Confused about Graphics Cards

[MajorNate175]

Hi, I'm new to PC's and need help understanding Graphics Cards. I figured that the GTX 680 was the worst graphics and the 780 was a better one and the 980 being the best. I'm starting to think that isn't the case because I'll see a 680 that is more expensive than a 980. I have heard of something to do with configuration which can make a card better regardless of specs, but I don't entirely understand that. Just looking for clarification. Thanks

 

[bystander36]

NO 680 is better than a 780 or 980.

 

[Stuka87]

The 680 isn't even sold anymore. You can buy used ones, but they have not been made for a while last I checked it. The GTX770 replaced it (680 re-badged to a 770 basically).

Specs are very important. Their are other factors, but they are the most important.

I suggest you start reading some reviews (Such as those on Anandtech) and you should be able to learn a fair amount.

 

[Red Hawk]

Ok, basically, how it works is that the "x00" digit in the card for Nvidia indicates the "generation" that card was released in. The higher the x00 digit, the newer the card. The 0x0 digit indicates how fast the card was within the generation. A fast card from an older generation can still be faster than a slow card from a newer generation. For example, a Geforce GTX 680 is faster than a Geforce GTX 750. But if the 0x0 digit is the same and one card is newer with a higher x00 digit, you can generally trust that the newer card is faster. So a Geforce GTX 780 is faster than a Geforce GTX 680. Right now, the newest, fastest Nvidia graphics card is the Geforce GTX 980.

AMD graphics cards are similar; up until recently they used four digits. The x000 digit indicates generation, the 0x00 digit indicates how fast the card is within that generation, and the 00x0 digit is used to indicate further how fast the card is within that. So a 7970 is faster than a 6970, which is faster than a 6870, which is faster than a 6850. But a 6950 is faster than a 7770! A year ago, they switched over to a three-digit format like Nvidia, starting with a 200 series. Right now the fastest AMD graphics chip is the R9-290X.

If you want to dig past naming schemes, it gets a bit hard to compare graphics cards. You CANNOT simply compare specifications like clock speeds or memory size. The easiest and most accurate way to compare graphics cards is by looking up "benchmark tests" on tech review websites like Anandtech.com, Techspot.com, Techreport.com, and many others. "Benchmark tests" use methods, including but not limited to frame rate monitoring, to objectively measure how smoothly various graphics cards play games in comparison to each other. The higher the frame rate a graphics card gets in a game, the smoother it should play (but there can be other factors...which are rather technical).

A good summary of tips in looking for a graphics card can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3BKuNXdM5A

 

[Seba]

A year ago, they switched over to a three-digit format like Nvidia, starting with a 200 series. Right now the fastest AMD graphics chip is the R9-290X.

To be more precise, they kept a four digit system, but the first digit now is in a separate group, with "R" prefix and it designates the graphics card class, instead of generation:
- R5 2xx - cards to avoid, because the performance is at integrated graphics level or barely above that;
- R7 2xx - still not good enough for games, except R7 260X and R7 265, which are entry-level gaming cards;
- R9 2xx - good to very good gaming cards.

Bigger xx number means better card.

The next generation of AMD graphic cards will keep R5, R7 and R9 class designation, but the second group of digits will start with 3, instead of 2.
Example: R9 390.
So the first digit from the 3-digit group designates the generation in this new AMD naming scheme.

When X suffix is used, the card with an X is better than the card without X.
For example, R9 270X is better than R9 270.

 

[DigDog]

you guys are making this too complicated.

step 1: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/

step 2: ctrl+f and find your card of choice

step 3: is the number big? is it bigger than other numbers?

step 4: buy card.

 

[digitaldurandal]

Hi, I'm new to PC's and need help understanding Graphics Cards. I figured that the GTX 680 was the worst graphics and the 780 was a better one and the 980 being the best. I'm starting to think that isn't the case because I'll see a 680 that is more expensive than a 980. I have heard of something to do with configuration which can make a card better regardless of specs, but I don't entirely understand that. Just looking for clarification. Thanks

Price does not always equal better in almost anything ever.

There is such a range of retailers and many of them do not keep up with newer PC components instead they set a price on launch and often will keep it even years after the product has become obsolete.

 

[KingFatty]

Older cards become more scarce, so you can't find them for sale much anymore, so just being so scarce, the price would go up (even though it might not be as fast as other more recent cards that might cost lower).

So don't rely on the price alone to try to judge the value of a thing. The price could just reflect its scarcity. Especially in the modern age of automated pricing and online companies, where a human doesn't set the price and it's just an algorithm that increases the price as the stock-on-hand is depleted.

 

[Red Hawk]

you guys are making this too complicated.

step 1: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/

step 2: ctrl+f and find your card of choice

step 3: is the number big? is it bigger than other numbers?

step 4: buy card.

Sure, if you're fine with possibly ending up with a card that's actually worse than less expensive cards in the games you actually play.

 

[Techhog]

you guys are making this too complicated.

step 1: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/

step 2: ctrl+f and find your card of choice

step 3: is the number big? is it bigger than other numbers?

step 4: buy card.

Passmark is terrible.