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7970 - Overkill for 1600x900 resolution?

D

decimates

n00b
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
12
So yeah, I'm currently on a 20inch LCD monitor and usually play MMOs at full screen 1600x900. I'm going to be building a new machine couple months down the line and I was wondering if it'd be overkill running a 7970? This is with a 2600k OC'd to 4.2 on an Asus Z68 board, not sure if that matters exactly o-o; Still somewhat new with all of this. I know what you're thinking, why not just get a larger monitor? Well my current 20in display fits snug into my computer table with about half an inch on each side from the CD and stationary racks. There's really no space in there for a 24in or 27in or what have you. Would getting a 7970 be overkill? I'd like to be able to run max settings with games like Rift, Skyrim and possibly Crysis 2. Would a 6970 be the more cost efficient choice? What other options are there for gaming at this resolution? Sorry if this isn't the appropriate section to be asking >< Thanks for your time.
 
No, a 7970 is no overkill for you. Here is why. 1 ) you are not always going to have that monitor. 2 ) if you crank the heck out of your games and really turn up the eye candy, you are going to decrease your frame rates regardless of resolution. 3 ) You are future proofing your computer setup. As I said, things do change. You will most likely buy a 24" or 27" LED monitor in the coming months as prices for these items are very affordable. This is an assumption of course but a valid, logical and safe one. Oh, and 4 ) These 7970's are the new hottness, they are extremely powerful at 1100 / 1550. 5 ) Who the hell wouldn't want that?
 
I was told my unlocked 6950's in xfire was "overkill" for a single 25.5 monitor. I now own two 7970's for that same single 25.5 monitor. BF3 works them pretty hard. So no.. not overkill.
 
No card is ever going to be "overkill" in the long run. At the time...maybe...but eventually technology will catch up and it won't be overkill anymore. :cool:

That said, if you can get a 6950/6970 now for $200-250 and have that last a couple years if your resolution stays the same...it could be prudent to buy a next-gen card when they are cheaper and you actually need the horsepower.

If money is not the issue, then go ahead and get the 7970.

You could also wait a month or so and check out the 7950.
 
overkill is relative. So let's me honest here....

....justifying today's purchase on the potential of tomorrow is simply convenient. By the time "tomorrow" arrives, you'll have been in a position to buy a faster card or the same card cheaper.

On the other hand, :) "peace of mind" is something you can't put a price on so enjoy the card.
 
Clearly, you don't understand how hardware addiction works. Buy new graphics card -> buy bigger monitor -> need better graphics card -> buy more monitors -> ...
 
vsboxerboy said:
Clearly, you don't understand how hardware addiction works. Buy new graphics card -> buy bigger monitor -> need better graphics card -> buy more monitors -> ...
Click to expand...

buy game, can't play game, buy card, monitor nice but too small, buy bigger monitor, nice but two would be better....oh wait, surround gaming!!! Three monitors nice!!! But now can't play game in surround. TWO cards!!! Feel guilty, gaming was fine with one monitor :)

You sounded better but mine is more realistic.
 
16 x 9 is 1.44 million pixels. [H] is maxing out today's most demanding games at 25 x 16, which is 4.1 million pixels. Your monitor is almost 1/3 of the size of what this card was made for. Yes, yes it is overkill. If you want more-than-plenty future proofing get an unlocked 6950 2GB off the forum for $220 shipped. Less than half the price and you'll never know the difference. If you look hard you'll find an MSI or Asus or Gigabyte with at least two years of warranty left too.

Asus unlocked 6950 2GB for $220 shipped

MSI unlocked 6950 2GB for $220 shipped

Visiontek 6950 2GB (no warranty, might be unlockable) for $200 shipped

Any of these are a better option than a new 7970.
 
I replaced my 5870 for a 7970 a week ago. I also game on 1600x900 20".

NO, this is not an overkill. Well, for MMO's it is yes, but for games like Crysis, even 1600x900 with all maxxed out (and high-res pack and tesselation pack) is going to make the 7970 struggle and being lower than 60fps (think of the future demanding games here?)

It is certain that the 7970 has been designed for multi-screen gaming with a single GPU and the performance gain of this card compared to previous generations is MUCH bigger for multi-screen setups than the single-screen gaming. Also note that the 7970 will be getting driver optimizations in the months to come and gain more performance than it has today.

In general, this card is an "overkill" for today but its making you future proof, I'm planning to keep mine for minimum 2 years (or even 3). If you have the money buy this card, otherwise you can go for a HD6970 or even better wait for the HD7950.
 
XacTactX said:
16 x 9 is 1.44 million pixels. [H] is maxing out today's most demanding games at 25 x 16, which is 4.1 million pixels. Your monitor is almost 1/3 of the size of what this card was made for. Yes, yes it is overkill. If you want more-than-plenty future proofing get an unlocked 6950 2GB off the forum for $220 shipped. Less than half the price and you'll never know the difference. If you look hard you'll find an MSI or Asus or Gigabyte with at least two years of warranty left too.

Asus unlocked 6950 2GB for $220 shipped

MSI unlocked 6950 2GB for $220 shipped

Visiontek 6950 2GB (no warranty, might be unlockable) for $200 shipped

Any of these are a better option than a new 7970.
Click to expand...

Awful lie. Try to play Crysis 2 or Skyrim with addons with HD6950 and with HD7970 and come and tell me there is no difference (I own a 1600x900 monitor so I know). The thing is, you will pay the price "premium" of owning the 7970 early.
 
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For 1600 x 900 at 60Hz, yes, the 7970 is big time overkill.
 
But at $200 a pop, wouldn't $400 for 6950/6970 xfire be a better deal than $550+ for a 7970? I know it's great to have the latest and greatest, but purely from a performance/dollar what do you think?
 
K1tty said:
But at $200 a pop, wouldn't $400 for 6950/6970 xfire be a better deal than $550+ for a 7970? I know it's great to have the latest and greatest, but purely from a performance/dollar what do you think?
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only if you already own a 6xxx series it may be worth it. but if your buying 2 new cards, the single new card is always a better value.

In your case, the extra $150 premium will give you faster frame rates (10-30%), more consistent frames due to it being a single card, and none of the crossfire issues and waiting for driver updates for better game compatibility with crossfire. Lets also not forget about the power and heat you save from a single card.
 
Sorry, careful with some of the advice here as it makes no sense. Discounting being able to future proof your system as "convenient" is simply ludicrous. That's the foundation for any new build. Buying the best hardware one can afford between builds, which hopefully will at least be a few years. That guy has no clue about your passion for your system and therefore, no clue of your time table for upgrades. If anything was convenient, it was how quick he was to assume you wouldn't upgrade for a few years, when "newer generation hardware" would be available. He misses one important clue however. You owning a 7970 I think speaks volumes as to your passion for upgrading and having a top-shelf PC and clearly, a new, larger monitor is not too far behind. Some peoples kids (c) The Old Man ~ Pawn Stars
 
All I want is a video card that will play 1080P games with 4X AA and 16X AF and so far it seems the minimum is a 6970 or 570 needed for that. I'm tired of playing musical chairs with graphics cards the last couple of years and don't want to spend a fortune. Had a 6870 but that wasn't enough for 4X AA and I really only want to spend $175-$200 at most for that performance. Man I wish they would release the new cards faster to bring prices down!
 
SixFootDuo said:
Sorry, careful with some of the advice here as it makes no sense. Discounting being able to future proof your system as "convenient" is simply ludicrous. That's the foundation for any new build. Buying the best hardware one can afford between builds, which hopefully will at least be a few years. That guy has no clue about your passion for your system and therefore, no clue of your time table for upgrades. If anything was convenient, it was how quick he was to assume you wouldn't upgrade for a few years, when "newer generation hardware" would be available. He misses one important clue however. You owning a 7970 I think speaks volumes as to your passion for upgrading and having a top-shelf PC and clearly, a new, larger monitor is not too far behind. Some peoples kids (c) The Old Man ~ Pawn Stars
Click to expand...

Putting money into hardware now for potential future use is what's ludicrous.
 
SixFootDuo said:
Sorry, careful with some of the advice here as it makes no sense. Discounting being able to future proof your system as "convenient" is simply ludicrous. That's the foundation for any new build. Buying the best hardware one can afford between builds, which hopefully will at least be a few years. That guy has no clue about your passion for your system and therefore, no clue of your time table for upgrades. If anything was convenient, it was how quick he was to assume you wouldn't upgrade for a few years, when "newer generation hardware" would be available. He misses one important clue however. You owning a 7970 I think speaks volumes as to your passion for upgrading and having a top-shelf PC and clearly, a new, larger monitor is not too far behind. Some peoples kids (c) The Old Man ~ Pawn Stars
Click to expand...

You are actually right.

I will insist that 7970 is not an overkill for any resolution, you just get less of its advantages. But LMAO @ HD6950 = HD7970 at any level you may want to compare it.

The OP never stated his financial condition.
 
So I've read all the replies and the main gist of it is that it's technically not overkill, I just won't be able to use it at full capacity at this resolution? If that is correct, then that's fine with me. I plan on keeping this machine for at least three years or so; perhaps I can get a new monitor somewhere down the line. Money is not an issue, I've been saving up for this rig for almost two years now; I don't have any problems shelling out 2k or more. My dilemma falls into space, my room is extremely crammed. Getting a new monitor means getting rid of my couch so that a bigger table can play host to the monitor. But I digress, I've been using a stock machine for the last two years or so, not being able to get the machine I wanted then. I didn't have a clue of what parts to look for or what kind of specs I'd need for gaming and made an ill-fated choice that leaves me running games at low settings just for 40-50ish FPS, So I'd like to make up for that, I've been doing research on what parts to get, looking at their cons and pros and this is my current hurdle. But it seems safe to be getting a 7970, as you guys state, I'll be future-proofing my machine. Once again, thanks for your time.
 
Hey decimates....can you mount the monitor to the wall or on a shelf and still use the couch? Or is that going to be to far away for the size of it and where you will be sitting? Cuz for 2 grand you can get a larger 1080P TV or LCD monitor and still get a good gaming rig if luck and prices hold out.
 
I've been contemplating upgrading from a 560 ti overclocked to about 570 stock levels as it is limited at the least in vram in BF3. I think the minimal card should produce 60 FPS in everything I play, and the 560 can't do it in BF3 with AA so it's been tempting to upgrade to a HD 7950 when released next week.

I am also only at 1680x1050, but I share the feelings shown in this thread, the 79x0 is not overkill if you play something like BF3, and most likely any upcoming game in 2012. I too would like to hang on to any upgrade for a few years.

Anyways, I think I will go for a custom cooled HD 7950 next week as it's performance is close enough to the top, but with a good cooler it should overclock nicely. As long as the price difference is enough I will try justify a purchase and see if I still feel that way when the full reviews and prices are known.
 
I got my old single 5870 working 3 monitors playing BF3 on one of them at 2560x1440 at max settings. Yeah it could be better but it's definately playable. SC2 or TF2 - the only other games I ever play - no issues whatsoever. Unless you're planning on buying a monitor that's over 1920x1200 I'd say 7970 is overkill.
 
fps4ever said:
Hey decimates....can you mount the monitor to the wall or on a shelf and still use the couch? Or is that going to be to far away for the size of it and where you will be sitting? Cuz for 2 grand you can get a larger 1080P TV or LCD monitor and still get a good gaming rig if luck and prices hold out.
Click to expand...

A wall mount might be too far away from me I think. I think I might be able to make do with a more simplified table instead of following the design I currently have. Something along the lines of this:

30206-Melamine-Board-Computer-Table-1.jpg
 
i dont understand why people seem to think it makes sense to spend $500+ on a gpu to run a <$100 monitor. i have a $200 gpu running my $1500 monitor which makes much more sense to me.
 
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ekuest said:
i dont stand why people seem to think it makes sense to spend $500+ on a gpu to run a <$100 monitor. i have a $200 gpu running my $1500 monitor which makes much more sense to me.
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GPU > monitor = all eye candy, no lag, no frame drops in intense situations
GPU < monitor = massive screen, low settings, barely playable unless resolution is low...

Experiencing both I still prefer FPS stable vs. real estate(for gaming). I love a big screen, but if the GPU can't push it I don't like to compromise on quality/fps.
 
hm. eye candy is meh to me. you can use 4 or 5 times as much computing power and make the image quality barely noticeably better. i would rather have more real estate and more pixels for better immersion and wider FOV than minutely better quality. i still get a gpu that can run my games at 2560x1600 at ~60fps and medium settings, but to have all max settings has just never appealed to me when it means i have to spend 3 times as much on a gpu for barely noticeable graphical improvement.
 
Buy a used GTX 580 for around $400 (or even better 2x 6950s used for $220 a piece), then use the difference to get a 1080P monitor. You can get a 23-24 inch 1080P monitor for around $130-$150 - even cheaper if you buy used.
 
decimates said:
So yeah, I'm currently on a 20inch LCD monitor and usually play MMOs at full screen 1600x900. I'm going to be building a new machine couple months down the line and I was wondering if it'd be overkill running a 7970? This is with a 2600k OC'd to 4.2 on an Asus Z68 board, not sure if that matters exactly o-o; Still somewhat new with all of this. I know what you're thinking, why not just get a larger monitor? Well my current 20in display fits snug into my computer table with about half an inch on each side from the CD and stationary racks. There's really no space in there for a 24in or 27in or what have you. Would getting a 7970 be overkill? I'd like to be able to run max settings with games like Rift, Skyrim and possibly Crysis 2. Would a 6970 be the more cost efficient choice? What other options are there for gaming at this resolution? Sorry if this isn't the appropriate section to be asking >< Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...


-- Buying a 7970 and play games with your current monitor now would be an overkill, since a Radeon 6870 1gb video card can handle
most games now at hi settings on 1600x900 resolution BUT, to make your self "future ready" and decided gaming at 1600x900
makes your eyes wanting for a more 'eye candy" view and buy a full HD monitor, thats where buying a Radeon 7970 will make your
gaming experience more exciting. Another reason for buying a 7970 is that up coming games or pc games currently under
development are catching up to the speed of hi end video cards now, meaning, game developers are now adding more and more
realistic (particularly those FPS) textures and effects to make the game more appealing and more attractive.
With that progress, system requirements are also increasing though not all games but since we never know what game developers
are up to now and what kind of fps games they would release in the future and how demanding its system requirements are and to
give your self a peace of mind without worrying that you might not enjoy playing up coming games with your current video card,
the answer to that is buying a hi end video card like 7970 where you can play at its very highest settings. :) at the resolution of
what ever brand of full hd monitor you might want to buy if you decided to upgrade your monitor too. :)
 
No matter how you try to rationalize it [H] is pushing three times as many pixels at 2560 as OP will on his screen. Spending $550 to drive an $80 monitor is simply unwise IMHO.

EDIT now let me clarify my "no difference between 6970 and 7970" comment. At OP's resolution of 1600 x 900 getting a 7970 instead of a 6970 will be the difference between running 16x EQAA + 16x CFAA, or running 8x SSAA. There will be plenty of horsepower for AA no matter what you do, spending $300 more for AA (that frankly you will have a hard time noticing) is just not cost-effective. Put the $300 toward an SSD, it will be a much better investment.
 
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Been crunching numbers for a bit now and my build puts me at $1492 before shipping. Not sure if NewEgg adds tax as well. But even then there's still about 600ish hundred bucks to go. I can devote that to a new table and monitor set up. Now the question is, which monitor? Lol. I assume there's a section for Displays; will have to do more reading.
 
Kaynar said:
You are actually right.

I will insist that 7970 is not an overkill for any resolution, you just get less of its advantages. But LMAO @ HD6950 = HD7970 at any level you may want to compare it.

The OP never stated his financial condition.
Click to expand...

Think about what you're saying...

...and it would be overkill under those conditions. Take a moment before advising fellow members to spend frivolously. We're better than that.

Rationalizing an upgrade that probably wont benefit much today (regarding his current build) out of a mere "possibility" you'll be able to take advantage of such power later is what's nutty. You are throwing money away for minimal increases in FPS that by today's standards couldn't quantify such a purchase. However, if you change your rig to accommodate such a purchase today, then the decision makes more sense.

Let's face it, It is "convenient" to offer a rationalization to buy something you don't need and won't help your current situation 500 dollars strong. You are currently stretching justifications to buy with diminished returns based on your current setup and needs. That same 500 bucks in the future will buy you better options if you're in such a position to benefit from such technology. That said, if you have a capable system now, wait. Wait or change your current circumstance to allow the benefit of such tech to make your money worth the investment.

I'd consider building the rest of your system up first before venturing down this path.

As for the "convenience" factor, it is simply the result of justifying such a purchase based on criteria that my all accounts is a stretch. Spending that 500 bucks later on something that will compliment your current setup IS the better option. To think otherwise is "ludicrous".

That being said, this is an enthusiast site and we often do things that don't make sense. But the OP did come here asking for opinions and I'd be hard pressed to influence a decision based on minimal returns today for potential changes that may or may not happen surrounding your current build, games and other factors of tomorrow.

My advice, if you're building a rig in a couple of months, there's no harm in waiting to see what's available at that time rather than buying to run a 20" monitor. The 7900 series will open up with more options. Nvidia may have their offerings and anything available today should be more affordable at that time (price vs. performance being key). Even if money is no object, surrounding your video card purchase around the rig you currently (your intended build completed) have is optimal. You don't buy based on what you will have, not by today's fluctuations in prices, gouging and other factors.
 
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Evil Scooter said:
I was told my unlocked 6950's in xfire was "overkill" for a single 25.5 monitor. I now own two 7970's for that same single 25.5 monitor. BF3 works them pretty hard. So no.. not overkill.
Click to expand...

Did you upgrade because you could, or because you needed to? I only ask because I just bought two unlocked 2gb 6950s to replace my standard 1gb 6950. Will I be disappointed?
 
decimates said:
So I've read all the replies and the main gist of it is that it's technically not overkill, I just won't be able to use it at full capacity at this resolution? If that is correct, then that's fine with me. I plan on keeping this machine for at least three years or so; perhaps I can get a new monitor somewhere down the line. Money is not an issue, I've been saving up for this rig for almost two years now; I don't have any problems shelling out 2k or more. My dilemma falls into space, my room is extremely crammed. Getting a new monitor means getting rid of my couch so that a bigger table can play host to the monitor. But I digress, I've been using a stock machine for the last two years or so, not being able to get the machine I wanted then. I didn't have a clue of what parts to look for or what kind of specs I'd need for gaming and made an ill-fated choice that leaves me running games at low settings just for 40-50ish FPS, So I'd like to make up for that, I've been doing research on what parts to get, looking at their cons and pros and this is my current hurdle. But it seems safe to be getting a 7970, as you guys state, I'll be future-proofing my machine. Once again, thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

If you really were reading all the replies, it is overkill. If what you intend to build is going to last you three years, wait the couple of months until which time your build is complete and the purchase of any video card will truly work for you over that period of time. Seems to me you're dead set on buying regardless. You won't be happy if in two months when your money could buy more and in that time between now and then, you only enjoyed slight benefits from a hasty purchase. It's your money though so whatever makes you happy.

Just don't think the consensus is that your purchase isn't overkill under your current circumstance.
 
TahoeDust said:
Did you upgrade because you could, or because you needed to? I only ask because I just bought two unlocked 2gb 6950s to replace my standard 1gb 6950. Will I be disappointed?
Click to expand...

The 7970s are being worked because BF3 is designed to take advantage of all the ram it can get its hands on. Not because your 6950s were inadequate. Even first gen crysis gives current rigs a good run for their money though not for the same reason BF3 does it.
 
Kaynar said:
I replaced my 5870 for a 7970 a week ago. I also game on 1600x900 20".

NO, this is not an overkill. Well, for MMO's it is yes, but for games like Crysis, even 1600x900 with all maxxed out (and high-res pack and tesselation pack) is going to make the 7970 struggle and being lower than 60fps (think of the future demanding games here?)

It is certain that the 7970 has been designed for multi-screen gaming with a single GPU and the performance gain of this card compared to previous generations is MUCH bigger for multi-screen setups than the single-screen gaming. Also note that the 7970 will be getting driver optimizations in the months to come and gain more performance than it has today.

In general, this card is an "overkill" for today but its making you future proof, I'm planning to keep mine for minimum 2 years (or even 3). If you have the money buy this card, otherwise you can go for a HD6970 or even better wait for the HD7950.
Click to expand...

You confused the OP and most other by the clear contradictions in your post. Bottom line, it's too much for his build but since you already spent the money on yours, you tried to make a case that it was just right for your 20 inch monitor but then found yourself telling the truth.

The OP (and you) has way more options than a 7900 series card will offer him.
 
Pkirk618 said:
The 7970s are being worked because BF3 is designed to take advantage of all the ram it can get its hands on. Not because your 6950s were inadequate. Even first gen crysis gives current rigs a good run for their money though not for the same reason BF3 does it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you have to be careful of people who say shit like, "I bought 2 7970s for 1080p gaming because I needed it for BF3"...From personal experience I can say that ONE stock GTX 570 was almost enough for 1080p BF3 maxed out, but with some minor slowdown in large maps with lots of players. It was still completely playable. I got a second one and now there's no slowdown at all. Keep in mind these are both 1.25 GB cards, as well.
 
Agreed. BF3 seems to be a game well thought out in terms of hardware. Can't say that about many games.
 
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