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A conundrum

miceormen

miceormen

miceormen

Associate
Joined
26 Feb 2008
Posts
437
Hey Guys

As i'm sure a lot of other people do I tend to send out threads on here that are ultimately fantasy, looking for a new component whose funds in reality goes on something like rent or bills. The fun. Thankfully though I finally have some money I can fritter away on a new bit of tech without issue! (Tax rebate. Woop)

So anyway, the conundrum. I have about £180, and I want a higher res screen (prefer 1920x1200, though 1920x1080 will do) to watch movies on. However, i'd also like to play games at this res, specifically COD / HL2:episodes, which I don't see happening with my 8800gts - though I may be mistaken?

So the question is - Do i upgrade my graphics card (which I'd probably take to a gtx260 - I'm not into frequent upgrading) or my monitor (24") ?

Cheers
 
What is your monitors current resolution?

Depending on that it will swing whether you want to go for a gpu or a monitor, though I don't think you'll be able to get any quality monitors at 1920x 1200 resolutions.

If you opt for a monitor I would recommend: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-108-SA

It's 1920x1080 but will still be great for watching movies and playing the occasional game, will not stress your gpu quite much as a 1920x1200 monitor will.

If, however, you opt for a gpu I would probablly recommend a 4890, it's cheaper than a gtx260 and it would appear dx11 isn't an issue, the 4890 is one of the best, if not the best single card dx10 solutions within your price range. Will perform on par with a gtx 275 and will be at the very least £30 cheaper!

hope this helps mate, best of luck deciding.
 
If you sell your 2 monitors and your gts and add what you get to your £180 you should have enough to get a 22" 1920 X 1080 and a 5770 or a 4890.:D

This and this would do.
 
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Ok the graphics are off the table.. I'll wait until I get some other cash or see if the 5830 drives the clearing 4890s prices down in a month or so..

Rolypolyman the monitor you suggested is vga only, which isn't going to be hd compatible is it? :P Some vga monitors work with it, but certainly not as many as those with dvi / hdmi..

Now looking at that gorgeous ocuk brushed alu br drive to add to a monitor.. under £200 now.. suggestions?
 
I have a Samsung 24" monitor running 1920x1200, also i have a Geforce 8800GTX card, i play COD 4 and 5, Drit 2 all at max settings and 1920x1200 no prob at all.
 
I game at 1920x1080 on a 42" LCD TV, using an 8800GT.

No games I've tried recently have particularly struggled, CoD, Company of Heroes etc, all at pretty much full settings.

Granted, little/no AA/AF, but at that resolution (and the distance I sit from my 42" TV!) it's not noticeable anyway.
 
miceormen said:
Ok the graphics are off the table.. I'll wait until I get some other cash or see if the 5830 drives the clearing 4890s prices down in a month or so..

Rolypolyman the monitor you suggested is vga only, which isn't going to be hd compatible is it? :P Some vga monitors work with it, but certainly not as many as those with dvi / hdmi..

Now looking at that gorgeous ocuk brushed alu br drive to add to a monitor.. under £200 now.. suggestions?
Click to expand...

Sorry mate but it obviously supports 1920 X 1080 which is an HD resolution and I suggested this monitor as Viewsonic is a known make and the price was to fit in with your original budget and the graphics card you were after. A lot of people argue they cant see any difference between vga and dvi but remember the resolution is what makes it HD.:)
 
Got to be the Monitor :D

Without doubt it is the one upgrade that is worth it. You will look at and enjoy it every day wether gaming , web browsing , watching films etc

Have upgraded cpu's, gpu's etc looking for better performance - which they did, with varying degrees of success , provide ....BUT the move from 20"(TN panel 1680x1050) to 24" (PVA Panel 1920x1200) was the best upgrade I made - still using and enjoying approx 2yrs later.

For films (including Blue Ray) your existing gpu should be more than powerful enough , it's only in games that you might find such a little lacking (I would think perfectly playable as long as you do not want all the eye candy running)
I ran my 24" with a 512mb 8800GT for a few months without any real issues !

You can always upgrade your gpu later !!

Do yourself a big favour - spend some time having a good read about different types and try and look at as many as you can . For once the time spent is well worth it :D:D
 
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