Looking for a "Bang for your buck" GPU

[FenrirHS]

I'm currently looking forward to upgrading my pc this summer. I've chosen every component but I've got to take special attention to the graphics card. Witcher 3 ain't gonna run on my 5 year old GTS 250. I am currently debating with myself whether i should buy the GTX 960 or the R9 285. My price tag is about 290-300$. I want to play most new titles at least on High. I am looking forward for your suggestions and please - I don't want to go over the price range I've set. The price gap in my country is extremely different. For example - GTX 960 (palit version) costs 400BGN but the 970 (again palit) costs about 670 BGN and it was supposed to cost only 50$ more. So I wouldn't like to go overboard my set price range.

 

[Forgotten031511]

The "Best Bang For Your Buck" card on the market is certainly the GTX 970. With Mail-in-Rebates, you can get that card for $300-$320 on Newegg. It is simply the BEST cost-to-performance ratio card on the market...hands down!

 

[Azn Cracker]

The r9 285 is more power efficient (than 280x), but if you are not concerned about that then I would get the 280x or the 290/290x if you had more money. They are good bang for your buck gpu's if you are not too worried about power.

However if power is expensive in your country then yea definitely go for the r9 285 or the gtx 970. The 960 is not good bang for the buck (besides the recent sales on the ASUS Strix version here on the US)

It all comes down to what you can get on sale the GTX 960 is little bit faster than the R9 285 but the 285 is quite a bit cheaper here.

 

[Dan425811923]

He is wrong. The 960 is more power efficient but i would get a 280x.

 

[DSzymborski]

Where would you be shopping? That makes it easier to give you a recommendation at up to 520 BGN - most of us don't have a lot of experience shopping in Bulgaria.

 

[okcnaline]

If GTX 970 costs more than $385 USD, or 670 Bulgarian Lev, then that's too much. Grab a 290, which is a decent card, just too unefficient and warm.

 

[Azn Cracker]

He is wrong. The 960 is more power efficient but i would get a 280x.

What? I never said it wasn't.

Edit: Oh Sorry I was comparing to the 280x and 280. Darn english

 

[FenrirHS]

Where would you be shopping? That makes it easier to give you a recommendation at up to 520 BGN - most of us don't have a lot of experience shopping in Bulgaria.

I will be shopping by some well known BULGARIAN retailers - To be more precise www.stealtech.org (I honestly don't know/think if there's a "translate to Engilsh option" apart from using Google's retarded translate functions) . Quite a shame - abroad everything's cheaper. If Amazon can do free shipping for Bulgaria, I'd go with them. They sell things way cheaper. But If you know some retailer that does free shipping for Bulgaria, I may even buy some better parts. Other thing I can consider is 2nd hand cards. But I've heard bad news about cheap 2nd hand deals.

 

[jerdle]

Since everyone else is clearly incapable of answering your question and will only point out other gpus: I would recommend the r9 285. I have it and like it.

 

[FenrirHS]

Since everyone else is clearly incapable of answering your question and will only point out other gpus: I would recommend the r9 285. I have it and like it.

Have you done benchmarks with it. What are the results? If you haven't - how does it perform with more demanding titles such as Shadow of Mordor and The Witcher 3. I'm a hyped up Star Wars fanboy so I've got to have a nice GPU for when Battlefront comes out XD

 

[Tzn]

Get the Gtx 960 4 gb since Gtx 970 is 3.5 gb in reality and gtx 960 only consumes 120w compared to r9 280x which consumes 250w and is on par with gtx960 which is not only cooler but on par with R9 280x and in some cases over 280x not to mention gtx 960 is brand new architecture and has native DX12. Gtx 960 all the way, price/performance ratio is the smartest choice.

 

[Azn Cracker]

Since everyone else is clearly incapable of answering your question and will only point out other gpus: I would recommend the r9 285. I have it and like it.

Erm OP asked for a bang for the buck gpu. and we all recommended some.

He does not have to choose between the r9 285 vs gtx 960. Just because you have the 285 and like it is not the best reason to get it.

I mean I have a nvidia 9800gt in an old build and I like it.

 

[FenrirHS]

Get the Gtx 960 4 gb since Gtx 970 is 3.5 gb in reality and gtx 960 only consumes 120w compared to r9 280x which consumes 250w and is on par with gtx960 which is not only cooler but on par with R9 280x and in some cases over 280x not to mention gtx 960 is brand new architecture and has native DX12. Gtx 960 all the way, price/performance ratio is the smartest choice.

Have been thinking about buying it. I've heard, however, that there's been some lawsuits against most GPU developers of the 900 series. It may be rumors, but I've hear it's got less RAM and a shorter lifespan. I want your opinions, cause I think of buying the ASUS STRIX one. If the rumors aren't true - it'd be in my #1 spot. If they're true, however - i'd think of some AMD cards since there's a huge price jump from 960 to 970 and heck - even 770. Thanks for your opinion, though.

 

[Azn Cracker]

Get the Gtx 960 4 gb since Gtx 970 is 3.5 gb in reality and gtx 960 only consumes 120w compared to r9 280x which consumes 250w and is on par with gtx960 which is not only cooler but on par with R9 280x and in some cases over 280x not to mention gtx 960 is brand new architecture and has native DX12. Gtx 960 all the way, price/performance ratio is the smartest choice.

The gtx 960 is not better than the 280x. In some games like Battlefield, the 280x beats the 960 by quite a bit. on most other games they are about the same with the 280x.

the 3.5gb thingy is way overblown. It will not make a difference besides in 4k gaming. The 4 gb version of the 960 also costs almost as much as a r9 290, which absolutely demolishes the 960.
Sure it consumes a lot more power, but the magnitude of that drawback depends on the cost of electricity.

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BTW here are some benchmarks. Note BF4 and Tomb Raider use AMD Mantle so AMD cards have an advantage.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_960_g1_gaming_4gb_review,18.html

 

[okcnaline]

Since everyone else is clearly incapable of answering your question and will only point out other gpus: I would recommend the r9 285. I have it and like it.

Sigh...
The R9 285 is worse than any of the cards mentioned in this thread, except for the GeForce 9800GTX. And how are we not answering his question?

And also, like I said, the R9 290 is a decent card for this price. Get that.