Looking to buy new card next week. Want to spend $200-225. Trying to decide between a 6950 & a 560. Mainly been playing iracing & some bf3. Single monitor. My 8800 is finally in need of being put out to pasture. Stick w/ team green since no multi monitor yet?
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$200 Opinions
- Thread starter K1llaB
- Start date
The 6950 is the better buy at that price, IMO. I'd try to go for a 2GB model that unlocks.
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-D...4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1329337079&sr=1-4
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-D...4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1329337079&sr=1-4
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No multi-monitor is hardly a reason to go with one instead of the other. Now, if it was the other way around and you did have multi monitor, then I would suggest AMD. Otherwise, either one will do great.
As far as your budget.. hmmm.. its tricky because of new cards that are RIGHT AROUND the corner. AMD 7800 series cards (replace the 6870/6950) will be coming out next month, along with the Nvidia cards that will push the prices down on everything. If you REALLY, REALLY needed something right now, I would go with whichever one you can find cheaper. Either the 6950 1GB or the 560ti. Both are close to each other in performance.
If you can wait, though, I would because newer cards are coming really soon that will either make 7000 series AMD cards plummet in price or offer higher performance than the 6950/560ti at roughly same price point.
As far as your budget.. hmmm.. its tricky because of new cards that are RIGHT AROUND the corner. AMD 7800 series cards (replace the 6870/6950) will be coming out next month, along with the Nvidia cards that will push the prices down on everything. If you REALLY, REALLY needed something right now, I would go with whichever one you can find cheaper. Either the 6950 1GB or the 560ti. Both are close to each other in performance.
If you can wait, though, I would because newer cards are coming really soon that will either make 7000 series AMD cards plummet in price or offer higher performance than the 6950/560ti at roughly same price point.
yeah i know, but then nvidia has something right around the corner to...
i havent had an ati since a 9800, the only concern i have is driver support. but the 6950 looks to be where im leaning. i would like to see what the 7800 offers but i dont think it will be in my price point at launch.
Jeffredo
[H]ard|Gawd
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Two can play at that 2GB $259 game bub.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127608
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Yeah.. AMD hasn't had consistent driver support in the past, but they have acknowledged that they will be putting more resources on that end in 2012. Wether or not they actually do it remains to be seend.
Either way, if you can stomach a 2bg 6950 for abour $250, you can unlock the shaders and make it a 6970 and reap those benefits. Otherwise, its really up to you. Once again, if you can wait, I would advise you to. If you can't (which is fine, I know the pull of new tech) then grab a 560ti or a 6950 and then crossfire them in the future.
The 6950 unlocks are not nearly a sure thing anymore. Most manufactures have gone to the second and third revisions of the 6950 boards and the duel bios switch isn't even on most of the boards now. I've been looking for a while now and the only card I can see that is nearly a sure thing is the MSI Twin Frozr O/C 2gb card and its $25-50 higher then all the other 2gb 6950s. The MSI is $299 on newegg and some of the 6970s are down to $325 or less if you can find them on sale. Which is why I just went with the 6970 over the 6950. I would imagine there are very few unlocked 6950s that will do 950/1450 like my 6970 will do or I would have defiantly bought a 6950.
CubanBlood
Weaksauce
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I like how he asks for a $200-225 option and you post a link to a $280 after MIR card.
You could probably find a used 6950 2 GB for around $225, though. Plus, that way you will generally know for sure if it unlocks or not. Buying a new card that unlocks is a complete crapshoot at best.
Personally at this point I would wait to see what happens when GK104 drops and see if prices drop on anything else at all.
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In the original post he stated that he wants to buy a card next week. I think that rules out GK104 and the 78XX cards.
Lol, what the hell? It was $240 after MIR this morning. The price skyrocketed in just a few hours. A lot of 6950s seem to have gone up in price recently.
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Ah, okay. Still, to be fair, $240 > $225.
Could be in relation to current 7xxx series prices...
silent-circuit
[H]F Junkie
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Why buy new? 2GB 6950s that unlock and a few 6970s have been in that range lately, with warranty remaining. I saw a 2GB 6950 for $180 shipped last week in FS/FT. You'd have to be crazy to buy anything else in this price range lately. I picked up a second myself for $215 shipped more than a month ago now.
Thanks thats a good idea. i have another friend w/ 8800 that i could then just sell to him cheap & then do my 200 upgrade after each company releases their new products.
KingerXI
Gawd
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I'm buying a brand new XFX HD6950 1GB from a friend today (he bought 2 for crossfire, and never installed the 2nd card) for $200 cash. Am I paying too much? I felt it was a good deal, but folks on this thread are saying the 2GB could be bought for the same price.
silent-circuit
[H]F Junkie
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Terrible deal. 2GBs are regularly $200-225 shipped in FS/FT. They're not brand new, but they're under warranty for at least another year. Most of them are original run reference cards that'll unlock to 6970 shaders, even. I would never pay $200 for a 1GB 6950. Also, XFX warranty is terrible now that they got rid of double lifetime -- it's what, 2 years? And they require registration unlike almost all other brands, which do warranty based off serial number for 3+ years.
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Newegg had the 2GB Powercolor 6950 (confirmed unlockable) for $220 AR in mid-January and that is the lowest I've ever seen a new 2GB 6950. Interestingly enough, it's no longer listed on newegg at all (deactivated). $225 is the cheapest 6950 you can get on newegg right now, after-rebate and it's the 1GB version. $200 isn't bad considering it's unused.
XFX liftetime warranty still applies to 6000 series cards. The new, lesser warranty starts with the 7000 series.
XFX liftetime warranty still applies to 6000 series cards. The new, lesser warranty starts with the 7000 series.
Ocellaris
Fully [H]
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If you are paying that much for a 6950, it should at least be a 2GB model. If you ever want to do Eyefinity or do heavy AA in some new games, you really need that 2GB.
Unless you have a tiny monitor, however then a 6950 would be overkill...
KingerXI
Gawd
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Oh well. I just sold my XFX 5870 locally for $200 , and I told my friend I would do it, so I am going to go ahead and buy his new 6950 for $200. I am not a huge gamer anyhow. Thanks everyone for the advice.
, and I told my friend I would do it, so I am going to go ahead and buy his new 6950 for $200. I am not a huge gamer anyhow. Thanks everyone for the advice.
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You kinda got ripped off. You'll probably have to upgrade again in less than a year.
I had 3 of those Powercolor 2GB 6950's, one bought in may of last year (did NOT unlock) and two from dec '11/jan '12 time frame that did unlock. Great cards, and also good cooling, huge fans.
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The drivers are still pretty crappy IMO (compared to nvidia atleast), but they're much better than they used to be.
It still annoys me that you can't FORCE AA off in the control panel though
that's a good price you got for 5870 - was it on ebay? going with unused 6950 is a good choice too, but usually friends give better deals than forums and craigslist)) got my 5850 for 120$ 8 month back, when it was selling for 180-190 everywhere else.
KingerXI
Gawd
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I built an i7 920 PC and put my 5870 video card in it, and sold the PC on C-list for $850. I figured I got $200 for the card included in the price. I didn't get $200 straight up for the card.
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Trepidati0n
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Right now the best bang for buck is not this generation's card, but the last gen...well, until they run out of stock.