Gigabyte HD7970 or MSI GTX670

[lemming9]

Hello,

I am looking to get a new GPU and have shortlisted the following:

Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 Power Edition

Although I was considering a Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition as I found one at 25% off the current retail price, I've noticed the prices of the MSI GTX670 are very similar with the OC Edition being 10% cheaper still and the Power Edition being only 5% more, so price is not really a big issue between any of them.

The Games
My main idea is to play Skyrim and Tomb Raider on highest settings (TressFX enabled etc.) so relative performance needs to consider these games in particular rather than usual 1st person shooter FPS benchmarks. Games will be played at 1080p

Not Overclocked Performance
I understand the Gigabyte is voltage locked?
So given their non overclocked speeds am I right in thinking that the HD7970 with 1000/5500MHz 384bit 3GB is the best way to go?
Or do either of the 2 NVIDIA cards at their standard speeds outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition at its standard speed?

Overclocked Performance
Given the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition is voltage locked exactly how far can I expect the Gigabyte HD7970 be overclocked?
Will either MSI GTX670 overclock to outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition when it's overclocked?

NVIDIA
NVIDIA cards have PhysX, Cuda and Active Sync Control. Not sure exactly what they do? Will the AMD have an equivalent to these? Are these features worth considering if the NVIDIA speed is slower or will they help to improve performance above the HD7970 even at their slower clock speeds?

Crossfire / SLI
I'm hoping whichever card I get will last about 2 years, in which time a second in Crosfire or SLI could be got for cheap to boost performance. Is there any issue with Crossfire or SLI that might affect future performance.

PSU
Obviously for 2 cards I'd need a new PSU. I have a good quality 380W PSU. Some power consumption reviews for the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition indicate total system power in the region of 370W. I'd rather not upgrade my PSU but can if necessary.

Could you girls and guys give your opinions on relative performance so that I may make a better informed decision.

Thanks.

 

[The Q6660 Inside]

Hello,

I am looking to get a new GPU and have shortlisted the following:

Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 Power Edition

Although I was considering a Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition as I found one at 25% off the current retail price, I've noticed the prices of the MSI GTX670 are very similar with the OC Edition being 10% cheaper still and the Power Edition being only 5% more, so price is not really a big issue between any of them.

The Games
My main idea is to play Skyrim and Tomb Raider on highest settings (TressFX enabled etc.) so relative performance needs to consider these games in particular rather than usual 1st person shooter FPS benchmarks. Games will be played at 1080p

Not Overclocked Performance
I understand the Gigabyte is voltage locked?
So given their non overclocked speeds am I right in thinking that the HD7970 with 1000/5500MHz 384bit 3GB is the best way to go?
Or do either of the 2 NVIDIA cards at their standard speeds outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition at its standard speed?

Overclocked Performance
Given the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition is voltage locked exactly how far can I expect the Gigabyte HD7970 be overclocked?
Will either MSI GTX670 overclock to outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition when it's overclocked?

NVIDIA
NVIDIA cards have PhysX, Cuda and Active Sync Control. Not sure exactly what they do? Will the AMD have an equivalent to these? Are these features worth considering if the NVIDIA speed is slower or will they help to improve performance above the HD7970 even at their slower clock speeds?

Crossfire / SLI
I'm hoping whichever card I get will last about 2 years, in which time a second in Crosfire or SLI could be got for cheap to boost performance. Is there any issue with Crossfire or SLI that might affect future performance.

PSU
Obviously for 2 cards I'd need a new PSU. I have a good quality 380W PSU. Some power consumption reviews for the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition indicate total system power in the region of 370W. I'd rather not upgrade my PSU but can if necessary.

Could you girls and guys give your opinions on relative performance so that I may make a better informed decision.

Thanks.

It is nessecary to have a quality PSU to run these, at least 550W, I would go for this. What are your other system specifications? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151118 SLI is still more stable than Crossfire, but the latter is now a very viable option. Honestly, both trade blows in gaming, but in the end, it all comes down to brand preference and looks. Personally, I love the looks of the MSi 670 PE.

 

[socialassassin]

Hello,

I am looking to get a new GPU and have shortlisted the following:

Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 Power Edition

Although I was considering a Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition as I found one at 25% off the current retail price, I've noticed the prices of the MSI GTX670 are very similar with the OC Edition being 10% cheaper still and the Power Edition being only 5% more, so price is not really a big issue between any of them.

The Games
My main idea is to play Skyrim and Tomb Raider on highest settings (TressFX enabled etc.) so relative performance needs to consider these games in particular rather than usual 1st person shooter FPS benchmarks. Games will be played at 1080p

Not Overclocked Performance
I understand the Gigabyte is voltage locked?
So given their non overclocked speeds am I right in thinking that the HD7970 with 1000/5500MHz 384bit 3GB is the best way to go?
Or do either of the 2 NVIDIA cards at their standard speeds outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition at its standard speed?

Overclocked Performance
Given the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition is voltage locked exactly how far can I expect the Gigabyte HD7970 be overclocked?
Will either MSI GTX670 overclock to outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition when it's overclocked?

NVIDIA
NVIDIA cards have PhysX, Cuda and Active Sync Control. Not sure exactly what they do? Will the AMD have an equivalent to these? Are these features worth considering if the NVIDIA speed is slower or will they help to improve performance above the HD7970 even at their slower clock speeds?

Crossfire / SLI
I'm hoping whichever card I get will last about 2 years, in which time a second in Crosfire or SLI could be got for cheap to boost performance. Is there any issue with Crossfire or SLI that might affect future performance.

PSU
Obviously for 2 cards I'd need a new PSU. I have a good quality 380W PSU. Some power consumption reviews for the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition indicate total system power in the region of 370W. I'd rather not upgrade my PSU but can if necessary.

Could you girls and guys give your opinions on relative performance so that I may make a better informed decision.

Thanks.

I wouldn't even consider a 670 anymore. The new 760s perform around the same for at least $50 less.
I'd decide between a 760, or there are great deals on a 7970. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

 

[The Q6660 Inside]

Hello,

I am looking to get a new GPU and have shortlisted the following:

Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 Power Edition

Although I was considering a Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition as I found one at 25% off the current retail price, I've noticed the prices of the MSI GTX670 are very similar with the OC Edition being 10% cheaper still and the Power Edition being only 5% more, so price is not really a big issue between any of them.

The Games
My main idea is to play Skyrim and Tomb Raider on highest settings (TressFX enabled etc.) so relative performance needs to consider these games in particular rather than usual 1st person shooter FPS benchmarks. Games will be played at 1080p

Not Overclocked Performance
I understand the Gigabyte is voltage locked?
So given their non overclocked speeds am I right in thinking that the HD7970 with 1000/5500MHz 384bit 3GB is the best way to go?
Or do either of the 2 NVIDIA cards at their standard speeds outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition at its standard speed?

Overclocked Performance
Given the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition is voltage locked exactly how far can I expect the Gigabyte HD7970 be overclocked?
Will either MSI GTX670 overclock to outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition when it's overclocked?

NVIDIA
NVIDIA cards have PhysX, Cuda and Active Sync Control. Not sure exactly what they do? Will the AMD have an equivalent to these? Are these features worth considering if the NVIDIA speed is slower or will they help to improve performance above the HD7970 even at their slower clock speeds?

Crossfire / SLI
I'm hoping whichever card I get will last about 2 years, in which time a second in Crosfire or SLI could be got for cheap to boost performance. Is there any issue with Crossfire or SLI that might affect future performance.

PSU
Obviously for 2 cards I'd need a new PSU. I have a good quality 380W PSU. Some power consumption reviews for the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition indicate total system power in the region of 370W. I'd rather not upgrade my PSU but can if necessary.

Could you girls and guys give your opinions on relative performance so that I may make a better informed decision.

Thanks.

I wouldn't even consider a 670 anymore. The new 760s perform around the same for at least $50 less.
I'd decide between a 760, or there are great deals on a 7970. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

The 670 is a actually not a bad deal, considering that most 7970s are $50+ more.

 

[lemming9]

Hello,

I am looking to get a new GPU and have shortlisted the following:

Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 OC Edition
MSI GTX670 Power Edition

Although I was considering a Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition as I found one at 25% off the current retail price, I've noticed the prices of the MSI GTX670 are very similar with the OC Edition being 10% cheaper still and the Power Edition being only 5% more, so price is not really a big issue between any of them.

The Games
My main idea is to play Skyrim and Tomb Raider on highest settings (TressFX enabled etc.) so relative performance needs to consider these games in particular rather than usual 1st person shooter FPS benchmarks. Games will be played at 1080p

Not Overclocked Performance
I understand the Gigabyte is voltage locked?
So given their non overclocked speeds am I right in thinking that the HD7970 with 1000/5500MHz 384bit 3GB is the best way to go?
Or do either of the 2 NVIDIA cards at their standard speeds outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition at its standard speed?

Overclocked Performance
Given the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition is voltage locked exactly how far can I expect the Gigabyte HD7970 be overclocked?
Will either MSI GTX670 overclock to outperform the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition when it's overclocked?

NVIDIA
NVIDIA cards have PhysX, Cuda and Active Sync Control. Not sure exactly what they do? Will the AMD have an equivalent to these? Are these features worth considering if the NVIDIA speed is slower or will they help to improve performance above the HD7970 even at their slower clock speeds?

Crossfire / SLI
I'm hoping whichever card I get will last about 2 years, in which time a second in Crosfire or SLI could be got for cheap to boost performance. Is there any issue with Crossfire or SLI that might affect future performance.

PSU
Obviously for 2 cards I'd need a new PSU. I have a good quality 380W PSU. Some power consumption reviews for the Gigabyte HD7970 OC Edition indicate total system power in the region of 370W. I'd rather not upgrade my PSU but can if necessary.

Could you girls and guys give your opinions on relative performance so that I may make a better informed decision.

Thanks.

It is nessecary to have a quality PSU to run these, at least 550W, I would go for this. What are your other system specifications? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151118 SLI is still more stable than Crossfire, but the latter is now a very viable option. Honestly, both trade blows in gaming, but in the end, it all comes down to brand preference and looks. Personally, I love the looks of the MSi 670 PE.

I was hoping I could just about get away with the 380w given the HD7970 is just under in some reviews. The GTX670 is less so that should be fine right? Nonetheless, I have looked into a OCZ CoreXStream, Xigmatek Tauro and Fractal Integra and Fractal Tesla PSUs. The only main difference is if they're single or dual rail on the +12v but i guess any of them would be fine. Are any of those brands known for better quality?

 

[lemming9]

I wouldn't even consider a 670 anymore. The new 760s perform around the same for at least $50 less.
I'd decide between a 760, or there are great deals on a 7970. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008[/quotemsg]

The 670 is a actually not a bad deal, considering that most 7970s are $50+ more.
[/quotemsg]

Thanks guys. But isn't the 760 slightly slower than the 670? Fortunately prices are all roughly the same even for the HD7970 so just looking based on performance and features for Skyrim and Tomb Raider rather than relative price. But if there are any other cards you thing would be better in this price region than please let me know.

 

[The Q6660 Inside]

I wouldn't even consider a 670 anymore. The new 760s perform around the same for at least $50 less.
I'd decide between a 760, or there are great deals on a 7970. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

The 670 is a actually not a bad deal, considering that most 7970s are $50+ more.
[/quotemsg]

Thanks guys. But isn't the 760 slightly slower than the 670? Fortunately prices are all roughly the same even for the HD7970 so just looking based on performance and features for Skyrim and Tomb Raider rather than relative price. But if there are any other cards you thing would be better in this price region than please let me know.
[/quotemsg]
The 670 is a bit faster IIRC.

 

[In3rt1a]

I would recommend Sapphire's 7970: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-008&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=3#scrollFullInfo
It's $90 off right now, a good overclocker, and super fast. I have one, and am really happy. It's way faster then both the 760 and the 670. It competes with gtx 680s and 770s.

 

[socialassassin]

I would recommend Sapphire's 7970: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-008&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=3#scrollFullInfo
It's $90 off right now, a good overclocker, and super fast. I have one, and am really happy. It's way faster then both the 760 and the 670. It competes with gtx 680s and 770s.

Agreed, thats my card as well, and its a great overclocker (I'm running 1200/1700). Also, if you plan on installing a lot of mods for Skyrim, the 3GB memory cant hurt.

 

[lemming9]

I would recommend Sapphire's 7970: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-008&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=3#scrollFullInfo
It's $90 off right now, a good overclocker, and super fast. I have one, and am really happy. It's way faster then both the 760 and the 670. It competes with gtx 680s and 770s.

Agreed, thats my card as well, and its a great overclocker (I'm running 1200/1700). Also, if you plan on installing a lot of mods for Skyrim, the 3GB memory cant hurt.

Thanks In3rt1a. Unfortunately that offer is not available in my region. the Gigabyte HD 7970 OC is slightly cheaper than the Sapphire you mentioned at around $300, but the Sapphire is still over $430 which is a lot more.

Thanks Social. 1200/1700 sounds excellent on the Sapphire HD7970 which seems like a massive 20% increase in performance over the Gigabyte HD7970 at 1000/1375 but I'm not sure I'd want to spend an extra $130 for that. If I could get the extra $90 off too then there'd be no contest.

Anyone know how far I could overclock the Gigabyte HD7970 from 1000/1375?

 

[In3rt1a]

Gigabyte's card should be able to get pretty close to that speed, possibly just as far. You will just have to use a tuning utility besides Sapphire trixx. If GB's card is around $300 where you live, that's a great deal. Go for it!

 

[lemming9]

Gigabyte's card should be able to get pretty close to that speed, possibly just as far. You will just have to use a tuning utility besides Sapphire trixx. If GB's card is around $300 where you live, that's a great deal. Go for it!

Thanks In3rt1a, the Gigabyte is just under $300 here which sounded like a good deal as prices are usually much higher here. However, one difference with the Gigabyte HD7970 compared to the Sapphire that is stopping me from jumping at the purchase is that I hear the Gigabyte is voltage locked at 1.17V so I'm a bit unsure of it's overclocking ability at stock voltage compared to your Sapphire. A 20% increase in performance by overclocking your Sapphire to 1200/1700 seems quite substantial but I'd be ok knowing I could get close with the Gigabyte so maybe around 15% to 1150/1600 would be more than fine. But some websites are saying 1050/1425 which is only a 5% increase which doesn't seem too good. Can you get to around 1200/1700 on stock voltage on your Sapphire or is that by adjusting the voltage?

 

[In3rt1a]

On my sapphire, I can't even get to 1000 without changing the voltage... I got a crappy overclocker . Most people get to around 1050-1100 mghz before they have to change the voltage tho. What resolution are you playing at? You probably don't even need to oc your card.

 

[lemming9]

On my sapphire, I can't even get to 1000 without changing the voltage... I got a crappy overclocker . Most people get to around 1050-1100 mghz before they have to change the voltage tho. What resolution are you playing at? You probably don't even need to oc your card.

The Gigabyte comes at 1000MHz out of the box at its stock locked voltage of 1.17V which I guess is pretty good considering you need to adjust the voltage on the Sapphire to get 1000MHz. I guess a 5% - 10% increase to 1050-1100 is the best I can hope for on the stock voltage card. I was hoping 20% would be possible like on the Sapphire but like you say I guess that would require a greater voltage adjustments like is possible on your Sapphire.

I will be playing Tomb Raider and Skyrim at 1080p but I would like to raise the quality to max with TressFX in Tomb Raider and maybe the enhanced texture pack for Skyrim. I understand these are quite demanding graphical enhancements so I figured the higher the overclock the better.

Have you tried these on your Sapphire at around 1000/1375?
Would a speed of 1000/1375 be ample to run the with max graphics at 1080p? (in which case the GB would be more than enough)
Or would a OC to 1200/1700 still not be enough to max the graphics at 1080p? (in which case the higher OC wouldn't make a significant difference anyway)

 

[In3rt1a]

Oh yah, don't sweat it. I have Skyrim on 1080p maxed out with that texture pack playing smoothly on my card. You don't need to overclock. I just did it to try and raise my 3dmark score .

 

[lemming9]

Oh yah, don't sweat it. I have Skyrim on 1080p maxed out with that texture pack playing smoothly on my card. You don't need to overclock. I just did it to try and raise my 3dmark score .

Thanks In3ert1a. That's really good to know. Unfortunately I've missed the offer on the Gigabyte at $300 and it's back at $400 which is a real shame as after reading your message it seemed like the best choice. I'm tempted to just wait until a Gigabyte or Sapphire comes back down to $300 in my region but that is usually a slow process even with the price cut on the Sapphire you mentioned.

I have noticed the Gigabyte HD 7970 GHz Edition is available for $375. Would that be a better option?

So I'm now back at either the:
MSI GTX 670 Overclock Edition for $270
MSI GTX 670 Power Edition for £315
or the Gigabyte HD7970 for the usual price of $400 or wait for it to come down to $300 again.
or the Gigabyte HD7970 GHz Edition for $375 which should OC to 1200/1600 like your the Sapphire. Again the price is higher and I'm not sure if there are other cards that are better if I go up to that price range.

In3rt1a was good enough to confirm that the stock HD7970 will run Skyrim fine at at 1080p with max graphics with the enhanced texture pack and Social has mentioned 3GB may be useful for modding.

I would also like to try Tomb Raider smoothly at 1080p at max graphics with TressFX on and hopefully keep the card for 1.5-2 years before I change it.

Now that I've missed the HD7970 offer, any thoughts on performance difference would be appreciated?


PS will any of these cards allow gaming at 4K given the upcoming Xbox One can supposedly do 4K in games?

 

[socialassassin]

Oh yah, don't sweat it. I have Skyrim on 1080p maxed out with that texture pack playing smoothly on my card. You don't need to overclock. I just did it to try and raise my 3dmark score .

Thanks In3ert1a. That's really good to know. Unfortunately I've missed the offer on the Gigabyte at $300 and it's back at $400 which is a real shame as after reading your message it seemed like the best choice. I'm tempted to just wait until a Gigabyte or Sapphire comes back down to $300 in my region but that is usually a slow process even with the price cut on the Sapphire you mentioned.

I have noticed the Gigabyte HD 7970 GHz Edition is available for $375. Would that be a better option?

So I'm now back at either the:
MSI GTX 670 Overclock Edition for $270
MSI GTX 670 Power Edition for £315
or the Gigabyte HD7970 for the usual price of $400 or wait for it to come down to $300 again.
or the Gigabyte HD7970 GHz Edition for $375 which should OC to 1200/1600 like your the Sapphire. Again the price is higher and I'm not sure if there are other cards that are better if I go up to that price range.

In3rt1a was good enough to confirm that the stock HD7970 will run Skyrim fine at at 1080p with max graphics with the enhanced texture pack and Social has mentioned 3GB may be useful for modding.

I would also like to try Tomb Raider smoothly at 1080p at max graphics with TressFX on and hopefully keep the card for 1.5-2 years before I change it.

Now that I've missed the HD7970 offer, any thoughts on performance difference would be appreciated?


PS will any of these cards allow gaming at 4K given the upcoming Xbox One can supposedly do 4K in games?

For reference, my Sapphire 7970 running at 1200/1700 is at 1.25V.
I wouldn't pay very much extra for a GHz edition, seeing as the non-GHz editions seem to overclock just as high.
At those prices, I would just go for the MSI 670 for $270.

 

[In3rt1a]

Since Gigabyte's stock 7970 is voltage locked, I actually think that it is worth it to go with the ghz edition. Much better overclocking capabilities on a card that normally cannot be overclocked very far. $375 is a good price for a ghz edition card, as you can be 100% sure that you will already be running at higher clock speeds then normal, and will most likely be able to push your card further (+, ghz edition cards are normally $400-$500). I didn't have that guarantee on my stock 7970, and you can see that I didn't even make it to the advertised 1000 mgh boost speed. So my vote goes to GB's 7970 ghz edition.

 

[The Q6660 Inside]

Oh yah, don't sweat it. I have Skyrim on 1080p maxed out with that texture pack playing smoothly on my card. You don't need to overclock. I just did it to try and raise my 3dmark score .

Thanks In3ert1a. That's really good to know. Unfortunately I've missed the offer on the Gigabyte at $300 and it's back at $400 which is a real shame as after reading your message it seemed like the best choice. I'm tempted to just wait until a Gigabyte or Sapphire comes back down to $300 in my region but that is usually a slow process even with the price cut on the Sapphire you mentioned.

I have noticed the Gigabyte HD 7970 GHz Edition is available for $375. Would that be a better option?

So I'm now back at either the:
MSI GTX 670 Overclock Edition for $270
MSI GTX 670 Power Edition for £315
or the Gigabyte HD7970 for the usual price of $400 or wait for it to come down to $300 again.
or the Gigabyte HD7970 GHz Edition for $375 which should OC to 1200/1600 like your the Sapphire. Again the price is higher and I'm not sure if there are other cards that are better if I go up to that price range.

In3rt1a was good enough to confirm that the stock HD7970 will run Skyrim fine at at 1080p with max graphics with the enhanced texture pack and Social has mentioned 3GB may be useful for modding.

I would also like to try Tomb Raider smoothly at 1080p at max graphics with TressFX on and hopefully keep the card for 1.5-2 years before I change it.

Now that I've missed the HD7970 offer, any thoughts on performance difference would be appreciated?


PS will any of these cards allow gaming at 4K given the upcoming Xbox One can supposedly do 4K in games?

4K is murder on cards these days. I would go for the Gigabyte 7970 GHz or the MSi 670 PE, you can't go wrong with either.

 

[VXBlade]

On my sapphire, I can't even get to 1000 without changing the voltage... I got a crappy overclocker . Most people get to around 1050-1100 mghz before they have to change the voltage tho. What resolution are you playing at? You probably don't even need to oc your card.

I recently decided to switch from the Gigabyte 770 to the Sapphire 7970 OC with Boost when it went down to $299.99. Framerates during gameplay on Crisis 3 on ultra and Skyrim with lots of mods is unnoticeable.
Stock voltage I have the 7970 running at 1100/1550 (Never tried higher) at 73 degrees peak temp.
The 770 was running at stock and hitting 83 degrees peak and drawing more power and was $150 more.
I also might add, that this thread is comparing two cards that are not really in the same class.
7950 OC ~ 670 (670 is faster, but closer in specs)
7970 is more on par with 680/770

 

[lemming9]

Oh yah, don't sweat it. I have Skyrim on 1080p maxed out with that texture pack playing smoothly on my card. You don't need to overclock. I just did it to try and raise my 3dmark score .

Thanks In3ert1a. That's really good to know. Unfortunately I've missed the offer on the Gigabyte at $300 and it's back at $400 which is a real shame as after reading your message it seemed like the best choice. I'm tempted to just wait until a Gigabyte or Sapphire comes back down to $300 in my region but that is usually a slow process even with the price cut on the Sapphire you mentioned.

I have noticed the Gigabyte HD 7970 GHz Edition is available for $375. Would that be a better option?

So I'm now back at either the:
MSI GTX 670 Overclock Edition for $270
MSI GTX 670 Power Edition for £315
or the Gigabyte HD7970 for the usual price of $400 or wait for it to come down to $300 again.
or the Gigabyte HD7970 GHz Edition for $375 which should OC to 1200/1600 like your the Sapphire. Again the price is higher and I'm not sure if there are other cards that are better if I go up to that price range.

In3rt1a was good enough to confirm that the stock HD7970 will run Skyrim fine at at 1080p with max graphics with the enhanced texture pack and Social has mentioned 3GB may be useful for modding.

I would also like to try Tomb Raider smoothly at 1080p at max graphics with TressFX on and hopefully keep the card for 1.5-2 years before I change it.

Now that I've missed the HD7970 offer, any thoughts on performance difference would be appreciated?


PS will any of these cards allow gaming at 4K given the upcoming Xbox One can supposedly do 4K in games?

4K is murder on cards these days. I would go for the Gigabyte 7970 GHz or the MSi 670 PE, you can't go wrong with either.

Thanks. I guess I'll leave 4K for another time. I wonder how the Xbox One would manage at 4K anyway as it's not expected to be better than these cards. Still, it might be nice feature to have just to mess about with even if I stick to 1080P for now.

 

[lemming9]

Oh yah, don't sweat it. I have Skyrim on 1080p maxed out with that texture pack playing smoothly on my card. You don't need to overclock. I just did it to try and raise my 3dmark score .

Thanks In3ert1a. That's really good to know. Unfortunately I've missed the offer on the Gigabyte at $300 and it's back at $400 which is a real shame as after reading your message it seemed like the best choice. I'm tempted to just wait until a Gigabyte or Sapphire comes back down to $300 in my region but that is usually a slow process even with the price cut on the Sapphire you mentioned.

I have noticed the Gigabyte HD 7970 GHz Edition is available for $375. Would that be a better option?

So I'm now back at either the:
MSI GTX 670 Overclock Edition for $270
MSI GTX 670 Power Edition for £315
or the Gigabyte HD7970 for the usual price of $400 or wait for it to come down to $300 again.
or the Gigabyte HD7970 GHz Edition for $375 which should OC to 1200/1600 like your the Sapphire. Again the price is higher and I'm not sure if there are other cards that are better if I go up to that price range.

In3rt1a was good enough to confirm that the stock HD7970 will run Skyrim fine at at 1080p with max graphics with the enhanced texture pack and Social has mentioned 3GB may be useful for modding.

I would also like to try Tomb Raider smoothly at 1080p at max graphics with TressFX on and hopefully keep the card for 1.5-2 years before I change it.

Now that I've missed the HD7970 offer, any thoughts on performance difference would be appreciated?


PS will any of these cards allow gaming at 4K given the upcoming Xbox One can supposedly do 4K in games?

For reference, my Sapphire 7970 running at 1200/1700 is at 1.25V.
I wouldn't pay very much extra for a GHz edition, seeing as the non-GHz editions seem to overclock just as high.
At those prices, I would just go for the MSI 670 for $270.

Thanks for the info. If could get the Sapphire 7970 for $300 here then that's what I would go for as your OC seems to be similar to the GHz version. Unfortunately things here are generally more expensive as the Sapphire is equivalent to $400.

The low price on the MSI 670 is tempting, but I assume that reflects its slower capability. Plus I wanted the GPU to last around 2 years. Still I was aiming for the $300 price point so since the Gigabyte 7970 has gone back up from $300 to $400 maybe an MSI 670 would be best.

 

[lemming9]

On my sapphire, I can't even get to 1000 without changing the voltage... I got a crappy overclocker . Most people get to around 1050-1100 mghz before they have to change the voltage tho. What resolution are you playing at? You probably don't even need to oc your card.

I recently decided to switch from the Gigabyte 770 to the Sapphire 7970 OC with Boost when it went down to $299.99. Framerates during gameplay on Crisis 3 on ultra and Skyrim with lots of mods is unnoticeable.
Stock voltage I have the 7970 running at 1100/1550 (Never tried higher) at 73 degrees peak temp.
The 770 was running at stock and hitting 83 degrees peak and drawing more power and was $150 more.
I also might add, that this thread is comparing two cards that are not really in the same class.
7950 OC ~ 670 (670 is faster, but closer in specs)
7970 is more on par with 680/770

Be nice if I could get those prices.
So the 7970 is a class above the MSI 670 more like a 680/770? I thought the 7970/7670 were roughly similar. Thanks for that. I want the card to last a while so maybe the 670 is not ideal but the cheapest I could get the 680/770 is around $430 - $450 so I guess I should try to get a HD7970 even if it is a basic model that doesn't OC well.

 

[lemming9]

The Gigabyte HD 7970 OC http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00752QYLK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00752QYLK&linkCode=as2&tag=b0b929-20 is better all the way around.

Thanks for clarifying it's the better choice. I missed out on that at the reduced price of $300. It's now back up to $400 in my region so is more than what I would like to spend. However, were you saying a HD 7970 it's better than the GTX 670PE or that it's better than a GTX 680 and GTX 770 too?

 

[lemming9]

Since Gigabyte's stock 7970 is voltage locked, I actually think that it is worth it to go with the ghz edition. Much better overclocking capabilities on a card that normally cannot be overclocked very far. $375 is a good price for a ghz edition card, as you can be 100% sure that you will already be running at higher clock speeds then normal, and will most likely be able to push your card further (+, ghz edition cards are normally $400-$500). I didn't have that guarantee on my stock 7970, and you can see that I didn't even make it to the advertised 1000 mgh boost speed. So my vote goes to GB's 7970 ghz edition.

I've been thinking the same thing. The 7970 GHz Edition would save me having to mess around with OCing as it's already 1100/1500 out of the box. Maybe not quite as good as a Sapphire that is going up to 1200/1700 with voltage adjustments but close enough even without an OC. Plus I assume the Gigabyte 7970 GHz Edition is not voltage locked like their stock 7970 so I could probably get close to your Sapphire

As you say the price is not bad at $375 while also avoiding the hassle of OCing as at the higher 1100/1500 I'd probably not even think of or risk OCing for a long time. Everyone seems to agree that even a stock HD7970 is the best performer out of all the ones I mentioned so the GHz must be better were it not for the price. But my initial target expense was around $150 which then doubled to $300. The GHz Edition at $375 is a lot more than I'd like to spend.

Funny enough after missing out on the stock GB HD7970 at $300, the GHz Edition at $375 is now the cheapest HD7970 (GHz or otherwise) that I can get.