Upgrading from a GTX 460 SLI

[secretmachine]

Hello all,

I'm contemplating upgrading from my current configuration of a GTX 460 SLI and purchasing a single, more powerful graphics card.
Whilst the extra power of the SLI has been great, I've found it's been quite unstable and given my PC some problems.
In the interest of being abit more future proof, I'm contemplating upgrading my graphics card.

I'd contemplate SLIing the upgrade, provided I can afford it and wherever it would give my system abit more of an edge.

Currently I run Windows 7 32 Bit.
4 Gb of Ram (I know, Windows 32bit can only use 3Gb, but I'm going to upgrade, any idea how I can do this if I downloaded my Windows 7 without a CD? It's legal, I bought it when there was a student discount going on)

Intel Core i5-2500k
Geforce GTX 460 x 2 SLI.
MSI Z68A-GD65 Motherboard
Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 750W V2 High Performance '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply

What should I get?

I'd like to play Dishonoured on high graphics if possible and Assassins Creed 3! I know they're console ports, but still! Also Fry Cry 3.

Cheers
Gareth

 

[claysm]

What kind of budget do you have?

 

[secretmachine]

Good question.
I'm looking between £150 - £250.
May stretch to £300, if its SLI'ing.

 

[nforce4max]

It takes at the very least a gtx570 level performing card to be worth it and a gtx580 to see any real gains over two gtx460 in sli. For your budget you might swing a decent 7870 without to much fuss unless vat has the price to high.

 

[secretmachine]

That's fair enough! Good to know also that my graphics cards aren't doing too badly. I saw the GTX 460 be the minimum spec requirements for Dishonoured and my heart sank. How would the GTX660Ti be? 7870 is that ATI? How do they compare to NVidia nowadays?

 

[nforce4max]

A GTX660 Ti many will point out that in some games it can compete with a 7950 while other times sinking down to almost a gtx580 on the low side but mainly around the 7870. Both cost the same anyway.

 

[secretmachine]

So you're saying I should go for the 7870?

 

[claysm]

The difference between the 7870 and 660 Ti is very small, depending on what benchmarks you are using. The article on here on Tom's says that the 660 Ti and 7870 perform within 5% of each other, but the benchmarks on AnandTech say that the 660 Ti is 10-15% faster than the 7870. So it just comes down to price and features of the individual cards.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6159/the-geforce-gtx-660-ti-review/21

 

[secretmachine]

I'm probably going to buy my cards either from Overclockers or Ebuyer. There seems to be alot of different models of graphics card floating about for the same number (660Ti, 660) etc, What's the difference?
And if your opinion which is the best and most value for money?

 

[claysm]

In your price range, the GTX 660 Ti and Radeon 7870 are the best cards you can get. They perform similarly enough that I would recommend the 7870, since it's a little bit cheaper. However the 660 Ti is being offered with a free copy of Borderlands 2, so that's worth something.

 

[secretmachine]

Does the Superoverlocked TI rank better than it's non superoverclocked brother? As in it warrants its £20 price increase?

Thanks very much to both of you for your input, great forum this.

 

[claysm]

A non-overclocked card can reach the overclocks of the factory overclocked card. The thing to consider is that a factory overclock is a guaranteed thing, meaning that the card has been tested at the OC'ed speed and will run as such without voiding the warranty. It's a nice assurance to have, but not worth £20 in my opinion.

 

[nforce4max]

No need to spend the extra money on cards that are clocked higher but offer no physical difference such as a high end cooler and a custom designed board.

 

[secretmachine]

Fair enough. Is there much difference between the Ti Superoverlocked edition and the Power Edition?

 

[nforce4max]

Link the two cards that you are looking at.