GPU Upgrade

[naits360]

Hello. I'm planning on selling my current gpu setup, which is a few years old. I have the asus 4870x2 + an additional 4870 1gb in Crossfire. It runs everything pretty smooth though, on my 19x12 monitor. However the 4870x2 gets extremely hot under load and, like a frying pan hot..So my question to you is:

What would be a good upgrade, something that would equal in quality, and get the same amount of FPS in games or better?(compared to my 4870x2 + 4870 setup). I would like to go Nvidia this time round, considering their 3d vision technology. Somewhere around 420 USD..

My specs.
Cosmos S
core i7 920 @ 3.6ghz
1600 Mhz DDR3 6gb
Asus Pt6 deluxe
1000w corsair

 

[Kewlx25]

if you wait until fall, 28nm chips from both ATI and nVidia are coming out.

 

[naits360]

if you wait until fall, 28nm chips from both ATI and nVidia are coming out.

Thing is, I need an ASAP replacement. There's some dude who really wants to buy my two cards. I can't just tell him to wait a few months hah. Was thinking bout 470s in SLI maybe? It's a bit more pricy than 420 usd.. but meh..Currently I'm playing this MMORPG called RIFT, which I've had countless problems with, and so are other ATI users apparently..

 

[HostileDonut]

Yeah, two GTX 470s. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162051&cm_re=GTX_470-_-14-162-051-_-Product Dual those. If you can, the GTX 560 Ti's would be really good. I would get those. Maybe one GTX 560 Ti and the later get another.

 

[jprahman]

Dual GTX560 Ti's would be better than Dual GTX 470s. GTX 560s run cooler than GTX470s and use less power, after all the OP is trying to get away from a hot running card so a GTX 470 may not be a good choice.

 

[HostileDonut]

Yeah, GTX 470~480 are like ovens. I once fried an egg on one! :lol: *sarcasm*

 

[naits360]

Yeah, two GTX 470s. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162051&cm_re=GTX_470-_-14-162-051-_-Product Dual those. If you can, the GTX 560 Ti's would be really good. I would get those. Maybe one GTX 560 Ti and the later get another.

Dual GTX560 Ti's would be better than Dual GTX 470s. GTX 560s run cooler than GTX470s and use less power, after all the OP is trying to get away from a hot running card so a GTX 470 may not be a good choice.

How are the 560s compared to the 4870x2? and What about 570s? I could get one now and the other in a month or so..?
what kinda performance differences are therebetween single 570s & single 560s vs. 4870x2?

 

[HostileDonut]

Well, a hd4870 x2 = two GTX 260s. So two GTX 560 Ti's would blow that away. Two GTX 570s would even blow that away. If you have the money, get two GTX 570s and OC them to be close to two GTX 580s in SLI. MIght want to OC the CPU a bit more though.

 

[naits360]

Well, a hd4870 x2 = two GTX 260s. So two GTX 560 Ti's would blow that away. Two GTX 570s would even blow that away. If you have the money, get two GTX 570s and OC them to be close to two GTX 580s in SLI. MIght want to OC the CPU a bit more though.

Well I doubt I'll be getting two 570s simultaneously, the second would have to come down the road, in a month or two. Would a single 570 outperform a 4870x2 though?..

ANd if I were to overclock the 570, could I do this with stock coolers? cause I can't afford a water cooling kit now on top of this...And if so, how far beyond the stock speed would I be able to overclock the 570s with stock coolers?

 

[HostileDonut]

A GTX570 would outperform a hd4870 x2 but not a hd4870 tri CF. No, you will use the stock cooling unless you want a crazy OC. I would get this GTX 570 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127568&cm_re=GTX570-_-14-127-568-_-Product or this GTX560 Ti http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162074&cm_re=GTX_560_Ti-_-14-162-074-_-Product Either way you will be happy. Both should have good cooling and be very powerful. I would personally go for the GTX 560 Ti's. Cheaper, can OC to the GTX 570 speeds, (I have heard that, never done it) good cooler, quite, and would be great for SLI due to the amazing scaling. Basically, a GTX 560 Ti is a down-clocked GTX 570.

 

[HostileDonut]

By the way, a GTX 560 would come pretty dang close to beating a hd4870 x2.

 

[naits360]

Heh, I just rechecked my balance. Seems like I can afford a single GTX 580 after all. But ofc I could buy 570s SLI and overclock them a bit, which I believe would outperform a single 580.. or even two 560s and overclock, if they could clock to the same performance of a single 580.. I'm so confused bout what to do know. I'm running 1920x1200 games. Suggestions please !!

 

[HostileDonut]

Well. the GTX 580s are a HUGE rip off. If I were you, because you want Nvidia, get SLI GTX 570s. If youw anted to cut down the price a bit, dual hd6950 unlocked into hd6970s would give you GREAT performance, at a relatively low cost. $260 for each dh6950 and then unlock into hd6970s. If it must be Nvidia, two GTX 570s in SLI, and then you can OC 'em to the GTX 580 speeds.

 

[naits360]

Well. the GTX 580s are a HUGE rip off. If I were you, because you want Nvidia, get SLI GTX 570s. If youw anted to cut down the price a bit, dual hd6950 unlocked into hd6970s would give you GREAT performance, at a relatively low cost. $260 for each dh6950 and then unlock into hd6970s. If it must be Nvidia, two GTX 570s in SLI, and then you can OC 'em to the GTX 580 speeds.

well oki, after a whole day of research and your useful comments I think I'll order two GTX 570s next week some time. However I am planning on overclocking them, but I've read that the 570s don't overclock aswell as the 560s. Nevertheless I am definitely going for the 570s. Any suggestion on what models or brands are good overclockers?

And if I'm going to overclock should i buy one of those "superclocked" versions? and then overclock them even more or ?

 

[HostileDonut]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127564&cm_re=gtx_570-_-14-127-564-_-Product That or the other MSI version. That one has a dual fan design though. Don't buy pre-Oced cards if you plan on OCing more, then you pay more for what you are going to do anyway. MSI, EVGA, Gigabyte, ASUS, and PNY are all good brands. If your case can fit this, it would probably be the best. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125365&cm_re=gtx_570-_-14-125-365-_-Product

 

[HostileDonut]

Btw, I know those cards are pre-OCed, but they have a lot of fans to cool it when you OC more. It would be worth it to me.

 

[naits360]

Btw, I know those cards are pre-OCed, but they have a lot of fans to cool it when you OC more. It would be worth it to me.

aah hah not another tri-fan cooling setup. I really despised my tri-fan cooler on my ASUS EAH 4870x2.. after 10 min in-game under load the fans would make an insane amount of noise at 60% - 70% speed. The fans were so loud my friends on skype with me complained...Seems like I'll be going for two of the GTX 570 Twin Frozr II and overclock em'

 

[HostileDonut]

Well, it is your choice, but I think the noise would be due to the two hd4870 chips in that card getting hot. That card was not a "cool" card. I mean, do what you want, just if I could, tri-fan would be what I would do. You could also contact Newegg (they have really good support) and ask them that if the card is loud you could return it and get a Twin Frozer II. I would do that. You have nothing to lose.

 

[HostileDonut]

This is a Gigabyte GTX 570 tri-cooler review:

The cooler performs very well. In a Silverstone FT02 case, playing current games or folding it says in the mid to low 60’s, typically it hangs around 61c. And the fans are relatively quite I don’t hear them over the stock case even under load (under load they spin up to 46% in my system).

 

[naits360]

Well, it is your choice, but I think the noise would be due to the two hd4870 chips in that card getting hot. That card was not a "cool" card. I mean, do what you want, just if I could, tri-fan would be what I would do. You could also contact Newegg (they have really good support) and ask them that if the card is loud you could return it and get a Twin Frozer II. I would do that. You have nothing to lose.

Well thats one thing I haven't mentioned. I'm actually from Norway, therefore I can't order overseas without running into customs and shipping fees. I'm going to use this site (which is in norwegian but not that hard to navigate around if you just use the search box) hah

The only line-up of 570 GPUs they have are these:
http://www.komplett.no/k/search.aspx?mfr=&bn=&sortBy=p&q=570%20gtx&

 

[HostileDonut]

Well, they still have the Gigabyte and the MSI Twin Frozer II. You could ask them if you could return it if it was too loud, If you are worried get the MSI versions.

 

[naits360]

Well, they still have the Gigabyte and the MSI Twin Frozer II. You could ask them if you could return it if it was too loud, If you are worried get the MSI versions.

Well, just spoke with the guy who wanted to buy my tri fire setup. I've never sold any of my components. I still have all the enclosures and supplies that came with the gpus. How should i prepare the cards for the buyer? Just take em out and clean them and dust em off?

never actually done this before, advice would be appreciated..

 

[HostileDonut]

Do you have air duster? If so, clean them with that. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE AIR DUST UPWARD AT ALL TIMES! IT CAN SHOOT LIQUID OUT AND RUIN THE HARDWARE! Also, do not touch the back of the cards, or the gold pins, the oils from your hands can ruin the whole card. If you do not have air-duster, just blower on the card and vacume it. Just get all the dust out of it and make it look good. You could wipe the cover of the card with a DRY wash cloth to get everything off. After that, you should be good.

 

[naits360]

aight thanks for all the great help. Really looking forward to SLI'n 570s. Last question though, my 1000w PSU will handle this right? i have 2 VR 10k rpm 300gb, 920 @ 3,6 Ghz gonna pump it up a bit 3,8 Ghz, or maybe even 4.0 Ghz, 3 sticks of 1600 mhz 2gb ddr3 and a h50.

 

[HostileDonut]

Yes, Corsair is one of the best PSU makers there is. 1000w will handle that fairly easily. Have fun with those two wicked GTX 570s in SLI, man!