New gpu to replace 2x7950

[Sohaltang]

My build is below. I got paid 500$ for the 2x7950's to a miner. Now I need a new card. 1000$ budget. A single 780ti? 2x 780's or maybe 290x non reference? Several games I play (world of tanks) don't support CF. I'm playing at 1440p @120hz. Might buy another 1440 monitor soon

 

[RaistlinZ]

With the 290x non reference being so close I'd wait for that and see how they perform. I don't think the value is there for the 780ti. Since most of the games you play don't support dual cards it'd be silly to spend $1,000 if you don't have to.

Buy one 290x and add another later if you start playing games that benefit from Crossfire.

 

[n0x1ous]

if you really have issue with CF then 780 SLI especially if you might grab another 1440 monitor. Otherwise 290 CF would be best bang for the buck.

 

[blackened23]

An overclocked 780ti edition will offer greater than 2x 7950 performance, and greater than GTX 690 performance. Of course you can also get overclocked 780s in SLI for like 300$ more, and that will definitely be faster than the 780ti. Yet i've been quite a fan of single card configurations as of late.

Here's the 780ti overclocked, performance wise:

If you can wait a month or so 290X non reference would be an option, but from the leaked data available all of those cards are factory overclocked only by 40-50Mhz. I can't see them approaching anywhere close to the 780ti performance as seen above, but then again they will be a better value. OTOH, there's no definite date for aftermarket 290X cards and miners will probably scoop them up, so that's another thing to keep in mind.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

I did similar, moving to the 780 Ti Classified. Hopefully it comes out on Tuesday, I personally can't wait.

 

[blackened23]

Tuesday you say?!?! Can't wait to see reviews for that bad boy. Should be pretty sick in terms of overclocking, even better than the gigabyte card above.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Slightly miffed, classified is not the top chip this time...

They're releasing a King Pin version of the classified, higher binned, better PCB, way more than someone on air would ever want or need... But the principle of it has me moderately upset none the less.

 

[blackened23]

EVGA has always done crazy shenanigans in terms of having tons of SKUs. They sell like 20 SKUs of every halo card with FTW, SC, SC+, blah blah blah I can't even keep up with all the crazy SKUs they have. It's like they have a base model and then have 20 more models with each one being 10$ more than the prior. I'm not a fan of EVGA and their tendency to release a billion SKUs....

 

[BallaTheFeared]

I wouldn't have cared about any of that had the classified been the top sku, but it isn't, they're making another sku higher than the classified

 

[tg2708]

Slightly miffed, classified is not the top chip this time...

They're releasing a King Pin version of the classified, higher binned, better PCB, way more than someone on air would ever want or need... But the principle of it has me moderately upset none the less.

So why not wait if you want the best?

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Already sold my 7950s, how long do you think I can wait with a HD4600/9800 GT when several big aftermarket cards should be out this week for the 780 Ti?

KP Edition won't be out until Janauary, and at some point on air you have to realize the LN2 enhancements don't mean jack. I only want a classified for the 1.35v on core.

But yes at the same time I would like the best possible card, wouldn't you if you were paying a ridiculous $700+? Only reason I want it is bascause I've never had a card like it and my Radeons payed for it :|

 

[SolMiester]

With the 290x non reference being so close I'd wait for that and see how they perform. I don't think the value is there for the 780ti. Since most of the games you play don't support dual cards it'd be silly to spend $1,000 if you don't have to.

Buy one 290x and add another later if you start playing games that benefit from Crossfire.

Am i missing something?...1 sentence you say dont do dual cards, the next you are suggesting buying a 2nd.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

I've thought about it for awhile now, and each time I go back to the OC reviews.

What are my upgrade choices coming off 7950s? R290 is a downgrade, R290X on reference even with an OC is too.

The only single card option that even can be considered a side grade to 7950 CF is the 780 Ti OC.

Personally I didn't enjoy 7950 OC CF that much, it's a lot of heat, more noise, some bugs, and lot of quarks I didn't care for like having to disable ULPS, not having UEFI voltage control..

Is 7950 CF to 780 Ti OC a side grade? I think it is, maybe a minor upgrade at the end of the day but certainly nothing to write home about.

So why pay $700+ for the Ti over the R290? Cooler choice is the first and most obvious. Then there is the fact that the 290/x is a downgrade in almost every way to 7950 CF, even in mining a decent 7950 can sustain 700 kh/s, most R290/x are only hitting low 800s. No non reference options except expensive third party coolers or water, even with looking at the all OC results across the web the 780 Ti REFERENCE OC is better than R290X OC on water...

So basically the logic is simple and two fold, to get any kind of performance increase out of a single card you need to go 780 Ti, to get close from AMD you need a R290/x with water. When it's all said and done why not? You made bank on your 7950s which were worth about $160 two weeks ago, enjoy what you got... Treat yourself.

Personally I sold mine for almost what I paid for them, I could have gotten more but felt bad for various reasons.

You might have noticed I completely ignored the $500~ 780's... The reason for that is because it's in the same boat as the R290/x, it's slightly faster reference vs reference /w OC and similar on water comparatively. Water isn't an option for me personally, so that rules out basically all but one.

GTX 780 Ti basically costs me nothing, because of what I got for my old 7950s due to miner demand, and from what I stockpiled in LTC when nobody wanted anything to do with it. Heck I came out way ahead on the whole deal... So why not enjoy the best that 28nm has to offer, and enjoy your little monetary victory?

I would never reach into my pocket and pull out $700+ for a video card, no matter how fast it was. However the way I obtained the money it almost feels like I'm paying with monopoly money.

You only live once, if you aren't living hand to mouth why not?

 

[Borealis7]

i wouldn't invest any more money in 28nm GPUs. time to put this old dog to sleep, see you when 20nm comes out.

 

[24601]

SNIP

I still think you should either get 1440p 120hz or wait for Maxwell.

780Ti is so crazily CPU limited at 1080p that it's quite pointless.

Problem is that if you go 1440p 120hz then you get rid of one major reason to go Nvidia, G-sync.

780 (or 770 and then wait for Maxwell) w/ 1080p G-sync would me my pick if I were in your shoes, having already sold all your GPUs.

i wouldn't invest any more money in 28nm GPUs. time to put this old dog to sleep, see you when 20nm comes out.

I agree.

 

[desprado]

My build is below. I got paid 500$ for the 2x7950's to a miner. Now I need a new card. 1000$ budget. A single 780ti? 2x 780's or maybe 290x non reference? Several games I play (world of tanks) don't support CF. I'm playing at 1440p @120hz. Might buy another 1440 monitor soon

I cannot believe i am saying this but R2 290CF will be great option and if u are not satisfy with heating problems of R2 290CF than GTX 780 SLI is to go for.

 

[parvadomus]

Going from 2x7950 to a single 780Ti is like a sidegrade (not overclocking), if you OC the 7950s will kill it.
IF I were you, I would buy a custom cooled 290 or 780, and wait with it till 20nm. Current 780TI price is silly, and its performance should be achieved OCing any of these.

 

[Sohaltang]

Only problem with waiting is I sold my 7950's while the market is popping for ltc. Waiting means my machine sits and that is unacceptable. I could wait a week or two but waiting till 3 quarter of next year for 20nm is a joke. I paid 300$ for the 2 7950 and sold for 500. A nice top end 780ti for about 800$ would be nice

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Indeed it would, classified comes out tomorrow

 

[skipsneeky2]

i wouldn't invest any more money in 28nm GPUs. time to put this old dog to sleep, see you when 20nm comes out.

The wait might be a few years but for me the next upgrade from my 24'' 1080p monitor and gtx770 will be to a 26''-28'' 4k monitor and whichever high end $500 gpu is out assuming 4k becomes mainstream priced monitor wise.

Wonder just how gpu or cpu limited games will be in a few years at 4k?

 

[blackened23]

Going from 2x7950 to a single 780Ti is like a sidegrade (not overclocking), if you OC the 7950s will kill it.
IF I were you, I would buy a custom cooled 290 or 780, and wait with it till 20nm. Current 780TI price is silly, and its performance should be achieved OCing any of these.

What's silly is that 7950s are 400$ @ newegg, and 290 cards are 499$ now with the 780 being the same price. So I can't see the argument of even considering a 290 right now - Especially if the 780 is the same price it's just a flat out better/higher quality card to buy, and once it is overclocked it passes the titan by 10-20%. Or you could of course get the 780ti which is not all that more expensive than the currently inflated 290X cards.

So I can't see the situation with custom cooled 290s being any different. If reference 290s are 499$ now thanks to miners, the aftermarket ones are going to be 550$+. That heavily tilts the decision the other way.

Of course, the LTC craze could go bust in the next few weeks and then things will return to normal. We'll see I guess...

 

[Smartazz]

You sold those cards for $1000. If that's the case I'll sell my old one.