Have $200 to spend? Want DX11 / OpenGL 4.0? Don't want to buy AMD? Nvidia has you covered

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/..._460_review/10

linking to the final conclusion since that's probably what matters.

Nvidia's finally answered the call for a card to match AMD's offerings with the GTX 460. According to HardOCP (and other reviews that I've glanced through) it basically does what the RadeonHD 3x00 series did for the RadeonHD 2x00 series: turn a dog into something you'd want to spend money on.

As an added bonus, the GTX 460 has an MSRP of $199, which puts it $30 less than the Average Selling Price RadeonHD 5830 it can match. It also overclocks better than the 5830...

I see just one slight issue... The ATi RadeonHD 5850 and 5870 were both supposed to launch at far lower price-points than they actually did... and it's been hinted AMD's board partners could sell the 5850 for $200 and still make a profit.

Hopefully then the Geforce GTX 460 will see what gamers have been asking for since... well... January actually: something that will force board prices down across the board. From what I've seen so far, Nvidia's finally gotten back into the game.

That's cool news. Going to start buying upgrades for my PC after ComicCon, so I will keep this in mind

Shut up, you're ruining my conspiracy theory that you work for ATI!




(wake me up when Intel either leaves the graphics accelerator market, or comes out with something half way decent).

We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.

I had a GTX295 that failed on a rig I bought from iBuyPower. It was under warranty, but hey had no GTX295 in stock at the time, so they sent me a GTX470.... i *LOVE* this card, and I will never look for another computer vendor...

$200, eh? Hmm... Might have to start saving...

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Yes, multiple reviews I've read on the new GTX 460 seems to indicate that it's an excellent card with the 1GB version easily besting the older GTX 260 and 275 cards, the kludge GTX 465, the HD 5830 and on rare occasions, in certain games, the HD 5850.

My hope is that it's price/performance will drive some of ATI's prices down.

Competition is a good thing.

wonder how it compares to a gtx 280 or 285?

I wouldn't say about the same as the HD5830, well it's true with the 768MB/192 bit version ($200) but the 1GB/256-bit version ($30 more) beats it outright.

Reviews that included the GTX 280 and GTX 285 puts the 1GB GTX 460 between the two. The HD 5850 beats all three by 10-20% but costs 30% more than the 1GB GTX 460 making the 1GB GTX 460 slower but a slightly better "value" from a fps/$ standpoint.

As always some games perform better with nVidia and some with ATI and sometimes the advantage is changes if the benchmarks are with AA on or not.

now i dont know what i want to upgrade, my mobo/cpu or me gfx card, though my gtx260 core 216 does very nicely already

OK, currently, NewEgg lists 16 GTX 460 (Fermi) cards. Who is the best... um... reseller? Dunno what the word I'm looking for is (though I bet I feel stupid when someone tells me... ).

Right now, EVGA seems to be the one with the most ratings, but I tend to trust you guys.

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Remember the 1GB version of the card gives you more than just 33% more memory. It also increases the total video memory bandwidth by 33% (memory bus goes from 192-bit to 256-bit). In practical terms that benchmarks out to a 5-10% improvement in games.

The GTX 460 is a great board by all accounts. One reviewer, Hardware Canucks, suggests that the 1GB is recommended for monitors 23-24"; the 768GB versions are great for monitors smaller than that.

One of the ATI board partners recently said that the 6xxx series will be released Q1 2011. I agree with je_saist; I expect to see price drops on the ATI boards. I'm using a 5 year old video card now and I'm going to hope for the ATI price drop before I decide which board I'm going to get. Competition is great for the consumer.

If you're on an older card like me, and happen into a Best Buy anytime soon, it wouldn't hurt to see if they have any PNY GTX260s on closeout for $137.xx, Model VCGGTX260CXPB. I've looked locally a month ago and had no luck. There are still reports of people finding them but the supply is drying up. The 260 is an older and does not support DX11.

One note, the Nvidia naming scheme is again a mess. The 460 is a superior board to the previously released 465. Do not confuse the two.

There's an older article about how ATI became competitive with Nvidia again that is a good read: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2679.

Well 23-24" monitor means 1920x1080 or 1200 resolution, I simply wish they would come out and say that upfront but the assumption is that the average user knows how big their monitor is and not the resolution.

Oh and from the sound of it, you may want to check how big your power supply is Kheldarn. Store bought, mass produced PCs aren't normally designed with power supplies that can handle anything but the low end performing video cards. Also because the video cards discussed so far take at least one if not two 6-pin PCIe power connectors.

Also it appears that model uses a type of latch mechanism which may limit you to a standard size PSU (3.4" x 5.9" x 5.5" or 86mm x 150mm x 140mm). The 5.5"/140mm is the important dimension there. Modular and high watt PSUs tend to be longer. Replacement instructions are found here.

Edit: Oops, thought that this post got eaten. See additional info in my next post below.

A note for those who are thinking of getting a GTX 460, stay away from the Palit and MSI brands. They lack VRAM heat sinks which, despite their claims, is a bad thing.

We also have to discuss power supplies here. The standard one in that HP isn't going to cut it Kheldarn. Store boughts aren't designed with a PSU that could handle anything greater than the lowest performance video cards and we aren't talking about those.

First, before I forget, here are the instructions about swapping out a PSU in that case. Now since there is a retaining latch involved, it will likely limit you to a PSU that is only 5.5"/140mm long (deep, whatever), this usually eliminates modular, high watt and big side fan cooled power supplies. You are also looking for a PSU with two 6-pin (or 6+2 pin) PCIe power connectors, since several of the cards being discussed here require that.

So a PSU like this or this should work nicely. Also the Corsair 550VX or the Seasonic S12II or M12II Bronze 520 watt should fit as well.

Edit, and looking at the rats nest of cables and the internal layout of the case, I wouldn't go with a video card longer than 9.5". The hard drives are mounted vertically leaving little space between them and the DVD drive cage for a longer, double wide card to slip in.

Ah yes, the PSU thing. I knew I was forgetting something... >.<

Thanks for the reminder, and links.

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