What GPU to buy for my computer

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690
Hi all,
This is my first thread and hope you can help me
I have this computer:
- Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R (DDR3-LGA 1366)
- Intel i7 930
- RAM G.Skill 3x2GB DDR3 1600 (F3 12800 CL 7-8-7-24 1.5v)
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
- Lancool PC-K60 Dragonlord
- Seasonic X-650 Modular SS-650KM (80 Plus Hybrid-silent)
- Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB FAEX
- ATI Asus 6870
- LG GH24LS50 22X SATA
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits OEM

The Asus 6870 is failing again (*) and i am looking for a replacement and i don't really know what should i buy, so:
Could you, please, tell me what would you buy for that computer?
I want to know what would you buy to search reviews and find what is better for me.
I don't post my budget because i want you to post what would you buy for yourselves if you had this computer.

If it helps: i try to make it last as much as posible as i don't need to max all graphic settings, and of course, i would like to spend the least posible to get the best :p .

Thank you in advance ;) .
EDIT: by now i play at 1080p (i don't know if i will upgrade on the future).

(*)= i had an ASUS 5850 reference card; the fan failed. I sent it to support with the promise of getting the same repaired or a better one (they would ask me to let me choose if they could not repair it). ASUS replaced it after FOUR months for a DirectCU 5850 without asking, i complained because of the broken promise and they only offered a reference 6870. It failed... I sent it to support and they sent it back saying it was the same (it is not) and it was fine (it was not)... It is failing now... (this is a very short version of what happened).
I will NEVER buy an ASUS product again as if it fails they just don't care about it.
I know people usually likes it but this is my first and last ASUS product, and i have found some people that has had the same problems, so it is not that i had bad luck.

Anyway, you can recomend me ASUS graphics cards if you really like them, but i will try to find other brands with the same specs of the ASUS you recomend me.

 
Solution
brarboy


GTX 760 is more or less equivalent to GTX 670 rather than 660 buddy. If you are getting anything much...
Sort by date Sort by votes
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Thank you for the answer and the links. Of course you can recomend me an ASUS card as you are "ASUS Authority" just for curiosity, but i doubt i will ever risk to have to contact ASUS support again (more than one whole year waiting for those awful replacements and really bad behavoir of them -believe me i tried to avoid all they did to me and they have not apologized once-).

About the GTX 760, i have tried to find some info and i have found this from other thread ( http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1043?vs=1038 ). Seems the GTX 760 and the 270x are pretty close, and as the GTX 760 seems a bit more expensive, do you think it is worth it the extra money?

Also i forgot to say that i would prefer a graphic card that can keep cool without a lot of problems, as i think a cooler card can last more time before having problems, but as i said i don't know much about graphic cards, so probably all have the same high temperatures.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460


that's our personal preferences going for some individual card brand. But i can say, GTX 760 of Asus has the best temps readings and also works on very low noise. Keeping in mind that you were avoiding Asus, i picked next best EVGA for you. I am simple user who got Badge of Authority of Asus, yet i feel sorry for whatever you have gone through.

So, looking at both cards you mentioned i would still put my money on NVIDIA for some reasons. Yes, it would worth it if you can pick that card in your budget.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Hope i don't need to use the warranty of any brand :p .


If you want, you can explain me these reasons for choosing NVIDIA, as i am very interested on knowing all i can before buying a card, but maybe it is too long to explain, so you don't have to ;) .
I will check the asus version you said to compare with other brands (but i will not buy it as i don't trust them :p , but it will help me ;) ).

Also i would like to ask some more questions that i have been thinking:
How are the Gigabyte and MSI versions of the GTX 760? The Gigabyte one has 3 fans so maybe it is cooler and i have read that MSI has redone the circuits of the 760 but EVGA keeps the reference.

Does the ATI Mantle or the NVIDIA Physx or G-SYNC are important?

Also, to check the real temperatures of a card you have to find a review for these specific card, right? because the 84ºC of these comparisons i posted seems too high for me.

You can avoid to answer this as it is pure curiosity :p :
You told me that i need the GTX 760 to avoid bottlenecking, so with the cards i have had i guess i had some bottlenecking, right?
And how can you know if something can bottleneck you computer? Is is easy to know looking some specs or you need a lot of knowledge about the different computer parts?.




 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
Here is comparison of everything you are looking for:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_760_Direct_Cu_II_OC/31.html

You will be able to install NVIDIA Physx, once your gpu installed so you don't have to worry about that.
Your previous card wasn't and didn't bottleneck anything. Bottleneck is like, you have GTX 760 and your friend has GTX 770 gpu but same cpu. You see that your friend is just getting 3-8fps more than you in same game you both are playing. Then it is most likely your friend's cpu is bottlenecking gpu's performance.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Oh, so, you told me that i should not get anything more than a 760 because my i7 could not handle all its power. I understood that it was the CPU that was not using all its power :pt1cable: .

I will check a bit more the link you posted but the MSI looks good too.

Can you (or anyone) recomend me a card a bit cheaper? I just want to compare both to see what is better for me ;) (but from what i have seen by now the price diferences are not too big so this is probably the "correct" one).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460


looking for next simple gpu??? :D
Step down and look at GTX 750ti if that previous budget is huge. Here you go:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($159.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $159.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-05 13:04 EST-0500)
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Thank you, will check it, but at first look it looks a big step down, so as i said, the "correct" card would be the 760 you suggested. Maybe you don't know but, how is the MSI one? By now, it seems the best (not counting the ASUS one but you can compare to it if you want, to see what would be better).

And one last question that i am pretty sure nobody can answer but, is there any posibility of a price drop of all these cards on the near future? (i don't want to buy one and find that in a week i could have gotten it cheaper :p ).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
yeah that is big step down for GTX 750ti. Also, that's right about correct card is GTX 760. Looking at the performance of each card with similar specs of other build components, there will be no more than 2-4fps difference in them. One of them will outperform in some game while other gpu will in other game. Atlast, it comes to you for which you want to pick, though none will disappoint you :D
Coming to the last question, yeah that is for sure no one can answer accurately. Though take a look at their prices falls and hikes on below website:
http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/video-card/#c=142
Just choose the gpu and in next page at the bottom you can look for history of their prices on online sellers websites.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Seems not to much price change on these cards with that pcpartpicker "tool" you gave me.

I could get MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC Gaming for arround 240€ (maybe 10€ less)
The MSI GTX 750 Ti 150€
And a MSI GTX 660 (i have found that can compare a bit to a 760 but is older) 170€
By now i am looking MSI but it is not definitive as i usually take some time until i finnaly choose to buy one (looking reviews and prices)
(I would have to add the delivery on some of them)

These would be the prices for my country, so i don't know what would be better (i am also looking some ATI cards), but still seems the 760 could be more future proof.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460


GTX 760 is more or less equivalent to GTX 670 rather than 660 buddy. If you are getting anything much better at cheaper price, go for that. Take all your time and decide when you finally want to go for it.
It has been great to discuss with you. Good luck for better future :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Thank you again for you help.
I will choose one of your answers as solution but all helped ;) .
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690
Hi again,
I know i had chosen a solution, but i have another question and i would like to know your opinion about it, so hope you can help me brarboy ;) :
I can get a MSI GTX 770 for 272€
And a MSI GTX 760 for 220€
Would it be worth it the 52€ of difference to get a 770, or with my computer it would be to "waste" my money?

I "choose" (by now) MSI, because the EVGA is more expensive, and the Gigabyte cards are too big for my case.

I have been thinking about increasing the fan speed of the card i have now to wait for the 800 series (i created a thread about that, and i have to try it), but as i am not sure if it would be worth it to wait, i want to know all the options i have.

Of course I apreciate any comment of anyone, but i am asking brarboy, because he helped me a lot ;) .



Sorry, dind't see this; and well, as you see it can take me a while untill i decide xD :p ;) .
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
there is nothing bad with your setup to run GTX 770 card. As you will be playing at 1080p resolution, then yes go for MSI N770 TF 2GD5/OC and there is nothing bad with MSI cards. About 800 series of nvidia, there isn't even accurate date to it's release. If you can wait for this whole year, then you might really know their release.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Thanx for the answer ;) .
I have read that to not bottleneck the 770 i should overclock a bit the CPU, but maybe if i don't do it it can work fine too.
And what about the price difference? Do you think is it worth it the "extra" 52€? Or the performance with the 760 will be too close?

About the 800 series, that is what worries me, that maybe they take a lot to release it and then it is not as good or as cheap (the 700) as i think.

;)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460


the difference of framerates will vary from game to game on 1080p resolution. Also, don't worry about bottleneck as you won't have any with GTX 770 if you increase increase bit of clock speeds.
If you are looking for something longer time period, then it is really worth it. Here check out the benchmarks:
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/854?vs=829
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Sorry for the late reply ;) .
Someone gave me a good thread about overclocking the i7; i will read it but i don't know if i will use it, as i don't want to burn it :p .

And yes, i try to make the graphic cards (and everything) last as much as posible, so if the price difference is "fair", then i will check the 770.

I am a bit concerned about the temps of the chip, and the Vram Temps (i don't know why the reviews don't show these) that seems to hit close to 80ºC and more than 90ºC on the Vram (on almost any brand and cooler).
That is why i am thinking about trying to wait, if the card can :p (i will try to increase the fan speed to see results), to the 800 series, but seems nobody really knows a lot about it.

Thank you for your help ;) .


 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
good luck for the future. Yes get the 770 for the best. If you are talking about other card's temps, then just remove your card's heat sink and re-apply Arctic Silver thermal paste and reinstall the heat sink and check the difference.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Thanx ;) .
But no, i am talking about the 770 temperatures. I have been reading comments that say that it hits the temps i said (close to 80 on chip and more than 90ºC on Vram) on games like Battlefield 4 or tests like unigine valley, and that is what make me doubt.
About the Arctic Silver thermal paste i think you cannot apply it on Vram, right? For Vram i think you have to buy some heatsinks designed for those if i am not wrong.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
i am currently using Asus GTX 770, after running Heaven Benchmarks my highest temp was 64C at the highest point with room temperature 23C. Rest there can be increase if there isn't really better airflow in cabinet.
I hope you are saying VRM(voltage regulator module) not Vram(Video Ram). No, we can't apply thermal paste on them and yes, you can install heatsink on them.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
J

JFST

Honorable
Mar 26, 2013
114
0
10,690

Maybe the comments are from people with bad cabinets, i will try to find more info.

About the VRM an VRam, i don't actually know what it is each, i mean, i don't know what of these can hit high temperatures. This make me a bit confused so i have to seach some info :p .

But now, you will not believe it (as i am still don't believe it) but seems my card "has fixed" itself :??: . I tried it yesterday to see how it was, to start to increase fan speeds and see differences, and after playing the same game (BF3) it now shows on the same sensor 94ºC when before it was 102ºC .
Of course i have to try it more (maybe just a temporal "fix") but it seems that if i let it "rest" after some days of full load "job", it fixes itself as maybe it has done it before (i said "maybe", because ASUS told me it was the same, and it was "fine", but i didn't believed them as it had a "clear" temperature problem that could not have been fixed without "help").
It is a really weird behavoir so when i test it more and if it shows the same then i will create a new thread to try to understand and explain it (and fix it if posible).
Really weird :heink: .

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brarboy

brarboy

Honorable
Jan 13, 2014
2,122
0
12,460
cabinet air flow and circulation is also one of the main concern in high temp readings. About your card, as said before just reapply the thermal past on gpu and fix the cooler back onto the chip. I hope that will solve your problem :bic:
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom