Bang for the buck???

[Desslok]

What is the best bang for the buck video card for F@H in the $150-200 range. Would love a 970, but the bank account says no go on that.

Thanks

 

[VirtualLarry]

Maybe 7950 for $140 + ship? Look up HIS video cards on Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161400

 

[Desslok]

Mo betta?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...70&ignorebbr=1

Maybe 7950 for $140 + ship? Look up HIS video cards on Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161400

 

[biodoc]

This database is a good ppd reference for GPUs

 

[Ken g6]

If clocked the same, R9 280 = 7950 7850, and R9 280X = 7970 7870.

You didn't mention overclocking. If you don't want to OC yourself, here's an MSI 280 for $170.

If you want to spend your maximum, there's an R9 280X for just under $200.

The R9 285 is a strange beast - a cut-down 290 with memory compression tricks, that's more like a 280. But if you're concerned about power consumption you might try it at $180.

If you really want to save power, perhaps 2x750ti for $100 each AR? OCed a little each can get ~70kppd. Though you can only get one $30 rebate per household. :hmm:

 

[Plimogz]

If clocked the same, R9 280 = 7850, and R9 280X = 7870.

Actually, 280=7950 & 280X=7970. Also, the R9s feature boost clocks, which not all 79x0 did, though I believe R9 280X isn't necessarily clocked as high as 7970 GHz Edition.

And I'm pretty sure R9 285 isn't a cut down 290 given that Tonga (285) has newer features than 290. I look at Hawaii as being a beefed up Tahiti (albeit with crippled DP, sadly), but Tonga is a new chip in its own right.

Tonga should be the more desirable part, but it only ships with 2GB of RAM and isn't quite faster than the older Tahiti-based cards it 'replaced', while being slightly more expensive.

I've also never quite seen R9 285 (Tonga) discussed with regards to its DC prowess, but it doesn't seem to shine compared to Tahiti in any metrics. Power, maybe?

 

[Desslok]

Thanks for the information everyone.

One other question, doesn't overclocking actually hurt F@H results?

 

[Plimogz]

I wouldn't say so: my 7950s manage something like 120K-125K PPD running @ 1075MHz, but barely crack 100K PPD when running stock.

On the other hand, overclocking would be detrimental to PPD when you reach that point where you're getting invalid results. F@H, I believe, allows for one or two invalid results (errors?) before it requires a manual restart before sending more work. So if you're not looking in on your clients, the cards could be sitting there idle for a while as a consequence of a reckless OC.

But assuming a good, stable overclock, results scale with clocks.

***

Others would have to chime in as regards Nvidia, but I expect it should be much of the same.

 

[VirtualLarry]

My 7950 @ 800/1250 is cranking out MW@H WUs in 37s.

 

[TennesseeTony]

Does Folding at Home not require Double Precision? I thought it did.

Someone listed a database page showing single precision, but here's another, showing double precision (factory specs).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_graphics_processing_units#Rx_2xx_Series

IF DOUBLE PRECISION is required, the R9-280X, may be the best bang/buck (using a reasonable amount of energy). I've picked up 4 off ebay recently, Miners are dumping them so they tend to go for only $150 shipped.

Running Milkyway@Home I'm getting some truly obscene points per day with those cards. 1.65 million yesterday. Had to shut them down last night though, was over 80 degrees in the house.

 

[Desslok]

I am pretty sure F@H is single precision.

Does Folding at Home not require Double Precision? I thought it did.

Someone listed a database page showing single precision, but here's another, showing double precision (factory specs).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_graphics_processing_units#Rx_2xx_Series

IF DOUBLE PRECISION is required, the R9-280X, may be the best bang/buck (using a reasonable amount of energy). I've picked up 4 off ebay recently, Miners are dumping them so they tend to go for only $150 shipped.

Running Milkyway@Home I'm getting some truly obscene points per day with those cards. 1.65 million yesterday. Had to shut them down last night though, was over 80 degrees in the house.

 

[TennesseeTony]

I am pretty sure F@H is single precision.

Interesting. Researching the subject seems to support that it is single precision, and they perhaps have developed a software ECC.

I think most of the BOINC projects require double precision. So for a dual purpose card, I'll stand by the R9-280X.

 

[biodoc]

GTX960 is out. $209-230.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...09%20600537575

 

[TennesseeTony]

http://anandtech.com/show/8568/the-geforce-gtx-970-review-feat-evga/14


Scroll down half-way, and you'll find single precision and double precision tests of various high end cards. Again, I'm digging the used ebay R9-280X option for $150.

Looks like it can spank the new GTX960 too.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960,4038-4.html

 

[Desslok]

Thanks TennTony!

The 960 is more energy efficient though and is not that far off the mark.

http://anandtech.com/show/8568/the-geforce-gtx-970-review-feat-evga/14


Scroll down half-way, and you'll find single precision and double precision tests of various high end cards. Again, I'm digging the used ebay R9-280X option for $150.

Looks like it can spank the new GTX960 too.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960,4038-4.html

 

[TennesseeTony]

Thanks TennTony!

The 960 is more energy efficient though and is not that far off the mark.

I am successfully heating 4 rooms and a hallway this winter with 4 280X's. lol I'll be selling three of them in spring.

 

[schmuckley]

If clocked the same, R9 280 = 7850, and R9 280X = 7870.

You didn't mention overclocking. If you don't want to OC yourself, here's an MSI 280 for $170.

If you want to spend your maximum, there's an R9 280X for just under $200.

The R9 285 is a strange beast - a cut-down 290 with memory compression tricks, that's more like a 280. But if you're concerned about power consumption you might try it at $180.

If you really want to save power, perhaps 2x750ti for $100 each AR? OCed a little each can get ~70kppd. Though you can only get one $30 rebate per household. :hmm:

I suppose if for erm.."folding" or whatever that may be true.For FPS when gaming or benchmarking..NOT true.. 280x/7950>7870/7850

 

[biodoc]

Looks like the GTX960 does about 160K PPD on F@H 9201 WUs.

Link