GIGABYTE GTX970 compatibility

[mattia3711]

Hello guys, I'm new here! I want to buy a GTX970 for Christmas and I wonder if it is compatible with my PC specs:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z97P-D3
CPU: Intel Core i5 4690K 3.5GHz
GPU: Nvidia GeForce ASUS GTX770 2GB OC
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Pro 8GB (2x4GB) 1600MHz
Power supply: Corsair CS650M 80+ Gold
OS: Windows 7 64-bit

I was thinking to the GIGABYTE GTX970 because it's the same brand of my motherboard. Hope you can help me!

 

[Luminary]

Yes, your rig is fully compatble with any GTX 970.

- Your CPU will work well the with card (strong CPU)
- Your motherboard fully supports the card (has the required PCIe 3.0 x16 lane)
- Your PSU has the required wattage, 12v rail, and PCIe power connectors to power the card

The WINDFORCE Gigabyte GTX 970 model has a higher failure rate than similar cards like MSI, but they also come with the highest overclock out of the box. For best reliability the MSI or EVGA models of the GTX 970 are the best, for raw performance out of the box the Gigabytes are champs.

I personally recommend MSI or EVGA models for the GTX 970.

You might also want to consider the AMD R9 390 over the GTX 970. At 1080p resolution they are currently about equal, but the R9 390 scales up to 1440p with better performance and has twice the amount of VRAM, so it is speculated to be viable for newer titles longer than the 970.

That said, if you're happy with 1080p and like Nvidia the GTX 970 is still a fantastic card and will be plenty for several more years.

 

[mattia3711]

I'm not interested in overclocking my GPU if EVGA is more reliable I'll go on that one. No problem with Windows 7 64-bit right? Thanks for help

 

[johnnyb105]

No your good to go enjoy your new GPU/ 970

 

[mattia3711]

Thank you both guys

 

[Luminary]

You're most welcome.

 

[mattia3711]

What about the R9 390? Will it hypothetically fit with my setup? It has 8GB of VRAM but I guess they are managed in a different way than the 970 or it wouldn't cost as much as the GTX I suppose (I have a 1080p monitor)...I mean (random numbers) if GTA V at ultra needs 4GB of VRAM with a 970 will it require 4GB of avaible VRAM with a R9 390 or 8GB?

 

[Luminary]

Yes, the R9 390 would also work.

In most current games you won't need more than 4GB of VRAM, especially if you're staying at 1080p. VRAM requirements are going up over time though, which is why the R9 390 is often recommended as a better 'long-term' buy.