GTS 250 (512MB) vs GTS 250 (1GB) vs GTX 260 (896MB)

[chershean_chua]

My current graphics card is a Palit Nvidia GeForce 8400GS, I know its very lousy, so I wanna upgrade the card.

The 3 choices are:
1. Palit Nvidia GeForce GTS 250 (512MB) Cost: $169.00
2. Palit Nvidia GeForce GTS 250 (1GB) Cost: $279.00
3. Palit Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 Sonic (896MB) Cost: $269.00

Can any one help to choose which one to get?

Factors that all should consider:
1. I have a weak processor, Intel Dual-Core E5300 2.6GHZ, will that bottle neck the performance of powerful cards? Or is it good enough to meet the processor requirements of todays games like GTA IV and Crysis Warhead to give me a good non-laggy gaming experience?
2. The 1GB GTS 250 costs $10 more than the GTX 260 Sonic, is it a better buy?
3. I only play games at a resolution no more than 1366 x 768 'cause thats the furthest my monintor can go.

Thanks...

 

[Whyfly??]

Get the first choice.
More VRAM (1GB, 896 MB etc.) is made for bigger monitors and higher resolution. Since you only run at 1366x768 you only need 512 MB.
Plus your CPU isn't the greatest, let's face it.
It won't bottleneck your first choice, but the others it will.
I don't think you will be able to max out Crysis or GTAIV.
Crysis is really demanding, and i7 rigs can BARELY max it out.
GTAIV is just crappily optimized and no one maxes it.
Other games, however, should be fine.

 

[worshipme]

None of those are very good choices at those prices, get an HD 5770. It will perform around the same as the 260 whilst costing the price of the 512MB GTS 250, consuming less power and it supports DX11.


The E5200 is a great overclocker, you could easily get a 1GHz overclock if you needed to.

 

[chershean_chua]

I am not that a hardcore gamer yet so I dun think I will be overclocking. Dunno how to do it anyways.
I am not really a fan of ATI cards too... So I will be going for the Nvidia GeForce ones instead.
Anyways, shuold I get the GTX 260? I will be upgrading the computer's processor to a i7 or sumthin cuz I nid to upgrade my motherboard to get a better processor. Now the best I can go with this motherboard is a Intel Core 2 Duo E7600 3.06GHZ which is not much better than my current Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.6GHZ, or correct me if I am wrong...

 

[chershean_chua]

Ok... Thanks alot for ur help. Will be updating ur once I have upgraded my PC and that will be at the end of 2010. Thanks alot...