Is 1GB of GDDR5 good enough for 1080p gaming?

[mrhello123]

Hi, just a quick question. I am going to be building my first PC soon and can't decide which graphics card to get. I am on a tight budget and once the pc is built I just want to leave it alone and not add crossfire graphics cards and things like that. As the title of the thread suggests I can't decide between a 1gb or a 2gb xfx 7850. I am only going to playing on a single 1080p display. I will also have my 1080i TV (yes I know but it's old) plugged into the HDMI. I am only going use the TV connection to watch internet vids like bbc iplayer on the TV and my desktop on the pc monitor. So I didn't think that it will us all of the RAM for that. The 1gb is also £45 cheaper so if I got the 2gb I would have to get a dual core cpu instead of a quad core and a worse motherboard which I don't want to have to do.

Some of the games that I want to play are the Day Z standalone and maybe BF3 as well as others. I have been a console gamer so playing on high rather than ultra isn't a massive issue.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[djangoringo]

I would get a 2GB 7850, games nowadays are pushing more than 1GB of vram, specially at that resolution.
See here for a recent benchmark with crysis 3 : http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/crysis_3_graphics_performance_review_benchmark,8.html

 

[erykkrol]

If you have the choice go for 2gb. More VRAM doesnt usally mean better performance but the difference between 1Gb and 2Gb will give you an increase in performance.

 

[Azn Cracker]

for 1080p most games are fine on 1gb of vram. Just dont turn on AA.

Might as well just geta 7870 if you are willing to pay more

 

[mrhello123]

The problem is that I am on a tight budget, I can only just afford the 1gb version. I wouldn't ever be gaming with my TV connection turned on as well.

 

[djangoringo]

Since you're in the uk, see this ones with 2GB, both with free shipping and the games :

http://www.dabs.com/products/best-value-vtx3d-amd-radeon-7850-hd-2gb-pci-express-3-0-hdmi-x-edition-893R.html?q=7850&src=16
http://www.ebuyer.com/443707-powercolor-hd-7850-2gb-gddr5-dvi-hdmi-displayport-pci-e-graphics-card-ax7850-2gbd5-dhv2

 

[mrhello123]

I was hoping to go with xfx as they have a very good warranty, plus the games that come free with the xfx in my opinion are better. If I was only running at 1080p would it make much difference. On the benchmarks that you showed me they were all tested at a higher resolution than 1080p. I also aren't to bothered about dropping the resolution down to something like 1600 x 900.

 

[djangoringo]

The games are the same ones, xfx offers the same warranty as those two cards, the xfx cooler is also the same style as the two above.

 

[mrhello123]

Do they all provide the same sort of performance except of the memory

 

[mrhello123]

This card seems good except for the single fan cooler it is the same as the DD edition that cost £30 more. It also has 2gb of gddr5

 

[djangoringo]

Do they all provide the same sort of performance except of the memory

Yes, i would get either one of those two with 2GB if it's at the same price as the xfx 7850 1GB, a single fan cooler is suffice for the 7850.

 

[mrhello123]

so get the 2gb xfx 7850 with only a single fan

 

[djangoringo]

Well, if the xfx 7850 2GB is cheaper than the powecolor or the VTX3D, get it, if not, you might consider one of those two, since you can find both at ~140£.

 

[cookybiscuit]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BG-307-GI

Pretty sure it still has a warranty and the like.

 

[djangoringo]

That card is actually £140.75 with the vat and shipping and it doesn't appear to have the bioshock infinite and tomb raider games, or it's a typo, if it offers the games, that card is a good choice for the op.