Best gaming video card for $130???

[toneekay]

Okay, so I'm planning on picking up a new video card, and I'm looking for something that will work great with gaming (primarily) and also watching HD movies and what not. Right now I'm only looking to spend roughly $130 and under...

Here's the cards that I've had my eye on, and can't decided between (ATI vs. nVidia)!!!

HIS Radeon 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5

EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB 192-bit GDDR5

EVGA SuperClocked GeForce GTX 460 SE 1GB 256-bit GDDR5

Which do you guys think would be the better card to suite my needs/wants... any other cards out there you guys recommend for the $100-130 range?

 

[JohnS.]

Go with nvidia. I had an ATi and hated the settings controls and what not. The card overall sucked too but it could've been the card. I had a Radeon 4850. I have a GTS 460 now and it performs much better. Not more FPS but it performs more consistently allowing smoother game play when there's a ton of graphics and low FPS going on.

 

[toneekay]

Icic... nvidia is pretty good, I started with a GT 430 and it ran pretty smooth with a couple of the games I play, but could be A LOT better. I picked it up for about 60 bucks, and for that price I was looking for a better card which then came across the HIS HD4670, and that had a lot of great reviews. But now since I'm upgrading a lot of things, I'm thinking about picking a card in the $120-140 range.

I've actually made my decision already... I'm going to go with the GTX 550 Ti... it's just so much better than the other cards. I thought the lack of processor cores (compared to the 460) was a problem, but I guess it really doesn't since the 550 is so much faster.

 

[toneekay]

Okay... I'm having quite a problem... I've read lots and lots of reviews and damn, people keep putting the GTX 460 in front of the GTX 550 ti !!!

So, I know there's a lot of smarty pants floating around in here; can you guys give your insight on which card would be better for me? I'll be using it to play some semi-graphic intense games (Guild Wars, Counterstrike: Source, other MMORPG) on a 32" 1080p tv!

Here's the specs from the original card I wanted, EVGA GTX 550 Ti, against the MSI Hawk Talon Attack GTX 460:


EVGA GTX 550 Ti (1GB 192-bit)
Core: 951 MHz
Memory: 4356 MHz
Shader: 1903 MHz
Processors: 192 processor cores
Price: $137

MSI Hawk Talon Attack GTX 460 (1Gb 256-bit)
Core: 810MHz
Memory: 3900 MHz
Shader: 1620 MHz
Processors: 336 processor cores
Price: $175 ($135 after mir)

 

[toneekay]

It's pretty obvious the numbers show the 550ti is the faster card, but every review I read, chart I see, and etc... People keep saying the 460 is the more superior card. Does it have something to do with the processor cores? I mean, the more the better right? But does that play a big role in how much faster it can make the card run?

Oh yea, and one of the features of the MSI card is that there's PLENTY of room for overclock... I'm sort of feeling the MSI card now due to the fact it has a lot more processor cores, and there's still room for OC (most people get the core running around 900-920 on stock air cooling); plusss... After the mail in rebate, prices are right there with the 550ti.


So tell me, what do YOU guys think?