Buying PCs online in Canada/ GFX Card Question

[OzzofAsura]

Question 1: I've been trying to find a deal on a mid-range PC ($400-600) with a decent graphics card on a Canadian site for my fiance. I tried Newegg.ca and after shipping and taxes the price jumps about $150.

Link: Newegg.ca - CyberpowerPC Gamer Ultra 7212 Athlon II X2 245(2.9GHz) 4GB DDR2 500GB NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit - Desktop PCs

Is there any way to not get raped by taxes and shipping in Canada? Maybe another website or a loophole or something. I was thinking about buying it on the US site and sending it to her (in Ontario), but I'm not sure if the price of doing it myself would be the same or more.

Question 2: I'm looking for a graphics card for myself. There are a ridiculous number of options and I'm not sure what direction to go in. I picked out a couple myself, but don't know if there is a better choice.

Newegg.com - XFX HD-487A-ZHFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - EVGA 896-P3-1255-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100269HDMI Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Thinking about those but not sure. Thanks in advance.

Edit: I have a 9500 GT right now.

[gamez]

Computer Liquidators

or look for Factory Direct - Factory Direct varies from location to location massively on what they stock up, but they usually have some pretty awesome stuff in the actual stores dirt cheap(for US people it equates to about what Fry's is like), I wouldn't go off what they list on their website.

If she's in Ontario anywhere in the GTA, Kitchener-Waterloo, London-Middlesex, or Windsor/Detroit area, she can probably find some of these stores.

Also, newegg is in canada too, just type newegg.ca instead of .com and it might fix your problem.

[Fen]

Is there any way to not get raped by taxes and shipping in Canada?

There are two ways to not pay Canadian taxes:
a. Buy the stuff in the US, smuggle it across the border and then ship it. MI tax rate is 6%, Ontario is 13%. Also, Canadian customs people are nice (at the boarding crossing near me at least), unlike the powertripping jackasses on the US side... making smuggling things in easy!
b. Buy the stuff in the US and ship it marked as a gift. Sending it as a gift prevents your girl from getting a letter from customs asking for the import taxes.

tigerdirect.ca ships to my postal code for $10 cheaper than newegg.ca ... but there isn't much you can do about our retardedly high tax rate other than buy in the USA @.@

[Olo401]

Question 1: I've been trying to find a deal on a mid-range PC ($400-600) with a decent graphics card on a Canadian site for my fiance. I tried Newegg.ca and after shipping and taxes the price jumps about $150.

A reminder - when using Newegg.ca the prices are in Canadian Dollars, not U$D. The exchange rate right now will make the prices look EXTREMELY inflated compared to the US-based Newegg.com ones, but that's actually normal. Also, I believe federal/provincial taxes in Canada are a bit higher than most state taxes here, and I think they ship international to Canada from their California warehouse which might explain the insane shipping costs.

You may also want to check out NCIX, a Canadian-based computer wholesaler (their US site is ncixus.com). Same thing applies on the exchange rate.

[OzzofAsura]

I guess I'm kinda boned for shipping and taxes in Canada. I did realize that the exchange rate was involved in the price, just those GST and PST are crazy. I think I might use that Computer Liquidators site, although their 400 dollar PC doesn't say anything about the graphics card. I could probably send her my 9500 GT. Thanks very much for the responses.

Any suggestions for one of those graphics cards?

Edit: Also that 400 dollars one doesn't come with windows. I could probably sign up for that $19 dollar student thing from the other thread (I am a student after all) and use one of those keys, unless I'm misunderstanding something?

[Knyghtmayre]

LU Computers is where I bought my PC from and I am quite happy with it for the $450 it cost me.

[Epical]

NCIX.com - Canada's Premier Computer Store - Great Technology, Service and Selection.

[Celeras]

If you absolutely must buy now, a 275 is the best bang-for-buck card on the market. Dont even consider buying anything else unless you want to go for the top-end and get a 295.

DX11 cards are right around the corner though..

[OzzofAsura]

She got her PC, thanks so much. :D

Newegg.com - PNY VCGGTX275XPB GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - EVGA 896-P3-1170-AR GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - BFG Tech BFGEGTX275896OCE GeForce GTX 275 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Any of these good? Better than the Radeons? Thanks again for all the help guys, you all rock.

[Celeras]

Of the three you listed, I'd say get the eVGA. Theyre all the same card with minor clock tweaks/etc, but eVGA is the best company. Brace yourself, broad analysis incoming!

As far as cards go (not including the DX11 cards), the 295 GTX is the fastest followed by the radeon 4870x2. They are both dual-gpu cards(basically picture two cards sandwiched together) and come with both the pros and cons of any standard sli/crossfire(tech speak for 2 video cards in 2 pci slots on one motherboard) setup.. except in one card running on one pci slot.

For the single GPU cards, the fastest is the GTX 285 -> GTX 275 -> Radeon 4890. The 285 will be about 5-10% faster than the 275 (ie not much) but costs a good $150 more, which is why the 275 would currently be the best card for your money.

However, remember those DX11 cards I said above I didn't include? Well, the first batch of them are released on the 22nd of this month. Yes, next week. There are several models being pushed out, but heres the main jist:

Radeon 5870: $399, Single GPU card that performs similar to the 295(which is dual gpu, and fastest card currently available). Its very impressive that a single GPU card can be comparable to a dual gpu at that price, imo, considering a 295 will still cost you 500+
Radeon 5850: $299, slightly weaker single gpu

There will also be a dual GPU 5870x2 for $599 at a later date, and will be the fastest card available until nVidia releases their DX11 cards around the new year.

Ok, thats way more then you asked for, so here's your TLDR:

Whatever you do, don't buy anything before September 22nd! Even if you're not at all interested in the newer DX11 cards, their release will likely result in a price drop for all the other cards. How much prices will drop is hard to say, but its only a week away and theres no reason not to wait. You could see the 295 drop as far as $300, which would only be a little bit more then the 275 right now. Or, you could still get the 275 but at a much cheaper price Depends how you want to play it.

Myself personally, I'm waiting for the nVidia 300 series to be released before I upgrade because I only buy nVidia cards (there's nothing wrong with ATI, thats just how I roll) and I want a DX11 card.

[OzzofAsura]

TLDR? Hell no. I read that slowly and carefully and I'll read it again. I always appreciate the explanations, rather than just the answers. Thanks very much. Seriously, you probably saved me a bunch of money on my ca... a bunch of money. :D If you have a recommendation when the 22nd rolls around, on a DX11 card or which older card dropped the most significantly, I'd be glad to hear it. Can PM it if you like also.

[Celeras]

Well its pretty simple, dont even have to wait for the 22nd :D

Only thing you'd really have to wait to see, is if the 295 drops below the price of the 5870 and how far. If it doesnt drop considerablity, its not worth considering since the 5870 will be comparable performance wise and have DX11 capability. At that point, it'd be a 275 vs. the newer DX-11 models. You already know what the price of the DX11 cards are going to be. If you want the top-end single GPU cards, those are your choices end of story. If it's too expensive, 275 is the next best deal for a single GPU.

Really, just decide how important DX11 is to you. Watch this to see what its introducing:

YouTube - AMD demonstrating DX11 hardware at QuakeCon 2009

Im all about being future-proof for as long as possible, so my next upgrade wont be anything except a DX11 card.

[OzzofAsura]

Was thinking about an Radeon 5850 on the 23rd.

[Celeras]

Cant go wrong with DX11. Benchmarks are starting to leak out, and heres how that card compares to the next fastest single GPU (not including the 5870 o'course)

http://www.trizzeo.com/assets/goldentiger/5850.png

[Drakath]

Excluding the DX11 that we're talking about, what are the chances these other cards will run FF14? I'm looking to buy a new PC from scratch myself, but I want it to run FF14 without any concern. I know the specs haven't been released yet, but I'm getting anxious and I just want a new computer; my current one is shit. I'm downright nervous and clueless how to buy something like this though, let alone one that will almost certainly run FF14...

[Avanarius]

Excluding the DX11 that we're talking about, what are the chances these other cards will run FF14? I'm looking to buy a new PC from scratch myself, but I want it to run FF14 without any concern. I know the specs haven't been released yet, but I'm getting anxious and I just want a new computer; my current one is shit. I'm downright nervous and clueless how to buy something like this though, let alone one that will almost certainly run FF14...

I'm sure, without a doubt in my mind, that those cards listed will be able to run FF14.

It's the direct performance measurement that's questionable.

[Drakath]

Well, while we're on the topic then, what other specs should I be weary of when buying a new PC?

[OzzofAsura]

For an SE game? Everything. Hopefully they hired some new programmers, because FFXI was very processor-heavy. You could have the best card and still have shitty frame rate.

[SamanosukeShiva]

when is the next DX11 card for nvidia? =/

[OzzofAsura]

I read January.