Ankh16 :
so obviously the GTX 570 is going to be more powerful but I was just curious how different the cards are in graphical outputs and while running new games is the 570 worth the hundred dollars extra? will 560 be running games on high graphics for the next 3 years?
keeping in mind I'm looking at these GPUs from a gaming standpoint not an animation and video encoding standpoint is the price difference reflective of the power difference?
I apologise for not reading all replies, but here is my response to you.
If you're playing at a standard 1080 resolution then no, the 560 will struggle in 3 years time to play stuff smoothly on high. SLI'ing another 560 down the line may remedy the situation somewhat but in 3 years, you will need to be looking at a new card.
The 570 will also struggle, but a little less (because it's more powerful).
Just looking at the replies, there is some debate of PC/Console from a financial standpoint.
Consoles are much better value for money as they provide a stable platform to have guaranteed gaming experiences at a set level without having to worry about requirements. It's a one off investment in the hardware and then games etc will follow naturally. My friend simply doesn't have the capital to maintain even a low powered gaming rig, so a PS3 was better for him in that situation.
Myself, i have a bit more money to spend on a gaming rig and am committed to PC gaming as a whole over consoles so therefore any expenditure is worth it to me.
If you're looking for the best value for money while maintaining good performance levels, ATI are your best bet with the 6000 series. Nvidia, while competitively priced at the mid range, will often claim the performance crown (rightly so) but have uncompetitive prices at the top end. My suggestion to you is a 6950. If you were saying 'i have a lot of money to spend and want the literal best' i would have said to you 'get two 580's in SLI'.
Hope this helps.