6870 CF vs 6970 vs 570

[jolter]

Hi everyone!
I'm going to purchase my video card(s) quite soon but I'm wondering on which option should I pick. It's either the 6870 CF, 6970 or the 570. I've looked up some benchmarks and it seems as if the CF is much more better. I wish that the choice will last me 4+ years before I rebuild a new computer.
I play at 1920 * 1080. I have a 700w Coolermaster PSU.

 

[FlintIronStagg]

the CF setup is the much most bestest if the game scales well. nothing will keep you going 4+ years i dont think

 

[jolter]

Sorry about this:

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This week

BUDGET RANGE: AUD $400

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, watching videos/movies

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: Coolermaster extreme power plus 700w

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: Asus P8P67LE Mobo, i7 2600, 8Gb ram

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Not online

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Australia

PARTS PREFERENCES: None really

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Hope to last a few years

@FlintIronStagg
Actually on second thought I think 2~3 years is enough before I can get a new setup.. Also as games get better, I can lower settings hopefully..

 

[FlintIronStagg]

the 570 will run extremely well on your setup, i say go for the GTX. It will last you a while

 

[ubercake]

Crossfire benchmarks are better even with all the driver/quality issues that come along with it. It's not fun watching your screen flicker while gaming and having FRAPS show high framerates after you've spent near a grand on video cards (just one of many issues). Crossfire bites.

Get the 570:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/Radeon_HD_6970/8.html

 

[jolter]

Ahh thanks for your replies. I'll probably get the 570 then!

EDIT: I was also wondering if in the future I planned on using eyefinity would it be better with 570 or 6970?

 

[shrkbay]

EYEFINITY is AMD only, so it will be better with 6970, because you have 2GB of memory, 6970 is avg. faster too, 6970 scales quite well *in CF it is as good as 580SLI*. Get 6970 or 570 both are good and you will be able to add a next one later when you will need it.. probably in 2 maybe 3 years.

 

[ubercake]

That motherboard won't do SLI:

http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67_LE/

I still wouldn't recommend crossfire based on my own personal experience. If you want to have a 3-monitor gaming setup, you'll need two Nvidia cards for 2D/3D surround, whereas you can run 3 monitors in eyefinity with a single AMD card.

So because your motherboard doesn't allow SLI, the AMD option is your way to get there, otherwise you'd need a new motherboard.

 

[jolter]

That motherboard won't do SLI:

http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8P67_LE/

I still wouldn't recommend crossfire based on my own personal experience. If you want to have a 3-monitor gaming setup, you'll need two Nvidia cards for 2D/3D surround, whereas you can run 3 monitors in eyefinity with a single AMD card.

So because your motherboard doesn't allow SLI, the AMD option is your way to get there, otherwise you'd need a new motherboard.

Yeah I was kinda worried since it only said it supported CF.. Oh well it's pretty close between the two, I'll keep thinking about this. Thanks to all for your help

 

[FlintIronStagg]

multiple monitor or resolutions higher than 1920x1080 i would get the 6970, otherwise single monitor, 1920x1080 the 570 is the better performer

 

[shrkbay]

^Please show me the proof of that, and please on neutral games not HAWX2 or F1.

 

[ubercake]

Really the only time the 6970 beats the 570 (IMO on the only game that matters and a solid real-world guage of gaming performance-BFBC2) is at 2560x1600:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/Radeon_HD_6970/8.html

 

[shrkbay]

BFBC2 favorites Nvidia a bit just like aliens vs predator favorites AMD. Pleaseread this review *they use 2 AMD favoring games, 4 Nvidia favoring games, synthetics and metro 2033*:
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/38899-amd-radeon-hd-6970-hd-6950-review.html

In conclusion is performance summary where it's clearly shown that 6970 is 1% faster than 570.

 

[ubercake]

I read the article... the conclusion talks up the 6950 a lot but has this to say when comparing the 570 to the 6970...

"...This leads to the HD 6970 fighting an uphill battle at the most popular resolutions against a lower priced yet similarly performing GTX 570..."

That says it all right there. Better value with the 570.

 

[shrkbay]

^Depends on price, the review was written quite long time ago and as you can see from benches 6970 IS faster than 570.

 

[ubercake]

^If you look at the review I cited, you'll see the 570 ahead in as many games. In the review you cited, same thing.

Depends on the title. If I were a big F1, AVP, or COD fan, I'd definitely pick up a 6970. Otherwise, I'm choosing the 570 every time.

 

[shrkbay]

^you forgot to add metro and crysis, but i don't think anyone plays them *sarcasm*. You say that "570 is ahead in as many games", but all these games favor nVidia and only from neutral games *like metro* you can see, which one is faster.

 

[ubercake]

So, for the most part, from what you say most games favor Nvidia. Another reason to get a 570.

Further, considering Metro2033, both cards are within 1 fps of each other at various resolutions:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/Radeon_HD_6970/18.html

Not much of a difference there.

Also, most people aren't playing the original Crysis any longer. It's pretty old. Here are benchmarks with Crysis 2:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/crysis-2-dx11-vga-and-cpu-performance-benchmarks/9

Again, we see the 570 ahead. This game must favor Nvidia, too?

 

[shrkbay]

^*Cough*, where did i say that most of games favor Nvidia? i only said that some games in a review favored Nvidia. I see no sence of arguing, the performance difference is anyway too small to notice - 1% higher with 570 according to techpowerup and 1% higher with 6970 according to Hardwarecanucks *avg.*.

 

[ubercake]

Very close indeed.

 

[FlintIronStagg]

So in an attempt to put this thread back on track, imo, OP should be getting a 570 and be happy.

 

[shrkbay]

^or the cheapest of the two.

 

[Inf3rn0_44]

Hey, looking for some advice on what card to get.. ^^
Which card plays BC2 (and BF3), Crysis 2, Portal 2, Company Of Heroes, World of Tanks and GTA4 with the best performance on the latest drivers?
A quiet card is important to me as well as being energy efficient.
I run at 1920x1200 with great overall specs and would like to future proof my card for at least 1 year. I currently have a ATI 4870 1GB and no preference toward ATI or Nvidia.
Any ideas?
PS: I can get them at the same price, I just don't know which to choose.. (price is not a factor)

 

[17seconds]

^or the cheapest of the two.

GTX 570's are as low as $275 (!) on Newegg right now, while the cheapest 6970 is $320. In the most popular games, there is a little bit of an advantage to the GTX 570, add in PhysX for a bonus, the cheaper price, and its a slam dunk.

 

[Inf3rn0_44]

I have seen gtx 570 as low as $213, gtx 580 for $236, 6970 for $235 and 6950 for $175. Its just that the more powerful the card the rarer the deal. I am really getting a vibe for the 570 now.
As I type this, I can get a GTX 570 for $260 with $7.56 shipping.. And I am still holding out for the GTX 580