Low End Graphics cards

Hiya all,

What Low End Graphics cards do you think I should have?

The Graphics cards must have these....

Vertex Shader Model 2.0
Pixel Shader Model 2.0

I was thinking of getting 512MB ATI X1650 PRO but I am not sure which why I ask on here.

I would just get a GeForce GTX 295. It's the cheapest card in the long run, because everytime you spend time with some problems with a non-working card you lose time and money. Each time you have to google for some bug fixes it costs you like 10€, each time you get upset that something does not work, it costs you like 100€ per hour. If everything always works, you only invest in the initial card, and don't lose any money after that purchase, ever. In addition, the time you spend on fighting with unnecessary problems of some low end card, you could spend on coding your game, which will bring you thousands, ten thousands or more money.

GeForce GTX 295? no thanks....I have already got Geforce 8800GTS 640MB but I had Massive Eletric Bills from that High Graphics cards last Month!

That why I want to buy Low End Graphic cards.

I think your electric bills come from something else. Sauna, oven, microwave, television, non-energy saving lamps.

I only Used Computer, Light, TV, Eletric heater and that it

I pretty Sure that my Geforce 8800GTS give me Huge Eletric Bills because when I used to have ONBOARD Graphics and my Eletric bills was cheap before!

Pffft! >_<

You know electricity prices have gone throught the roof lately, right? Compared to a TV/lights/fridge/freezer/vacuum cleaner/alarm clocks/hair dryers/electric heaters/cookers/washing machines/dishwashers etc - a graphics card uses relatively nothing.

Stick with this:

Shade model 2 and 512mb ram is NOT low-end ;-)

Why don't you buy a low-end TV, light, fridge etc. :D

Really now, it's a bit unrealistic to blame the poor 8800 for your electric bills.

Leadwerks: thats too high tech the pixelation on that model looks too bad :D

Nice picture but actually the GTX295 users more likely bring us sooner back to the stoneage than the ones using more power consumption friendly hardware.

Btw it's relatively easy calculating how much this costs you on your own.

Obviously it depends on how much you use it and stress the card but with todays energy prices, if you're using the card on a daily basis this could turn out to something like €120 a year, more if you stress the card more and less if you don't. For a comparison under same conditions a lower range or mobile card could only cost you something about €35/€10 then. Oh and we haven't even started talking about the energy production costs.

Anyway it gets more interesting if you choose your whole computer under a low energy consumption view. This can save you quite some money each month. One of the reasons i always try to get more mobile hardware into my systems. Apple has some nice solutions regarding this respect.

It adds to your overall energy footprint like everything else.

GeForce FX5200. It's very common here in Brazil, like the default "gaming machine" spec for non-hardcore players. Allows you to play up to Farcry, HL2, and Doom3 (not on maximum, of course, but still smoothly fun). It's very handy.

There are passively cooled Geforce 7800GT OC's around that only use about 13 watts when running fairly idle.

Most cards use about the same as 2x 60w lightbulbs unless you leave cyisis on as a screensaver 24/7 your unlikely to see a big change in your bills.

Try to get a 9600M GT or 9400M GT, they come with a TDP of 23 and 12 Watt. ATI's mobile 4xxx will be interesting too.

8400gs is 512mb and only £35.

My 8500GT is 512mb and was only £19!

Hey GfK, where did you get it for that price? At a shop, online I can see it going for £38

Someone told me that I been silly about my big eletric bills(I think it could be from Eletric heater!) and might well stick with Geforce 8800GTS in my pc as GFK say a graphics card uses relatively nothing!

I got it from PC World, strangely. Odd to find a bargain there, but there you go.

Hotshot... so you're downgrading your graphics card to reduce your electricity bills? Where's Eikon with that log of his when you need him?

http://www.eiksoft.com/eik/thelog.htm

Is that the patisawesome log?

I'm afraid it is.

And back in August it was summer... and you did mention an electric heater...

I was going to replace my 7800GTX with an ATI 4670. Not only is it twice as fast, it uses a lot less energy!