# ...Graphics Card for movies & tv - not gaming



## Ethan417 (Jan 23, 2019)

Hi I'm building a new PC - Rysen 5 2600 Asus x470 Pro mb.
I'm not a gamer. 
I use my computer for watching guitar videos, tv, etc, web surfing, reading static text - newspapers, some light audio recording, and watching movies. 

What should I look for in a graphics card?
How much should I pay?
Please recommend specific cards.
Many thanks


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## newtekie1 (Jan 23, 2019)

For your needs, just an inexpensive graphics card will do all that you need.

A RX 550 or GT 1030 should be more than enough.


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## cucker tarlson (Jan 23, 2019)

cheapest you can get,possibly with passive cooling.


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## HossHuge (Jan 23, 2019)

You could have saved yourself a bunch of money and just gotten an APU.


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## kastriot (Jan 23, 2019)

https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/5-best-gpus-for-htpc-use/


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## R0H1T (Jan 23, 2019)

Is it something like a stopgap, do have plans (if any) to upgrade in the future? If you plan to keep it for a short while try a used card, if that's acceptable to you course. If it's longer term you should buy something closer to RX560, GTX1050 levels.


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## silentbogo (Jan 23, 2019)

Just go with Ryzen 5 2400G, drop your motherboard choice to some decent B450 with triple-display outputs and save your cash.
It's more than capable for your needs. Built-in decoder can easily do 10-bit 4K HEVC, or anything else you throw at it.
I think even R3 2200G can do all of the above. You can put all the cash you've saved towards a big-ass NVME drive or a decent external audio interface for your guitar recording.


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## HossHuge (Jan 23, 2019)

kastriot said:


> https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/5-best-gpus-for-htpc-use/



What a terrible list.  It starts out ok with a GT1030 and a GTX1050 but I wouldn't consider the rest of the cards HTPC cards.


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## Deleted member 158293 (Jan 23, 2019)

I would also suggest a Ryzen APU over a separate GPU for these uses.


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## cucker tarlson (Jan 23, 2019)

if you haven't purchased the 2600 already then go with 2400g,a b450 mobo would be more than fine too.Save money for a bigger/faster ssd.But if you can hold on for a while then I'd wait for the 7nm APUs,they're gonna be fantastic.


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## Kursah (Jan 23, 2019)

Agreed, get the 2400G. Solid performer I just built a couple of em for a friend and we're both quite impressed with the results. Cool, quiet, efficient and more GPU capability that we'd expected from iGPU. I should've done some benches...but more than enough for what the OP seeks.


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## Jose Jeswin (Jan 23, 2019)

AMD: R7 240 low Profile (Used)....
Nvidia: Zotac GTX 1050TI Mini...
I run these....gives satisfactory performance without breaking the bank...


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## jboydgolfer (Jan 23, 2019)

generally , the iGPU in your processor will suffice. if your doesnt have an iGPU, get the cheapest card you can find that fits your PC


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## eidairaman1 (Jan 23, 2019)

silentbogo said:


> Just go with Ryzen 5 2400G, drop your motherboard choice to some decent B450 with triple-display outputs and save your cash.
> It's more than capable for your needs. Built-in decoder can easily do 10-bit 4K HEVC, or anything else you throw at it.
> I think even R3 2200G can do all of the above. You can put all the cash you've saved towards a big-ass NVME drive or a decent external audio interface for your guitar recording.



Those Ryzen APUs can handle the demands


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## NdMk2o1o (Jan 23, 2019)

Definitely get a 2200g or 2400g ryzen apu that processor and motherboard is way overkill for what you described and you could save about £200 with an apu and b450 motherboard


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## Wavetrex (Jan 23, 2019)

2400G and forget about videocards.

It's more than good enough EVEN FOR GAMING (albeit only casual stuff at max settings, but IT CAN run Crysis if you drop the detail 
Don't forget that those 4 Zen cores are real cores ! Not just "threads" like for Intel i3's which are just dual cores.


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## newtekie1 (Jan 23, 2019)

Wavetrex said:


> Don't forget that those 4 Zen cores are real cores ! Not just "threads" like for Intel i3's which are just dual cores.



The current i3's are quad-cores.


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## Wavetrex (Jan 23, 2019)

newtekie1 said:


> The current i3's are quad-cores.


Ah yes, you are correct... dual cores have been moved to "Pentium" brand.

But this applies for only 8000 series, I see that 7000 are still dual cores.
So not really that far off...

But yea, finally, it was about damn time!


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## notb (Jan 24, 2019)

Ethan417 said:


> Hi I'm building a new PC - Rysen 5 2600 Asus x470 Pro mb.
> I'm not a gamer.
> I use my computer for watching guitar videos, tv, etc, web surfing, reading static text - newspapers, some light audio recording, and watching movies.


That CPU is an overkill. Clearly, get an APU or go with Intel.

Also, why not simply get a laptop? Do you really need a desktop?


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## Jetster (Jan 24, 2019)

Switch to the Rysen 3 2400G CPU or keep that CPU with a GTX 1030


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## cucker tarlson (Jan 24, 2019)

are 2200g and 2400g 1st or 2nd gen ryzens ?


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## Komshija (Jan 24, 2019)

RX 550 2 GB or RX 560 2 GB.


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## Voluman (Jan 24, 2019)

cucker tarlson said:


> are 2200g and 2400g 1st or 2nd gen ryzens ?


Technically first plus version, but namely second.


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## eidairaman1 (Jan 24, 2019)

Ryzen 2000 are version 1.5


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## cucker tarlson (Jan 24, 2019)

eidairaman1 said:


> Ryzen 2000 are version 1.5


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## newtekie1 (Jan 24, 2019)

cucker tarlson said:


>



I think what he means is that Ryzen 2000 cores aren't technically 2nd gen Ryzen cores, or Ryzen 2, they are actually Ryzen 1+ or Ryzen 1.5.  Ryzen 1.5 is just a die shrink to 12nm that allows faster clock speeds.  The 2200G and 2400G are still the old 14nm design.


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## cucker tarlson (Jan 24, 2019)

newtekie1 said:


> I think what he means is that Ryzen 2000 cores aren't technically 2nd gen Ryzen cores, or Ryzen 2, they are actually Ryzen 1+ or Ryzen 1.5.  Ryzen 1.5 is just a die shrink to 12nm that allows faster clock speeds.  The 2200G and 2400G are still the old 14nm design.


so 2nd gen apu is 1st gen and the actual 2nd gen is not even 2nd gen ?


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## silentbogo (Jan 24, 2019)

newtekie1 said:


> I think what he means is that Ryzen 2000 cores aren't technically 2nd gen Ryzen cores, or Ryzen 2, they are actually Ryzen 1+ or Ryzen 1.5. Ryzen 1.5 is just a die shrink to 12nm that allows faster clock speeds. The 2200G and 2400G are still the old 14nm design.


2000-series APUs are 1st gen, and they are 14nm. It's just a misnom on AMD's part, since their desktop and laptop APUs are 2000-series, and newer "refresh" 12nm Ryzen parts without iGPU are also numbered as 2000-series.


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## newtekie1 (Jan 25, 2019)

cucker tarlson said:


> so 2nd gen apu is 1st gen and the actual 2nd gen is not even 2nd gen ?



Yep.  We have not seen Zen 2 yet.


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