GPU that pairs well with SB

[azfk]

Title says it all

Information:

Desired set-up

i5-2500k
16 gb DDR3 1033/1600 RAM OC'd
64 SSD

Mobo and PSU will change depending on GPU setup

What I'll be using it for

I like monitor real estate, I occasionally game, the most intense game I run is Starcraft 2, and I can run ultra on a HD 4870

Why then do I need a GPU?

I do play games and merchant etc, so I leave multiple instances of the game on selling, etc. So I run multiple - but not hardcore instances of games

Budget... well, I know what the most expensive and highest benchmarked card is without you telling me.

So

does SLI get pwned when it's run in x8 / x8 when the single card could be running in x16? or that was a thing of the past?

Some mobos offer x16 / x8 at the same time, which is weird...

Does CF eliminate this bottleneck? Or it's the CPU chip (P67) where it can only take in 16 lines?

So does getting 1 single high end card suit?

What kind of PSU do I need to follow it up with given my above specs?

Thankss

 

[dpodblood]

Welcome to the forums. I'm not sure what you're asking though. If your current card runs the "most intense" game you have, what is the need to upgrade?

 

[douglasb]

4870/4890 is a pretty decent card. No need to upgrade, IMO. You will end up spending a LOT of money and you won't see much of a difference, if any, in the games you play.

 

[azfk]

Oh

The current system I have is CPU - lacking, the MOST INTENSE game - meaning the game that will actually draw from my graphics card is starcraft.

The above is for a new system, my emphasis isn't on getting a GPU setup that can play Crysis 3 (lol..) but like I said, the multi - lower-middle end games, but multiple instances

 

[Skurge]

I do play games and merchant etc, so I leave multiple instances of the game on selling, etc. So I run multiple - but not hardcore instances of games

Not sure what this part means.

 

[dpodblood]

Not sure what this part means.

Yes; I'm not sure either. Could you please clarify? If you mean you have multiple games running at the same time this should not come into play with the GPU since only one will be in view at a time. The main things which will be affected are your memory, and a bit of CPU overhead.

 

[azfk]

I mostly play MMO - which does not require a zomg-nice setup.

The MMO world allows you to merch - usually leaving the game idle there with your character in the marketplace opening a store, or selling items.

The MMO I play allows multiple instances of this game, so you can open more than one character at a time.

I'm looking to build a new system, and not a budget system where I'd be undercutting things.

Also, I'm looking for solid performance and reliability as this will be on 24/7 and if I ever need to run video editing and stuff (I have in the past before), it will be able to do both (the merchanting and video editing)

dpodblood: Oh really? does the GPU really only work like that? like, the other games that are minimized or aren't in focus, they still have... "stuff" going on in them, like different chars with flames, etc moving, that wouldn't require the GPU to do anything? So I just need to get a beefy enough CPU and memory and a w.e 100 dollar economic graphics card, I'm good? =D

 

[Skurge]

I mostly play MMO - which does not require a zomg-nice setup.

The MMO world allows you to merch - usually leaving the game idle there with your character in the marketplace opening a store, or selling items.

The MMO I play allows multiple instances of this game, so you can open more than one character at a time.

I'm looking to build a new system, and not a budget system where I'd be undercutting things.

Also, I'm looking for solid performance and reliability as this will be on 24/7 and if I ever need to run video editing and stuff (I have in the past before), it will be able to do both (the merchanting and video editing)

Can you tell us which MMO you play. I don't think the card will have much affect on running more than one instance of the game. As dpodblood said, it's mainly CPU and memory.

 

[dpodblood]

I mostly play MMO - which does not require a zomg-nice setup.

The MMO world allows you to merch - usually leaving the game idle there with your character in the marketplace opening a store, or selling items.

The MMO I play allows multiple instances of this game, so you can open more than one character at a time.

I'm looking to build a new system, and not a budget system where I'd be undercutting things.

Also, I'm looking for solid performance and reliability as this will be on 24/7 and if I ever need to run video editing and stuff (I have in the past before), it will be able to do both (the merchanting and video editing)

dpodblood: Oh really? does the GPU really only work like that? like, the other games that are minimized or aren't in focus, they still have... "stuff" going on in them, like different chars with flames, etc moving, that wouldn't require the GPU to do anything? So I just need to get a beefy enough CPU and memory and a w.e 100 dollar economic graphics card, I'm good? =D

Yes the GPU only renders a game which is currently open. My friend used to do something similar; farming in Eve online, while doing quests and missions in Guild Wars.

 

[azfk]

To list them all would really be somewhat tedious xD

I play some ROSE Online
Maplestory
WoW
Guild Wars
Ace Online

and I dabble in some others but aren't as wealthy

I normally accumulate and hold things while waiting for prices to even out after some big discrepancies, so that's why I switch between games.

Like Maplestory has bunch of hackers and events that switch prices
Ace has credit hores that force things up etc..

Sometimes, I'll have 12 + running at the same time

EDIT: so anything that would be able to render the MAX of any of the games is good enough to render them all minimized and just running? then I'd be shifting all the workload onto the CPU right?

 

[Skurge]

To list them all would really be somewhat tedious xD

I play some ROSE Online
Maplestory
WoW
Guild Wars
Ace Online

and I dabble in some others but aren't as wealthy

I normally accumulate and hold things while waiting for prices to even out after some big discrepancies, so that's why I switch between games.

Like Maplestory has bunch of hackers and events that switch prices
Ace has credit hores that force things up etc..

Sometimes, I'll have 12 + running at the same time

EDIT: so anything that would be able to render the MAX of any of the games is good enough to render them all minimized and just running? then I'd be shifting all the workload onto the CPU right?

Yep. Some else could chime in and tell you if 16gb or ram is enough. I think It's plenty. The CPU should be fine too.

 

[azfk]

virtual hug, high five, you have saved me at least 300$

 

[dpodblood]

Yes I think it would be more than enough memory.

 

[SickBeast]

TBH an AMD setup is going to perform pretty much the same as a Sandy Bridge setup with a midrange GPU. Really if you want to take full advantage of a SB CPU, you need something like a GTX 580 or a pair of 460's in SLI.

 

[dpodblood]

TBH an AMD setup is going to perform pretty much the same as a Sandy Bridge setup with a midrange GPU. Really if you want to take full advantage of a SB CPU, you need something like a GTX 580 or a pair of 460's in SLI.

LOL...

Yeah I don't think so...

 

[SickBeast]

LOL...

Yeah I don't think so...

Let's see some benchmarks then. Sure if you game at low resolutions with VSYNC off, you'll get 200fps on a Sandy Bridge vs 120fps on a Phenom II, but really who cares when hardly anyone runs games with settings like that?

At 1920x1200 I can guarantee you that there will be less than a 5% difference between a Sandy Bridge and a Phenom II. With my setup, all of my games are constantly pegged at 60fps at 1920x1200. Why would I need more than that when my monitor only has a 60hz refresh rate?

 

[notty22]

Nvmind

 

[Gloomy]

Let's see some benchmarks then. Sure if you game at low resolutions with VSYNC off, you'll get 200fps on a Sandy Bridge vs 120fps on a Phenom II, but really who cares when hardly anyone runs games with settings like that?

At 1920x1200 I can guarantee you that there will be less than a 5% difference between a Sandy Bridge and a Phenom II. With my setup, all of my games are constantly pegged at 60fps at 1920x1200. Why would I need more than that when my monitor only has a 60hz refresh rate?

You want your minimum to be at least 60. You will notice dips and spikes otherwise. Otherwise, I agree. :thumbsup:

 

[GodisanAtheist]

In response to the title: any freaking videocard you want to. Reading what you want to play, standard 460/6850 response works just fine.

 

[RussianSensation]

At 1920x1200 I can guarantee you that there will be less than a 5% difference between a Sandy Bridge and a Phenom II. With my setup, all of my games are constantly pegged at 60fps at 1920x1200. Why would I need more than that when my monitor only has a 60hz refresh rate?

Phenom II would get crushed by an overclocked SB even with a single GTX570/HD6950. Even compared to 1st generation Core i series, it doesn't stand a chance. If you are happy with your Phenom II, that's great. It doesn't make sense to state your opinion of 5% performance difference as a fact though:

Black Ops <-- Core i5 760 will get min frames = Phenom II 1075T avg frames.....so a 4.4ghz SB will probably double the frames of a Phenom II system here.
Starcraft 2 <-- again, a 4.4ghz SB will probably double the frames of a Phenom II system.
GTAIV

 

[taltamir]

Title says it all

Considering the title is "GPU that pairs well with SB" then the answer is "any".

I like monitor real estate, I occasionally game, the most intense game I run is Starcraft 2, and I can run ultra on a HD 4870

Why then do I need a GPU?

to run Starcraft 2, WoW, Guild Wars, etc...
They will flat out not run without a GPU... with a crappy IGP (integrated GPU) they will run, but badly (look nasty, low FPS)

I do play games and merchant etc, so I leave multiple instances of the game on selling, etc. So I run multiple - but not hardcore instances of games

I had difficulty understanding most of what you said, this line went beyond difficulty... I just couldn't understand at all.

does SLI get pwned when it's run in x8 / x8 when the single card could be running in x16? or that was a thing of the past?

That is a thing of "never" not "the past"... SLI and xFire never got pwned by a single card. And if you mean does SLI of 16x/16x pwn 8x/8x then the answer is no. It is a little faster, but thats it.

Some mobos offer x16 / x8 at the same time, which is weird...

What it is, is that one of the GPUs gets 16x and the other gets 8x of bandwidth. And it is weird... just treat it as if its 8x/8x

Does CF eliminate this bottleneck? Or it's the CPU chip (P67) where it can only take in 16 lines?

1. They are called lanes not lines.
2. CF is AMD's name for multiple video cards, SLI is nvidia's... I don't know what bottleneck you are talking about.

So does getting 1 single high end card suit?

Suit your needs and budget? how the heck should I know?
look here to find out: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/GPU11/188

What kind of PSU do I need to follow it up with given my above specs?

Thankss

Depends on which video card/s you choose to buy.

TBH an AMD setup is going to perform pretty much the same as a Sandy Bridge setup with a midrange GPU. Really if you want to take full advantage of a SB CPU, you need something like a GTX 580 or a pair of 460's in SLI.

I don't think so.

Let's see some benchmarks then.

Here you go... http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/288?vs=203
SB i5 gets ~50&#37; more FPS than the fastest AMD CPU on the market right now, a 6 core phenom 2.
It even includes starcraft 2 and WoW in the benchmarked games, both of which the OP plays.

 

[SickBeast]

Here you go... http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/288?vs=203
SB i5 gets ~50% more FPS than the fastest AMD CPU on the market right now, a 6 core phenom 2.
It even includes starcraft 2 and WoW in the benchmarked games, both of which the OP plays.

Please show me a game that runs lower than 60fps on the AMD setup aside from Starcraft 2 (which will run at 60fps if you overclock the CPU-NB).

IMO if you're a gamer you're better off with a better GPU on an AMD setup than you are with a crappy GPU paired with a SB CPU.

IMO if you're going with a 2500K or something, you should get a pair of GTX 460s as a bare minimum.

 

[SickBeast]

Phenom II would get crushed by an overclocked SB even with a single GTX570/HD6950. Even compared to 1st generation Core i series, it doesn't stand a chance. If you are happy with your Phenom II, that's great. It doesn't make sense to state your opinion of 5% performance difference as a fact though:

Black Ops <-- Core i5 760 will get min frames = Phenom II 1075T avg frames.....so a 4.4ghz SB will probably double the frames of a Phenom II system here.
Starcraft 2 <-- again, a 4.4ghz SB will probably double the frames of a Phenom II system.
GTAIV

I'm just telling you that on my system all of my games are constantly pegged at 60fps aside from Crysis which is GPU limited anyway. If you properly overclock a Phenom II, it is a very capable gaming setup. I would have spent $200 extra to get a Sandy Bridge setup. IMO it's better to put that money towards a better GPU and/or an SSD.

 

[SickBeast]

BTW OP can you wait a week or so to see how the GTX 560 pans out? I'm guessing that a pair of those would be almost unbeatable for the price.

 

[taltamir]

IMO if you're a gamer you're better off with a better GPU on an AMD setup than you are with a crappy GPU paired with a SB CPU.

But ideally you will combine SB with a good GPU.

IMO if you're going with a 2500K or something, you should get a pair of GTX 460s as a bare minimum.

that is a good idea, I agree with you on that point.