EVGA GeForce GTX 660 3GB SuperClocked Video Card vs. Asus Radeon R9 270X 2GB DirectCU II Video Card

[TheElucid]

I am currently looking for a GPU for my first Gaming Computer Build

This is the list of my specifications so far:

-CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($166.95 @ Vuugo)

-CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($23.98 @ Newegg Canada)

-Motherboard: Asus M5A99X EVO R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.99 @ NCIX)

-Memory: AMD Radeon R9 Gamer Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($109.99 @ NCIX)

-Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.95 @ Vuugo)

-Case: Antec Nine Hundred ATX Mid Tower Case ($115.95 @ Vuugo)

-Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($56.99 @ NCIX)

-Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($57.32 @ DirectCanada)

-Wireless Network Adapter: D-Link DWA-566 802.11a/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($25.00 @ NCIX)


For my GPU I am currently comparing these two cards:

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 3GB SuperClocked Video Card
-3GB
-1.05Ghz Core Clock
-SLI Support

Asus Radeon R9 270X 2GB DirectCU II Video Card
-2GB
-1.12Ghz Core Clock
-Crossfire Support

Budget: $1000

I do not know which one is better for my current build.

If you can please help.

 

[g-unit1111]

If it's your first build don't bother with an Antec 900 - they're way old and outdated and have no cable managment. There's also better RAM you could get and that PSU is a decent choice. Get the R9 over the GTX 660, but get the 760 over both of those. What is your budget?

 

[TheElucid]

My Budget is $1000

What would you recommend to replace those then?

 

[g-unit1111]

This will be a far wiser use of $1K and it will get you a way more modern system with a better case, motherboard and CPU, and there's even an ultra fast SSD thrown in for good measure:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($172.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty H97 Performance ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($106.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M550 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($83.55 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Superclocked ACX Video Card ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $985.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-18 02:12 EDT-0400

 

[TheElucid]

Alright thank you.

Also for future references: When comparing different CPUs, GPUs, or RAMs, what should I be looking for?

Example: Clock Speed, CAS Latency, Freqency, Architecture?

 

[zeyuanfu]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($76.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Superclocked ACX Video Card ($329.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($45.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($147.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1033.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-18 15:48 EDT-0400
This build is 33$ over budget but it's more future-proof, with an OCable CPU and a better PSU so you can add another GPU if you wish to SLI.

 

[zeyuanfu]

Alright thank you.

I have a question though, when comparing CPUs are the cores and frequency a worthy argument?

Because I listed a 8-core 4.0GHz CPU and you replaced it with a 3.0GHz Quad Core CPU saying that it was better.

I wondered that when I was selecting the CPU for this build, and the answers I found online didn't help much.

Yes, they are. Cores are like the things that actually process the stuff and the frequency is the speed at which they run at. The CPu you listed is a 32 nm AMD CPU while the ones in g-unit1111 and my build are 22 nm intel CPUs, which are way faster. Also, there aren't a lot of games that take advantage of 8 cores, so 4 cores are enough.

 

[TheElucid]

Thank you Zeyuanfu

 

[xrhstos7003]

Alright thank you.

Also for future references: When comparing different CPUs, GPUs, or RAMs, what should I be looking for?

Example: Clock Speed, CAS Latency, Freqency, Architecture?

Intel CPUs gives you more fps than amd CPUs in many games, no matter what gpu you have. Also they are cooler and have lower power consuption

 

[zeyuanfu]

Alright thank you.

Also for future references: When comparing different CPUs, GPUs, or RAMs, what should I be looking for?

Example: Clock Speed, CAS Latency, Freqency, Architecture?

CPUs:
Cores
Frequency
Architecture
GPUs:
Frequency/clock
CUDA cores/stream processors (they're the same thing)
Cooling
Architecture (Maxwell, Kepler, Fermi, etc.)
RAM:
Frequency
Amount of RAM
CAS latency (the lower the better)

 

[TheElucid]

Thank you all, you guys helped me with more than just I asked. So that you very much!

 

[zeyuanfu]

Thank you all, you guys helped me with more than just I asked. So that you very much!

No problem!

 

[TheElucid]

One final thought:

If I have to keep it under $1000 though, would the Asus Radeon R9 270X 4GB GPU be a good substitute?

 

[zeyuanfu]

One final thought:

If I have to keep it under $1000 though, would the Asus Radeon R9 270X 4GB GPU be a good substitute?

1, No, it's a really bad idea
2, You surely can spare 33$, right?
3, Just don't do it. At least get a R9 290 or something like that.

 

[TheElucid]

Alright.

Thanks for the final input.

 

[TheElucid]

These are my specs now:

PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/9FWjRB
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/9FWjRB/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($249.99 @ NCIX)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.79 @ DirectCanada)

Motherboard: MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($144.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($108.48 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Canada Computers)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Superclocked ACX Video Card ($344.99 @ NCIX)

Case: Cooler Master Storm Enforcer ATX Mid Tower Case ($87.41 @ DirectCanada)

Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($126.99 @ NCIX)

Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($20.52 @ DirectCanada)

Wireless Network Adapter: D-Link DWA-566 802.11a/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($25.00 @ NCIX)

Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($29.99 @ Canada
Computers)

Total: $1223.13
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-08-18 16:41 EDT-0400