Need Help Choosing Graphics Card For Gaming PC

[SCP-173]

I am looking into buying a GTX 970 for my new gaming PC, but there are a lot of different brands and different series of the card, I don't know which one is better, here are a few I was looking into:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-gtx970gaming4g
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-video-card-strixgtx970dc2oc4gd5
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn970g1gaming4gd
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn970wf3oc4gd
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-04gp42974kr

There were more that I was looking at but these are the ones that had the highest ratings. I am kinda on a budget, so I do not want the most expensive one, I am fine with spending extra for a card but as long as it is worth the price for performance in games. Thanks you to anyone who is able to help me out!

Also, if you can please explain why I should get the card you recommend, that would help a lot too.

 

[MarkW]

Take a look at Tom's Best Video Card for the money list
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107.html

You should be able to answer most of your questions there.

 

[TheNewGeek420]

Pros and Cons list:

Gigabyte G1 Gaming:

Pros:
Has a Backplate
Highest Pre-Overclock
Best Overclockability
Best cooling

Cons:
Loudest of the three
Large, some cases may not be able to fit it
The LED it has is not RGB meaning you can't change it, you can only leave it on or turn it off.

Non G1:

Pros:
Still gets good FPS
Can Overclock very well but not as good as G1
Three Fans

Cons:
No Backplate
LED isn't RGB
Loud
Large

MSI 970 Gaming:

Pros:
Great Cooling
Quietness is only second to the Strix
Great overclockability
Zerofrozr tech- meaning the fans auto turn off when idling or light load

Cons:
The Zerofrozr tech may be a con to some people as they don't want their fans to auto turn off.
No backplate
Since the card is already red and black, it wouldn't matter much if the LED was RGB

Asus Strix 970:

Pros:
Cooling is on par with MSI
Quietest 970
Backplate
Has an auto power off fan tech
Cons:
The 8 Pin power connector often puts a power limit so overclocking isn't easy.
Voltage is locked
Auto power off fan tech may be a con for people but this can be changed


EVGA SC 970:

Pros:
Good Cooling
No manufacturer devoted to Nvidia unlike this one

Cons:
Not the best Overclocker as far as I know
May not be a backplate, but I might be wrong


TL;DR:
If you want the most quiet graphics card, get either the Msi or the Asus.
If you want to overclock get the gigabyte or the MSI. If you have a blue and other color build get the G1 and if you have a Red and some other color build (that goes with the colors of the MSI) then get the MSI.
The EVGA is just a GPU to fall back on, and same with the gigabyte.

 

[Andreamorim112]

They all use the same chip. But the one which delivers more is the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X.
And it is not the most expensive!

 

[Shamar Holtz]

This one would have probably the best cooling and about the best performance as the others, the others may have a slightly higher core clock though but it wouldn't make to much of a difference http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn970wf3oc4gd

EDIT: This version is usually one of the quietest as well

 

[groundrat]

All 970 cards use the same template. Some manufactures up-clock them a bit to try to differentiate themselves but as far as in game performance is concerned all 970s are basically equal. Get the least expensive one.

 

[SCP-173]

thanks a lot for all the replies, I do not plan on over clocking the GPU and the color really doesn't matter to me, so which one do you guys think I should get, it doesn't have to be the quietest or coolest, but I would like any one that isn't too loud and stays cool, and whichever one will get me the most FPS in games and the best graphics.

 

[Shamar Holtz]

This one http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NN0GIA0/?tag=pcpapi-20

 

[TheNewGeek420]

thanks a lot for all the replies, I do not plan on over clocking the GPU and the color really doesn't matter to me, so which one do you guys think I should get, it doesn't have to be the quietest or coolest, but I would like any one that isn't too loud and stays cool, and whichever one will get me the most FPS in games and the best graphics.

asus strix