What is the best video card for this game?
Video card
What is the best video card for this game?
I have no idea. Why are you asking? Do you have the game yet? Are you trying to make a computer rig or improver your computer so you can buy and play this game, or you already have the game and trying to improve it?
The best video card on the market.
That said, the answer is pretty worthless. The more interesting question is: What is the worst card that plays this game well?
The answer to that is subjective, but collective wisdom suggests that you need to go for something that has hardware support for DirectX 11. That means you'll need an ATi 5xxx or nVidia 4xx or better. Furthermore, you need a decent amount of power, so let's update that to be the ATi 58xx or nVidia 46x or better.
From a cost/performance point of view, the GeForce 460 is a good choice, as is the Radeon 5850. Of course, the Geforce 570 and Radeon 6850 are even better (and more expensive) options.
6850 is not the update of 5850 is the update of 5750/5770...
so if u call out the gtx570 u should compare to a 6970/50
I am not saying that 6850 is not good (as it is more or less like a gtx460) but that the comparison with a gtx570 is not proportioned :P
anyway
gtx460-470-480-570-580
HD6850-5850-6870-5870-6950-6970
any of those should be enough obviously the further on the right the better..
more or less from 180 dollar (hd6850/gtx460) up...
Speaking of worst card, I believe I am playing with a card that is not even listed. I have a NVidea 9600GT TurboCach playing on a laptop with 2.0ghz dual core, so I am at minimum settings. It plays, but the game is slow inbetween turns now that I am over at 200+ turns.
So if I can play it, most of the cards out now should play it. But I understand you want someone to name a card. I almost bought a computer but it came with a bare minimum card, I didn't bother buying the computer since the card wouldn't be changed by the store. So why bother buying something that you will not use.
It all depends. What do you want the new card for?
The answer could be easy (just get the best one out there - avoiding NVIDIA (apparently there have been issues with those cards and Civ V) or difficult. It's difficult as Civ V seems to push even top-of-the-line cards pretty hard so there may not be one 'best' card.Originally Posted by ferret13
The three things I'd prioritize if I was building a computer to play Civ V is and Solid State Drive so that Civ V loads fast (the initial load and save games take a while to load), as much RAM as you can afford (8GB is the minimum - of course you'll need 64 bit Windows then as well), and the newest ATI DX 11 video card.
GTX 580 watercooled here with no problems, it don't even break sweat
6Gb RAM is ridiculous (which is what I have) let alone 8Gb!, anything more is an utter waste of money for ANY game ATM
Just... wow.
Scaramonga: You have the 580 Hydro!?!
Please post some pics!
Absolutely no reason to avoid Nvidia cards.
I have got my Steam folder on SSD and there is almost no difference in speed of loading than when it was on my mechanical HD. The SSD is running at optimum speed, an OCZ Vertex 2E.
4GB is about ideal for Civ V.
If the OP only posts this...
it is impossible to give an informed answer without knowing the rest of the hardware he has (complete details needed), including the resolution he would expect to run the game at. Also what OS is being ran.What is the best video card for this game?
@BammBamm - please do not be offended but why on earth would you want to see a picture of a graphics card..? To me that is like asking to see a picture of a new cordless drill or something, it is merely a tool to do a job.!? A very capable one mind you but I couldn't imagine drooling over a picture of one
LOL! No offense taken, Dibs.
No, my aim is to get Scaramonga to post pics of the behemoth as-installed in what's probably a fairly sick rig in its own right. I've been building my own PCs since 2004, but haven't mustered the courage to "get wet" yet.
I thought maybe he'd have a few pointers on how best to accomplish water-cooling for an amateur "Dr. Frankenstein" like yours truly.
I think it was a touch of sarcasm lol@BammBamm - please do not be offended but why on earth would you want to see a picture of a graphics card..? To me that is like asking to see a picture of a new cordless drill or something, it is merely a tool to do a job.!? A very capable one mind you but I couldn't imagine drooling over a picture of one
Anyway, bog standard Zotac 580 with EK-FC580 Acetal/Nickel block is my 'hydro' lol, pics are not worth taking otherwise
I too have been building PC's for many years. My first build of a PC was a 386 in '85. Previous to that the computers I bought were "complete" and not a build your own job.
Water cooling is something that has never interested me, either from a cooling perspective or a noise reduction one. Then again running a SLI or X-Fire rig wouldn't either. The last time I had a two graphics card setup was when a Righteous Orchard did its 3DFX thing with my Matrox Millennium - but that was eons ago
Not even a hint scaramonga
Oh that's right, you two: Poke fun at the awestruck technogeek, why don'tchya!
Say... since you had the bollox to rip off the fan and paste on those cooling blocks, I'm even moreturned on— uhh… intrigued than ever. My solution would be to spend 700 USD and snag one from EVGA, and this further underscores just how much of a rank amateur I am as it relates to unbridled PC tinkering.
Fair enough.
The only reason I mentioned it was because I had heard that there were some issues with NVIDIA cards but it's good to hear my information was faulty.
Lol!Oh that's right, you two: Poke fun at the awestruck technogeek, why don'tchya!
Say... since you had the bollox to rip off the fan and paste on those cooling blocks, I'm even moreturned on— uhh… intrigued than ever. My solution would be to spend 700 USD and snag one from EVGA, and this further underscores just how much of a rank amateur I am as it relates to unbridled PC tinkering.
I'd say go the cheaper route with the standard 580 and fit your own choice of block. Zotac is pretty cheap and they have a 5 year Guarantee, but pretty much voided when removing the stock cooler lol, unless your careful
If you insist, I will rip open case and take pics for your delight lol
@ Scaramonga:
You say "standard 580"... friend, in my world, those two words don't even belong in the same sentence! Here I am, thinking my venerable GTX 260 Superclocked is the total shizznit, while you're basking in the glory of having ONLY one of, if not THE fastest cards in the Milky Way Galaxy!
Even if you don't get around to cracking the case and posting your handiwork, I'd be honoured to get a few pointers on H2O cooling, as this is one area in which I am utterly and completely ignorant.
mmmm ......hardware porn!
If you insist, I will rip open case and take pics for your delight lol
@ Jazz: ROTFLMAO!
Okay. I'm an exhibitionist... so I'll go first. Just realize that, when 2K Elizabeth catches wind of this, we're all gonna be in BIG TROUBLE!
Here's a pre-installed pic of my aftermarket chip fan, sitting next to the stock Intel unit:
"Is that a chip fan in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"
By comparison, here's my large unit perched next to a standard 12-ounce can of a popular cereal malt beverage:
"Holy OVERKILL, BatMan!"
Oooh. Sweet!@ Jazz: ROTFLMAO!
Okay. I'm an exhibitionist... so I'll go first. Just realize that, when 2K Elizabeth catches wind of this, we're all gonna be in BIG TROUBLE!
Here's a pre-installed pic of my aftermarket chip fan, sitting next to the stock Intel unit:
"Is that a chip fan in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"
By comparison, here's my large unit perched next to a standard 12-ounce can of a popular cereal malt beverage:
"Holy OVERKILL, BatMan!"
I can't wait to get back home tomorrow and post a sexy pic of my SSD drive seductively mounted into my Antec case....
Yes, I need a life.....
Take care.
As someone else pointed out, there's no reason to avoid nVIdia on the whole. Some older nVidia cards have some known issues. This doesn't apply to the nVidia 4xx and 5xx lines (hence why I suggested them). In fact, some reports are showing that the game has abnormally good performance on the Fermi line of cards from nVidia, specifically the 460/470/480 and 5xx cards.
Indeed, I should have qualified my statement. The 6850 is not the most powerful ATi card, however, it's got more than enough ability to handle Civ V and lower power/cooling requirements than the 5xxx line. It's better on a subjective level, based on what I personally value. Obviously, I accept that others will disagree and I concede that there are other cards that are more powerful.
I have 8 gigs of RAM 800mhz ddr2, AMD phenom 9950 quad core, and an ATI Radeon 5850. I run the game maxed out without a hitch =P
On the "worst card that runs it well" question, the 450 is a good bet... If you want all the good effects (DX11) running at a decent resolution and framerate, but without high AA or the top textures or whatever, the 450 is great, and in the UK at least it's a major price break between that and any higher X in 4X0. I don't play many graphically intense games, CivV being far and away the most graphically demanding (well, some competition with King Arthur, but that's only if one turns insane options up on King Arthur), it didn't make sense to spend more when that would do.
I leave the thread to grab a few hours sleep and it deteriorates into the mirky and sordid world of Hi-tech porn, complete with pictures.!
You men (as it often is) should be ashamed of yourselves
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