Whats best for the money?

[xxncxx]

I'm in a dilemma. I can't choose between the HD 5850 or the GTX 470. The 5850 has less heat problems, but the GTX 470 has better PhysX performance. I really don't want a bunch of heat, but I do want PhysX and the likes. If someone could help me make this decision it would be really nice. If it helps, I play Source games, BF2, and plan to play Mafia 2, Crysis, BFBC2, and possibly MW2.

 

[Helltech]

You could get a 5850 and a GT240 for Phsyx and use hacked drivers if you feel like taking a risk.

If you have a decent case and good airflow however the GTX470 shouldn't get too hot, you could even mod it if you wanted.
Its something anyone can do...
http://www.overclock.net/nvidia/784575-fermi-fan-mod.html
this is the same principle in better detail on the 200's
http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/540332-how-i-dropped-my-gtx-260-a.html

 

[aznshinobi]

The 5850 is good because you could OC that practically to a 5870 with OverVoltage on MSI Afterburner. Also the power consumption is lower than the 470. And like Helltech said, just get something like a GT240 for PhysX which is pretty cheap

 

[xxncxx]

Kinda on a budget here so I can't get a 240. My case is an NV 690, I have about 4-5 fans installed so I should have good airflow.

 

[Helltech]

Well if you can't afford a 240+5850 I think you pretty much answered your own question. =P

 

[decode]

Can you specify your budget please, your full PC stats and also what region your from?

Your case should easily fit the cards and depending on your motherboard support SLi/Xfire etc.

Would recommend a 5850 and overclocking it.

 

[Timop]

Id say wait for a bit. The HD6000 seems decent, but honestly another option is getting a GTX460 and OC the heck out of it.

 

[jyjjy]

I would never choose a video card based on physx but the GTX 470 will give you better performance for the money and often comes with more than one free(and good) game at the moment. This one comes with 3;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.455049
Both the GTX 470 and HD5850 can overclock a huge amount so that isn't really a factor when choosing between them. The HD5850 is significantly more power efficient and gives off less heat so I guess the choice is whether that matters to you more than the extra performance.

 

[decode]

Yeah, a OC'd MSi Hawk 460 would do great, or a 5850.

 

[xxncxx]

Decode, here's my full specs

i7-930 @ $200
ASUS P6X58D-E
Corsair XMS3 6GB 1333
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
2 x Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB in RAID 0
CoolerMaster NV-690

 

[Timop]

If you can musker up $360 for a pair of GTX460s, they will be a great choice.

To point is out, why did you get 2 F3 1TBs Id rather get a SSD.

 

[xxncxx]

I will be running Steam with 20 plus games, that will definitely not fit on a 30gb SSD.

 

[Timop]

I will be running Steam with 20 plus games, that will definitely not fit on a 30gb SSD.

With a SSD, Windows would boot faster and internet browsing as well.
The fact is RAID0 doesnt help performance nearly as much as you think.

 

[decode]

Timop, SSD's are very expensive, HDD's are not and they provide a good performance boost is raid 0. Plus they over significant amounts of storage too.

Here's your Options

1) 2x GTX 460's in SLi (Asus DirectCU, MSi Cyclone, Palit Sonic Platinum)
2) 1x 5850 (Asus DirectCU, HIS ????)
3) 1x GTX 460 (Asus DirectCU, MSi Cyclone, Palit Sonic Platinum)

 

[aznshinobi]

Actually Timop he's correct in getting 2 F3 1TBs in RAID 0 can achieve SSD speeds for only 120$ (40$ cheaper than something like the Pheonix G.Skill) Since the F3 1TB at Newegg has the Promo code decreasing the price to 59.99. Plus he's on budget so an SSD is just out of the question for such small storage for a high price.

http://forums.aria.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15621

 

[xxncxx]

The point is that I don't want to use my money for 30 gigs of space I'll use immediately when I can use my money to get 2tbs at the same speed. Yes I know SSDs are better but I just can't fit that in with what I will be doing.

did the above poster read my mind or something?

 

[aznshinobi]

Cough review actually proves that RAID 0 helps significantly and that the RAID F3's make an SSD basically...

XD teehee xxncxx

 

[Timop]

Actually Timop he's correct in getting 2 F3 1TBs in RAID 0 can achieve SSD speeds for only 120$ (40$ cheaper than something like the Pheonix G.Skill) Since the F3 1TB at Newegg has the Promo code decreasing the price to 59.99. Plus he's on budget so an SSD is just out of the question for such small storage for a high price.

http://forums.aria.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15621

Synthetics vs. Real life apps. Also go look for SSD benches, it is a constant 250MBs. The extremely fast access time of an SSD beats any RAID setup.

Besides, $120 for 40GB Sandforce is not a bad deal at all. Especially for an 1366 setup. He would have saved alot of money by going 1156, without losing much performance.

 

[decode]

I think Timop may need to research the cost per gigabyte/performance analysis of ssd's vs hdds / hdds in raid 0.

As for NC, I listed the graphics cards above in your category for buying.

However if you wait until October the 13th and get 2x 6770's in Xfire you would probably be better off money/performance wise.

 

[xxncxx]

I haven't bought this all yet, and decode I most likely will wait till the 6000 series comes out to buy because that will most likely drop the prices. Also, don't you mean 5770's?

 

[Timop]

I think Timop may need to research the cost per gigabyte/performance analysis of ssd's vs hdds / hdds in raid 0.

As for NC, I listed the graphics cards above in your category for buying.

However if you wait until October the 13th and get 2x 6770's in Xfire you would probably be better off money/performance wise.

The fact is most people (at least me personally) can not fit a full 2TB (movies aside, but that doe not benefit from extra speed). SSDs have much lower access time, less noise, and lower failure rate compared to RAID0, a $120 40GB Vertex2 + $60 1TB F3 is going to fit a few games and will beat dual F3s in one way or another.

Personally I prefer SSDs, but if you think RAID0 is good choice go nuts, its not bad no denying it. To the same philosophy, the i5 750+P55 offers the same performance as the i7 930+X58 for $75 less.

 

[decode]

No, I mean 6770's, there being released on October the 13th according to the reports I've seen and should measure up to HD 5830's.

However yes, at this time the 5850 and 5870's should drop in price, Might just wanna get a 5870 by that time depending on performance/pricing of the new/old cards.

@Timop: A raid 0 array + a raid 1 array could quite possible still come in cheaper than a SSD(depending on what SSD he has)

or he could Raid 0 with regular full disk image backups.

 

[Timop]

No, I mean 6770's, there being released on October the 13th according to the reports I've seen and should measure up to HD 5830's.

However yes, at this time the 5850 and 5870's should drop in price, Might just wanna get a 5870 by that time depending on performance/pricing of the new/old cards.

+1 on the 6770 suggestion. It should a least match GTX460 in SLI, though in which it might drop in price then.

5870s shouldn't see a major drop in price lately however, according to recent reports though. Even so stocks would be limited, AMD needs the extra production capacity for the 6870s.