What video card for i5-2500 3.3GHz? $200 range?

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glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Ok, pulled the trigger:

MSI R7870 Twin Frozr 2GD5/OC Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$279.99
I know I said $200.
:)
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
You should have read the hot deals section. Cancel that 7870 if you can. HD7950 MSI TF3 is $320. Alternatively, HD7850 is better value than most 7870s.
 
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Silverforce11

Lifer
Feb 19, 2009
10,457
10
76
NO!

Do not waste $$ on 7870.

If you want over $200, it's either: cheap ~$220 7850, or $320 7950, and if u prefer NV: gtx670.

The problem with 7870 is that clock for clock vs 7850, you are going to have almost no visible perf difference. Only consider 7870 if u dont like to overclock at all.
 
jacktesterson

jacktesterson

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
5,493
3
81
Silverforce11 said:
NO!

Do not waste $$ on 7870.

If you want over $200, it's either: cheap ~$220 7850, or $320 7950, and if u prefer NV: gtx670.

The problem with 7870 is that clock for clock vs 7850, you are going to have almost no visible perf difference. Only consider 7870 if u dont like to overclock at all.
Click to expand...

This
7870 is useless as 7850s can get within 5% in most games when both overclocked the same.
 
S

Silverforce11

Lifer
Feb 19, 2009
10,457
10
76
Actually let me rephrase, if you don't like to overclock, just stay away from 28nm cards in general, while they are good, they are too overpriced compared to previous gen cards without taking into account the awesome 40-50% OC headroom.
 
G

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Paid $260 with taxes shipping and rebate.
Don't really want to OC. I care about stability and fan noise more than a few frame rates these days.
 
gmaster456

gmaster456

Golden Member
Sep 7, 2011
1,877
0
71
glen said:
Paid $260 with taxes shipping and rebate.
Don't really want to OC. I care about stability and fan noise more than a few frame rates these days.
Click to expand...

I don't think $260 is that bad of a price. Especially after taxes.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Silverforce11 said:
Actually let me rephrase, if you don't like to overclock, just stay away from 28nm cards in general, while they are good, they are too overpriced compared to previous gen cards without taking into account the awesome 40-50% OC headroom.
Click to expand...
you say that as if all 28nm cards can oc by 40-50%.
 
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Arzachel

Senior member
Apr 7, 2011
903
76
91
toyota said:
you say that as if all 28nm cards can oc by 40-50%.
Click to expand...

I've yet to see a 7850 not hit 1050 core, which is a 31% overclock. A great overclock by any other standards, that's considered overwhelming for the 7850/7950 which gives you an idea of the average overclocks people are getting.

Unless you're talking about Nvidia, I guess.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Arzachel said:
I've yet to see a 7850 not hit 1050 core, which is a 31% overclock. A great overclock by any other standards, that's considered overwhelming for the 7850/7950 which gives you an idea of the average overclocks people are getting.

Unless you're talking about Nvidia, I guess.
Click to expand...
that is ONE model card and even those do not normally go to 40-50%. so again what he posted is misleading as a typical 28nm card does not oc anywhere 40-50%.
 
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Silverforce11

Lifer
Feb 19, 2009
10,457
10
76
toyota said:
you say that as if all 28nm cards can oc by 40-50%.
Click to expand...

7850 and 7950 only. good custom 670 also boost to around 1.25ghz so its a pretty good showing from NV as well in terms of value with OC as a factor.

And you'd be hard pressed to find a legit sample that can't do 1.1ghz with vcore tweaking. Many do it on stock volts. The "average" OC (for 7850 and 7950) with vcore from many users on OCnet and other forums is 1.2ghz. I have both of the above cards do 1.2ghz with lower vcore than the typical 1.25v.

@Russian, i didn't know gtx570 were even good overclockers. Last i read, they tend to die.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Silverforce11 said:
7850 and 7950 only. good custom 670 also boost to around 1.25ghz so its a pretty good showing from NV as well in terms of value with OC as a factor.

And you'd be hard pressed to find a legit sample that can't do 1.1ghz with vcore tweaking. Many do it on stock volts. The "average" OC (for 7850 and 7950) with vcore from many users on OCnet and other forums is 1.2ghz. I have both of the above cards do 1.2ghz with lower vcore than the typical 1.25v.

@Russian, i didn't know gtx570 were even good overclockers. Last i read, they tend to die.
Click to expand...
the non reference 570 cards could safely oc just fine.
 
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Gordon Freemen

Golden Member
May 24, 2012
1,068
0
0
For low $200 I would say GTX 480 is the best bet with respect towards Value/Performance it is unparalleled at this price point. For mid $200 price point it's got to be ether GTX 570 or a Radeon HD 7850 and for the top end of the $200 price bracket a 7870 is your only bet. My first pick would be GTX 480 42amp PSU pending of course.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Gordon Freemen said:
For $200 a GTX 480 offers unbeatable price/performance ratio. What XfX card are you referring to it just come up to the Newegg home page when I click on the link you posted.
Click to expand...
it goes to the 7850 and think you know that. lol, please dont start your gtx480 spamming again. when ALL factors are considered, the 7850 is going to be the better card for the money for most people. out of the box, the 7850 is only about 10% slower than the gtx480 and it has WAY more overclocking potential. it uses WAY less power and runs cooler and quieter. so after you oc both cards there is nothing the gtx480 has over the 7850 and overclocking puts the gtx480's power consumption, heat and noise at levels considered ridiculous by most people.
 
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Gordon Freemen

Golden Member
May 24, 2012
1,068
0
0
toyota said:
it goes to the 7850 and think you know that. lol, please dont start your gtx480 spamming again. when ALL factors are considered, the 7850 is going to be the better card for the money for most people. out of the box, the 7850 is only about 10% slower than the gtx480 and it has WAY more overclocking potential. it uses WAY less power and runs cooler and quieter. so after you oc both cards there is nothing the gtx480 has over the 7850 and overclocking puts the gtx480's power consumption, heat and noise at levels considered ridiculous by most people.
Click to expand...
Not everybody OCs there GPUs so it's a toss up which one you prefer the choice is yours I am still choosing the 480 because of Cuda but the 7850 in CF only use up 2x 6pins and a relatively mild low cost PSU so in that respect it is the situation in where I would go with the 7850s hands down if I had the funds :)
 
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Arkadrel

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2010
3,681
2
0
@ Gordon Freemen

Stock 7850 vs Stock 480, the 480 *was* about 7% faster on avg according to techpowerup performance summery.

The 7850 overclocks much much better, and has less heat/noise.
With newer drivers, the differnce between the 480 and the 7850 (both stock) is probably less than 5%.
Unless the 480 is a cheaper buy, by a good bit, and comes with a costum cooling solution,
no way would I get one over a 7850. That would be a bad buy.
 
The_Golden_Man

The_Golden_Man

Senior member
Apr 7, 2012
816
1
0
I cannot imagine anyone picking a GTX 480 over a 7850. Unless they practically get the GTX 480 for free. 480's are one of the most/if not the most powerhungry card ever released. And with the reference coolers it will make a lot of noise in order to stay at sane temperatures.
 
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