5770 vs 4890 suggestions

[deadken]

Thanks again for the replies...

If you're really making this purchase primarily to play BF3 at any reasonable settings, I think you'll want more than a 4890 or 5770....

Here are some ... deals going right now:
(1) Sapphire HD6850 - $125AR/FS/Code
(2) HIS HD6870 - $140AR/FS

I realize that this is above your budget, but based on my experience and the comments from others here, I think that your $70 invested in a 5770/4890 would feel like money wasted once you tried to fire up BF3 on either card. A 6850 or 6870, on the other hand, will allow you to enjoy the game, and will retain their resale value quite well, IMO.

I'd personally get the 6870...

Ughhh.. I hate to say it, but your posts resonates very well. I was thinking that my 5 year old video card was holding me way back and that a few bucks would get me to playable FPS in BF3. If a used card already had taken the brunt of its depreciation, then it'd be very much worth $20 and the hassle of selling it, for a month or two of playing. I guess not. It's more apparent that significantly more power is needed to get significantly more playable framerates than I have now.

While I think the 6850 + 6870 are great values, I'd most likely buy an XFX brand, something with a dual fan cooler, or even a 2GB version. Once I start looking at those, the price gets even higher then I'd feel comfortable with.

I guess that I need to spend more then I feel comfortable with for a 'temporary card', I'll need to buy a 6870 2GB and hold onto it for more then 2 months (until the next Nvidia launch?), or I'll need to wait a few more weeks. Damn this upgrade fever...

-Ken

 

[Lepton87]

Playing the waiting game is stupid at your budget level. Just buy two 6870, they are the best value right now and they deliver performance well in excess of anything you will be able to buy from 7 series with the money you have.