GPU Upgrade: GTX 770 or R9 270X?

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MagnusOpium

MagnusOpium

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Hi folks, I built my rig a couple of years back, and while my HD 6870 has served me pretty well, I think it's now time for an upgrade.

I'd made up my mind to get a 4GB GTX770, but having seen the latest PC Gamer review for the R9 270X, which is around £90 cheaper, I wonder if I should opt for that instead, maybe with a view to crossfiring when finances allow me to purchase a second. What do you guys think?
 
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Demorthus

Demorthus

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For 1080p I'd still recommend the 770, it's the sweetspot. Also, you don't need the 4GB version as it will never be used to it's potention unless you SLI for multiple monitors or a higher resolution. But here's some performance of the 770: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2013/05/31/nvidia-geforce-gtx-770-2gb-review/5
& power usage, etc. :http://www.hwcompare.com/15663/geforce-gtx-770-vs-radeon-r9-270x/
 
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oczdude8

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I would get the 770. The 270x is a weaker card (comparable to the gtx760). I don't think its a good idea to get a weak card in hopes of someday doing crossfire. Just get something that will serve you well now.

Also, crossfire/ SLI have their own drawbacks which you may not want to deal with
 
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skit75

skit75

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I just got a EVGA GTX 770 SC 2GB w/ ACX cooler(upgraded from EVGA GTX 560Ti 1GB) from a Tom's member. Thank you for the great transaction TO402.

I was putting it to test last night and am happy with it. I turned my CPU OC off(2.67GHz) to get some base numbers and in BF4 I was getting 60-70FPS on Ultra settings(1920x1080p). I will check numbers tonight with my CPU OC enabled. I don't expect much difference.

Is there a specific reason you are moving to the 4GB VRAM version? It likely isn't needed on a single 1920x1080P display. Your older card doesn't suggest you were running multiple monitors.

Edit: Another nice surprise was that this 770 actually runs cooler than my 560Ti(medium settings), while doing more work(Ultra settings) by about 15-20C
 
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MagnusOpium

MagnusOpium

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Will 2GB cards not become obsolete a lot sooner than 4GB cards though?



Well I want to get as much performance as I can for my budget, and ideally go as long as possible before needing to upgrade again. I'm just running the one monitor and that's unlikely to change, I just don't want to spend money on something if it's not going to last me a decent span of time.
 
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MagnusOpium

MagnusOpium

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Looks like the consensus is pretty strongly towards the 770, so I guess the next question is how much of a difference does the manufacturer make?

I notice EVGA seem to be highly regarded but what about the others (PNY, MSI, Asus, Gigabyte, Zotac)? Are any of these on a par with EVGA/Avoid-at-all-costs-bad/worth getting for the sake of extra core clock speed?
 
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Demorthus

Demorthus

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EVGA is the best well-rounded card for overclocking, silence, customer service etc. As far as performance-to-temperature it is also one the the best. Other note-worthy performers that are close to and sometimes better than the EVGA non reference model are Gigabyte, MSI, & Asus (those are also the best reputable brands on the NVidia side) (I use a Gigabyte model of a 780, so I'm also speaking from experience.)
 
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skit75

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You could tax a single display with some games if you are only using a 2GB card. It usually takes heavy modding though. Most games will be optimized for VRAM capacities right around this mark. I usually upgrade my GPU every 18-24 months and always buy something that has been out at least a year(staying away from the bleeding edge) that demands a premium price, primarily due to the price vs. performance ratio. This ratio tends to drop steeply above the $260.00-$300.00 USD mark. If you plan on running multiple monitors or running an SLI/xFire rig then you could justify the added VRAM.
 
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MagnusOpium

MagnusOpium

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Thanks for the replies guys. Unfortunately newegg (who seem to have the best prices) have decided to be a bunch of awkward turds and refuse to let me order a GTX 770 as "shipping is not available" to the UK (despite claiming that they do indeed ship here). Can anyone point me in the direction of somewhere with reasonable prices that WILL let me buy stuff? (I bought most of my stuff from Scan before, but their GTX 770 prices are noticeably higher)
 
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