New build... new graphics card help

Shyne151

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 4, 2003
Messages
465
I've been out of the custom pc scene for about 10years. I'm a php developer so I haven't really needed a super computer(my i3 laptop gets the job done).

I used to be a huge pc gamer in high school(02-03) and played the shit out of BF1942, Counter Strike, and Rogue Spear/Rainbow 6. Kinda got on a console kick when I got my first xbox and haven't really done any pc gaming since. With all the videos I've watched of BF3... I'd like to get back into it. :)

The problem is I'm having a fuck of a time deciding on a graphics card.

Here is what I have ordered so for components thus far:
  • AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Thuban 3.3GHz, 3.7GHz Turbo Socket AM3
  • ASUS Sabertooth 990FX AM3+ AMD 990FX
  • CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
  • Intel 320 Series SSDSA2CW080G3K5 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive
  • Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
  • CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified

At first I was just going to get a Geforce GTX560... then I decided I wanted a GTX560Ti... and now someone showed me a ATI Radeon HD5870 and kinda partial to it.

I really don't want to go above $225 for a graphics card and preferably would like to stay under $200... but if the extra $25 makes the difference I'm willing to go to $225.

I was looking at this roundup: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/battlefield-3-graphics-performance,3063.html

^^^ that is where the Radeon 5870 came into play... seems to perform well. Is there any problems with ordering a last gen card?

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
 
560 Ti is a great card, if your just looking for good frame rates at med to high settings it will get the job done. you can find them around 230-240 locally, i bought a MSI Twin Frozr II to add to my EVGA 560 Ti that i already have recently for 230+tax at Fry's

edit: don't trust what tom's hardware did in that review, they chose a single player level (going hunting) to do the benchmarks on for god knows what reason, its probably one of the least stressful scenes in BF3's single player campaign and multiplayer is much harder on the system than any part of single player. they also failed to find out that the game is a highly CPU reliant game in multiplayer by doing something stupid like testing a simple you do nothing if you don't want to level like gone hunting.
 
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Wait for the new gtx560ti 1.25gb, releasing Tuesday.

looks like some retailers messed up because someone already bought one.


http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=1340289

look a few posts down though because the price point is probably over what the OP is looking to spend at $295, if i was in his position i would wait and get the new 560 Ti though, the small amount of extra ram and extra speed is worth 50 dollars, what i really wish however is that my 560 Ti's were 2Gb versions because in SLI they have more than enough power to take use of more than even 1.25 gb of ram easily in the latest games.
 
Damn seems like 560ti is the goto card.

Any idea if the 1gb versions will be going down in price with the release of the 1.25?

So Radeon cards are pretty much out of the running for my price range? The nvidia stuff seems to perform a good amount better... but you also pay more.
 
Damn seems like 560ti is the goto card.

Any idea if the 1gb versions will be going down in price with the release of the 1.25?

So Radeon cards are pretty much out of the running for my price range? The nvidia stuff seems to perform a good amount better... but you also pay more.

radeons offer roughly equal performance for the price, sometimes better price for close to the same performance. driver support with nvidia is better however unless you intend to use SLI its not that big of a deal from what i hear. i will openly admit i'm an nvidia fan because of their drivers alone so by all means look into ATI cards if you want but i cannot offer my opinion on them because i have not had one in many, many years.
 
6950 is going to give you better performance than a 560 ti, especially if you can unlock it. Price should be about equal.

Nvidia drivers have been better recently however, so if that's a concern the 560ti isn't bad but definitely slower than a 6950 in most games.
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102945 - thoughts on that Sapphire? Seems easy enough to unlock to a 6970...

I've been eying that for a while and I don't think many people have noticed. It has a dual bios switch and the second bios is for unlocking the shaders. However, I have heard that there is absolutely no overclocking headroom because of this. Does that affect this so badly? People are selling their used & unlocked 6950's for around $230 and I just do not understand it because of this card. $260 gets you a brand new card and it's the easiest unlock you'll ever do plus you get a game with it. Does anyone have any other opinions on this card?
 
They look the same exact card to me. I am thinking one was probably rebranded in order to sell the dirt 3 game.

Just to Throw in my 2 cents...I have a 6950 unlocked and overclocked and am very happy with it. It runs every game I have at very reasonable frame rates. on a 42 inch 1920/1080p res. It is a breeze to overclock and you learn alot in the process. I say if your reason for getting a 6950 is to unlock it get a card that is known for their ability to do so. The sapphire toxic and flex editions as well as the MSI Twin Frozr III Power edition/ Overclock edition 2gb and 1gb are known to unlock as well. If you dont care then I say go with the cheapest quality brand. Such as the MSI, Sapphire, HIS, And I think XFX makes good cards.
 
The 560 Ti is a great card, but I would wait until the 29th too see what the updated version looks like. Second, unless you are going to be doing some hardcore video editing, etc I see no reason for getting 16 gigs of RAM, even 8 is still overkill for today's videogame market. You could shave off a few dollars there and eaisly put them to better use somewhere else in your rig.
---edit---
I just realized you have already ordered the RAM, so nothing you can do there. Nevertheless be warned readers of this post, going overboard with RAM is not the best thing to do!
 
The 560 Ti is a great card, but I would wait until the 29th too see what the updated version looks like. Second, unless you are going to be doing some hardcore video editing, etc I see no reason for getting 16 gigs of RAM, even 8 is still overkill for today's videogame market. You could shave off a few dollars there and eaisly put them to better use somewhere else in your rig.
---edit---
I just realized you have already ordered the RAM, so nothing you can do there. Nevertheless be warned readers of this post, going overboard with RAM is not the best thing to do!


I also work from home three days a week and have usually have a RDP session or two running, photoshop, dreamweaver, ie/firefox/chrome all running with usually 5-10 tabs each, outlook, word for proposals, and excel open.My current system usually gets sluggish with 4gigs. Im pretty careless with closig tabs/documents/programs. It was only $75 for 16gigs, I figured why not.
 
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