Help me pick between a AMD 6850 or GTX460 1GB

[96Firebird]

Notice how everyone is comparing them at stock... Do you plan to overclock at all? This will play quite a factor in deciding which is better.

 

[titan131]

Here is a 6850 for 129.98 http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/...scards/atihd6800series/novatech/nov-6850.html

 

[Bearach]

Thank you everyone for your opinions so far, I'm glad to see that the AMD driver issues is FUD as that was a serious worry of mine.

 

[tincart]

I recall this problem with some of the Palit GTX 460's now:

http://www.guru3d.com/news/palit-geforce-gtx-460-sonic-could-have-issues-/

If you order than one, you may want to E-mail Amazon first and ask whether or not the card has a heatsink on the VRMs.

 

[Bearach]

Notice how everyone is comparing them at stock... Do you plan to overclock at all? This will play quite a factor in deciding which is better.

As a rule I don't normally overclock, because I like them to last as long as possible. Though, I am thinking of doing some "light" overclocking this time if I find that I need to.

 

[Bearach]

I recall this problem with some of the Palit GTX 460's now:

http://www.guru3d.com/news/palit-geforce-gtx-460-sonic-could-have-issues-/

If you order than one, you may want to E-mail Amazon first and ask whether or not the card has a heatsink on the VRMs.

Yikes, thanks for the heads up and if I do choose that card, I will email asking about that.

 

[Skurge]

Notice how everyone is comparing them at stock... Do you plan to overclock at all? This will play quite a factor in deciding which is better.

I don't agree. There is always a chance that you will end up with a card that won't OC 5mhz.
Everyone says 5870 overclock well right? There were a few people who had ones that wouldn't OC an inch.

I have a 5770 that would fall over after a 50mhz OC.

 

[Bearach]

I don't agree. There is always a chance that you will end up with a card that won't OC 5mhz.
Everyone says 5870 overclock well right? There were a few people who had ones that wouldn't OC an inch.

I have a 5770 that would fall over after a 50mhz OC.

That's very true, that's why I normally look for best value and performance that is guaranteed.

 

[Skurge]

Here is a 6850 for 129.98 http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/p.../nov-6850.html

This and the 6850 Toxic are the best 6850s around. I would jump on that.

 

[96Firebird]

I don't remember everyone saying the 5870 overclocked well... 😕

But believe what you want.

 

[Troll Trolling]

HD 6850, http://www.computerbase.de/artikel/...-570/20/#abschnitt_performancerating_mit_aaaf
somewhat faster than the GTX 460, mainly at no AA and 8XAA. (1920x1080)

http://www.computerbase.de/artikel/...dia-geforce-gtx-570/22/#abschnitt_lautstaerke
Quieter when idle, but somewhat louder when at load.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/radeon-hd6870-hd6850_9.html#sect0
The GTX 460 uses 55% more energy when gaming.
PS: Their HD 6850 is bugged; it is using a lot more energy than a normal one will use. Also, their idle values seems different than any other review site (too low on ATI and too high on nVidia); it has been proven that these cards use about the same power when idling though.

Well, unless CUDA and/or Physix is must have for you, I would go with ATI...

 

[Barfo]

If both cost the same I'd get the 6850.

 

[BoomerD]

I was juggling between a EVGA super-clocked 460 and an XFX 5850, but in the end, I went with the 460...mostly because of Amazon's retarded pricing...(the 5850 was more than $100 higher in price...and $100 more than NewEgg...but I was using gift cards, so Amazon was my only choice)

The card should be here this week, along with the rest of my parts...

I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning! 😛

 

[Teizo]

This review Russian Sensation linked in another thread shows the 460 clocked at speeds that most retail cards are at, and in comparison to the 6850 a 460 @ 725mhz core is just as fast as a 6850. If you go with the EVGA one @763 core or the PNY one @765 core, or any of the others clocked at that speed, those cards are going to be faster, albeit slightly, at a cheaper price so they are a better buy.

http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/19844/9

The 6850 is a good card, but it is not priced right in comparison to the standard factory overclocked 460 1GB models, and a 810mhz 460 will get you close to 6870 performance as well, though they do run a tad more expensive. So, until the price of the 6850 drops, the 765mhz 460 1GB's are a better buy in comparison.

 

[Bearach]

This review Russian Sensation linked in another thread shows the 460 clocked at speeds that most retail cards are at, and in comparison to the 6850 a 460 @ 725mhz core is just as fast as a 6850. If you go with the EVGA one @763 core or the PNY one @765 core, or any of the others clocked at that speed, those cards are going to be faster, albeit slightly, at a cheaper price so they are a better buy.

http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/19844/9

The 6850 is a good card, but it is not priced right in comparison to the standard factory overclocked 460 1GB models, and a 810mhz 460 will get you close to 6870 performance as well, though they do run a tad more expensive. So, until the price of the 6850 drops, the 765mhz 460 1GB's are a better buy in comparison.

That maybe so in the US, the deals there are great but here in the UK it would seem you can only seem to get a reference 460 GTX 1GB card for the same price as an overclocked 6850 in most stores. Overclocked 1GB are way over my top bracket which I've stated :'(

 

[cusideabelincoln]

It doesn't really matter, on average, and whether or not the cards are overclocked. You will get the same gameplay experience from both of them.

Now if there are specific games and specific settings (4xAA or 8xAA), then you will want to look at specific benchmarks as it's possible for one card or the other to be significantly faster and provide a different gameplay experience.

But if you're just flying by the seat of your pants then the cards are pretty close. And they're pretty close in performance.

Also people... don't even bring up newegg links and US prices when the OP is clearly in the UK.

 

[Teizo]

That maybe so in the US, the deals there are great but here in the UK it would seem you can only seem to get a reference 460 GTX 1GB card for the same price as an overclocked 6850 in most stores. Overclocked 1GB are way over my top bracket which I've stated :'(

Oh, well in that case, get the 6850. For all practical purposes, the cards are even performance wise. The main reason why I suggest the 460 1GB, or rather the 765mhz ones, are based on the prices I have available here in the U.S. were I live. If the prices of the 6850 are better over there, then the 6850 would be the better choice since it cost less for you.

I don't know what size case you have, but just be sure a 9.5 inch long card will fit fine in your case with the 6850, and since the pcie connectors are located on the end of the pcb, it will effectively make clearance over 10 inches or so. If space becomes a problem because of that, then in that particular case the 460 may suit you better as it is shorter and has comparable performance, and a 720+mhz core overclock is all but gauranteed, and it will bring the 460 to equal the performance of the 6850. And in regards to the psu connectors, I am sure you are aware that the 460's require two pcie 6 pin connectors whereas the 6850 just requires one. So just cover your bases on each and then go from there. But, so long as space is not an issue, and the prices for you are better with the 6850, then the 6850 would be hard to turn away from in your situation since it costs less.