What GPU should i buy for my computer

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J

JFST

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Hi all,
Some time ago i asked this same question (here), and you told me that it would be better to wait for the 9xx series (8xx back then :p ).

The 970 was a bit expensive so i waited for the 960 and it seems it is a disappointement for a lot of people. So, what would you do if you had my exact same specs?

I have looked these cards (but, please recommend me ANYTHING you think you would buy OR DO on my situation):

-MSI GeForce GTX 760 GAMING 2GB 218€
-MSI GTX 770 2GB 286,38€
-MSI GTX 970 4GB 369,00€
-MSI GeForce GTX 960 Twin Frozr V (not available now but i think i can get it for): 235€
-Gigabite GTX 960 with 2 fans (not available now but i think i can get it for): 229€
-or maybe even a Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 156,19€

So, again, what would YOU do if you had my computer (of course if you think i should wait you can say that too).
Also, if you think it is too early to ask about the GTX 960 i will wait and ask next week (or month or whenever you tell me).

Thank you very much and i appreciate any kind of help you can give me. ;)


My specs:
- 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
 
Solution
Math Geek
an oc won't hurt but i don't think bottlenecking will be a real issue for you. it won't be a noticeable issue anyway. benchmarks tell me it might be a few fps either way which is pretty minimal since you should be seeing very high fps with that card in the system.
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Brillis Wuce

Brillis Wuce

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Well you can definitely get rid of the 760. The 960 beats it in every way, even though its been a let down to some people. It really comes down to what you think is acceptable performance. On the most demanding games, the GTX 960 will achieve 35 fps or more, while the GTX 970 will achieve 60 fps or more. I went for the 970 ;)

 
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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you waited long enough. the 960 was worth waiting for but was a disappointment at it's price. so now, you have to look at your budget and get the best you can. the psu you have will run any single card so you are good there. what is your budget? and we can give you the best options for the money.

at $200 the 285 is the best buy. at $230 you can get a 280x and of course for ~$330 you can get the 970. these are just ballpark numbers but at $200, the 960 just does not add up unless you are looking for low power htpc uses which you are not. the 280 at $180 is a better buy for the same performance.
 
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J

JFST

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Any idea when the Ti version will be available?


So if any i should get the 960 over the "old" 760.
And the price difference between the 970 and the 960 of 134€ is worth it?

Well, the prices i have for these are:
MSI GAMING 2GB Radeon R9 285 269€
MSI R9 280X GAMING 257€
Sapphire Dual-X R9 280 3GB 187€
Msi R9 280 GAMING 3G 217,60€

About my budget, i did not mention it because i want to know what would be worth it for YOU, like if it were yourself who where looking for an upgrade of your computers ;) .


The 285 i am looking at have all just 2GB of ram and all i posted on the first post have 2GB too (except the 970). Maybe i am seaching them wrong?

Also, by now i play at 1080p (i don't know if i will upgrade on some time as my monitor is starting to have some "things", but it works pretty well by now).

And yes, i have pretty expensive prices based on what you tell me :p .

Thank you all for your answers (keep them coming :p)
 
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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had i known you were in the EU it might have changed it a bit :) i know prices are crazy there. but what i posted is what i would go for at those price points in the US. the 960 vs 970 is a massive jump and worth the cost if you can swing it. i don't know how the 960 is priced there vs the 280/285 but if it is cheaper then it would be a good buy. more expensive than these and it is not. i am only going by performance. i don't see the reason to spend more for less with the 960.

the 280 to the 280x is also a pretty good jump and worth the price difference you posted. after that i would move to the 970 and skip the ones in between unless they are a great price for you.

but the 970 would be my goal if i could afford it.
 
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J

JFST

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So, it is way better that the 770, and worth it at its price, right?

And what about the performance of it with my specs? will it be bottlenecked or something?


The 960 is from 229-235€ (MSI or Gigabite) and the 280 for arround 187-218€ (Sapphire or Msi ) and the 285 269 € (MSI). Maybe no final prices but more or less ;) .
And the 280x would be better than the 285?; as i said 257€ vs 269€, so for that price difference the 285 would be better, right?
But you too recommend the 970 even with my specs, right?
 
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Joseph DeGarmo

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It seemed that I failed to realize that the R9-285 has only 2 GB memory compared to the R9-280 which has 3 GB. Confusing, but true. But anyway, your CPU, if not overclocked, will bottleneck a GTX 970 in some games. I would suggest either overclocking the CPU and getting the GTX 970 or just getting the GTX 770.
 
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Math Geek

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for only 10 euros more the 280x is a much better buy that the 285. good performance increase and very little cost increase. for 30-40 euros less the 280 is a lot better buy as well over the 960.

but yes, i would get a 970 if it was in my budget over any of these lesser cards. right now it is the best bang for the buck on my side of the pond :) don't know what i costs over there but here at around $330 it can't be beat. great 1080p performance that will last for years and works well at 1440p if you go that rout.
 
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J

JFST

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If i am not wrong i would need to overclock the CPU for the 770 too, so i think i have to learn (i have a thread "saved" that i have to read, but as i have never done it before i have always "forgotten" it and i don't understand it too much :p ).
Also, if i do not overclock will i notice it only on some games or on most of them?

Actually the 280x (3GB) is 12€ cheaper than the 285 (2 GB), sorry as i think i mixed prices (it is a bit confusing with all the prices and "numbers" :p ).
Here the 970 costs 369€.

I am not sure if i want to go SLI, because what you said, so, by now that would not be something too important ("by now" :p ).

So, if i want a cheap card the best of all choices would be the "Sapphire Dual-X R9 280 3GB for 187€".

But the best of all the cards by now and with nothing close to it, even with my specs (and maybe even if i do not overclock, maybe?) is the "MSI GTX 970 4GB for 369,00€" being worth it every € of its 369€, right?
It is almost imposible to see a price drop of it because it is too new, right?

And what price should have the 960 to be worth it (please, post what price you can find it now and what would you think it would be the price to be worth it -as you are on $ i need to know both to check how many € would it be here -).

You really are helping me a lot ;) .

_____
Sorry for the "bump" but i would appreciate if you could answer my last post. With that i think i will have info enough to decide (of course you can comment more things as i appreciate as much info as posible ;) ).
Thank you ;) .
 
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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other than sales the 970 probably won't be dropping in price any time soon. that is still the best option if you got the cash.

if the 280x is cheaper than the 285 it is an even better buy at that price range. all depends on how much you want to spend. both cards will do 1080p great but the 970 will run 1440p a bit better and offers longer life for the card for future games. it should run 1080p on high settings for a few years to come.
 
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J

JFST

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Then i think that there is no doubt the best option is the GTX 970 as it is worth it every € of its 370€, and yes i want to have it as many years as posible.

Hope that if i don't overclock the CPU i will notice the bottleneck only on a few "rare" games and not on most of them.
(I have this guide that someone recomended me, and i think it is a good one -actually i have no idea at all xD -, but i am a bit scared to burn something if i try :p ).

Thank you for the answer, i thought the thread was going to get "burried" (i tried to "bump" it but it must be forbiden as it got deleted, sorry, won't do it again :p ).
 
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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it's rare for a thread to just get dropped. keep in mind we are all over the world and step away from the pc for lots of reasons. i personally like to eat and sleep every now and then :D

we may step away but will jump back in upon returning.

enjoy the new 970 and all that it will bring to your gaming.
 
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J

JFST

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xD "to eat and sleep" never heard about these :p ;) .

If you allow me one last question, do you think the overclock of my CPU (with the 970) it is really important or will i notice just a little improvement (over non overclocked CPU) on a few "rare" games?
 
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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an oc won't hurt but i don't think bottlenecking will be a real issue for you. it won't be a noticeable issue anyway. benchmarks tell me it might be a few fps either way which is pretty minimal since you should be seeing very high fps with that card in the system.
 
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J

JFST

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So, i would have to do a lot of overclock to notice it; i guess that would raise a lot the temps (shortening a bit the life of the CPU) and maybe the improve on performance will not be too high. And also i don't know if (even with the guide i posted) i will be able to do a lot of overclock without burning it :p .
And about the Haswell and Skylake chips: to buy these i would need to buy a new motherboard too as mine has a LGA 1366 socket (and probably new ram, as mine is set to work as triple chanel).
I think that if i have to change all these parts, maybe it would be better to buy a complete new computer.

Nice, so (as Joseph DeGarmo said too), the improvement would not be as high as the one i am going to notice when i change the GPU.
Then i think i will not overclock (or if i ever do i will do it "for fun").
I though it would be mandatory to overclock if i didn't wanted to have a very low performance of the new GPU (even below of the 50% of its power without bottleneck), basicaly wasting money and being better to buy a less powerfull graphic (like the 280 or even a 660) if not going to overclock the CPU.

I already said it but you are helping me a lot ;) .

I think there is nothing more i should know, right? Now i have to pray to find an awesome offer of a 970 xD .
___________________________
UPDATE-EDIT:
I waited a bit to "pick a solution" to give you time if you wanted to add something :p .
As all you helped me a lot i will choose the last answer so if people want to check the thread they can see that all answers are important.
Thank you Joseph DeGarmo and Brillis Wuce and sorry for not being able to choose yours as the solutions too ;) .

Maybe, hopefully i can find a cheap 970 with all that is happening about the VRAM of it, that maybe can affect only to high end computers, but maybe it can be more than enough for me :p .
Thank you all again (if you read this :p ) ;) .
 
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