Buying new card, need advice.

[Genome852]

Just sold my GTX260 and am now looking for a new card.

Purchase Details:

1.Budget(Be sure to include currency if not USD):
260$

2.Do you consider rebates?
Yes.

3.Any particular preferences(Manufacturer[nV or AMD], Brand[XFX, Sapp, EVGA, etc], non reference cooler)?
Preferably one with lifetime warranty.

4. Crossfire/SLI?
Not interested.

5.Have you previously looked at a product which you feel would fill your needs?
6870, 6950, or GTX 560 Ti.

6.Which games (If any)do you plan to play and @ which desired detail levels?
...Generally 2011 games, at 1680*1050 with high settings.

7. Are there any other uses(Folding, Photoshop, Video editing or watching Blu-Ray) or features (DX11, CUDA, OpenGL, 3D, Eyefinity) you are looking for besides gaming?
Video editing, DX11.

8. Is the performance added by overclocking something you would take into consideration?
No.
System Specs:

1. Pre-built(HP, Dell, etc)? Ordering(a new computer) or Upgrading?
Upgrading.

2.Monitor Resolution:
1680*1050

3.Processor:
Phenom X4 955 BE

4.Power Supply Unit:
700W

5.Case Dimensions(Length, Low Profile, Cooling):
Big enough, but the cooling isn't that great.

Cards I'm considering:

$190 AMIR XFX 6870
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-506-_-Product

~$260 (after shipping costs) MSI GTX560 Twin Frozr
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-565-_-Product

~$260 AMIR HIS Radeon 6950 2gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-355-_-Product

(Also, I don't have any intention to unlock 6950 to 6970). With the 6950 and GTX 560 at the same price, I think it kind of boils down to the 6870 vs. 6950 which is $70 more expensive and no lifetime warranty. I can't decide which one I should get.

Should have picked up the $200 5870 when I had the chance. Oh well.

 

[bryanW1995]

6950 2gb will last longer, but 6870 is great for 1680x1050. by the time the HIS factory warranty expires on the 6950 you would probably be ready for a replacement anyway, however.

 

[GaiaHunter]

You can also look at the 5870.

For example this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-476-_-Product

$229.99 after mail-in rebate and has double lifetime warranty.

Any of these cards would be a good choice.

If you were unlocking I would say 6950 for sure, otherwise all good choices. It is really up to you man.

 

[MrK6]

Depends on how much money you want to spend really. To be honest, at 1680x1050 I think the 6950 2GB is overkill. It's too bad the 6950 1GB's aren't cheaper as they'd be a good trade-off, but I digress. The 6870 is good card and $190 is a great price. Throw in the lifetime warranty and I think you have a good package there. If you are planning to upgrade to a larger monitor before you get a new video card, that'll swing my vote in favor of the 6950 2GB.

 

[Castiel]

You can also look at the 5870.

For example this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-476-_-Product

$229.99 after mail-in rebate and has double lifetime warranty.

Any of these cards would be a good choice.

If you were unlocking I would say 6950 for sure, otherwise all good choices. It is really up to you man.

Avoid that 5870.. No voltage control

 

[GaiaHunter]

Avoid that 5870.. No voltage control

8. Is the performance added by overclocking something you would take into consideration?
No.

Hmmmm.

 

[happy medium]

I'd grab a pre overclocked gtx560 @ 900 core for 249$ at Newegg.

Thats the fastest and cheapest choice for performance in its class and NO rebates.

 

[Genome852]

I'd grab a pre overclocked gtx560 @ 900 core for 249$ at Newegg.

Thats the fastest and cheapest choice for performance in its class and NO rebates.

After shipping it's about $260, which is the same cost as the 6950 2GB (after rebates though)... so I'm not sure if I'd want to go that route. I know the 2GB of VRAM is fairly useless for me, but if I decide to change monitors in the future it may come into play.

 

[Castiel]

Hmmmm.

Point of buying cards without V control these days? Its like burning money

 

[MentalIlness]

Well, apparently the voltage adjustments doesn't matter to the OP. He clearly says, he's not interested in overclocking.

If it were me....Id go with the 6870 or the 560. But at 1600 res...probably the 6870. Since it would be more than enough for that res. If you go higher res, id go with the 560.

 

[Genome852]

I'm currently running on integrated graphics (HD3300) and I just got a BSOD caused by atixxxxx.dll while browsing firefox....

Are the ATI drivers as bad as everyone says? This worries me. >_>

 

[RavenSEAL]

I'm currently running on integrated graphics (HD3300) and I just got a BSOD caused by atixxxxx.dll while browsing firefox....

Are the ATI drivers as bad as everyone says? This worries me. >_>

I've had 0 issues running them for 5 years, spread between 3 cards.

They're not perfect, but people love to blow crap out of proportion.

As far as your card, I would say either a 6950(1GB) or a GTX560. They're about even on non-nvidia biased benchmarks. So unless you're looking to play far cry 2 and hawx....

Thank you for using the form btw, makes things a lot easier! =)

 

[MentalIlness]

I've had 0 issues running them for 5 years, spread between 3 cards.

They're not perfect, but people love to blow crap out of proportion.

As far as your card, I would say either a 6950(1GB) or a GTX560. They're about even on non-nvidia biased benchmarks. So unless you're looking to play far cry 2 and hawx....

Thank you for using the form btw, makes things a lot easier! =)

QFT

 

[Genome852]

I've had 0 issues running them for 5 years, spread between 3 cards.

They're not perfect, but people love to blow crap out of proportion.

As far as your card, I would say either a 6950(1GB) or a GTX560. They're about even on non-nvidia biased benchmarks. So unless you're looking to play far cry 2 and hawx....

Thank you for using the form btw, makes things a lot easier! =)

Is there a reason you think I shouldn't get a 6870?

As for Far Cry 2 - I played it for about an hour and then the forced mouse acceleration got to me. Uninstalled immediately, awful game.

From some benchmarks I've seen though, it looks like NVIDIA cards absolutely destroy ATI cards in Civilization 5... was the game designed for them?

Also - kind of off topic, but are there any negatives to using Crossfire / SLI besides the fact that some games might not support them? I hear horror stories about 'microstutter' (which was one of the big things about FO3 and FO: New Vegas that I disliked)... how bad is it really?

Oh yeah, and the form is perfect for lazy people like myself, kek.

 

[badb0y]

For top notch performance I would go for 560 Ti but if your more budget constrained, the HD 6870 is very good choice.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-913-_-Product

200$ and very capable for the resolution, another choice is the GTX 460 1 GB, very good performance and very cheap.

 

[Genome852]

I've decided to buy the MSI GTX 560... mostly for the lower temperatures - my case is horrible and doesn't have good airflow (not to mention my dorm sometimes gets really hot due to an automated heater). At my resolution, it also seems like it slightly beats out the 6950.

Thanks all.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Good choice, couldn't go wrong with either one.

Today's market is pretty much identical at ALL price points for both Nvidia/AMD.

Whatever happened to the days of AMD being $100 cheaper than Nvidia equivalent....

 

[bryanW1995]

With poor airflow in your case then 560 is a solid choice, especially at that resolution. those cards just don't get hot, no matter how much you overclock/overvolt them.

 

[Genome852]

So...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814103084

Comes back in stock right after they ship my card.

Q_Q