Upgrade from 9800GTX. Advice?

[Isilwen Nightfall]

Hey guys.
I'm planning of upgrading my graphic card since it probably broke down. It's still in warranty and i don't even know if the video card itself is the problem, but i think i'm going to risk it.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: As soon as i make up my mind
BUDGET RANGE: 120-160$ (100-130€)

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, High-end gaming. I don't want to run everything at max, but i don't want to remain behind the times. I need good performances especially for EVE Online and WoW.


CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: Zotac 9800GTX - Blu Power 650W

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: Intel Core i5 750, Gygabyte P55-US3L, 4GB RAM DDR3 Kingmax

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: www.nexths.it
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Italy

PARTS PREFERENCES: None

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Not atm

MONITOR RESOLUTION:1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I just would like a performant and stable card. I've had bad luck with graphic cards recently, both for overheating or just manufacturing flaws. I don't follow the graphic cards market much so i can't even understand where my current 9800GTX is placed in the current "hyerarchy" of cards. I don't want to make a hasty decision and buy something that's even worse than my current one.

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Isilwen Nightfall]

Thanks for your awesome reply, greghome.

Yes the 5770 seems like a good candidate indeed...
But if the 6770 is coming out soon, i may decide to wait a bit.

I noticed you did not mention any Nvidia cards. Is there a reason for this? Maybe the ratio price/quality is not convenient?

 

[Isilwen Nightfall]

I see. Thank you very much, you've been very helpful

 

[dalta centauri]

Actually, although the 460 is above your price range, you may still want to go and save up a bit and buy that, as it's 220$ for a 1gb model(don't even bother with the lesser model.)
The 460 will match a 5830, at the same price point.

Otherwise go for a 5770, I'm using a vapor-x 5770 right now and it runs good.
Crysis @1680x1050x4AA and enthusiast settings go well beyond 30fps.

 

[Isilwen Nightfall]

Thanks for the tip, dalta. I will think about it, because i believe that my current graphic card is the weak point of my computer, at the moment (correct me if i'm wrong)

Just to know, is a 650w PSU enough for those cards? I believe the seller sold me quite a crappy one so i guess i should change that too..

 

[dalta centauri]

Thanks for the tip, dalta. I will think about it, because i believe that my current graphic card is the weak point of my computer, at the moment (correct me if i'm wrong)

Just to know, is a 650w PSU enough for those cards? I believe the seller sold me quite a crappy one so i guess i should change that too..

http://www.nexths.it/v3/flypage.php?mv_arg=GV-N460OC-1GI
Looking at the site you supplied will have it a bit more than I expected. There's a 768mb model on sale for under 200$ but I don't think the 768mb ones are good, they normally have terrible framerate problems.

 

[Mousemonkey]

A 9800GT performs like a HD5670

Why are you comparing a GT when the OP has clearly stated they have a GTX?

 

[Mousemonkey]

http://www.nexths.it/v3/flypage.php?mv_arg=GV-N460OC-1GI
Looking at the site you supplied will have it a bit more than I expected. There's a 768mb model on sale for under 200$ but I don't think the 768mb ones are good, they normally have terrible framerate problems.

Care to expand on that? Bearing in mind that the OP has no wish to SLi so multi monitor gaming is not an issue.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/180?vs=156

 

[Isilwen Nightfall]

Yes atm i have no need for a SLi or CF (neither do i have the know-how required).

I too would like to know more about that thing about fps, and to be honest i always wondered if the "more mb" version of an older model card is better than a "fewer mb" version of a newer model one.

Also yes, i have a 9800GTX, not a GT.
I guess that an HD 5770 would be an improvement anyway, or am i wrong?

 

[unknown_13]

Yes atm i have no need for a SLi or CF (neither do i have the know-how required).

I too would like to know more about that thing about fps, and to be honest i always wondered if the "more mb" version of an older model card is better than a "fewer mb" version of a newer model one.

Also yes, i have a 9800GTX, not a GT.
I guess that an HD 5770 would be an improvement anyway, or am i wrong?

Yes the HD 5770 will give a nice boost in fps.

 

[Mousemonkey]

Yes atm i have no need for a SLi or CF (neither do i have the know-how required).

I too would like to know more about that thing about fps, and to be honest i always wondered if the "more mb" version of an older model card is better than a "fewer mb" version of a newer model one.

Also yes, i have a 9800GTX, not a GT.
I guess that an HD 5770 would be an improvement anyway, or am i wrong?

The 5770 is slightly faster than a 9800GTX but for the most part you're looking at less than 10fps.

 

[unknown_13]

The 5770 is slightly faster than a 9800GTX but for the most part you're looking at less than 10fps.

There will be at least 15-17fps increase.

 

[Mousemonkey]

There will be at least 15-17fps increase.

Using the benchies showing a GTS250 because they are one and the same card and a resolution of 19 x10.

4fps.

7fps.

less than 1fps.

9fps.

6fps.

What games are you getting the 15 -17 fps difference in?

 

[unknown_13]

Using the benchies showing a GTS250 because they are one and the same card and a resolution of 19 x10.

http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/5700_101209230406/20445.png

4fps.

http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/5700_101209230406/20442.png

7fps.

http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/5700_101209230406/20448.png

less than 1fps.

http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/5700_101209230406/20451.png

9fps.

http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/5700_101209230406/20463.png

6fps.

What games are you getting the 15 -17 fps difference in?

9800GTX = rebranded 8800GTS 512MB with higher clocks
9800GTX+ (aka GTS250) = 9800GTX with higher clocks

so there is a difference between regular 9800GTX and GTS250

OK, if not 15-17, then 12 fps. The 5770 will be a nice upgrade.

 

[Mousemonkey]

9800GTX = rebranded 8800GTS 512MB with higher clocks
9800GTX+ (aka GTS250) = 9800GTX with higher clocks

so there is a difference between regular 9800GTX and GTS250

OK, if not 15-17, then 12 fps. The 5770 will be a nice upgrade.

Actually the standard GTS250 was the exact same clock speed of the 9800GTX+ and 9800GTX.

 

[unknown_13]

Actually the standard GTS250 was the exact same clock speed of the 9800GTX+ and 9800GTX.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Actually the standard GTS250 was the exact same clock speed of the 9800GTX+ and 9800GTX.

The 9800GTX+ was identical to the 9800GTX the 9800GTX+ was just a die shrink to 55nm and it ran cooler and had slightly higher base clocks. The older 9800GTX was a better overclocker in many cases though.

I just upgraded from a 9800GTX+ 512MB to a GTX460 1GB and I get roughly double the FPS in games like Dragon Age and Fallout 3. My GTX460 is running at 820 Core, 1640 Shaders and 1900 memory. It was a great upgrade in my opinion.

 

[Mousemonkey]

The 9800GTX was clocked slightly slower, sorry about that but the standard GTS250 and 9800GTX+ were the same at 738 core, 1836 SP's and 1100 on the memory.

 

[Mousemonkey]

The 9800GTX+ was identical to the 9800GTX in stock clock speeds. The 9800GTX+ was just a die shrink to 55nm and it ran cooler. The older 9800GTX was a better overclocker in many cases though.

I just upgraded from a 9800GTX+ 512MB to a GTX460 1GB and I get roughly double the FPS in games like Dragon Age and Fallout 3. My GTX460 is running at 820 Core, 1640 Shaders and 1900 memory. It was a great upgrade in my opinion.

I thought the 9800GTX was clocked at 675 on the core, like the 8800GTS.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

I thought the 9800GTX was clocked at 675 on the core, like the 8800GTS.

It was I had to edit. I forgot the GTX+ squeezed a few more mhz out of that G92.

 

[Isilwen Nightfall]

Uhm...

So, one wise choice would be to save up for an NVIDIA 460 in order to have a sure, nice boost of performance, i suppose.

Or i could wait for the next ATI series and buy a 5770 at lower price.
But point is, if i have to spend money, i would like to buy something that would sensible improve my gaming experience, not just only a few fps.

Thanks guys, you're all being very helpful.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Yeah an HD5770 is not enough of an upgrade to justify the cost. I was seriously considering an HD5850 myself then Nvidia released the GTX460 for so much less money and the GTX460 overclocked beats a stock HD5850 and equals a stock HD5870 in many cases. Now do not forget the Ati cards are also great overclockers themselves, but for the price the GTX460 1GB is hard to beat.

 

[Mousemonkey]

Uhm...

So, one wise choice would be to save up for an NVIDIA 460 in order to have a sure, nice boost of performance, i suppose.

Or i could wait for the next ATI series and buy a 5770 at lower price.
But point is, if i have to spend money, i would like to buy something that would sensible improve my gaming experience, not just only a few fps.

Thanks guys, you're all being very helpful.

In the meantime just OC the bejeezus out of that 9800GTX.

 

[Isilwen Nightfall]

Yeah even though being a newbie i never OC'ed anything, i'm afraid to fry something and that would be bad.

I actually had to use Riva Tuner to underclock my old ati X1950 due to overheating

I'll give it a shot tho I hope nothing will explode on me.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

You might want to try another power supply before you junk that video card. I have never heard of it and high quality power supplies are pretty much sold internationally. Good high quality brands include Corsair, Seasonic, PC Power and Cooling, XFX and Antec. The power supply is not somewhere to go with a "budget" model.