Does it really take over $180 to upgrade past an HD6850?

[jaqie]

The most important thing for me besides having a video card that is as good as the HD6850 is having one that is ~130W or less power draw and quiet. Right now I have this:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3614#ov

Does it really take over $180 (via reputable sellers like newegg) to get something this quiet, performant, and with the same or less power use? I have been looking at both nvidia and amd based cards for a while hoping to upgrade for ~$150 but it seems I really gotta spend that extra $50 to get anything even slightly better which fits my power and noise budget...

It's so ironic because $170 is what I paid for this video card almost two years ago at newegg... are prices really stagnating that badly? 🙁

 

[MeldarthX]

Nope - look at the 7850-7870 series - depending on how you do your upgrade you won't spend that much over.....also think of it this way

6850 decent card; I have 6870 - with a custom cooler which I will be selling after I most likely pick up 7870 TL....I don't think I can spring for 7950.

I also bitcoin mine when not using my machine; its not all that for bitmining but seeing how I'm sitting on 4.5 coins; that will get me about 125-140 pounds.

This card has paid for itself as I paid 110 pounds used XFX; replaced the fan for 25 as it was dieing.

I can resell this card for at least 80-90; which I then can put towards either CPU ugprade or another SSD 😉

I can get my other card mining asap to start paining for itself 🙂 Stepping up to 7870 and overclocking it will get you a lot of speed .....🙂 and keep the power usage down

I haven't checked US prices for awhile sorry....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150641

Solid card will overclock well - and two free games which you can sell along with your card to bring the cost down.......7870 will cost a little more but get more performence; but still two free games which if you don't want can sell to lower to cost 🙂 Same thing along with your card

 

[-Slacker-]

You do get a 40~50% increase in performance with a hd 7850 (though I don't have the exact numbers) ... that's technically an upgrade, but not good enough for my preferences. Dunno how it compares in noise and thermals with your 6850, but the cooling solutions look pretty similar; They should also eat up about the same amount of power.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125451

 

[aaksheytalwar]

You get 7850s for $150-200 which are twice as fast as a 6850 when oced, even when both are oced. A 7870 costs a bit over 200 and is still faster.

A 7770 for a bit over a 100 bucks comes close to a 6850 in performance. Just that companies are now focussing on mid end and high end gpus and the low/mid level doesn't exist for practical purposes.

 

[jaqie]

Those are actually the first video cards I looked at...

the HD7870 is most decidedly over my power budget, by about 50 watts.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7850_HD_7870/24.html

the HD7850 is better, right in line with my HD6850, but like I said it's over $180... I was really hoping to find something less expensive two years after getting this one.

thank you two for your time 🙂 I do appreciate it.

 

[MeldarthX]

Jaqie; as I said while upfront it might seem over 180; as the one I linked is 2 gig version for less that 180 after rebate.....then with two free games which you can turn around and sell the codes on ebate for 40-50 which drops the price down to 130 to 140....

Then factor in you can sell your old card also for 70ish *not exactly sure ebay prices in the states* lowering the price again 🙂

Then factor in you can also bitcoin mine with these cards while not using the system....with the prices on bitcoins right now well worth doing.....🙂

But its that first hump getting over which kinda sucks I know 🙂

 

[Yuriman]

^ What he said. A 7850 won't be a massive upgrade for you but it's something, and after selling the game voucher on ebay and selling your current card, you might actually end up in the green.

In the strictest sense, you *could* get more performance for less than $180, by picking up a used HD5850 for ~$50. I doubt you're inclined to do that though.

 

[jaqie]

Jaqie; as I said while upfront it might seem over 180; as the one I linked is 2 gig version for less that 180 after rebate.....then with two free games which you can turn around and sell the codes on ebate for 40-50 which drops the price down to 130 to 140....

Then factor in you can sell your old card also for 70ish *not exactly sure ebay prices in the states* lowering the price again 🙂

Then factor in you can also bitcoin mine with these cards while not using the system....with the prices on bitcoins right now well worth doing.....🙂

But its that first hump getting over which kinda sucks I know 🙂

1) I don't sell my cards, I hand-me-down to the lower systems. Check my sig! 8D
2) that video card is going to be way too noisy for me. There is a single small fan with a single round heatpipe system in that card, and under use it is FAR noisier than my current one... I know, I have an XFX HD6850 BE next to me in my roomie's computer I gave her, and it annoys the crap out of me when she games with it. >.<
3) I don't bitcoin mine, it uses too much power and puts out too much heat.
4) those free codes are illegal to resale...and besides that, I just don't feel right doing such.
5) the 'upfront cost' is what nails me.

The main reason I didn't count your link was the noise, though.
Thanks for your time! 🙂 I do appreciate it. Just isn't going to work for me, though.

 

[jaqie]

In the strictest sense, you *could* get more performance for less than $180, by picking up a used HD5850 for ~$50. I doubt you're inclined to do that though.

...please tell me how an HD5850 is faster than an HD6850 while consuming less power? 😕

 

[Tweak155]

1) I don't sell my cards, I hand-me-down to the lower systems. Check my sig! 8D
2) that video card is going to be way too noisy for me. There is a single small fan with a single round heatpipe system in that card, and under use it is FAR noisier than my current one... I know, I have an XFX HD6850 BE next to me in my roomie's computer I gave her, and it annoys the crap out of me when she games with it. >.<
3) I don't bitcoin mine, it uses too much power and puts out too much heat.
4) those free codes are illegal to resale...and besides that, I just don't feel right doing such.
5) the 'upfront cost' is what nails me.

The main reason I didn't count your link was the noise, though.
Thanks for your time! 🙂 I do appreciate it. Just isn't going to work for me, though.

In other words, you're just here to whine and complain.

 

[jaqie]

In other words, you're just here to whine and complain.

Real nice troll. Go away. Did you even read the original post?
Some things matter to me that don't seem to matter to others, such as power use and noise levels.

 

[Yuriman]

...please tell me how an HD5850 is faster than an HD6850 while consuming less power? 😕

Well it's faster anyway. The load power draw is negligibly higher than a reference 6850 and the idle power draw is the same as they're both built on 40nm. For those not constrained by a power budget a pair of them for Crossfire is actually a very cost effective option right now.

 

[jaqie]

. . . . For those not constrained by a power budget a pair of them for Crossfire is actually a very cost effective option right now.

OH! That's what you meant. I didn't realize. A lot of my games are not SLI/Xfire compatible, sorry I didn't mention that.

 

[Tweak155]

Real nice troll. Go away. Did you even read the original post?
Some things matter to me that don't seem to matter to others, such as power use and noise levels.

Yes but you amply take the time to discredit a proposed solution and describe the problem, but it sounds like little work to find a solution.

You can find ways around issues (such as the previous poster mentioning selling the codes... which isn't illegal but god forbid it takes more work, they're being sold all over the place on tech forums), but you'd rather just point them out.

It's a lazy approach.

 

[MeldarthX]

Jaqie; just keep looking; and tech its not really illegal sell those codes 🙂 Because you do have right to first sale in the states; thus its not Illegal.....I can understand about not selling the card....

But bitcoin mining doesn't create a lot of power if you down clock your memory clocks....you'll be running core at speed or oc; but memory isn't. So its not as low as idle; but not as high as running it at gaming.

and with bitcoins selling at 40+ dollars.....hard to kinda pass it up; I can completely understand what you're saying; your needs are a little harder to fit. But can be done....🙂

 

[jaqie]

. . . .

If you had looked I listed five things which were not workable to me with that code. You chose one and are going nutso over it. Quit crapping in my thread. The noise is a huge concern to me, maybe you missed that even with me saying it multiple times in the post you quoted.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

You're arguing against the establishment, this gen is pretty trash. It has only recently gotten better with huge price cuts.

Those cards you're looking at now were $100 more expensive at release :whiste:

 

[Tweak155]

If you had looked I listed five things which were not workable to me with that code. You chose one and are going nutso over it. Quit crapping in my thread. The noise is a huge concern to me, maybe you missed that even with me saying it multiple times in the post you quoted.

Yes but considering they are proposing solutions to your other issues that you're less than willing to consider, why try and help you further by solving your other problems for you? Pretty sure you'll just find another reason it won't work. It is YOU who keep focusing on one item, when I'm applying your attitude to all items. If you're lazy in one area, you're likely lazy in all areas.

I'm just trying to state that you should have a problem solving attitude, not a problem identifying attitude. If you don't like the idea of selling the codes to reduce cost, find another way to reduce the cost, don't just discredit suggestions.

 

[jaqie]

Jaqie; just keep looking; and tech its not really illegal sell those codes 🙂 Because you do have right to first sale in the states; thus its not Illegal.....I can understand about not selling the card....

Thanks! I will have to check the laws again, maybe something has changed.

But bitcoin mining doesn't create a lot of power if you down clock your memory clocks....you'll be running core at speed or oc; but memory isn't. So its not as low as idle; but not as high as running it at gaming.
and with bitcoins selling at 40+ dollars.....hard to kinda pass it up;

The thing is, as I said, I have a power budget, and even that little change is enough to create a cascade effect here. If you're curious... my studio apartment has a 15A circuit for the whole thing... and I have to fit my computers, my roomie's computers, the microwave, the heater, the fridge, the air conditioner, the electric skillet, even the fish tank's power into the budget in order to keep from blowing the breaker.

I can completely understand what you're saying; your needs are a little harder to fit. But can be done....🙂

Thank you, that's why I came here asking for help. I have some uncommon requirements, but that doesn't make them invalid. 🙂

 

[TemjinGold]

...please tell me how an HD5850 is faster than an HD6850 while consuming less power? 😕

You DO realize the 5850 IS faster than the 6850, right? When the 6xxx gen came out, AMD messed with the naming (69xx is the successor to 58xx and 68xx is successor to 57xx).

 

[jaqie]

Yes but considering they are proposing solutions to your other issues that you're less than willing to consider, why try and help you further by solving your other problems for you? Pretty sure you'll just find another reason it won't work. It is YOU who keep focusing on one item, when I'm applying your attitude to all items. If you're lazy in one area, you're likely lazy in all areas.

I'm just trying to state that you should have a problem solving attitude, not a problem identifying attitude. If you don't like the idea of selling the codes to reduce cost, find another way to reduce the cost, don't just discredit suggestions.

It's simple, somehow you seem to have missed it, but that card doesn't meet several of my requirements. I need a card that has low noise, that card suggested isn't low noise. Now, one final time, go away and stop trolling/crapping.

It's not my attitude that's the problem, it's yours. You keep focusing on cost, which has nothing to do with why that card is not suitable for me.

 

[jaqie]

You DO realize the 5850 IS faster than the 6850, right? When the 6xxx gen came out, AMD messed with the naming (69xx is the successor to 58xx and 68xx is successor to 57xx).

No, I did not. I will have to verify this online - thank you for the pointer. If it's true, I will be in the market for one! 😀

~edit~
Sorry, the power use of it is far too high...

GPU Radeon HD 7850
(2,048MB) Radeon HD 6850
(1,024MB) Radeon HD 5850
(1,024MB)
TDP (watts) 130 125 150-plus

Just too high of wattage for my application. 🙁

 

[MeldarthX]

Thanks! I will have to check the laws again, maybe something has changed.

The thing is, as I said, I have a power budget, and even that little change is enough to create a cascade effect here. If you're curious... my studio apartment has a 15A circuit for the whole thing... and I have to fit my computers, my roomie's computers, the microwave, the heater, the fridge, the air conditioner, the electric skillet, even the fish tank's power into the budget in order to keep from blowing the breaker.

Thank you, that's why I came here asking for help. I have some uncommon requirements, but that doesn't make them invalid. 🙂

The laws haven't changed You've always have right of first sale with software. The companies want you to think you don't but you do.....so there's no issue in selling those codes......

Ah that makes a bit more sense as damn power line of the house/apartment is hard lined...

You can always try bit mining; and see how it goes I mean even just getting a couple coins can and would make a difference to your budget 🙂

 

[jaqie]

You can always try bit mining; and see how it goes I mean even just getting a couple coins can and would make a difference to your budget 🙂

I have... for a few weeks... it just used too much power. 🙁

 

[Tweak155]

It's simple, somehow you seem to have missed it, but that card doesn't meet several of my requirements. I need a card that has low noise, that card suggested isn't low noise. Now, one final time, go away and stop trolling/crapping.

It's not my attitude that's the problem, it's yours. You keep focusing on cost, which has nothing to do with why that card is not suitable for me.

Sigh, you don't get it. I'm using cost as an example of a proposed solution that you threw to the curb. So that removes any inclination to consider helping you further. You blindly said that they are illegal to resell (WRONG) and that you just plain didn't want to do it anyway (LAZY). So, if that's your ATTITUDE, then forget any further assistance. You threw away the one good solution even though the others may have not been something that you could have used.

Get it now?