Help with picking my new Graphics Card

[Nathan_08]

So I had a EVGA GTX 1060 SC 6GB that went to crap in week 2 of use and they're giving me a full refund for it. I decided to bump up the power because I want to have something that can do a bit better and worth upgrading the old machine I'm starting with.

Currently, I'm running an i7-4790s on an ASUS 1150 motherboard and 12 GB's of 1600mhz ram. I threw all that in a nice Thermaltake suppressor case with a free 750 Semi Modular EVGA PSU (Amazon screwed up and gave it to me free to make me happy). I'm also using my 2011 iMac (I'm a designer) as a 2K 60hz monitor. Running the games in 1080 though since I was using a 1060 card.

So now I'm looking at a few options since I was planning on getting a new XBOX One X. Assuming I don't do that though and spend the money on the PC I'm debating between a GTX 1070 or GTX 1080. There are 3 cards right now on Amazon that I'm looking at.
1) EVGA 1070 SC (sold out while I was writing this, but use as a reference) - $459.00
2) Gigabyte 1080 G1 Gaming - $519.00
3) EVGA 1080 FTW - $569.00

500 dollars is pushing the edge of my budget if I'm going to put more into this machine, but is it worth spending the extra to get the 1080 FTW card? Or is the Gigabyte one just fine? I was also told to buy the GTX 1070 as the new cards next year will blow them away and save every little bit, but I don't know if I'll update the graphics card again until 2019.

Any feedback is much appreciated, but let's keep the "PC Master Race" comments to a minimum. The console just works for me in most cases because I didn't have a shot at a gaming PC in the past.

Thanks!

 

[Nathan_08]

Also if you have a better option for the card to purchase that's a 1070/1080 please let me know! I'm buying through Amazon as I have credit on my account though and a Prime membership.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Avoid the SC series completely. The SC line has been plagued with issues since the 5xx series. Aside from the widely publicized VRM overheating / PCB up in smoke issues, the SC line hasn't been well received. looking at the 180 Ti for example, TPU gave the reference card a 9.3 rating and the SC managed only 0.1 point higher with a 9.4. Only other card to score as low as the Palit Game Rock. The EVGA SC can hadly be described as an "Add-In Board" as it doesn't "add in" anything. Since the 5xx series, historically its been a nvidia reference board with a nice cooler.

Looking at Techpowrups reviews:

MSI Gaming X hit 139.7 fps OC'd w/ 2101 core / 2470 memory / and 71C temp
EVGA SC hit 134.0 fps OC'd w/ 2088 core / 2370 memory / and 73C temp
Gigabyte Extreme gaming hit 141 fps OC'd w/ 2134 core / 2425 memory / and 66C temp
MSI Quicksilver 138.0 fps OC'd w/ 2101 core / 2290 memory / and 67C temp

At $500, ya may want to consider the MSI Seahawk if ya into CLC water cooling and have aplave for the rad/fan.... its real cheap right now at $485
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/LW4NnQ/msi-geforce-gtx-1070-8gb-video-card-geforce-gtx-1070-sea-hawk-x

The real water cooled card with fill cover water block is only $470
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127956

The Gaming X is at $504 (stats above)... you have to pounce on these when they are available cause they sell out quickly

PCPP doesn't have the Extreme gaming card right now

If ya looking at the 1080 ... then before Id shell out $569 for the FTW, Id grab the Giga Aurorus Extreme for the extra $1
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/kzwqqs/gigabyte-geforce-gtx-1080-8gb-aorus-xtreme-edition-video-card-gv-n1080aorus-x-8gd

if ya already have a OLC type water cooler the 1080 Seahawk with real EK full cover water block is a steal at $550. But you'll need something like this to use it

http://www.swiftech.com/aio.aspx