Which GPU

[vlad17]

Hello all,

I am planning to build my first gaming PC and I have made my mind on about everything apart from the GPU.
Here are the other component:
1) Intel CPU Core i5 Unlocked 2500K Sandy Bridge Quad Core Processor
2) Silverstone Raven ST-RV03B-WA Black Full Tower
3) Corsair Memory Vengeance LP Blue 16GB DDR3 1600 MHz CAS 9 XMP Quad Channel Desktop Sandybridge
4) ASUS 1155 P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
5) 1TB Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3
6) Coolermaster RSA00-80GAD3-UK Silent Pro Gold 1000W Modular Power Supply (PSU)
7) Noctua NH-D14 Dual Radiator and Fan Quiet CPU Cooler
I am also thinking about a ssd for caching and I think I will go for a crucial M4 60 Gb, but that 's a different topic.

Regarding the GPU: I would like to play demanding games, and I usually play at 1900 x 1200. I can spend up to about 400 GBP but if i can spend less all the better.
Here are the graphic cards I considered:

a) MSI 1536MB GeForce GTX 580 Twin Frozr II/OC (£359.50)

b) Asus 1536MB GeForce GTX 580 DirectCU II (£359.50)

c) MSI 1280MB GeForce GTX 570 Twin Frozr III Power Edition OC (£275.48)

d) MSI GeForce GTX560Ti 448 Core Twin Frozr III Power Edition/OC (£239.69)

I am thinking of SLi in the future so I am probably going to discard the asus because of the 3 slot size problem.
I would ideally want a gpu that enables me to play at high settings and that will not get obsolete too quickly. The GTX 580 seems like they are the best choice in terms of possible evolution (SLI) and obsolescence. I guess if i go for the 580 I would be able to keep it (maybe sli) for the next 3-4 years. That being said, the 570 seems like a good deal as well and it is cheaper. I quite like the 560 ti 448, but I think i may be limited sooner and also i am not too sure i would be able to get another 560 ti 448 in a couple of years when i want to sli since they are supposed to be a limited edition (am i right there?)
So basically is my reasoning ok or am i forgetting important parameters? Also Are my 4 GPU choices good models or would you advise others?

thanks for the help.

 

[aznshinobi]

Save a little, drop the memory, you don't need 16GB. 8GB is enough.

The PSU is overkill, a 850w or 750w would be sufficient in powering SLI 570/560 Ti (448).

I'd also drop down to something like the CM H612 just because the D-14 isn't really great for the price and the H612 will give you similar overclocks on the 2500K.

As for the GPU.
You are correct, the 448 is just a limited edition so future supply with be low and you'll have scan the local ads or something like that. In terms of future proofing with the cards, if you don't mind waiting, I'd wait for the 7xxx from AMD. I'm going to assume, that you're a hardcore Nvidia fan but the 7970 for roughly the same price as a 580 blows it out of water in performance and almost everything.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7970-benchmark-tahiti-gcn,3104.html

So with that said, you should wait for the 7950 or 7870 to come out and see how they do. The release is rushed so it should be January 9th 2012 when they all come out. I don't mention Nvidia because from what I've heard Kepler won't release till mid 2012.

 

[drunkducki]

i would go with a 570

 

[gooseta]

imo, I think you should SLI two 560Tis. The POV Beast 560Tis are awesome

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The fastest one you have there is the 580 ....it will get ya 616 fps in Guru3D's game test suite ...... Two of these 900Mhz 560 Ti's will get ya 862 fps (40% more than the single 580) "outta the box" for 382.94 GBP including VAT

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-asus-gtx-560-ti-directcu-ii-top-40nm-4200mhz-gddr5-gpu-900mhz-shader-1800mhz-384-cores-plus-2-mo

Now if ya thinking that you will lose future upgrade ability, that's true .... to an extent ..... consider that the 580's in SLI (953 fps) only get 10% more fps than those 560's in SLI .....that's an extra 91 fps for an extra 338 GBP

I'd dump the PSU, the SilentPro Gold series hasn't been reviewed that well

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=193

These PSU will handle twin 560's / 570's

9.5 performance rating http://www.scan.co.uk/products/850w-psu-xfx-pro-series-core-edition-p1-850s-ukb9-85-eff-80-plus-bronze-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-fan-at

9.5 performance rating http://www.scan.co.uk/products/850w-psu-corsair-enthusiast-serie-cmpsu-850txv2-85-eff-80-plus-bronze-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-quiet-fa

I'd take the Thermalright Silver Arrow over the Noc .... if ya need to save a lil dough, the Hyper 612 is also a worthy alternative. The Noc has dropped from the "Top Performer" category to the "Highly Recommended".

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=447&Itemid=62

Here's some of the newer coolers compared.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/thermalright-silver-arrow-heat-pipe-cpu-cooler-s775-1155-1156-1366-all-amd-includes-2x140mm-silent-t

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=4

 

[boiler1990]

FWIW I don't like the MSI cooler design for the Raven cases (have a RV02) because it fights the vertical airflow design and may actually be a problem. Your case will be trying to push air upward while the GPU cooler will be trying to pull air down through the expansion port and dump into the case.

However, the Frozr cards use Samsung VRAM, which are great OCers

 

[aznshinobi]

^+1

Raven's airflow isn't the same as normal case, E.G HAF X

 

[vlad17]

thank you all for your answers. you do have good points.
I would like to keep a 1kw psu so that i don't have to change it later on when i upgrade for more power hungry cpu and gpu. i chose the pro silent pro because it would fit in the raven 03. if you have other suggestions please let me know.
now you got me worried about the msi gpu that would not be compatible with the raven 03. i understand the problem of opposite airflow between the gpu and the case. what is the problem though? does it really make them incompatible? if so i guess i would have to go for the HAF X or another case if you can advise. I really liked the raven 03 original design, but if it is going to be a pain to choose the component in then i should probably go for a more conventional design.
regarding the new AMD gpu. do we know for sure that the card that was recently benchmark is identical to the ones that will be available for retail?
I guess i will wait a couple of weeks. Maybe there will be some january sales in the UK as well???

JackNaylorPE, Where did you get these numbers from?
"Now if ya thinking that you will lose future upgrade ability, that's true .... to an extent ..... consider that the 580's in SLI (953 fps) only get 10% more fps than those 560's in SLI .....that's an extra 91 fps for an extra 338 GBP "

right now I am thinking a good choice would be the 570gtx twinfrozr III power edition that i could sli later. do you know if this gpu is a limited edition as well and might not be available in year or so?

thanks

 

[aznshinobi]

^ There isn't any problems with the card compatibility, just airflow is different.

But yes, I'd suggest strongly to wait until January mainly since it's so close and those cards are going to be a lot better than the 40nm design we are using now.

 

[vlad17]

i get your point aznshinobi and it is a good one.
nonetheless, if i wanted to stick with one of those msi twinfrozr, shoudl i consider getting a different case then the raven rv 03?
I understand that there is no incompatibility per se, but if the airflow of the gpu contradict the airflow of the case, it seems like a problem to me. i just wonder how much of a problem it is.
anyway i started looking into the HAF X and HAF 932 advanced. i do not like the way they look too much , but if they are great case, i do not mind the look too much after all. any advice between these cases, or other?
cheers

 

[aznshinobi]

Not to much of a problem, just pointing it out.

You sure you don't want to wait for the 7970? Or the 7950. The review just shows it.

 

[vlad17]

i guess i will wait , i have too much work right now to start building my gaming rig anyway.
regarding these new gpu though, i assume they will be the reference card and not the customized ones from asus , msi or evga right? therefore is it wise to get the reference card rather than the customized ones?
also i am not a nvidia fan, it is just that i thought that there were less problems with nvidia. i could be completely wrong though.
cheers

 

[aznshinobi]

^ It depends on how AMD let the other companies work on their cards. If AMD let Asus/MSI/XFX/Sapphire/PowerColor/Etc. work on them from a long time, I'm sure by launch at least one company will have a custom cooler on the 7xxx cards. If it's good or bad, usually non-reference is better.

But in some cases it's not. Back when the 5xxx released, many of the custom coolers couldn't OC well because voltages were locked which wasn't the case for reference designs. Obviously that's different since the 6xxx had voltages unlocked. Also the 6950 you couldn't unlock for awhile unless your card was reference design. That changed later since you could but now that's not possible anymore.

So hard to say. AMD has solved most of its issues with recent driver updates. Both companies have its problems.

 

[vlad17]

I think i get your point. thanks.
any opinion on the case i should get. I am back to square one now that i sort of understnad that the raven rv03 is actually not very versatile.
thanks

 

[aznshinobi]

The RV3 is a great case, no doubt. It's just that the it has the different mounting system than normal cases. It's a great case if you want to go with it go for it.

 

[vlad17]

won't it be a problem if i go with msi twin frozr design or other gpu that also vent directly in the case's fan opposite direction?

 

[aznshinobi]

It shouldn't be a problem. The fans on the bottom of the case should minimize the effect.

 

[RichterFry]

I'd also go for a 7970, or even the 79h0. I have a 560 (non ti version), and I can either get another of the same card, as well as buy a new mobo (my mobo is 16x/4x only), or get a 7950 when it comes out. I'm going with the 7950, MAYBE a 7970 if I've got the cash. Speaking of which, has anyone heard what the price might be for the 7950?