best choice for a video card with a budget of about $300?

Answer 1

Mystic seems to have no clue on these. There are a few that want 30 AMPS (requirements). cards like the high-ends like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133193
needs A minimum 400W system power supply (with 12V current rating of 26A) Usually dual rail power supplies, like this one for example:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189012
It may not actually use 26 Amps, but if the maker of the video card recommends it, I would try to follow what they require. If that power supply does not have the 6-pin power adapter (pci-e adapter) for the card (also required), then you really do need a power supply. If it does have that connection, it's got a chance to handle the newer card without an issue as long as it's around the 400watts or better (as recommended).

Answer 2

No video card released, at least not yet, draws 30 amps on a 12V rail, NONE. The most power hungry available, the 8800GTX, will draw around 15-16 at peak, but no more.

Anyway, right now I would say the 8800GTS 320MB edition. However I would implore you to wait a month if at all possible. There is about to be a flood of new cards hitting the market, and that should cause prices on existing cards to drop. Ask this question again a month from now, and you will get a far more likeable answer.

EDIT: To computertech, I said no CARD draw 30 amps, no CARD. When it recommends you have a power supply with 30 amps on the 12V rail, it is taking all of the components in your system into account, CPU and others. Think about it, if the card itself required 30 amps, and they recommended you get a power supply with 30 amps, there would be no amps left to power the rest of your system. Like I said, the card draw around 15-16, the remaining amps of the 30 recommended are used to power the rest of the system.

Answer 3

Better figure in a new power supply to go with the video card. Take a look at the amps those cards draw some draw 30 Amps @ 12 volts not including everything else the 12V leg powers.

Answer 4

Go to Newegg.com and check out what they have. You can search by price range, and read other user reviews of the products. They have awesome customer service too. I myself would go for an Nvidia 8 series with at least 512mb of memory.