Which GTX 670 to get?

T

Tephnos

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
489
Hey guys,

I've been on the lookout for an upgrade to my 6950 2GB. So far I've heard EVGA is pretty much the first choice for many, so I think I'm happy with going for them. The main deliberation I'm having is whether to go for a 4GB card, or a 2GB one? I plan to do heavy skyrim (and oblivion) modding, so I was thinking a 4GB card. My choices for those seem pretty limited, and it looks like I'd go for the EVGA 670 SC with the backplate for that one.

For the 2GB cards, I've been hearing a lot of good words about the EVGA 670 FTW.

Would I be better just getting the 4GB card, or getting the 2GB card now and getting another one to SLI later? I'll just make it known now that I've never actually SLI'd before, so I'm not sure how much more it would benefit me over the one 4GB (probably a lot).
 
what about the 4GB galaxy version at newegg. it has better cooling than the EVGA but also ends up like $20-26 more but if the fan noise is an issue for you it might be a better choice than the evga
 
Most people around here are saying the 4gb is a waste. I love my gigabyte 670 windforce. I don't really think you can go wrong with any of the big names. It all really depends if you want a reference (blows all the heat out of the case) or a custom solution that works better but dumps the heat into the case
 
i agree 4gb for the most part is a waste, with the exception possibly for skyrim which the OP mentioned he plans to heavily mod. i can see that 2GB being a wall with the good high res texture packs and AA.

i really want to see someone test of this i havnt seen any real benches on it.
 
I'm in the UK, so newegg isn't really an option.

That's why I was thinking if I got the 2GB, I could just SLI it later on. Wouldn't that bring the total VRAM up to 4GB, or am I not understand SLI?

Also, fan noise I don't think is an issue, unless it was as loud as a jet. I wear DT880s/HD650s when gaming.
 
With SLI, VRAM doesn't double. It still ends up being 2gb. Each card is taking turns to render picture with it's own 2gb of ram. I have the 670 FTW and it's a great card. I did just send mine in for a RMA. Started to crash, which I blame on the new precision x (v3.0.3, I think). 4gb of RAM would come into play if you were running high resolutions or multiple screens like me. I just felt like the FTW with the bigger PCB would have more stable overclocks. I plan to SLI for more power, so we'll see.
 
So for my purposes, 1440p gaming on a single screen (with a second one running skype or whatever) I should probably look to the 4GB card then?
 
I decided I should go for a 4GB card for future proofing (I can just SLI it next year for example) as I keep cards for a while.

My question now is, which is the best 4GB card? I've heard about the EVGA SC edition, and the KFA2 (which is known as galaxy in the us) is supposedly pretty good?
 
They are all pretty good even my not so great stock cooled eVGA clocks higher then indicated all by herself when the temps are kept in check with the fan cranked! I only got this one because there were no other 4 giggers available then and I wanted to future proof and yes if your dual monitoring and Skyrim with mods, etc. just get the 4GB don't even bother with the 2GB!
 
Tazman2 said:
They are all pretty good even my not so great stock cooled eVGA clocks higher then indicated all by herself when the temps are kept in check with the fan cranked! I only got this one because there were no other 4 giggers available then and I wanted to future proof and yes if your dual monitoring and Skyrim with mods, etc. just get the 4GB don't even bother with the 2GB!
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I heard they will be coming out with a FTW 4GB soon...

Don't really wanna pay the extra for a 680, so I guess 670 SC seems like the best deal right now... Think they will let me step up later on?
 
I did hear a step up might not apply from a 670 to another 670 though.

Any word on that? :/
 
I have the Galaxy 2gb - the one with 2 fans, overclocks like hell - over 1300 with a nudge in voltage. Quiet with stock settings - but I keep it @60c with the fans cranked up during bf3 multi.
 
LC155 said:
I did hear a step up might not apply from a 670 to another 670 though.

Any word on that? :/
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You are correct.. right from their website below.

Also note that right now on step up for a 670 is the 680. Like previous models early on, they only offer the base model as the step up.

Graphics Cards Examples:

  • GTX 460 → GTX 580: YES (Upgraded GPU)
  • GTX 460 768MB → GTX 460 1GB: NO (Same GPU)
  • GTX 570 → GTX 480: NO (Must be GPU upgrade)
 
Ah, damn it.

I would get the galaxy but I'm concerned about the heat with the fan design if I SLI in the future though.
 
So far, it looks like the 4GB SC version is the only real option I have (Skyrim WILL breach 2GB, so that's a no go). No idea when the 4GB FTW will be out, and a 680 FTW is about £100 more expensive, so I'm guessing probably not worth it.
 
LC155 said:
Ah, damn it.

I would get the galaxy but I'm concerned about the heat with the fan design if I SLI in the future though.
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Then consider this card. It has the gtx 680 PCB with the 680 reference cooler. Plus it's cheap as hell (at least in the US it is)

The EVGA would be the way to go if it didn't have the loud gtx 670 cooler. The bearing noise from those things is unacceptable.
 
I seen that MSI card, although I don't see it for sale in the UK yet, and once again, concerned about possible SLI heat problems in the future.

Looks like it might be the Zotac then, hopefully they're pretty good
 
Well, in regards to the 670 FTW, I got an update on that:

"670 FTW 4GB slipped a bit, mid AUG is new ETA"
 
I have an Evga Vanilla and when you simply apply a custom fan profile with the evga precision tool, the noise and temps go way down. Really just a matter of how hard you plan to push it.

Default fan setting SUCKS btw. Somehow the fan is ramped up and the temps are still higher. With lower fan speeds the temps are down too. Makes no sense but it is true in my case.
 
spaceman said:
I have an Evga Vanilla and when you simply apply a custom fan profile with the evga precision tool, the noise and temps go way down. Really just a matter of how hard you plan to push it.

Default fan setting SUCKS btw. Somehow the fan is ramped up and the temps are still higher. With lower fan speeds the temps are down too. Makes no sense but it is true in my case.
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Noticed that also while running Heaven 3.0 bench. The EVGA 670GTX FTW is a great card but I kinda wish the fan deal could get squared away. It seems like the fan will go from real quite to leafblower with nothing in between. Kinda whackky
 
i just placed an order at newegg today for the Galaxy 4GB 670 GC so i can give my impressions on that when it arrives.

PC Specs:

CPU - AMD FX-8120 8 Core @ 4.4ghz
Motherboard - ASUS ROG Crosshair V Formula
Memory - G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 1600Mhz DDR3
Video - Two AMD 1GB 6870's Crossfire
OS Drive - Two 120GB OCZ Vertex Raid 0
Game/Media Drive - Four 640GB Western Digital Black Drives Quad Raid 0 2.4TB
PSU - Corsair CMPSU-750TX 750W
Case - COOLER MASTER HAF 922

thats my current system specs

i wanted more Vram for modded skirym so went all out with a 4GB model
 
From my reading I think I've settled on this:

If you like to upgrade each cycle or when you can, get the 670 and save yourself money since it's a good card.

If you don't upgrade every cycle, and only upgrade when you feel you need to, go balls out and grab a 680 GTX 4GB (or 2GB, depending on your resolution and gaming use). Stay happy with that one for now, as it will destroy pretty much everything out right now.

Then, in time when it starts to fall behind? Grab another one and SLI it. By that time prices will have most likely plummeted, and two 680s in SLI is a formidable force and will keep you going for a while, a long while.

That's just how I would see it going though.
 
Aren't the 670s only 4-7% slower on average than the 680? Considering that the 680 is over 20% more expensive I would stay with the 670 even if I planned on keeping it for a while.

When the next "Crysis" comes out (next demanding game), that 7% performance increase will be a difference of 28 VS 29 frame rates or similar. :p

As I don't like noise, I would recommend getting something better than a stock cooler.

I would also like to mention that EVGA shipped me two defective cards out of the box in November/December. Maybe they are better than the rest, though I don't like their RMA policy (refurbs only) and how expensive it can get.
 
Flogger23m said:
Aren't the 670s only 4-7% slower on average than the 680? Considering that the 680 is over 20% more expensive I would stay with the 670 even if I planned on keeping it for a while.

When the next "Crysis" comes out (next demanding game), that 7% performance increase will be a difference of 28 VS 29 frame rates or similar. :p

As I don't like noise, I would recommend getting something better than a stock cooler.

I would also like to mention that EVGA shipped me two defective cards out of the box in November/December. Maybe they are better than the rest, though I don't like their RMA policy (refurbs only) and how expensive it can get.
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my thoughts on it is the 670 is what most people should be getting as a top tier card, unless you have money to burn and increase your epeen the 680 is there for people that just have to have the best single gpu card money can buy throwing logic out the window.

i would only tell someone to get the 680 if they have a custom water loop and plan to have it water cooled in the loop and overclocking the 680, that should allow it to pull away from a 670. 1.3ghz 680 should be a bit better than a 1.1ghz air cooled 670

pricing wise the 670 i just bought was the most ive ever spent on a single card. $500 after i chose 2 day shipping. which is more than double what ive spent on any other card.

i think my 2 6870's were 200 each at launch and have been good cards but i felt like i wanted to move away from crossfire and go back to a single card and also get a vram increase.

now that the 670 can run 3 monitors from a single card that was my only excuse not to get a single card nvidia solution.

ive never really had any driver issues on the ATI/AMD side of things but waiting on crossfire profiles for some games has been a little on the annoying side of things especially for skyrim.

Skyrim was one of my big motivators to switch to an nvidia card that game just plays so nice with nvidia.

my GPU progression,
Voodoo3
Geforce 3 Ti 200
Radeon 9700
Radeon x850 XT
Radeon 1GB 4870
2x XFX Radeon 1GB 6870's
Galaxy 4GB 670 (should arrive Tuesday)

ive been with ATI/AMD for awhile
 
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I do plan to SLI in the future though, so an aftermarket cooler is a big no no for me since it can cause havoc with temps.

I'll admit: I bought a 670 superclocked 4GB with a backplate on a whim, then as it was being delivered I did more research into what I bought.

It's sitting unopened in the jiffy bag I got it in.

So how loud are you going to scream at me to just open the damn thing? Or can I get better valur for money elsewhere in the series? :p
 
LC155 said:
So far, it looks like the 4GB SC version is the only real option I have (Skyrim WILL breach 2GB, so that's a no go). No idea when the 4GB FTW will be out, and a 680 FTW is about £100 more expensive, so I'm guessing probably not worth it.
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I have the EVGA 670 SC 4GB and its rad. 4GB is not a waste. Especially in regard to Skyrim. With Skyrim HD textures and all my mods, with WMC running an HD TV Broadcast my EVGA 670 4GB gets up to around 2.2GB of Dedicated VRAM. This is running Skyrim ultra'd with ENB and some additional post processing @ 1920x1200. The second monitor is just a 20inch screen i run music or HD channels via clear qam tuner.

Point is I love the card and am really glad I got the 4GB. I understand its the shorter PCB, "inferior cooling" when comparing to the FTW/680, etc. But mine runs nice and cool and I haven't had an issue. Boosted to 1146 or something out of box, I have been running it at 1215 max clock since the first day.
 
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Ah, I've heard it can be pretty noisy and quite hot. You got stats for it?

If it's not that bad I'll keep it. Otherwise, I may go galaxy then.
 
LC155 said:
I do plan to SLI in the future though, so an aftermarket cooler is a big no no for me since it can cause havoc with temps.

I'll admit: I bought a 670 superclocked 4GB with a backplate on a whim, then as it was being delivered I did more research into what I bought.

It's sitting unopened in the jiffy bag I got it in.

So how loud are you going to scream at me to just open the damn thing? Or can I get better valur for money elsewhere in the series? :p
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i dont think the non blower fan on the galaxy 4gb 670 i bought should hurt my temps too much if i end up going sli this fall with it.

my MB has good spacing between GPU's and i actually have my H100's push/pull setup blowing into the case pretty much a massive amount of air hitting the back of that top card, bottom and front and 2 side fans are all low rpm intakes so some fresh air is coming in on all sides of the GPU's with a high CFM rear fan pulling the air out.

its prob not the most optimal setup of the fans but the top of the case is the easiest place to put my h100 radiator and i wanted it to get fresh air from outside the case.

the 2 cards between my 6870's are a small Black magic intensity pro HDMI capture card then below that Creativelabs X-fi should still have plenty of breathing room between cards aslong as that rear fan is pulling its weight
283075_192393760825105_1997204_n.jpg
 
LC155 said:
Ah, I've heard it can be pretty noisy and quite hot. You got stats for it?

If it's not that bad I'll keep it. Otherwise, I may go galaxy then.
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Here's the frequently complained about noise.

The shear amount of results from a google search of the issue is downright scary.

I would opt to wait and see what price the new 4GB FTW will go for, and see if it makes the Zotac 4GB go for any cheaper.

For SLI I just wouldn't want to use non-blowers.
 
Yeah... damn.

They said the FTW will be out mid august, so lets see what we hear in a weeks time or something.
 
4GB is a waste unless you're running games at crazy high resolutions. EVGA has great warranty.
 
Actually, the 4GB doesn't even do much more at those crazy resolutions.

The only real viable argument for 4GB is if you do crazy visual modding of games like Skyrim. Which I'm sure a lot of us do.

4K textures on everything eats up VRAM like a bitch.
 
So I've decided to screw it and stop waiting.

So, Galaxy 4GB 670 or EVGA Superclocked (with backplate) 4GB?

NEED 4GB for modded skyrim - I am pretty sure of that and no one has conclusively told me otherwise. (The only 2GBs I've found that work fine are SLI'd ones from people).

If I didn't need 4GB, I'd probably go with a gigabyte and call it a day, but.
 
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