Best GPU for 600 watt PSU

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Lemming325

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Feb 21, 2013
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Hello everyone, I've been hanging around here for a while but never posted before. But I do have a question regarding my build, so now is a good time as ever to start. My system has a 600 watt PSU from PC Power and cooling and I was wondering if it would be capable of handling the graphics card I wanna put in it. The 2 GPU's I'm looking at are either a gtx670 or a 7970. I figured it should be OK running the 670 but am wondering if a 7970 would pushing it too far. I just don't want to be pushing this thing to the screaming edge.

the rest of my system is here:
motherboard - asus p8z77-i deluxe mini itx
cpu - intel i5 3570k, overclocked to 4.4ghz
ram - 8gb corsair dominator 1866 ddr3
1 hdd, 2 ssd, 4 case fans
corsair h100i cpu cooler

psu is a 600w pc power and cooling, link here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703036

I am looking to have decent headroom for an overclock as well as possible hard drive additions. So the 2 cards I'm looking at are these:
asus gtx 670
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121637

xfx 7970ghz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632

I know the 7970 is faster and would like to use it, however, I am not sure if I will be asking too much out of my power supply running it, especially if I add some more to it in the future it seems like it might get close and was just looking for some input before I pull the trigger...

thanks :hello:
 
Yes, the psu you have will do for either of the two cards, you have a quality psu with 46A on the 12v rail, it's more than enough for the 7970 ghz(it demands more) even overclocked.
If you want the games that the 7970 offers, get it, and if you can afford it, it's better, but the 670 gtx is also a good card and it's cheaper, though, for a 670 gtx, i'd get this one : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125423
 
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compgenie

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Nov 18, 2012
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I thought with the new drivers the 7950 gets pretty close to a 670?
 

The 7950 overclocked can compete with a stock 670. However, if you overclock the 670 it pushes ahead.

In regards to the system. 600W is plenty for a 7970 given you use only one.
http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/
 


A stock 7950 Boost Edition competes with a stock 670. A well-overclocked 7950 with a decent cooler will almost always beat a well-overclocked 670 because the 670's voltage is locked. The Radeon 7950's voltage can be locked too, but unlike the 670, a locked 7950 can be manually unlocked. This gives the 7950 more headroom than the 670 has to offer. The 7950's better memory bus is also a factor.
 

Lemming325

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Feb 21, 2013
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Thanks for the replies guys, the reasoning I'm using is I want the best performance out of the 1 pci slot that my motherboard has, otherwise I would probably be looking at a lower card and then double up in the future. Obviously I mean best performance "within reason" as the Titan doubles the cost of the 7970. So I figured the ghz edition of the 7970 should out pace the pricier gtx 680 while costing as much as I was already prepared to spend on a gtx 670. I just was unsure if I would be asking too much of the power supply with it, as I am overclocking both CPU and definitely want to at least tinker with the GPU as well.
 

Lemming325

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Feb 21, 2013
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Thanks for all the help, and sorry for the inactivity. I ended up with a 7970, installed it, tried it out and it had some serious whine going on, also it was making some funky buzzing noises when running at load... Returned it and got a 680GTX Lightning from MSI and am loving it.

Thanks again.
 
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