Which Graphics Card?

Ok peeps.

So, I'm thinking of getting this HP Pavillion h8xt for $899.99 (base price). I'm def. changing the standard graphics card of it, and my options are the follows:


1GB DDR3 Radeon HD 6450 [DVI, HDMI. VGA adapter]
Included in price

1GB DDR3 Radeon HD 6570 [DVI, HDMI. VGA adapter]
+$40.00

2GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 530 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter]
+$60.00

1GB DDR3 Radeon HD 6670 [DVI, HDMI, DP, VGA]
+$70.00

1GB DDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti [2 DVI, mini-HDMI. VGA adapter]
+$200.00

1GB DDR5 Radeon HD 6850 [2 DVI, 2 mini-DP, HDMI. VGA adapter]
+$200.00

1.5GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 [2 DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter]
+$400.00


The site DOES NOT say a brand, or anything else than the above.


Thanks!!!!!!!!!

Maybe this chart will help you figure out which card will perform better than the others.

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

I will say I would not get the GeForce GT 530, thats $20 more for less performance than the Radeon HD 6570.

And if you really want to save money you would buy your own card and not purchase it through HP. You can get those cards cheaper than the added cost listed above.

The GIGABYTE GV-N550OC-1GI GeForce GTX 550 Ti cost is $129.99.

And you do know HP is trying to get out of the PC business so your long-term support (if any) will likely be from another company. So, for example, Win8 drivers may be hard to get.

You can buy a GeForce GTX 550 at Newegg for $118 and the Radeon HD 6850 for $160 so I would be darned if I would pay $200 plus the value of a Radeon HD 6450 (about $25). Better to buy it stock and sell or junk the 6450.

The GTX580 is about $30 cheaper than the lowest at newegg but it has no maker so it could be a striped down version, cheaper fan etc. And at the other end the Radeon HD 6570 +40 is a fair trade, cheapest I see is $76 so that is $36 for your swapped out card.

So if you would be happy with a 6570 then that is worth the $40 upgrade, other than that I would buy stock and replace it yourself if it doesn't meet your needs.

Are you a huge gamer? What is the newest most graphic intensive game you play? What are it's optimum requirements?

I might just stick with the default 6450 and upgrade later. After all, it's still a good card.

I NEVER heard that HP is going out of business. Where did you get that? Dell and HP is one of the biggest computer companies out there. I'm planning on playing Flight Simulator X. So, yes, I'm a big gamer now.

With my current 4650, I can't even play with rain or snow, because it lags like @$#%, and also, my processor is slow to render my videos that I make. I want one of those fancy Core i processors.

Yes, I agree. I may as well just stick with the 6450. Thanks for the help.

HP wants to get out of the PC hardware business and hope to get stronger via their computer services business. So they are trying to sell off their PC part.
See THREAD and THREAD

And because you are a gamer, unless you do plan to buy a better graphics card and install it yourself, then I would pay the $40 and get the 6570.

Pssst... I don't trust MSNBC. I know HP said it MAY, but why would they do that? They're the most powerful PC company out there, and people will be forced to go buy Gateways or Dells instead.

Meh, I'll just buy a better one and install it myself. I asked HP about the 600Watt option for the power supply and he told me it comes with about 4 PCI-E power connectors (6 pins).

Anyhow, what's the big difference between the 6570 and the 6450?

HP said it. They have a new CEO who is very much into turning companies upside down. So unless they purposely wanted to cause their stock prices to plunge there was no reason to say it unless it was true. At the same time they dumped all their HP tablets for $100 to get rid of them; a further sign they are getting out of hardware.

Now I'm sure somebody will buy it because that division IS profitable, it just isn't seeing the kind of growth the CEO wants.

Back to the initial question. I agree it's better to buy a card afterwards as you probably want more performance boost than you get for the $40

@#$^ Leo Apotheker. He sucks. We need the original Bill Hewlett and David Packard. I can't believe the CEO of the biggest computer company (After IBM) is saying that. Somebody kill him.


I agree.

Personally I'd build my own. You are going to get far better components for your money. If the likes of HP Dell et al can buy "X" mobo with dumbed down features for $10, They're not going to pay $11 dollars for the same un-dumbed down one.

I'm not sure about PC's but I know a lot of the named brand laptops will be locking you out of certain parts of your BIOS (part of the dumbing down). If you have RAM timing issues, you will more than likely not be able to alter them. You are stuck with what you have been given, whether right or wrong. This will also most likely remove the opportunity, if it is your wont, to overclock.

You'll also end up with a load of OEM programs that your PC will need to run (or their drivers), but which in fact will do nothing in regards to your system speed.

I always use Hardware Revolution as one of my reference points when I feel the occasional need to by new hardware for my system, or just window shopping. Perhaps (price wise) not so relevant to me due to locale but it does give some good comparisons as they say, on your "Bang for Bucks".

Maybe worth comparing what your HP will be comprised of, and then see what you could do for the same dollars yourself.

Well, that's my rather long 2p's worth!!

I doubt that the bigger more powerful cards would get along to far with the crap power supply they're going to throw in there. I have a 560ti and that needs 2 6-pin power plugs. The 580 might need an 8 and a 6.