I'm not sure if Nvidia will cut prices on the 980GTX even when the new AMD card is released. They've rarely cut prices on the top-end stuff. Don't think they did it for the 680 or 780.
I was thinking the 980SLI would be fairly future-proof. I had the 680SLI for almost two and half years now, so if it lasts that long it would be worth it, right?
Regarding VRAM - Wouldn't 4GB be sufficient at 1600p for almost everything? I could see needing more for 4k. Or at least that's what I've read.
I wouldnt go with 970 sli with a water block. The 970 is easily cooled as it is. These are the options i would look at.
A) keep what you got and wait for new cards.
B) go with 970 SLI but just pick up two cards with decent cooling. You can get good deals on nice aftermarket 970s. I would say $650-680 for some great cards.
C) A single 980 and overclock the snot out of it
D) The titan X
You can pick up water block(s) down the road and dont have to spend the cash right away.
As for waiting.....
We know AMD will launch eventually. We also suspect they will offer a better value on the top end. They have to or it will be pointless.
But the thing is, how much can they change things? The titan X with a water block will be a beast, even after the 390x. An overclocked 980 will still be very powerful compared to a 390 non x.
I do see the situation improving when AMD launches, at least for price vs performance of the AMD cards. But that is months down the road. And doing the math, I dont think the improvement will be major. Not this time. Not while everyone is stuck on 28nm.
Right now the 970 offers 90% of the 980s performance for a little over 300$. I dont think things will change all that much in this price range. I dont see the 980 dropping to $350 either. I would say that AMD will launch a card faster than the 980 for 500-550 and nvidia may drop the 980 50 bucks. And overclocked 980 will still be extremely fast, they get pretty close to stock titan X performance.
Sure, months down the road prices things might change. They always do. prices always go down overtime. But its hard to imagine a drastic change. I will eat my hat if the 390 forces the 980 to $350. I just dont see it.
And if you are planning on water cooling, you are gonna have a lot of power there. No matter which card(s) you buy.
Anyway, think on it.
I would love to see a really powerful 390x for a very good price. Something 20% faster than the titan X and can overclock even further. If something like that launched for $699, i would sell my 980 in a heartbeat. It doesnt have to meet that criteria, that is an example. But if it is something great, i have already thought about what i am gonna do. The 980 will still have a decent resale in the used market, the 970 will probably hold even more of its value. If the 390x is epic, i will be selling my 980 and picking it up. (i even kept my old GPU for a backup)
It just has to be fast enough, a decent amount faster than a 1500mhz 980 without being priced too high. It has to meet those conditions.
I guess that is off topic. That has been in my head a lot but the longer we wait, the more i start believing that the situation wont drastically change when AMD launches. I am thinking, titan X performance for about 800$ now. But I used to think things would change a lot more.