Amd GPU or Nvidia?

[grimmjow660]

I've read that the R9 290 performs better than the GTX 780 especially when paired with and Amd processor like Nvidia works better when with Intel, is this true?. Now I have an Intel I7 4790k, should I get an Nvidia GPU or the R9?

 

[RobCrezz]

No thats not exactly true. AMD GPUs dont work better with AMD CPUs more than they would with Intel CPUs - common myth.

R9 290 and gtx 780 give similar performance. I would buy based on the features you prefer. With AMD you get Mantle, true audio etc. Nvidia you get Shadowplay, Physx etc.

 

[Mousemonkey]

The only reason to pair an AMD card with an AMD CPU is if you wish to use Mantle, aside from that any CPU will work with any card.

 

[oxiide]

There's no relationship between having an AMD CPU and an AMD video card, or Intel or Nvidia. Both manufacturers put together great hardware, just get the card that provides the best performance within your budget. Case in point: for $400-500, the R9 290 does indeed often outperform the GTX 780, but you can't apply that as a blanket statement. Nvidia does better in other price ranges.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

Edit: You just need a GCN-based AMD video card to use Mantle. There is no specific CPU requirement.

 

[RobCrezz]

The only reason to pair an AMD card with an AMD CPU is if you wish to use Mantle, aside from that any CPU will work with any card.

And even then you can use mantle with Intel CPU/ AMD GPU.

 

[grimmjow660]

What are the differences with the Mantle from AMD cards, and Physx etc etc from Nvidia?

 

[RobCrezz]

What are the differences with the Mantle from AMD cards, and Physx etc etc from Nvidia?

Have a google of them, theres quite a lot of info.

 

[grimmjow660]

I did some searching around and have read the R9 290 does perform better than the 780, according to Hardocp. Also how good is Physx? I hear it doesn't matter and it matters to some people

 

[RobCrezz]

I did some searching around and have read the R9 290 does perform better than the 780, according to Hardocp. Also how good is Physx? I hear it doesn't matter and it matters to some people

Only really matters if you play a lot of games that use Physx.

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

It's like choosing between a lamb burger and a beef burger.

Some games are better optimised for Nvidia cards whilst others prefer AMD, so benchmark figures need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Like the guys said, AMD GPUs work just fine with Intel processors, so don't believe otherwise.

An R9 290 and GTX 780 are near-enough the same card, it's just that certain games will favour one over the other.

 

[Mousemonkey]

The only reason to pair an AMD card with an AMD CPU is if you wish to use Mantle, aside from that any CPU will work with any card.

And even then you can use mantle with Intel CPU/ AMD GPU.

But AMD's CPU's tend to be weaker performers which is why AMD came up with Mantle in the first place.

 

[RobCrezz]

The only reason to pair an AMD card with an AMD CPU is if you wish to use Mantle, aside from that any CPU will work with any card.

And even then you can use mantle with Intel CPU/ AMD GPU.

But AMD's CPU's tend to be weaker performers which is why AMD came up with Mantle in the first place.

Yup, seems to work well with the older or more low end Intel CPUs also.

 

[oxiide]

I did some searching around and have read the R9 290 does perform better than the 780, according to Hardocp. Also how good is Physx? I hear it doesn't matter and it matters to some people

I honestly don't believe PhysX, Mantle, or Shadowplay are features compelling enough to practically affect your decision. Its all about price vs. performance.

PhysX in particular is honestly a gimmick. Games have to be designed to actually use PhysX or its meaningless, so it only works in specific ones. It can be somewhat neat, but its very rare to see it used in games in ways that are actually noticeable. Even in games that do use it, AMD users can often get the same effects, but it just leverages the CPU instead.

Mantle is similarly game-specific, though it results in some good performance increases when it is available.

An R9 290 and GTX 780 are near-enough the same card, it's just that certain games will favour one over the other.

Near-enough the same card in performance, but the R9 290 can routinely be found for $100 cheaper. As of right now, no GTX 780 on Newegg is under $499, but I see many < $430 R9 290's, I even see one from Gigabyte that's $319 (!) after sale + rebate. Pretty hard to argue with getting the same performance for almost $200 cheaper.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125505