 8-series recommendations, which is what I was thinking of. As far as I see, there's no money value in getting a 7-series card is there?

No there isnt. And i can promise you for price:performance, the card I gave above is quite hard to match.
Edit: Just checked it and i see its deactived. One moment. v.v.

I checked and the best i can recommend, without going down to an 8500GT, which i dont want to do would be this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121231
Its the non-open box version of the card i had originally recommended, and its a little pricey for the situation i admit @80$ but its still a good card and has a great fan.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jul 11 2008, 6:33 am by Excalibur.

Currently eligible for a $20 rebate, too. Be sure to buy it before the end of this month if you want the rebate, and be sure to save and print the pdf of the rebate form when you buy the card and not to wait until later to do so, because if you miss your chance to get the form then you're out of luck there.

Dont know if you bought yet DTBK but the 60$ open box version is back:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121231R

My friend found a $70 8600 GTS. I would definitely go with that over the GT.

Personally I wouldn't trust anything openbox unless I could see it in person. It's used, right? Newegg doesn't have a warranty thing on it either iirc, you get what you get and take the chance it could be broken.

Do not get open box. Why would they return it? Did this product suck or maybe it did not meet expectations...maybe it broke..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125070
Way better card if you dont care about rebates

Open box =/= used.
Open box means they package it in shrink wrap and you dont get any extra discs/cables, which if hes putting it into an already working computer he doesn't need.


Explain to me how your 256mb 8600GT beats my 512mb 8600GT when it costs more money and has less onboard memory. You also forgot DTBK was having heat problems, a fanless silent card is not a good option for his case which obviously does not have good air flow.

I bought an open box DFI P35 TR2L from newegg and theres nothing wrong with it. Next your going to tell me to stay away from OEM too.

The Gigabyte card has gddr3 ram and is cheaper and clocks faster
Although it is fanless i believe his computer will be able to handle it.(he can attach more fans at some point?)(the card doesnt have to last long)
Why would you want 512 ddr2 ram anyways? Does he actually have a high resolution monitor requiring 512 ram?
the geforce 8 series has turbo cache over 512 anyways?

Don't forget to check with ATI cards too. The 4000 series looks pretty solid.

Actually, the only available cards are 4850 and 4870, which are both available for well over $100.

Why the hell would I buy open box when the one with the box is the same price (all right, a few cents more in tax)?

I haven't bought yet since I'm lazy and cleaning out my case has allowed me to continue with the old card in doing normal stuff (like internet). Barring other suggestions though, I'm going to get the Asus card since, although crappy card design was part of it, if anything did in my old card it was the heat. My case just has stock fans and isn't in the most open space, and I would rather sacrifice a little bit of performance (I never came close to taxing my 7900GT anyway except with 3DMark) for assurances that I don't need to worry about another card failure.

Actually, I'm having some second thoughts. My monitor only supports a max resolution of 1280x1024 anyway, so I don't feel I need a 512MB card, and I would rather keep the DDR3 interface (which my current card has too). I shopped around newegg a bit and found these (with comments added). It seems to be the month to get an ASUS card, they all have kickass fans and ASUS is offering some nice mail-in rebates.

#1 ASUS 256MB 8500 GT (Newegg)

Core: nVidia GeForce 8500 GT
Core Clock: 600 MHz
Memory Clock: 1400 MHz
Price: $49.99

Comments: This slightly attracts me because it has roughly the same performance as my 7900 GT, except a better core obviously, and is the cheapest option.


#2 ASUS 256MB 8600 GT - Factory Overclocked (Newegg)

Core: nVidia GeForce 8600 GT
Core Clock: 600 MHz
Memory Clock: 2016 MHz
Price: $54.99

Comments: For five dollars more, the performance jump is huge. My only concern is that the card will run hotter, but I think that the huge fan should be able to deal with that. I'm not thinking that my case is abnormally hot anyway; as far as I know the eVGA 7900GT's were just a bad lot to begin with. I'm actually leaning toward this card right now.


Hmm, I had more but I eliminated them before posting. One was way too expensive and the other (an eVGA card) was having people complain about it running hot, so no. Is the overclock going to compromise any cooling? I'm leaning toward getting the second card right now.

Second card. The 8500GT was put out after the 86/88 and is an oddball GPU. The 8600GT has a very nice fan and is a good card. The price:performance ratio also makes it a better value.

I thought i mentioned this b4 but i guess i didnt... those ASUS cards have huge fans while the Gigabyte does not..
Because the fan is so huge it can take up 2 slots on certain motherboards (such as ones where the pci express x1 is above the x16 slot)
Do you have the room to fit such a card?