inanition02 :
For < $310 you can get a Superclocked GTX570 or a 2GB OC'd 7870..either would be way way better than the 5970 (which is 2 generations old now).
The 5970 is still better than those cards. I run BF3 ultra settings and can get anywhere from 40-120+ FPS depending the location and map size.
In a typical 32 Op Metro game I averaged 119 FPS with my minimum being 57FPS. And this is all at 1920x1080.
Every single game I have thrown at it has been maxed out and runs amazingly well. Max Payne with it high res texture runs at 100FPS maxed out. Starfarts 2 no issues, The Witcher 2 no issues, Skyrim only with mods and maxed out will I occasionally dip under 50FPS typical game would be floating at 60 FPS. Almost no game have I ever gotten under 40FPS completely maxed out.
Only in LA Noire do I get a constant 30FPS but that is bad porting because no matter what settings I change or how hectic things get it stays at 30FPS.
The 5970 might be generations old but it still holds its weight. And it is a heavy bastard.
Believe me I had a GTX295 and went to this and upgraded my PSU and was simply amazed. A nice little over clock on my i7 960 and I saw even more vast improvements. I love Nvidia and I am not a fan at all of AMD but this card has to be the single best card ever made by them, to still hold water to this date with the likes of new and improved cards is still baffling and that is why this card is still so damn expensive and rare, and those who do have like myself can't warrant the decision to upgrade just yet.
Maybe when titles later on this year and early next year come out, but I highly doubt it, that it will push the card that much more. Seriously I wanted to upgrade to a 580 when it came out, and now a 670 or 680 but I can't seem to justify buying it right now. Gaming wise this is a hell of a card to have.
Also this card, is very silent, giving that it is summer time and my AC is louder than a jet engine and masks all noises it still wasn't as audible as my case fans. Power output I was never worried about since I have a 1200W PSU. But seriously its a dual GPU card and doesn't draw that much more power than other two GPU cards out there.