GPU for HL2 level games, CS:Source etc

[tomos]

i wont be buying till the new cards are out from ATi (hopefully the current ones will be cheaper by a fair whack). i dont play any new games on my PC. gave up on all that, but i want to get back to CS:Source and my current 2400xt isnt enough (and will be moved to another PC anyway as it's needed).

I want to play @ 1080 res, would a 3850 or maybe a 3650 be ok for decent framerates? the non ddr2 3850s are around £60 ish now iirc, anyone care to guesstimate on the prices when the new cards come out?

as an afterthought, does VSync make a diff with LCDs?

 

[Magnum_Force]

If you want to play at @ 1080 rez, go for the 3850, as the 3650 will struggle at that rez, even with the source engine.

Also, try and save some extra cash for the HD3850 512mb GDDR3 model.

Might want to wait a month as new cards by both Nvidia and ATi are coming this June.

 

[Blackhawk47]

a 3850 512mb would be fine . but you could just pick a card up second hand.

 

[Paracelsus]

I wouldn't use less than a 3850/2900XT with 512mb.

 

[tomos]

3850 it is, will wait for the new cards next month though.

 

[Skyboat]

You can play it fine on the older GF7/X19xx generation cards, the Source engine needs a lot of CPU power, GPU comes secondary.

 

[rayb74]

I play Source @ 1920*1200 with a P4 on a 1950 AGP fine with AA etc.

Anything else though like BF2142 just makes my rig break down and start to cry !!!

 

[Sweetloaf]

as an afterthought, does VSync make a diff with LCDs?

As with all monitors V sync will lock the frame rate to the refresh rate of your monitor. If the frame rate drops below say 60fps on a 60Hz screen it will display 30fps, if it dips below 30 fps it will disply 15fps etc etc.

60fps constant shouldn't be a problem though with your chosen card.