What Graphics Card for Guaranteed Ultra Gaming at 1080p?

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box o rocks

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I wanted to get a new card for my computer. It has an i5-7500 and 16GB of RAM. And a 850W XFX PSU. Recently, I read a review of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided on [H]ard|OCP. They stated that @ ultra settings, the game used over 7GB VRAM at 1080p. Yikes!
I was considering the RX-480 8GB, but I'm not sure it is fast enough to guarantee ultra settings in all games now and near future at FHD resolution. Except maybe in AMD-specific games.

While the GTX 1060 6GB would be the next logical step up, I'm not sure even 6GB VRAM will be enough in the next year or two. Obviously there is the GTX 1070 8GB, but at a great premium in price. I was hoping some of you people would offer your opinions.
 
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Isokolon

Isokolon

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Jul 24, 2016
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The question is what "ultra settings" mean as there are some settings that offer little benefit but tax the GPU quite a bit (for example in a fast paced shooter, you literally don't have the time to see the difference between 8xAA and 2xAA; the results of upscaling are similar)

If it's just for bragging rights and seeing everything in settings turned to max - guaranteed fluid high fps gameplay - you're looking at a 1070.

The 1060 6GB will give you ultra settings on most titles with 60-70fps
Depending on the games you're playing the Rx480 8GB has an edge
 
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InvalidError

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Titan
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The bulk of the VRAM gets filled with copies of game assets so the GPU can fetch pieces of any resource from different DRAM channels and balance memory load. While you may see 7GB in use, total unique assets will be much lower than that. As long as there are enough copies of assets floating around VRAM to save shaders from starving on RAM bandwidth, there will be little to no performance degradation from being tight on VRAM.

If you aren't comfortable with "cutting it close", then your only option is to pry your wallet open wider.
 
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box o rocks

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Thanks everyone. Lots to take in. As to the games I play, I'm not a competitive gamer. I get more pleasure playing single player mode games whether they be shooters or otherwise, than I do in an online twitch contest. DE:MD and Doom are typical of my likes. So, there's that.

I guess I'm wondering where is the best place to put what money I have. In a mid-range card (i.e 480) with lots of VRAM or a slightly faster card (i.e. 1060) with less VRAM. Plus, I just read where the RX-5xx cards are soon to be released already. But I also read they are simply tweaked re-brands of the RX-4xx cards. Then there's Vega coming this month... but I imagine that will be a top dollar card.
 
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LanzoCommando

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1070 or equivalent. At 1080p you should be fine...that card pushes 1440p (had one before I snatched up a 80TI) very well so I doubt you'd have any issues. A 1060 wouldn't cut it all day every day...you might run into some issues at that level of performance.
 
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box o rocks

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That would be the common sense way of handling it. ;)
But I love to play at the highest setting available. The way the game was meant to be enjoyed.
 
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Wolfshadw

Wolfshadw

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Well, if you love playing at the highest setting available, then you have a choice to make and no one here can make it for you. Love of the game or love of your bank account?

-Wolf sends
 
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Titan
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I don't think games are 'meant' to be played at Ultra. The extra effort put into Ultra is mainly a "because we can" kind of thing. When I play games, I rarely stay still long enough to notice extra detail and while moving, most extra detail washes out in the movement anyway. If I'm not moving, that's usually because I'm afk and I don't care what the game looks like when I'm not there to look at it.
 
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LanzoCommando

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I'd actually agree with this. Ultra is an enthusiast type thing as most designers are probably well aware of the limitations of current hardware (think consoles) and design the base experience around that.

It's all about averages. Infinite Warfare is a great example. There are only a few "ultra" settings for PC people, everything else is "high." They could beef the textures and geometry for power PC users (AND OPEN THE FREAKING FRAME RATE INFINITY WARD!!) but alas they do not.
 
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Titan
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Things like higher resolution textures and 3D models are stuff the game developers may already have lying around simply because it doesn't cost them anything to generate finer meshes from the same original 3D vector art and textures that ship in games are often derived from higher resolution artwork anyway.
 
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