4870 vs 5770?

[gaber]

So I've already decided on an x3 720 BE as my processor, now I'm having a dilemma on what 3d card to pick.

I've narrowed it down to 2 cards that fit my budget, which is:
1. Powercolor 1 GB 4870 DDR5 Arctic Cooling + Stalker bundle
2. HD 5770(Not sure about the branding or whether it's the 512/1gb version as it's pretty new)

Judging from the mixed reviews, the 1gb 4870 seems to be slightly ahead of the 5770 when it comes to gaming, but I've heard that the 5770 will only get better in time due to newer drivers and DX11.

Any idea which card i'd be better off buying?

 

[itisravi]

5770 is only available in 1GB flavor for $160. It might perform a bit less, but has many more features and hence would be recommended.

 

[gamerk316]

Well, according to benchmarks, the 4870 wins. While DX11 may make the two cards even, by the time DX11 gets decent support, better options will be avaliable.

 

[bboynatural]

Definitly go HD 5770:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-5770-review-test/14

Nuff said, trusted reviewer. Going HD5770 is same as going HD4870.
BUT, You certify your rig for upcoming DX11 games. and the crossfire scales JUST WAY TOO GREAT. Get yourself a good mobo tho like the GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P. Crossfiring the little wh0 will give you HD5850 like power in crysis, and even more in any other game.

 

[gaber]

Would there be a significant difference if I don't plan to crossfire? I might just pick up a second card half a year later when the cards drop to a much lower price, but that motherboard seems to be way out of my budget since I was initially planning to get an asus m4a77td pro.

 

[bboynatural]

It's worth it man.
In a dual GPU setup, that mobo will be running one card at x16 and the other at x4.
thats a MASSIVE bottleneck. If dual x16 doesnt please you at 198$ tho, your still good with a little (10~fps max, most of the time 5~) bottleneck by going ASUS M4A79XTD EVO.
Whats your budget and what do you plan on buying/what you wont buy. I will try to make a good build out of your budget (also what currency)
As for the difference, HD5770 running on single GPU is the same as HD4870.
On dual GPU now, it scales most of the time better then HD5850, sometimes better then HD5870, sometimes same level as HD5870Crossfire.
It's a crossfire card, and it's worth it.

Well tell me your budget and I will make the best out of it

 

[harrypot]

I am very interested in this as i too am thinkinh weater to buy a 4870 or 5770 as the 5770 is cheaper i am running an asus p6t moboard x58 but at the moment just want a single graphics card may crossfire it in the future though. which is better as a single card on a 20 inch monitor

 

[gaber]

It's worth it man.
In a dual GPU setup, that mobo will be running one card at x16 and the other at x4.
thats a MASSIVE bottleneck. If dual x16 doesnt please you at 198$ tho, your still good with a little (10~fps max, most of the time 5~) bottleneck by going ASUS M4A79XTD EVO.
Whats your budget and what do you plan on buying/what you wont buy. I will try to make a good build out of your budget (also what currency)
As for the difference, HD5770 running on single GPU is the same as HD4870.
On dual GPU now, it scales most of the time better then HD5850, sometimes better then HD5870, sometimes same level as HD5870Crossfire.
It's a crossfire card, and it's worth it.

Well tell me your budget and I will make the best out of it

Well currently my planned specs look roughly like this:

x3 720 BE
2gb ddr3 ram corsair twin 3x 9-9-9-24
HDD = to re-use old HDD(1tb wd black)
motherboard = asus m4a77td pro
3d card = power color 1gb 4870 ddr5 arctic cooler + stalker 770 core 3600 ram
dvdrw = RM75
monitor = to re-use old monitor(19" wide)
speaker = to re-use old speakers
mouse,kb = to re-use old mouse/kb
casing = coolermaster centurion 5
psu = seasonic(PC power & cooling) 750W / cheaper psu if out of stock

with the 4870 interchangeable with a 5770, and I plan on adding more ram/a bigger monitor next year along the way

my budget is about RM2000 in my currency, which converts to ~600 USD. I'd be willing to spring a little more, say $50-100 USD if it actually gives significant performance difference, since I value "value for money/bang for the buck" more.

 

[bboynatural]

Well I had to add some money but I will show you different build, basically all the same but depends on your "time". Allow me to explain:
First of all, I chaged that 3 core for a dual core one. The X2 550. This is why:
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/981/13/

As you see there is hardly any difference from both. I believe it's just a waste of 20$ you could use somewhere else. Plus the 550 is a Quad core that was locked. There is a tutorial over the internet on how to unlock the 2 locked core, but it has a 75% rate of success. Use it at the end of your CPU's lifetime, When you will require more core (in 2 years I predict. LOL)
So here's your build:

Phenom II x2 550BE
GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P
OCZ OCZ3G1333LVAM4GK AMD Gold PC3 4GB
ASUS EAH5770
ANTEC EA750 750W EARTHWATTS POWER SUPPLY
COOLER MASTER CENTURION 5

First of all I didnt find your seasonic PSU, but im shure the antec 750 EarthWatt is WAY better.
Secondo, Go with 4GB at start. It will give you a clear advantage as many games requires around 2.5 now AND you will be able to install a x64 platform instead of the lame x32 platform. CLEAR advantage.
The pricing is a fair 779.49 But I guess thats way up your budget.
You will be getting this build for roughly 700$ If you wait for Xmas tho.. maybe less..and thats your "Perfect" build.

Now here, the MOBO is the problem. And As I never really experienced Dual x8,rumours (and few benchmarks) are saying that you dont lose THAT much of a performance, it will only bottleneck on high level GPU wich arent out yet. If you decide to believe this (It's quite thrue tho, I think Overclocking the cpu/gpu will cover up for that) Then you should get a ASUS M4A79XTD EVO

The price is now 710$ ~110$ over your first build.
The motherboard you were getting was a lame AM2+ socket. The performance you would have lost are BIG. Very big.

Of course this build is still on top of your budget, but it will enter if you change the cooler master for the antec 200.

The antec 200 didnt win the best performance budget case against the antec 300 for ONE simple reason: People didnt like the front. Thats all. It's basically the same (a little better) then the antec 300, wich is same then the coolermaster centurion 5

http://www.sohodiffusion.com/produit.asp?num=12535#noheader
The actual 200.

With the 200, the price is reduced to 696.49

Now let's talk about the PSU. You chose a 750W, and thats why I took a 750 W.
But dude, your getting POWER EFFICIENT cards, you don't need THAT much, and your FAR from needing it.

I calculated with the New egg power Supply Calculator:
a Phenom II x2+mobo+ 2 HD5770+ 4GB + DVDRW + 1HDD = 569W.
Add a 50W "In case of trouble" and your still only at 619.

So If we change that little PSU of yours, were now at 665.49. Pretty much into your budget for the money right??

Now, we reached 734.49 for the REAL PERFECT BUILD. Only 130$ over your budget, and man your getting a BIG performance for your buck.

But even the 665$ one is very good. The 734 one is just, EXTREMLY good. So your good with both builds. Now everything depends on the prices in your country, so you should probably go with the Very good build instead xD Here's the full listing:


AMD PHENOM II X2 550 DUAL CORE
ASUS M4A79XTD EVO SKT.AM3 AMD 790X/SB750
OCZ OCZ3G1333LVAM4GK AMD Gold PC3 10666 2X2GB Kit 1333MHz 9-9-9-20
ASUS EAH5770
ANTEC TWO HUNDRED GAMING MID-TOWER (or you can still pick your case)
ANTEC EA650 650W EARTHWATTS POWER SUPPLY

For a fair 650~$, this is a very good build that will prove it's power now, AND if you ever add that other 5770 for some HD5850 like crossfire. By the way, If you REALLY want the X3 tho, its just 20$ more, so it's really up to you

 

[gaber]

Sorry for the late reply, been rather busy.

Great advice, I've never thought about getting the parts you recommended, seems like a great build.

One question though: Is the difference in performance between different chipsets that much? Specifically, the difference between the 770 and 790 chipset.

Also the motherboard you recommended isn't available from the usual place I shop at, will have to check out other places. The only ones available are the M4A79T deluxe, M4A79 deluxe and M4A78-TE.

 

[bboynatural]

The M4A79T deluxe is a real AM3 mobo, the two others are AM2+ (DDR2).
It's a great mobo, I just didnt choose it because its part of the "extremly" good build, wich will cost you a little more.
Try these mobo for the "very good" build:

GIGABYTE GA-MA790GPT-UD3H
GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P
MSI 790GX-G65 AMD70GGX

And to answer your question, Yes the chipset is very important.
First of all, only starting 785G, your mobo is AM3. So your 770 is in fact a AM2+, You can still use phenom II, but the HT will be 2.0 instead of 3.0 I think...it's alittle bottleneck here. + Dual GPU is HIGHLY bottlenecked on this one.
But I dont recommend the 785G because if you crossfire, your first card will run at x16, and the other at x4. MASSIVE PERFORMANCE LOST.

the 790x is your very good choice. You will have two GPU on x8 each. A lil lil performance lost, but still lost so I dont like it personally XD
But thats my personal opinion, facts are its still very very good.

The 790fx Is a mobo you will probably keep from your phenom II x2 550, to the 8Cores Bulldozer you will get in 2 years =D (Even 790x will, but we really cant say 100% that the gpu will not be bottlenecked in 2 years with newer technology)

dont forget, if the mobo your gonna take is DDR2, its a AM2+. Always ask.
If you find a good AM3 at good price that I didnt mentino (DDR3, AM3)
Then ask if the PCI-E both are x8. IF they are x16 and x4, then dont waste on it.

 

[gaber]

Thanks for the reply again.

I do see a motherboard in the list, which is the Gigabyte 7576 790GX-G65 at a pretty reasonable price of ~140 USD, but somehow it's listed as a micro-atx. Guess I'll drop by the place to double check with them when I have time.

Also there aren't many 790FX, if any at all, so I might just spend some time waiting for them to arrive.

There's another interesting point though. The M4A78T-E I listed earlier sells for about~150 USD, and according to the specs http://my.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=cf8IZzbU4m6GHKnW, it seems to be a 790GX chipset, with DDR3, which hopefully means it's an AM3 motherboard. My price list also shows 1 more boards, the MA79FXT-UD4P which is listed at ~210 USD, significantly more than the previous board. Which brings me to my next few questions:

How bad will the x16 and x4 bottleneck be? Also, how much of a performance difference/bottleneck can I expect between the 790 GX and 790 FX? I can fork out for that 790GX, but the extra 60 bucks for the FX would kill me unless the difference is really significant.

 

[bboynatural]

Woops sorry I did not see the M4A78T-E.
Yes it's a real AM3 Mobo, and you can add it to your list of "very good".
It even comes with a integrated HD 3300. Also it's dual x8 so it's all good.

As for the MA79FXT-UD4P, I personally never heard about it.... are you sure you are not talking about the GA-MA790XT-UD4P?, because the only 790FX chipset in gigabyte website is the UD5P...In any case, this is part of the "extremly good" build, as it suports dual x16..any 790fx does.

Also, Yes the bottleneck between x16 and x4 is HUGE. I don't even understand why they made those chipsets..probably for people who used a nvidia card for physx, and ATI for rendering..
dual x8 seems to be very good, just a small bottleneck (But it's still a bottleneck xD I hate being bottlenecked..)
And the Dualx16 is...the best. ;D
It all depends on you.

Also the 790G serie is all with integrated graphics. And also all dual x8.
The only difference with a 790FX is the dualx16, and the integrated graphics.

 

[gaber]

Well this might be a completely different way to look at it, but...what if I picked a 770 chipset mobo(no xfire), bought either a 4870/5770 and then wait till next year before selling off the card and picking up a 5850/5870? The money I save on the motherboard plus the money I get back from selling my card would help towards getting a high-end 3d card instead of xfiring 2 "mid-ends".

 

[witcherx]

+1 5770 a good EE card