Pick a card, any card (within reason)

[sk1939]

Alright, so I recently acquired a Core i5 750 for the low low price of absolutely nothing, and want to build a portable gaming rig around it (already have a more powerful system for normal use).

Specs so far:

SilverStone SST-PS07B case
Intel Core i5 750
Intel DP55WB Motherboard (P55 Based)
2 Gigs DDR3 (will be boosted to 16 gigs shortly)
160 Gig Seagate HDD
Seasonic SS-400ET PSU
(Total spent on all that, $90 for the case).

PSU Voltages:

+3.3V 20A
+5V 20A
+12V1 17A
+12V2 17A

Resolution:
1600x1200 or 1920x1600

Games Played:

BF3 (Med Settings)
BFBC2 (High)
A.V.A (High)
Skyrim (Medium?)
Saints Row 3 (High)
Medal of Honor (Med-High)
Dead Island (IDC)


Budget: As low as possible to obtain desired results, will pay for quality however.

I also have a few cards laying around (Quadro FX580, HD5750), but I don't think they are up to par.

 

[inzone]

EVGA 012-P3-1571-AR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
$294.99 and a $10 rebate makes it $284.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130621

EVGA 012-P3-2066-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 448 Cores FTW 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
$289.99 and a $30 rebate makes it $259.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130738

The first card would be the best for gaming at a high level and give very good performance and fps. If you don't want to go that high then the next card is a little less and will give almost as good performance as the first and both cards will come with Evga's lifetime limited warranty. You didn't give a budget amount so I don't know what you would be looking for as far as a price range goes but you can't go much lower and expect to get the performance you might be looking for.

 

[fpoon]

Try this:
EVGA 01G-P3-1366-RX GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130690
$99 for a GTX 460 is a steal.

Or, for $30 more, you get an overclocked version:
EVGA 01G-P3-1464-KR GeForce GTX 560 SE (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130770

But with a 400W PSU, it'll be pretty risky running a GTX 460/560.

 

[sk1939]

EVGA 012-P3-1571-AR GeForce GTX 570 HD w/Display-Port (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
$294.99 and a $10 rebate makes it $284.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130621

EVGA 012-P3-2066-KR GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 448 Cores FTW 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
$289.99 and a $30 rebate makes it $259.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130738

The first card would be the best for gaming at a high level and give very good performance and fps. If you don't want to go that high then the next card is a little less and will give almost as good performance as the first and both cards will come with Evga's lifetime limited warranty. You didn't give a budget amount so I don't know what you would be looking for as far as a price range goes but you can't go much lower and expect to get the performance you might be looking for.

Interesting choices, as far as a price range, I really don't want to top $200 if possible, mostly because I will outclass the card I have in my main system (6870). I'm looking for something roughly the same or better in terms of performance. Not adverse to overclocking if necessary.

 

[sk1939]

Try this:
EVGA 01G-P3-1366-RX GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130690
$99 for a GTX 460 is a steal.

Or, for $30 more, you get an overclocked version:
EVGA 01G-P3-1464-KR GeForce GTX 560 SE (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130770

But with a 400W PSU, it'll be pretty risky running a GTX 460/560.

That's true, but it's what I had laying around. I could swap it out with the Antec Greenpower 650W I have in my firewall.

 

[inzone]

Oh sorry I thought you were building a gaming Pc.

 

[Axelion]

I'm selling my PNY GTX 570 for $210 if you want since I'm going to purchase GTX 680 sooner or later.

 

[thrakazog]

At the $200 max pricepoint, the best you can do will either be a 6870 or 560 Ti.

That is, unless you went with a PCIe 3.0 card, which I don't think the mobo you listed will support.

If you up the price to $260, you could get a 6950 -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150549

 

[sk1939]

Oh sorry I thought you were building a gaming Pc.

I am, but I'm sure it's hindered by the i5 750. I also can't afford to shell out that kind of bread with me facing (and possibly not surviving) a corporate "restructuring" soon.

 

[sk1939]

I'm selling my PNY GTX 570 for $210 if you want since I'm going to purchase GTX 680 sooner or later.

How does that compare to, say, a GTX 480?

 

[Hongg]

200$ max point will get you a GTX480, still one of the top cards currently. Okay, well, it's 210$ with free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130759

If you don't want to spend as much, the 6870 will be your next best bet.

You can also get a 7850 for 250$ which will be more efficient, electricity wise and cooling, than the former cards.

 

[sk1939]

200$ max point will get you a GTX480, still one of the top cards currently. Okay, well, it's 210$ with free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130759

If you don't want to spend as much, the 6870 will be your next best bet.

You can also get a 7850 for 250$ which will be more efficient, electricity wise and cooling, than the former cards.

How does the 7850 compare to either performance wise? I'm seriously considering the GTX 480, but I'm worried about it being bottle necked, since I have no idea what kind of performance to expect out of this i5. My main gaming setup is listed in my sig.

 

[Axelion]

GTX 570 runs cooler, slightly faster, and less power consumption than GTX 480.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-570-gf110-performance,2806.html

 

[Hongg]

How does the 7850 compare to either performance wise? I'm seriously considering the GTX 480, but I'm worried about it being bottle necked, since I have no idea what kind of performance to expect out of this i5. My main gaming setup is listed in my sig.

The 7850 beats out the 6870 but the 480 is better. The 480 gives better performance but does get hotter and consumes more electricity than the 7850.

As for your processor, it's a possibility that you might get bottle necked, as its on the lower end of CPUs, but I'm not an expert on this so I won't be able to give you too much information on this topic, sorry

 

[sk1939]

GTX 570 runs cooler, slightly faster, and less power consumption than GTX 480.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-570-gf110-performance,2806.html

Did you overclock at all?

 

[sk1939]

The 7850 beats out the 6870 but the 480 is better. The 480 gives better performance but does get hotter and consumes more electricity than the 7850.

As for your processor, it's a possibility that you might get bottle necked, as its on the lower end of CPUs, but I'm not an expert on this so I won't be able to give you too much information on this topic, sorry

Thought so. I feel like I'm asking noob questions, considering I'm supposed to know this stuff.

According to this thread the i5 750 won't even bottleneck a GTX 680, so I should be good there.

So between these three:

GTX 480
GTX 570
HD 6870


Which would you all choose?

 

[Axelion]

You can overclock the card with MSI afterburner or EVGA precision if you want to but I never overclock mine.

Personally I'd choose GTX 570 out of the three card you listed. GTX 480 sucks out more electric bill and gets hot easily.
I looked up HD 6870 and found it to be slower than GTX 570.

http://www.hwcompare.com/9023/geforce-gtx-570-vs-radeon-hd-6870/
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2012-vga-gpgpu/08-Mafia-2-DirectX-9-B-Performance,2953.html

HD 6870 is on par with GTX 560Ti

 

[sk1939]

So the question becomes:

GTX 480

or

GTX 570?

 

[striker410]

Well, the GTX 480 is new and comes with an EVGA warranty. That's cool. The GTX 570 performs better, overclocks better and will have MUCH lower heat and power. This comes at the price of needing to buy it used.

I personally would gamble for a used GTX 570. If you aren't comfortable with that the GTX 480 is a great deal, especially since you get that warranty.

 

[Wisecracker]

For

Resolution:
1600x1200 or 1920x1600

Games Played:

BF3 (Med Settings)
BFBC2 (High)
A.V.A (High)
Skyrim (Medium?)
Saints Row 3 (High)
Medal of Honor (Med-High)
Dead Island (IDC)

an HD 6870, around $150, should be more than enough jam.

Never seen one played at 1900x1600. I'll reserve judgement at that rez -- bet it makes everything short and stumpy

 

[sk1939]

For

Resolution:
1600x1200 or 1920x1600

Games Played:

BF3 (Med Settings)
BFBC2 (High)
A.V.A (High)
Skyrim (Medium?)
Saints Row 3 (High)
Medal of Honor (Med-High)
Dead Island (IDC)

an HD 6870, around $150, should be more than enough jam.

Never seen one played at 1900x1600. I'll reserve judgement at that rez -- bet it makes everything short and stumpy

*1920x1600

1900x1600 does make things short and stumpy looking.

Think so? I've been hitting a performance ceiling with the 6870 I have when I try to max things out at that resolution, but I guess maxing it out would cause that. 6870 is certainly affordable though, but the issue is that with a single PCI-e x16 slot (yes, it's actually x16) I'm worried about the future since I can't just go and add a 2nd card.

 

[sk1939]

Well, the GTX 480 is new and comes with an EVGA warranty. That's cool. The GTX 570 performs better, overclocks better and will have MUCH lower heat and power. This comes at the price of needing to buy it used.

I personally would gamble for a used GTX 570. If you aren't comfortable with that the GTX 480 is a great deal, especially since you get that warranty.

I'm willing to take the gamble, but I do have my reservations (DoA card for example). I'm seriously considering just getting the 480.

 

[sLaDeY]

you could pick up a pair of 5850's for aprox. $200 bucks, that sits you between the gtx570 and the gtx580

 

[sk1939]

That would work, except for the fact that I only have a single PCI-e x16 lane. I could do that for my other desktop though....

Edit: Newegg no longer carries the 5850 from what I can tell.

 

[sk1939]

GTX 480.
SPOILER ALERT.

My single 480 videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZs_FfriN_Q

Leaning towards that, worried about power and cooling though (mostly cooling).