Entering the current gen of graphics cards - please help

HenryWard

Hi folks,

So, hard drive troubles have me planning a NewEgg order for the first time in a while, and I'm long overdue for a graphics card update. I'm currently running a GTX 260 Black Edition which got me through the last gen fine but is starting to feel its age with things like Far Cry 3. Unfortunately, there are a gazillion choices out there for upgrades and I'm hoping that you all can please help.

Goals:
- A card that will let me play fairly recent stuff like Far Cry 3 and Crysis 3 at least most of the way up, even if not maxed
- A card that'll last me at least two years without needing further upgrades (I'm willing to pay extra for longevity, and I've had the GTX 260 for four years now)
- Beyond that, the cheaper the better. I'm willing to pay for a good card, but I don't want to drop the extra $150-200 to go from Very Good to Ultra unless there's a compelling reason to do so or the marginal cost is fairly low.

Thoughts? The GTX 660 looks like it may fall in the right ballpark at a quick glance, but I'm honestly not sure what the standards are these days.

Edit: A few more pieces of info:
- CPU is a Core i7 920 (quad)
- 6 gigs of memory (do I need more than that these days?)
- Asus P6t Deluxe mobo

Many thanks!

Rook

Basically unless you're pushing 1440p+ then the 660 should be fine, although you might want to think about the 760 which is just a bit faster than the 660Ti. The flip side to that is the AMD 7870/7950 range, which you can still find with the Never Settle Reloaded Level Up etc etc promotion, which might make it worth your while to switch - although most of the games are now in steam sales so it's not quite the bargain it once was.

Kazoo

I'd consider the GTX 760. It's essentially a rebadged and upclocked GTX 670, which will max everything on the market currently at 1080p, and I believe MSRP is $249.

Donovan Puppyfucker

$250 for the best performance/dollar card on the market, the GTX760. Which is essentially a GTX670 with a slight increase in performance and a much lower price, so if you're playing at 1080p it will run things like Far Cry 3 at Ultra settings rather nicely.

Your processor is still pretty great, the 920 is no slouch, and 6 gigs of RAM is plenty.

GnomeTank

Thirding the GTX 760. I have it's "parent" card, the 670, and it's a monster. Being able to basically get my card at 250 bucks is a steal.

HenryWard

Thanks tremendously to the lot of you. I'll definitely be picking up a 760.

Kazoo

HenryWard wrote: »

Thanks tremendously to the lot of you. I'll definitely be picking up a 760.

Good choice!