So many GPUs to chose from which one do I get?

[jedinegotiator]

I am building a 2600K build with an Asus P8P67 Deluxe Mobo.

Mobo is subject to change but that's what I am going with for now.

I need help selecting a graphics card. I have never had an ATI card always Nvidia. I would like to stick with Nvidia but if an ATI card has outrageous price for the performance I would be willing to change I think. I want to do an SLI set up. I already have a GTX 260. I dont know whether I am going to use it or not or if I should just get rid of it.

I was looking at getting two of these is SLI http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127565R&cm_re=GTX_560-Ti-_-14-127-565R-_-Product

Tell me what you think about that. I want to stay under $300 with my GPU total.
I also been thinking about getting a more expensive Nvidia card and using my GTX 260 as a dedicated PhysX processor. I am not usre if it would be more beneficial to SLI two GTX 560s or go for like a 580 and use the GTX 260 as a PhysX processor.

I dont really want to just toss the 260 because its still a good card I think but if thats the best thing to do let me know. The motherboard I am getting has three x16 slots so I guess I could also user the two 560s in SLI and use the 260 for PhysX

Let me know your thoughts.
Remember keep it under a $300 budget.

 

[purple stain]

I'd go for a GTX560.Good cooling and better on power than the 580.

 

[jedinegotiator]

Ok and what about the GTX 260? just toss it?

Anyone else have any recommendation on which card to get? Also is the MSI card I linked a good 560 or should I go for another brand like Evga?

 

[beltzy]

None of your options (560ti SLI or 580) are under $300. You would need to look at a totally different set of options. What games do you play and at what resolution?

I'd recommend going with the 560ti like purple stank mentioned. You'll be around $250ish. Use your 250 for Physx. Then, down the road when you have more money you can pick up a second 560ti.

Other options:
- If you can find a great deal on a pair of GTX 460 1GB cards, you may be able to get a pair for $300 but it's a stretch (don't think there are any 1GB cards out there for $150). Also, do not get an "SE" model- it's tuned down.
- GTX 570- this is around $350 so it busts your price but it's significantly more powerful than the 560ti.
-- If you were to go AMD, Physx is sort of off the table (unless you get into wonky workarounds).

 

[buzznut]

I am building a 2600K build with an Asus P8P67 Deluxe Mobo.

Mobo is subject to change but that's what I am going with for now.

I need help selecting a graphics card. I have never had an ATI card always Nvidia. I would like to stick with Nvidia but if an ATI card has outrageous price for the performance I would be willing to change I think. I want to do an SLI set up. I already have a GTX 260. I dont know whether I am going to use it or not or if I should just get rid of it.

I was looking at getting two of these is SLI http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127565R&cm_re=GTX_560-Ti-_-14-127-565R-_-Product

Tell me what you think about that. I want to stay under $300 with my GPU total.
I also been thinking about getting a more expensive Nvidia card and using my GTX 260 as a dedicated PhysX processor. I am not usre if it would be more beneficial to SLI two GTX 560s or go for like a 580 and use the GTX 260 as a PhysX processor.

I dont really want to just toss the 260 because its still a good card I think but if thats the best thing to do let me know. The motherboard I am getting has three x16 slots so I guess I could also user the two 560s in SLI and use the 260 for PhysX

Let me know your thoughts.
Remember keep it under a $300 budget.

I think under $300 your best bet would be an HD6950. Unlocking to 6970 performance is fairly easy and reliable, making it a superior price/performance option. The old days of Ati making ho hum performance cards are gone. I think you should take a look at that card, even if detirmined to stick with nVidia.

I do think you should try to sell your GTX 260 on ebay, for some reason used PC parts fetch pretty good prices on there. Even locally on craigslist would be good too.

 

[jedinegotiator]

Ok thanks for the advice guys. For some reason I was thinking two 560s would be $280 not $380 so thats depressing, lol

I will be playing at 1920x1080 and I want to be able to play Battlefield 3 at max settings when it comes out.

So if I get rid of the GTX 260 what card should I get? Lets get a single good card for now and when I get more money I can buy another for SLI.

Also this is getting into another topic but I was planing on getting the 2600K CPU....if I get the 2500K I could save more money for a better GPU but is the 2500K really almost as good as the 2600K? i5s dont have hyper threading so I was going to get the 2600K.

I have the Intel i7-920 right now but I have already sold it. I dont want to talk about how I maybe should have just kept the i7-920 but that is what I used to have. I dotn want to in any way downgrade and by getting an i5 I would be losing hyper threading so I was going to get the 2600K

 

[Embra]

To stay under $300, a AMD 6950 would really be one of your best choices ===>Unlockable!

 

[jyjjy]

The i5-2500k is definitely not a downgrade from the i7-920;
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/47?vs=288
Even vs a similarly clocked older i7 it wins and it can OC significantly higher if you are going to do so.
If you plan on going with a dual card setup in the future you really should consider the AMD cards(and the HD6950 specifically.) Current gen crossfire scales slightly better than SLI and the 2gb of memory really makes a big difference in fully utilizing the processing power of two current high end cards.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crossfire-sli-3-way-scaling,2865-9.html

Ok thanks for the advice guys. For some reason I was thinking two 560s would be $280 not $380 so thats depressing, lol

Still doing the math wrong. A single GTX 560 Ti is $230-260 or so. Two would be $460-520.

 

[purple stain]

If you are inteding to play BF3 you should looks twards the newer cards that are being released for the improved tesselation.That will give you more FPS when playing BF3, espically with their new engine.
I am also in agreeance with the 6950.It is the best bang for your buck.Even with only having a single GTX560 or 6950 you shouldn't have any problems playing on high settings.If BF3 is anything like BFBC2(which I think it will be very similair)it will use as much CPU power as GPU power so quite a bit.Your O.C.'d i5 should power right through it.

 

[jedinegotiator]

Best answer selected by jedinegotiator.

 

[Maziar]

This topic has been closed by Maziar