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Video Card Upgrade?

BrachusBrachus Member UncommonPosts: 97
in Hardware

I wasn't really looking to upgrade right now, but I saw this deal on Newegg today:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL091213&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL091213-_-EMC-091213-Index-_-DesktopGraphicsVideoCards-_-14202026-L0B

 

Sapphire 7950 3GB for $219.99 before rebate.

 

I am currently running an HIS 6970 IceQ that has been doing fine, but I thought this was a really nice deal. Should I upgrade now to this card?

Comments

  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    Is it faster? Sure

    But not by heaps. You only see significant gains in DX11-specific stuff.

    http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/509?vs=550

    With a 6970, I wouldn't look to upgrade until either Titan/780 gets a lot cheaper, or something with that level of power comes around to make everything get cheaper.

    That may come with AMD pushes their new GPUs out this fall/winter - maybe it won't be an AMD GPU, but it may just be that nVidia drops their prices enough to make it more worthwhile. If not then, then probably in the next generation of cards (a year or so out).

    Personally, I have a 6970 as well, and I bought it on the day they released in Dec 2010. There are a few things I can't MAX MAX on, but it still runs everything more than adequately for me at 1920x1200, and most things on Very High if not MAX MAX if I chose to do so. I'm hoping to get another year or two out of it, and it's looking like I'll be able to unless software drastically changes next year (it may, with the new consoles, radically shift to DX11 but I kinda doubt it will go so fast that I need to suddenly upgrade to play a title).

  • outfctrloutfctrl Member UncommonPosts: 3,619
    I bought the GeForce GTX 670 Superclocked, 4GB 256-bit GDDR5 and am loving every minute I play.  I max out everything in my games.  LIttle pricey, but worth it when you run an ASUS 27" 2560 x 1440 monitor.  I have a 750 watt power supply for it, but it doesn't need that much

    image

  • FlyinDutchman87FlyinDutchman87 Member UncommonPosts: 336

    I went  from a 4870 to a 6870. Prolly gonna wait for the 8k series for an upgrade. At 1920x1080 I haven't found a game I can't max out. Most games I'm CPU and not GPU bound on anyway. I cant see buying another card for a while yet.

  • miagisanmiagisan Member Posts: 5,156
    Originally posted by Dutchman87

    I went  from a 4870 to a 6870. Prolly gonna wait for the 8k series for an upgrade. At 1920x1080 I haven't found a game I can't max out. Most games I'm CPU and not GPU bound on anyway. I cant see buying another card for a while yet.

    You are going to be waiting forever than...the 8000 series is strictly mobile ;) and no 9000 series (Renamed R-900, etc)

     

    I am buying the same card OP....researched the 7950 to death and the sapphire seems to be the most balanced power/heat/noise card around.

    image

  • miagisanmiagisan Member Posts: 5,156
    Why is it when one guy asks questions about a specific brand, the other side's fanbois always have to come roaring in. He wasnt asking about nvidia at all.

    image

  • miagisanmiagisan Member Posts: 5,156
    Originally posted by Ridelynn

    Is it faster? Sure

    But not by heaps. You only see significant gains in DX11-specific stuff.

    http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/509?vs=550

    With a 6970, I wouldn't look to upgrade until either Titan/780 gets a lot cheaper, or something with that level of power comes around to make everything get cheaper.

    That may come with AMD pushes their new GPUs out this fall/winter - maybe it won't be an AMD GPU, but it may just be that nVidia drops their prices enough to make it more worthwhile. If not then, then probably in the next generation of cards (a year or so out).

    Personally, I have a 6970 as well, and I bought it on the day they released in Dec 2010. There are a few things I can't MAX MAX on, but it still runs everything more than adequately for me at 1920x1200, and most things on Very High if not MAX MAX if I chose to do so. I'm hoping to get another year or two out of it, and it's looking like I'll be able to unless software drastically changes next year (it may, with the new consoles, radically shift to DX11 but I kinda doubt it will go so fast that I need to suddenly upgrade to play a title).

    Yeah but you are also talking about a  $400 difference between the 7950 and the 780....thats not even in the same budgetary ballpark

    image

  • QuizzicalQuizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,499
    Originally posted by Ridelynn

    Is it faster? Sure

    But not by heaps. You only see significant gains in DX11-specific stuff.

    http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/509?vs=550

    With a 6970, I wouldn't look to upgrade until either Titan/780 gets a lot cheaper, or something with that level of power comes around to make everything get cheaper.

    That may come with AMD pushes their new GPUs out this fall/winter - maybe it won't be an AMD GPU, but it may just be that nVidia drops their prices enough to make it more worthwhile. If not then, then probably in the next generation of cards (a year or so out).

    Personally, I have a 6970 as well, and I bought it on the day they released in Dec 2010. There are a few things I can't MAX MAX on, but it still runs everything more than adequately for me at 1920x1200, and most things on Very High if not MAX MAX if I chose to do so. I'm hoping to get another year or two out of it, and it's looking like I'll be able to unless software drastically changes next year (it may, with the new consoles, radically shift to DX11 but I kinda doubt it will go so fast that I need to suddenly upgrade to play a title).

    I'd say that AMD's intended price cuts have already happened, which is why we're talking about a 7950 for $220 before a $20 rebate.  Remember the $450 launch price?  With the next generation rumored to launch as soon as next month, AMD wants to clear out excess Tahiti chips.

  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    Quizzical
    I'd say that AMD's intended price cuts have already happened

    I mean nVidia's price cuts in response to competition.

    miagisan
    Yeah but you are also talking about a $400 difference between the 7950 and the 780....thats not even in the same budgetary ballpark

    Answered:

    Ridelynn
    maybe it won't be an AMD GPU, but it may just be that nVidia drops their prices enough to make it more worthwhile.

    That, and I don't think the $200 is worth it for the speed increase to the 7950. Maybe if the 780 gets down to $400 it would be worth it - then your looking at trading in a $450-at-release retail card for something that's roughly double in power... not paying $200 for something that's maybe 20-30% faster. That may not happen when the new AMD chips come out, but I bet something that is as fast as the 780 hits the $400 price point by this time next year - either with nVidia's next generation, or AMD's after this.

  • BrachusBrachus Member UncommonPosts: 97

    Thanks for the input folks! I think I've decided to hold off for now. While that is a great price, the performance increase just doesn't merit the purchase at this time. Everything I play is running great right now, excepting maybe Mechwarrior Online...which I believe has less to do with my rig than with the poor optimization by the devs. Maybe if I see the 7970 drop a bit more, than I'll jump on that...but I think I can skip the 7950 for now.

     

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