Video Card Suggestions

Mark Griffin

Good Evening, This is Mark Griffin, KB3Z
I am including my HP Computer Specifications and am looking for suggestions for a compatible Graphics Card that would work well with a Flex 6300 or 6500.

HF Envy QE
Windows 8.1 64
Intel I7-4790 Quad Core, 3.66 HZ 8 mb shared Cache
12 GB DDR3-1600 MHZ 2-Dimm
2 TB 7200 RPM Sata HD
16 GB MSata SSD Cache
Intel Integrated Graphics
500 W. Power Supply
Super Multi DVD Burner
HP WLan 802-11 B/G/N 1x1 mcard
15 in 1 multi slot card reader with 6 USB Ports
Integrated Sound/Beats Audio

John n0snx

Mark i run this card and it works great....

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHV7NNE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

K6OZY

I would suggest any modern Nvidia card ranging from $150-$250 will do quite nicely.  Nothing against AMD, but I just haven't had an AMD card in 5+ years.  They are not winning the front on high-end gaming video cards.  And by high-end, I mean the $600+ market.

Jon_KF2E

Unless you really want to spend money on a high end graphics card or are a closet gamer I would just start with the integrated graphics. Especially with the recent optimizations of 1.4 it will probably do everything you need.

Jon...kf2e

W4WHL

I don't think you need to upgrade at all.  I run a HP Envy Laptop with similar specs.  And SmartSDR is a nothing for this system.  That desktop will laugh at SmartSDR.  Unless you plan on doing some serious gaming, you don't need it.


William

Ross - K9COX

I use a 3 year old $45 AMD card in a HP AMD desktop and also a 2 yr old HP Envy laptop with integrated AMD graphics and they both work great with a 6300,

K6OZY

You guys would be surprised to see the difference when you open a 6500 or 6700 running all pan adapters at 30FPS on integrated vs recent discrete GPUs.   Unless you've compared the two, then you just don't see it.   Also, integrated cards range widely. The newer Intel 5000 lineup is quite a bit faster than the 4000's or lower.

Lee - N2LEE

With the 1.4 update it seems like a less powerful graphics card is required.
But, Tim, W4TME wrote an article on graphics cards but not sure where I found it.

I remember he recommended a card that had a 1000 passmark ranking or better.

K6OZY

Minimum requirements are just that -- minimums. I've tested SmartSDR on a wide range of cards and many of the integrated cards cannot provide a solid 30fps with multiple or even one pan adapter open. Please set your expectations accordingly. Just because you slid the FPS slider to 30 does not mean you are getting 30.

Sergey R5AU

Guys, after plenty of tests, i can confirm what pls follow with: https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118528-What-is-important-in-choosing-a-Video-Gra...
but pls also exist some exeptions like that:https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202757878-Are-there-any-video-cards-that-do-not-wor...

Tim - W4TME

https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118528-What-is-important-in-choosing-a-Video-Gra...

Mark Griffin

I understand where there are core basics to look for when purchasing a graphics card that would be compatible with the Flex 6000 series. But, more or less I am looking for the models that people are using that work. For example, the HD 7770, HD 7790 GTX 760 etc. I went out to tigerdirect.com and there are graphic cards galore. But it seems that they do not carry the model #'s that are compatible with the Flex. I wrote Neal (K3NC) and he forwarded by message to customer service, but I never heard anything as to actual video cards that would work with my computer and the Flex.

Tim - W4TME

Mark - we cannot and will not tell you which specific card to buy.  Whether or not a particular video card will work for you in a particular machine with your unique operating system configuration is not something we can predict, nor will we try.  The best we can do is tell you what core basic features and minimum performance levels to look for and in those rare cases where we KNOW a card will not work, we notify you of that.  To do any more or less than that would be irresponsible of us.

I suggest you buy either a card with an NVIDIA or AMD chipset, use the minimum recommendations we publish, don't buy one that is known not to work list (see the link in Sergey's post), get one that fits your price range and will use the open bus slot in your PC.  I suspect there is a 99.999999999% chance it will work well.  Also get one from a dealer that has a good return policy. If on the rare chance it does not work well, return it for a different one,

Dale KB5VE

I went out and bought a amd r7 260x which had great numbers and was a perfect fit until I started to use it. I would get a lack screen and lock up. Two of my friends bought the same card to run with their flex 6500 and ran into the same issues. The tech support for the card manufactor MSI remotes in ran test and declared it was not the card but the radio. I researched the Internet and found other cases of the black screen with games. End result was a Nuvidia gtx 750i great card all problems gone . So do not buy this card three of us found this out with a very expensive mistake.

Lee - N2LEE

I purchased the R9 270 and have not had any problems.

Mark Griffin

I went out to Best Buy this afternoon and purchased a Nvidia GTX-750 Ti, 2 GB of ram. I installed it and everything seems to be working just fine. I purchased it from Best Buy because if it didn't work, at least I had a 15 day return policy.

I do not have a Flex as of yet. It sure would be nice to see how the video card work with SDR 1.4. Is there any way I can see that before I purchase the Flex? Or is it a wait and see. Thanks!

Dale KB5VE

I have the same card with a flex 6500 absolutely no problems

Chris Tucker

Some Integrated Cards are decent, and some graphic cards are sh!t. This one is pure junk EVGA GeForce 8400 1Gb Graphics Card.
Stay Far Away from this POS, it has terrible benchmark numbers.

Mike VE3CKO

Unless you are seeing issues when running multiple panadapters, if it ain't broken, don't fix it. You would be better off to put that money into a good microphone.