Asus GTX 670 DirectCu II TOP vs Palit GTX 670 JetStream

[ssoss]

Hi, I'm considering, and looking for opinions on, the following two GPU cards.

Asus GTX 670 DirectCu II TOP

vs

Palit GTX 670 JetStream

Price aside, which card would you get, and why?

The Palit card is beautiful looking and I am building a vanity system but I think the ASUS is quieter? And besides the face/fans (lighted on the Palit) for the GPUs face down and will be barely visible in my mid case, I assume?

It's a toss-up. Help me decide!

Or do I hold out till Christmas for the GTX 690? It would seem two OCed 670s in SLI will be $200 cheaper than the $690 and perform just as well, so I can get one 670 now and then add the other later if I really feel the need for it.

Also, lastly, please weigh on monitors. Should I get one 30"? one 27"? two 27"? three 27"

Anyone have any practical recommendations, ie: "surround is over-rated, few games work, go one big monitor and save money"?

Thanks!

: )

 

[angrydolphin]

i looked at all the gtx 670 models when i was building my new system. i'd go with gigabyte or asus, inno3d's if you have the money. i went with gigabyte in the end, but in your case i'd recommend asus.

runs very quiet, and the heatsink + fans used are of very high quality. palit's was slightly louder, and i think some initial reviews said it ran a little hot? warranty is better for asus too, but that might depend on your region. priced reasonably too imo. you wouldn't be disappointed!

 

[Jaywill]

2x GTX 670 SLI = 1x GTX 690 for $200 less. I'd get one 670 now and add another later.

Regarding brand, here are two review from the same site to compare:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Palit/GeForce_GTX_670_Jet_Stream/

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GeForce_GTX_670_Direct_Cu_II/4.html

It's close. Both cards have similar temperature and performance benchmarks. But for me, ASUS is the clear winner due to fan noise. At load, the Palit card is 40dbA while the ASUS card is an incredible 25dbA. That's the deal maker for me, not to mention the sweet backplate.

I'd give up a little vanity in this case and go with the ASUS.

As far as monitors go, that's really a personal preference. But since I don't have any experience with a multi-monitor setup, I'll let others weigh in here.

I personally use a 27" IPS 2560x1440 Yamakasi Catleap Q270SE and I love it. I only have the 60hz version, but I'm very happy with it for what it costs. Similar panels from Dell or Apple (it's the same panel as in the Apple Cinema display but didn't quite make the quality cut) can cost $1,000 while this one can be bought with zero dead pixels for under $400 shipped.

Good luck!

 

[17seconds]

The reviews of the Asus TOP have been consistently outstanding.
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/05/21/asus_geforce_gtx_680_directcu_ii_top_gpu_review

Compare the Jetstream and the TOP side by side:
http://www.guru3d.com/article/palit-geforce-gtx-670-jetstream-review/
http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-geforce-gtx-670-directcu-ii-top-review/

Apparently the Jetstream is quite a bit louder at 43 Db vs. 38 Db for the TOP. Other than that, they are evenly matched. Definitely get the Asus TOP for the noise levels alone.