I've been looking at a whole bunch of different options and using the forums here to help me decide what direction to go in, but figured I'd ask here. See what people would recommend.
My system specs are pretty darn old, which I know means that any card I choose will be bottlenecked.
System spec:
Q9400 clocked at 2.66Ghz.
ASUStek P5KPL-SE (Not sure if its P35/G33 or G31? and if its 1.1 or 2.0?)
4GB of DDR2-PC6400
Currently got a 4870x2 in the case. Which is a terrible case with this card, as I'm having to remove the sides doing BF3 sessions etc, or I bluescreen. (Unable to get the heat away, although its supposed to blow it out the back)
I've not been able to determine though if my MB is a PCIe 1.1 or a PCIe 2.0.
Reasons I'm upgrading this card (although T.H. Has it pretty highly rated) - is that i'm sick and tired of the crossfire not working, causing problems, heavy heat it throws out and its noisy as f. under load. That and after having been used extensively over the last couple of years, it's starting to throw out some graphical hiccups, like artifacts etc.
I'm aware of the bottleneck, but unfortunately the budget atm does not allow for an upgrade of the entire machine, and since I cant just add more mem. to this system, but would have to swap everything (new MB, CPU, mem etc) - I figured I'd start with the GFX and take it from there. Even if I cant use the GFX 100%. It'd still be an improvement from this card as it stands.
Games I play and are keen on getting into are:
Warframe
Borderlands 2
Skyrim
NS2
Payday 2
BF3
Arma2/3
Keen on getting most of what is out there today as well, like sleeping dogs etc. but haven't been keen on spending any more on anymore games, since I can only really run them on low/med with this card atm. (I wont be getting XF again anyway, hardly ever works right!)
I'm swining between getting the following cards, and are uncertain as to which would be the best option. (since stock changes from time to time and the shops may be holding old stock, and I always tend to just end up jumping in with both legs and getting S*! I figured I'd ask!)
XFX Radeon HD 7870 Double Edition - 2GB *FX-787A-CDFC* (comes with Crysis 3)
Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz - 2GB ** (no game bundle)
GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 660 OC - 2GB *GV-N660OC-2GD* (Splinter Cell Blacklist)
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 660 AMP! - 2GB GDDR5 *ZT-60902-10M* - (Metro: Last Light) - like this one!
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 OC - 2GB - *DC2OCPH*(Metro: Last Light)
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 FTW - *2GB - 02G-P4-2668-KR* - (Metro: Last Light)
I have been looking at the 7850's as well, with the intent of overclocking them, as they seem to be really amazing for such, but as the prices here are the same for the 7850 and some of the 7870 & 660. (difference of between $10-$50)
So what you guys think? What'd be the better way to go?
A friend has a 7970 and swears by AMD on the recent ranges, which is why I haven't just jumped into bed with Nvidia.
My system specs are pretty darn old, which I know means that any card I choose will be bottlenecked.
System spec:
Q9400 clocked at 2.66Ghz.
ASUStek P5KPL-SE (Not sure if its P35/G33 or G31? and if its 1.1 or 2.0?)
4GB of DDR2-PC6400
Currently got a 4870x2 in the case. Which is a terrible case with this card, as I'm having to remove the sides doing BF3 sessions etc, or I bluescreen. (Unable to get the heat away, although its supposed to blow it out the back)
I've not been able to determine though if my MB is a PCIe 1.1 or a PCIe 2.0.
Reasons I'm upgrading this card (although T.H. Has it pretty highly rated) - is that i'm sick and tired of the crossfire not working, causing problems, heavy heat it throws out and its noisy as f. under load. That and after having been used extensively over the last couple of years, it's starting to throw out some graphical hiccups, like artifacts etc.
I'm aware of the bottleneck, but unfortunately the budget atm does not allow for an upgrade of the entire machine, and since I cant just add more mem. to this system, but would have to swap everything (new MB, CPU, mem etc) - I figured I'd start with the GFX and take it from there. Even if I cant use the GFX 100%. It'd still be an improvement from this card as it stands.
Games I play and are keen on getting into are:
Warframe
Borderlands 2
Skyrim
NS2
Payday 2
BF3
Arma2/3
Keen on getting most of what is out there today as well, like sleeping dogs etc. but haven't been keen on spending any more on anymore games, since I can only really run them on low/med with this card atm. (I wont be getting XF again anyway, hardly ever works right!)
I'm swining between getting the following cards, and are uncertain as to which would be the best option. (since stock changes from time to time and the shops may be holding old stock, and I always tend to just end up jumping in with both legs and getting S*! I figured I'd ask!)
XFX Radeon HD 7870 Double Edition - 2GB *FX-787A-CDFC* (comes with Crysis 3)
Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz - 2GB ** (no game bundle)
GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 660 OC - 2GB *GV-N660OC-2GD* (Splinter Cell Blacklist)
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 660 AMP! - 2GB GDDR5 *ZT-60902-10M* - (Metro: Last Light) - like this one!
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 OC - 2GB - *DC2OCPH*(Metro: Last Light)
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 FTW - *2GB - 02G-P4-2668-KR* - (Metro: Last Light)
I have been looking at the 7850's as well, with the intent of overclocking them, as they seem to be really amazing for such, but as the prices here are the same for the 7850 and some of the 7870 & 660. (difference of between $10-$50)
So what you guys think? What'd be the better way to go?
A friend has a 7970 and swears by AMD on the recent ranges, which is why I haven't just jumped into bed with Nvidia.
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