MSI 660 Ti vs. 670

[jon the cpa]

I need help choosing between these two cards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127696
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127685

I am not looking for a permanent solution to gaming graphics. This is a temporary upgrade until nVidia releases its next line (hopefully later this year.

Given that fact, is there $80 in value in the 670 vs. the 660 Ti?

 

[swifty_morgan]

for me it's obvious. don't buy either.

 

[jon the cpa]

What would you recommend then? Keep in mind I am upgrading from a 1GB card.

 

[swifty_morgan]

why would you spend 3 or 400 bucks on something you are going to replace before the end of the year? stupid, isn't it? suffer with what you have until what you really want comes along.

 

[jon the cpa]

Because what I currently have does not perform well in playing the games I am playing. Thus, I want better performance NOW, not six or seven months (or ten, who knows?) down the road.

 

[J_E_D_70]

^ unless u know u can get a good deal selling ur new one.

Woo pig sooie.

 

[jon the cpa]

^ unless u know u can get a good deal selling ur new one.

Woo pig sooie.

Precisely. I can sell my old one for a few bucks and install the new one. When the new Intels and nVidia lines are out, I build a new system and put my old parts together to sell to someone who is in desperate need of an upgrade.

 

[4745454b]

I'm with swifty on this. Why spend that now if you just tossing? MAYBE grab a cheap 7850. You say you have a 1GB card now but that really doesn't tell us anything.

You might want to consider getting the GTX660TI and using it. I don't think the 7 series is coming soon and the TI isn't a bad card.

 

[emperor piehead]

get the 660 ti it is the better one for your buck the only difference is memory bus and that will only impact performance in high resolution or multiple screen gaming or high AA which would 8xmsaa other than that its the same video card

 

[jon the cpa]

Who in their right mind would toss a perfectly sellable computer component? If I buy it now and sell it for half its cost later, I can certainly argue that I got my money's worth out of the card.

 

[NerdBBQ]

Just get a card now and don't buy the next series then, or be patient and wait. And 670 is better.

 

[jon the cpa]

get the 660 ti it is the better one for your buck the only difference is memory bus and that will only impact performance in high resolution or multiple screen gaming or high AA which would 8xmsaa other than that its the same video card

What do you consider "high resolution" gaming? I currently run most of my games at 1080p, and I do have dual monitors but don't typically game on both. I also do like high AA in my games.

 

[NerdBBQ]

And honestly, you seem very adamant on buying the card and selling it, so just do it if you want to so much. We're just saying it's probably a waste of money. You can't be doing this every year with each new series, especially if this is your parent's money...

 

[NerdBBQ]

1gb would actually be fine for 1920 x 1080, anything more then at least 2gb.

 

[wdmfiber]

You're just going to be a victim of marketing.

There is no new line coming anytime soon. A company callled TSCM makes the important GPU parts for both nVidia and AMD. Most current GPU's are built on today's "state of the art" fabrication process, 28 nanometer. The nVidia 700's series cards will be the same, just a name/number change and minor tweeks. The only way to get a decent performance jump out of a 700 series card, will be to buy one that uses more electricty(watts).

The next real jump will be in ~2014/15, prob 20nm.

 

[jon the cpa]

And honestly, you seem very adamant on buying the card and selling it, so just do it if you want to so much. We're just saying it's probably a waste of money. You can't be doing this every year with each new series, especially if this is your parent's money...

Certainly not my parents' money (I'm 29 and do quite well at earning my own way). Also, this card is nearly two years old, so to say that I've been doing this every year wouldn't be accurate either. I'm just not happy with its performance and since nVidia has yet to announce when it will release the next line, I'm not sure I want to wait.

As for the 1GB running at my resolution: it does. I just can't run many games at high settings or utilize AA effectively.

 

[jon the cpa]

You're just going to be a victim of marketing.

There is no new line coming anytime soon. A company callled TSCM makes the important GPU parts for both nVidia and AMD. Most current GPU's are built on today's "state of the art" fabrication process, 28 nanometer. The nVidia 700's series cards will be the same, just a name/number change and minor tweeks. The only way to get a decent performance jump out of a 700 series card, will be to buy one that uses more electricty(watts).

The next real jump will be in ~2014/15, prob 20nm.

Finally, a helpful answer.

So, based on your comment, I am better off to buy the best card on the market (680?) now and wait for the "800" series?

 

[4745454b]

Which most likely has nothing to do with the 1GB, but whatever chip is on the card.

I agree that you seem to already have made up your mind to do this. I personally vote that you either buy what you can afford now and not worry about upgrading again in X months, or just keep waiting. I haven't heard anything about new cards coming soon so you'll be on whichever choice for awhile. They will probably try to give us something in the fall, but as fiber pointed out I haven't heard of any new process coming. So gains will be limited at best.

 

[wdmfiber]

Finally, a helpful answer.

So, based on your comment, I am better off to buy the best card on the market (680?) now and wait for the "800" series?

Yes, buy a GPU now that will keep you happy for a year or two(incase the 800's are delayed).
The nVidia codename for their next-generation line is Maxwell. You can research it.

 

[jon the cpa]

Yes, buy a GPU now that will keep you happy for a year or two(incase the 800's are delayed).
The nVidia codename for their next-generation line is Maxwell. You can research it.

I had read about Maxwell, but was under the impression that it was coming later this year in the 700 series. Thanks for the clarification. This helps my decision quite a bit.

 

[jon the cpa]

So now this becomes an option:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127672&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Or this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127693&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[willard]

You're just going to be a victim of marketing.

There is no new line coming anytime soon. A company callled TSCM makes the important GPU parts for both nVidia and AMD. Most current GPU's are built on today's "state of the art" fabrication process, 28 nanometer. The nVidia 700's series cards will be the same, just a name/number change and minor tweeks. The only way to get a decent performance jump out of a 700 series card, will be to buy one that uses more electricty(watts).

The next real jump will be in ~2014/15, prob 20nm.

The performance of a card has relatively little to do with the fabrication process. Shrinking the fab process lets you cram more transistors into the same thermal envelope, so it does carry benefits, but saying you can't get a meaningful upgrade without a die shrink is just plain wrong.

Just look at what Intel did with Conroe. It was probably the single biggest leap in performance across any two generation of CPU, but was built on the same 65nm process that the Cedar Mill chips used before it.

 

[4745454b]

Yes, but neither AMD or Nvidia is changing the basics of the chips they are using. So the only way to get a large bump in performance is with a (good) die shrink. A new arch could change things, but we just got those.

 

[DarkSable]

Don't buy a 680, it's about the worst choice you could make.

It's only 5% faster than a 670 (2-3% after overclocking both cards), but it's 25-30% more expensive. That's not worth it, especially when you consider that both cards will max out games equally well.

 

[jon the cpa]

Don't buy a 680, it's about the worst choice you could make.

It's only 5% faster than a 670 (2-3% after overclocking both cards), but it's 25-30% more expensive. That's not worth it, especially when you consider that both cards will max out games equally well.

I see. So looking at the 670s, I have a couple of options:

One of the ones in my original post:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127685

Or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130843

My primary concern is which one will overclock better and maintain stable temperatures.

Thoughts?