whould love some input - need a GPU

[SugarJ]

Seeing as the OP is new here, he might not realize SKYMTL reviewed the Lightning Extreme: MSI GTX 580 Lightning Xtreme Edition (XE) 3GB Review

Read on, and try to avoid opening your wallet.

[GT7R]

Just get the 1.5 GB version :)

[trayton]

You will have to do some research and what not but I like your system we have the same CPU/MOBO (nice combo!),

Let us know what you end up with.

[crawlerz246]

Originally Posted by SugarJ

Read on, and try to avoid opening your wallet.

what do you mean? the card in this review as well as others looks very good not only in benchmarks but also in temps

[crawlerz246]

Originally Posted by GT7R

Just get the 1.5 GB version :)

can someone point me to it?

[yycraven]

Newegg.ca - MSI N580GTX Lightning GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

NCIX.com - Buy EVGA GeForce GTX 580 Fermi 772MHZ 1536MB GDDR5 2XDVI Mini-HDMI PCI-E Video Card - eVGA - 015-P3-1580-AR - in Canada

here is the 1.5GB version


But if you can hold off for a few months and see what the new GTX 600 series are like.
prices of the GTX 500 series should come down and some of the members here will sell there older GTX 500 cards for good price.
That's IMO

[crawlerz246]

Originally Posted by yycraven

Newegg.ca - MSI N580GTX Lightning GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

here is the 1.5GB version

But if you can hold off for a few months and see what the new GTX 600 series are like.
prices of the GTX 500 series should come down and some of the members here will sell there older GTX 500 cards for good price.
That's IMO

you make a good point BUT the price difference between the 1.5GB and the 3GB is uninspiring. and the reviews seem a mixed bag - I see RMAs. also I probably won't wait till the 6xx comes out (god knows when that'll be as it's been pushed back again and again?) and I wish to play and record BF3.

also IDK if this makes any sence but I idle in my (our actually) BBC2 server nearly all the time but I'd like to have the option of playing something while I idle and use the PC (so it wouldn't hang there most of the time not doing anything).

what is needed for this spread (2 games at once)? VRAM? or actual GPU power?

[SugarJ]

Originally Posted by SugarJ

Seeing as the OP is new here, he might not realize SKYMTL reviewed the Lightning Extreme: MSI GTX 580 Lightning Xtreme Edition (XE) 3GB Review

Read on, and try to avoid opening your wallet.

Originally Posted by crawlerz246

what do you mean? the card in this review as well as others looks very good not only in benchmarks but also in temps

Sorry, I was trying to make a joke. As in read the review, and you will want to buy it. It's an awesome card, and if I was in the market today for an air-cooled 580 it would be at the top of my list.

As for Nvidia's next-gen cards, from what I hear they won't be available until next year.

[crawlerz246]

Originally Posted by SugarJ

Sorry, I was trying to make a joke.

as in "fly spread deseases! so keep yours closed!" gotcha

and yh I cannot afford/justify the 590/6990 (not to mention that their cooling is crap unless I was to invest even more in an aftermarket HSF)

[GT7R]

Originally Posted by crawlerz246

you make a good point BUT the price difference between the 1.5GB and the 3GB is uninspiring.

Yes, but at 1080p there will be NO difference at all. In your case every penny for the 3GB over the 1.5 is completely wasted. Unless you want the 3GB for that nice feeling of getting something special. (Which applies for every one of us in a way ;)