Cheapest GPU I can get for 1080p

**Kensington** · 01-09-2010

I have some confusion regarding some concepts . What is the cheapest and low powering GPU which I am able to get for the HTPC ? I just receive the E3300 and motherboard for the $30 at Frys. Already having the harddrive and case just require the GPU. Will onboard 4500 play 720p+1080P files ? I need to have the hdmi but if onboard GPU is as capable l enough to play my files that I will have to work with the DVI/VGA + audio cable.

**Calvin K** · 01-09-2010

There is anything but an ATI. I am running with the 3200 and a 5850. And while they are able to play the standardized h264, they are not exactly batting a 1.0. The 5850 can play multiple videos after the newest driver updates (One update really broke the 1080p and I had to hunt down an previous one), but still is not appropriate. I still have sometimes move to software mode because it easily unable to manage the high quality Anime.

h264 specs move up to the 16 reference frames and for whatever the causes , not even the 5850 are able to play them in better way. DVD's/Blueray only move up with the 5.1 so that is the only guarantee ATI's can perform . Following the naming convention, quite some of my custom videos are 8.1 to 16.1.

**Praetor** · 01-09-2010

It is not such type of big deal for most of the people here, you can still go ahead with them within the software mode anyway, and it is not as you will be working anything within the background on your configuration. In my situation, I do a lot of things on my netbook (The one with the HD3200) and the nice components about the same (when it works) is that I am able to run a lot of my components on the same and the 1080p on another monitor does not even stutter.

I am not so sure about how nVidia's side is performing in this regard, but maybe there is somebody on the other team can suggest if there are some problems on them as well.

**Katty** · 01-09-2010

You are able to get the Geforce 8600 really cheap moved properly which is more than appropriate for the 1080p. If you need new one then a 8400 or a Geforce 210 should perform for within the 50 bucks. If you need the HDMI seems for the cards which have native HDMI as some of them come with the DVI+hdmi adapter. By the way what motherboard are you working with this ? you may not require a GPU at all.

**kelfro** · 01-09-2010

The 5850 has been having the dramatic improvements in the just released driver but is not quite there but the 3200 (that is supposed to rival the one used in the nVidia's ION) assumes as to have been forgotten. Which is a shame when these minimum power PC's requirement properly functioning video encoders even more. By the way, most of the guys just play straight off a DVD/BR so it is not a priority but there is something to remember if you need to play a lot of anime or watch privately encoded videos.

**Zecho** · 01-09-2010

I would not fault this that you are going to play something it was not designed to play, it is pretty much the maximum that it was dedicates to play was blu-ray. Now I am not so sure that if the drivers could come up with this but I am unable to get the ATI functioning on any type of video over blu-ray quality to be hardware accelerated.