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Graphics New Graphics Card - Options?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by DeckerdBR, 15 Jan 2012.

  1. DeckerdBR

    DeckerdBR Minimodder

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    HI all,

    Going though some grief with my PC at the moment but have been thinking about a new graphics card for a while anyway.

    Currently game in the native res of my monitor 1680*1050, connected via DVI cable. I think at some point this year I may look for a higher res (hi def) monitor and connect via HDMI, so keep that as a consideration as it will need to be capable of playing games like BF3, in Ultra settings if possible, now and later at an upgraded res and still maintain a good frame rate.

    I certainly want to feel like I am getting an actual decent performance increase compared to my current GTX460 and something that will be useful for the years to come.

    I have used the GPU comparison tool at AnandTech to give me an indication but there is so many different types of card (see my example below) that I don't really know what I should be considering.

    I don't particularly have a preference over Nvidia or ATI other than until now, feeling like I got some good bang for buck out of the 460 and it was the best available at the time, so I would consider suggestion for either brand.

    Max budget is about £200.

    My staring point has been:

    http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-...pu-880mhz-shader-1760mhz-384-cores-plus-bf3-g

    Or:

    http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-...mhz-gddr5-gpu-880mhz-shader-1760mhz-384-cores

    The former being the 2 gig variant of the gtx 560ti, the only difference I can see being that the memory speed on the 2 gig card is slightly slower and of course the £22 price difference. Have no idea which one is actually the better card.

    Your thoughts?
     
  2. Darkwisdom

    Darkwisdom Level 99 Retro Nerd

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    Go for the 2GB version, it'll be good for the memory devouring BF3. I would've said the 6950, but you're not going to get much performance gain over the 560ti.
     
  3. logicmike

    logicmike What's a Dremel?

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    +1 for the 2gb version
     
  4. Kernel

    Kernel Likes cheese

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    You will if you can unlock the cores
     
  5. Darkwisdom

    Darkwisdom Level 99 Retro Nerd

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    That's only if you can find one that you can unlock. Theres a new load that don't support unlockable cores.

    Edit: Doesn't (what poor grammer on my part)
     
  6. Kernel

    Kernel Likes cheese

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    This is true, but it's the luck of the draw. I plan to buy another 6950 like I already have a hope and pray that I get another one that unlocks
     
  7. N17 dizzi

    N17 dizzi Multimodder

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    Nope. If you read the Battlefield 3 performance guide on bit tech it shows hardly any difference with having extra V ram @ 1680 or 1920.

    448 core 1GB version will be better if BF3 is your priority at that res.

    I would SLI the 460 tho, as that would butt kick anything you can buy for £200 currently (and would only cost £103, scan today only) - heat and power issues will come into it, you'd need fairly good cooling and a minimum 600w PSU
     
  8. mikeyman198

    mikeyman198 Lets pretend this is hilarious.

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    The cheapest 448 on Scan is £220, not sure he can stretch to that, but if he can, it's and awesome card.

    SLI'ing the 460's is a great idea, with a whole thread about it here including cooling them: http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=220423
     
  9. DeckerdBR

    DeckerdBR Minimodder

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  10. longweight

    longweight Possibly Longbeard.

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    Poor spelling too :p
     
  11. N17 dizzi

    N17 dizzi Multimodder

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    Don't want to think about SLI then? That will give you the best performance and the cheapest option in one.

    Sorry to be a born again about it but I am so impressed by the performance/price...

    Heat is the only real issue (for me at least). Half decent 600w PSU and you are fine for 2 x 460s.
     
  12. DeckerdBR

    DeckerdBR Minimodder

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    I was tempted to go SLI but TBH it sounds like alot of hastle and from my reading, you get mixed results, with some games running real nicely and others being a problem.

    Any other options you guys can recommend, specifically around brand, or specific model. The current nvidia winner looks to be this one:
    http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1280...900mhz-gddr5-gpu-750mhz-shader-1500mhz-448cor

    Is there anywhere that shows a card comparison so I can get an idea of where these cards fall in their performance? I read the bit tech review for the Zotac version and it had some nice charts.
     
  13. N17 dizzi

    N17 dizzi Multimodder

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  14. yassarikhan786

    yassarikhan786 Ultramodder(Not)

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    I loled :D
     
  15. Sentinel-R1

    Sentinel-R1 Chaircrew

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  16. Deders

    Deders Modder

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    That would depend on which level the benchmark was done on, some of them fit fine into 1GB, others start to stutter at certain points. Halfway through the Russian paratrooper level is a good example of this.

    More recent drivers seem to have alleviated the stuttering in most levels so it's fine 95% of the time, but i still wish I'd bought a 2GB version for future proofing.

    The developers recommend 1.5 GB and if more games end up using the Frostbite 2 engine the requirements may increase as visuals improve.
     
    Last edited: 17 Jan 2012
  17. AoE

    AoE What's a Dremel?

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    560ti 448 is unreal
     
  18. Seglespaan

    Seglespaan What's a Dremel?

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    Along the SLI lines, i currently have a

    EVGA Nvidia GTX460 SSC+ 1GB 256-Bit

    but can't find that exact model for sale anywhere. Anyone know where i might find one? And if not, if I was to buy another card what figures need to match?

    Bits / shaders / memory?
     
  19. Deders

    Deders Modder

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    Well as long as you get a 1GB model, the fastest card will automatically clock down to the speed of the slowest. There is a 768MB model with a 192-bit memory bus so avoid that.

    The model shouldn't matter, not sure about different custom PCB's though, would presume it's just the chips that are communicating as the customisations tend to be for better power and cooling.
     
  20. Seglespaan

    Seglespaan What's a Dremel?

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    So are you saying I could drop this in and it should be good to go on SLI?
     

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