Considering a GPU upgrade, but on a tight budget

[BIGNEWY]

Hi all

 

I am looking into a replacement for my ATI HD6770

I am running 3 19" screens in portrait, and get 25 - 40 fps single player, but have noticed a reduced performance in multiplayer going as low as 14 fps on some bigger missions.

 

I am on a very tight budget and would have to save for my next card ( Budget max £200 )

 

I would like a 2gb card but not essential as long as the card performs, does anyone have any suggestions

 

 

considering ati hd7850 or even the hd6850

 

thoughts?

Edited August 1, 2012 by BIGNEWY

[Lallan]

Just get a 570Gtx and run 2 monitors and eventually SLi it when they are even cheaper :P

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1280mb-msi-gtx-570-twin-frozr-iii-power-edition-oc-40nm-4000mhz-gddr5-gpu-770mhz-shader-1540mhz-plus

 

I would honestly recommend the 7870 it is £230 though but you will regret not getting the one up from a 7850.

When I bought my GPU I kept regretting not spending the extra £40 to get the 6950 anyways get this one I know it runs cool as a friend has it

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-sapphire-radeon-hd-7870-ghz-edition-4800mhz-gddr5-28nm-gpu-1000mhz-1280-cores-dl-dvi-hdmi-mdp

 

If you want you can call scan and ask them for some discount and they will probably give it to as long as you ask nicely. Good luck

[BIGNEWY]

Thanks for the reply

 

I have to be able to run minimum of 3 monitors

 

7870 on OverClockers is £229 at the moment

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-296-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411

 

and £218

 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-006-VX&campaign=pcm

I will add it to my potentials list :)

[Lallan]

Go with the Sapphire as you can easily OC that without the card get "TO" hot and it will run very quite compared to the refrence card that you have in the post. Don't forget to phone them up and ask them for some discount (uses your haggling skills :P) and I'am certain that you will get something off :D

[BIGNEWY]

Still saving my cash up

 

but was thinking my motherboard GA-H55M-UD2H

 

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3309#sp

 

only supports PCI Express 2.0 standard so is there any point going for a card that uses PCI Express 3.0 ?

 

or are they backward compatible, and if they are am I reducing the performance by doing so ?

[WildBillKelsoe]

stay away from ATi ™ (Artificial Trash institution)

[BIGNEWY]

stay away from ATi ™ (Artificial Trash institution)

 

I wanted to go NVIDIA however they are more expensive in relation to performance, and I could still use my hd6770 as a second card for mfd's for my future pit update.

[sobek]

stay away from ATi ™ (Artificial Trash institution)

 

I have used 4 different ATI/AMD graphics cards in the last 10 years and each of them performed flawlessly, so, either substantiate your opinion or quit the uninformed trash talk.

Edited August 5, 2012 by sobek

[BIGNEWY]

I have always used ATI as well,

 

I am now considering using a HD6950 as it is pciexpress 2.0 and can be flashed to a HD6970

 

The real problem is the budget I do want to keep it as low as possible and still get the performance, and ATI cards do that.

[MTFDarkEagle]

I have used 4 different ATI/AMD graphics cards in the last 10 years and each of them performed flawlessly, so, either substantiate your opinion or quit the uninformed trash talk.

Or you can take his opinion for what it's worth because he may have a point. I have owned several ATI/AMD gfx cards and ALL had heavy problems. So it's NOT uninformed trash talk. For what you know it's very much based on experience.

[Kuky]

My past 5-6 video cards were all ATI and I don't have problems with them... only the 7970 had issues with DCS because it didn't have propper drivers on its release, so please stop talking trash saying ATI is trash... if it was trash it would be out of business long time ago and I and many others wouldn't be buying them.

[Kuky]

What about the flashing that happened in DCS with nVidia cards then while there are none on ATI cards? Can't I then take same token and because of this flashing claim nVidia cards and/or driver is crap? And for years untill recently you could not run more than 2 monitors of nVidia card... don't know about what's trash here...

 

Bottom line is they are both good otherwise they would not survive the consumer market... so enough with opinionated trash talk.. you wanna be helpful? then give specific reason why you think this or that is better... just saying stay from this and this is trash is getting old and doesn't help anyone

Edited August 6, 2012 by Kuky

[WildBillKelsoe]

I got flashing in my HD5650. And the majority of people that I know, simmer, gamers, etc.. all agree that ATi is cheap alternative to the more expensive but reliable and powerful nVidia. I've tried DCS A-10C with only changing my GPU to a GTX 660 1Gb and I had a boost of framerates under nominal conditions.

 

That's why, I advised OP to go for nVidia. Sorry, but I stick to my e-pinion. No harm done, fellas. In the end, the OP is free to spend as he pleases and sees fit. Just giving my opinion. And FYI, I'll be upgrading my i5 system with an i7 2600k and 16 gigs, with additional purchase of the nVidia GTX 670 from a friend who's selling it for buying a macbook pro.

 

Cheers. :thumbup:

[celticcoho]

I say, to each their own, I have had both, but sig tells you what I use for my PC's:music_whistling:

[BIGNEWY]

Thanks guys all valid points, I am going to stick to ATI more bang for your bucks and so on, plus I can still use my other ATI card for my mfd's.

 

Am I right in thinking that as my motherboard only supports pci Express 2.0 there is no point going for a card that has 3.0 ?

[Kuky]

there is really no performance difference using PCI-E 2.0 or 3.0 they have done tests about this already so you're fine with 2.0 slot. to get 3.0 working you need CPU, MB and VGA supporting PCI-E 3.0

 

PS: I believe you can actually run both ATI and nVidia cards in same PC at the same time so you could check on this, it might influence your purchase decision more

[G00dnight]

you can get a pci3 but it will only run to the pci 2 speeds till u get a new mobo..

[BIGNEWY]

Thanks again for the replys

 

I think it will be budget that makes the decision in the end, a new motherboard is out of the question at the moment.

 

HD 6950 Graphics card - 2 GB around £160 is in my short list at the moment

 

or even the hd 7850

Edited August 6, 2012 by BIGNEWY

[sobek]

For what you know it's very much based on experience.

 

For what i know, he is talking trash because he didn't support his claim with anything substantial like an explanation of what the nature of problems were that made him form his opinion.

 

Edit: Since remedied by a more detailed explanation, all is well...

Edited August 6, 2012 by sobek

[blkspade]

I have always used ATI as well,

 

I am now considering using a HD6950 as it is pciexpress 2.0 and can be flashed to a HD6970

 

The real problem is the budget I do want to keep it as low as possible and still get the performance, and ATI cards do that.

 

Don't get a 6950 expecting to be able to flash it. This was only the case with the original reference boards. It would be a miracle to find some place that still has ref boards in stock at this point.

[celticcoho]

Now, If DCS would support Crossfire, all would be so well!!!:thumbup:

[sobek]

That ball is not in EDs court.

[celticcoho]

That ball is not in EDs court.

 

Well Said, I was misspoken!!!:thumbup: But hope they push for it as well!

Edited August 6, 2012 by celticcoho

[BIGNEWY]

Yes I gave up with crossfire a long time a go, I spent a lot of my time contacting ATI via forums, support groups, twitter, and facebook it got me no where.

 

So I sold my second card.

 

And thanks for the advice about the 6950, yes from what I understand it is only the rev. 1 version that can be flashed.

 

edit: ( I did return to crossfire as I got it to perform well, while using softTH )

Edited November 14, 2012 by BIGNEWY

[Slayer]

I would be concerned regarding only 2 gigs of video mem. I've seen my Vram usage go over 1600+ MB with 3 screens. Granted I use Nvidia but similar resolutions will yeild similar vram usage. I would venture a guess that when we finally get Nevada and an upgraded graphics engine you could easily break 2GB. My next upgrade I'm going for a 4 gig card...