Should i get the 7870?

[KyleT014]

Are there new models coming out this year? Is the 7870 worth it? if yes, what manufacturer? or should i get an Nvidia counterpart? Thanks in advance!

Intel i5 3350p
Gskill ripjaws 8gb
Samsung 840 SSD
Seagate Barracuda 500GB
Antec 450W PSU
EVGA GTX 650
Asrock H77 Pro4 MVP

 

[caydn12]

Are there new models coming out this year? Is the 7870 worth it? if yes, what manufacturer? or should i get an Nvidia counterpart? Thanks in advance!

Intel i5 3350p
Gskill ripjaws 8gb
Samsung 840 SSD
Seagate Barracuda 500GB
Antec 450W PSU
EVGA GTX 650
Asrock H77 Pro4 MVP

$150-$180: 650ti boost
$260: 7870xt (make sure its the XT version)
$270-$300: 7950 boost

I wouldnt recommend any in the $200-$240 price range.

Pick your price range, those are the best cards in the price range.
Best bang for buck I would say the 7870xt.
But the 7950 is quite significant with higher resolutions and more MSAA.

 

[KyleT014]

Are there new models coming out this year? Is the 7870 worth it? if yes, what manufacturer? or should i get an Nvidia counterpart? Thanks in advance!

Intel i5 3350p
Gskill ripjaws 8gb
Samsung 840 SSD
Seagate Barracuda 500GB
Antec 450W PSU
EVGA GTX 650
Asrock H77 Pro4 MVP

$150-$180: 650ti boost
$260: 7870xt (make sure its the XT version)
$270-$300: 7950 boost

I wouldnt recommend any in the $200-$240 price range.

Pick your price range, those are the best cards in the price range.
Best bang for buck I would say the 7870xt.
But the 7950 is quite significant with higher resolutions and more MSAA.

i can't find any 7870xt in new egg.ca or ncix 🙁

 

[nguyenm]

A HD7870 ghz edition would be very optimal for you rig. It has some of the best performance/watt ratio out there according to this source: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_Titan/28.html

It beats the titan & 690 in most cases in perf/watt, if you go on to the next page, it also has more value too!

An Nvidia counterpart would also be smart since you are using a Nvidia card atm so you wouldn't have to go through the process of uninstall driver and install new drivers, etc... A GTX 650 ti boost or GTX 660 both are good even though the HD7870 ghz outperform most of the time according to this source: http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-7870-vs-GeForce-GTX-660

Another note that you should take in. It is a shame that most of games that we play these day are console ports from the xbox360, in the near future of all 3 next-gen console will house AMD APU (GPU in Wii U) so having a GCN GPU would "technically" help in some ways i believe. This is pure opinion.

If you want to bitmining, this GPU can technically mine and pay for itself.

Hope i help you

p/s: i just help this guy on choosing the HD 7870 ghz. You can check out my contribution to it! link:http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1668178/gtx-650-radeon-7850.html

 

[KyleT014]

A HD7870 ghz edition would be very optimal for you rig. It has some of the best performance/watt ratio out there according to this source: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_Titan/28.html

It beats the titan & 690 in most cases in perf/watt, if you go on to the next page, it also has more value too!

An Nvidia counterpart would also be smart since you are using a Nvidia card atm so you wouldn't have to go through the process of uninstall driver and install new drivers, etc... A GTX 650 ti boost or GTX 660 both are good even though the HD7870 ghz outperform most of the time according to this source: http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-7870-vs-GeForce-GTX-660

Another note that you should take in. It is a shame that most of games that we play these day are console ports from the xbox360, in the near future of all 3 next-gen console will house AMD APU (GPU in Wii U) so having a GCN GPU would "technically" help in some ways i believe. This is pure opinion.

If you want to bitmining, this GPU can technically mine and pay for itself.

Hope i help you

p/s: i just help this guy on choosing the HD 7870 ghz. You can check out my contribution to it! link:http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1668178/gtx-650-radeon-7850.html

alright 😀 thanks! what manufacturer should i pick? XD

 

[caydn12]

A HD7870 ghz edition would be very optimal for you rig. It has some of the best performance/watt ratio out there according to this source: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_Titan/28.html

It beats the titan & 690 in most cases in perf/watt, if you go on to the next page, it also has more value too!

An Nvidia counterpart would also be smart since you are using a Nvidia card atm so you wouldn't have to go through the process of uninstall driver and install new drivers, etc... A GTX 650 ti boost or GTX 660 both are good even though the HD7870 ghz outperform most of the time according to this source: http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-7870-vs-GeForce-GTX-660

Another note that you should take in. It is a shame that most of games that we play these day are console ports from the xbox360, in the near future of all 3 next-gen console will house AMD APU (GPU in Wii U) so having a GCN GPU would "technically" help in some ways i believe. This is pure opinion.

If you want to bitmining, this GPU can technically mine and pay for itself.

Hope i help you

p/s: i just help this guy on choosing the HD 7870 ghz. You can check out my contribution to it! link:http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1668178/gtx-650-radeon-7850.html

alright 😀 thanks! what manufacturer should i pick? XD

Sapphire and MSI are the 2 best AMD GPU manufacturer's. I prefer Sapphire over MSI but both are very good.

 

[nguyenm]

I would pick this HIS model: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161404

I believe that these type of cooler aid the overall ambient temperature of the whole system rather than having a cooling system that disrupt the airflow

 

[nguyenm]

Oh and please give me a +1 too if you found my solution good

Here's a detail comparison site between the Hd 7870s :http://us.hardware.info/comparisontable/products/156027-166260-166982-148837
Honestly to say, everyone one of them is good but the HIS model that i posted has the best thermal/noise advantage.

 

[david cassar]

A HD7870 ghz edition would be very optimal for you rig. It has some of the best performance/watt ratio out there according to this source: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_Titan/28.html

It beats the titan & 690 in most cases in perf/watt, if you go on to the next page, it also has more value too!

An Nvidia counterpart would also be smart since you are using a Nvidia card atm so you wouldn't have to go through the process of uninstall driver and install new drivers, etc... A GTX 650 ti boost or GTX 660 both are good even though the HD7870 ghz outperform most of the time according to this source: http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-7870-vs-GeForce-GTX-660

Another note that you should take in. It is a shame that most of games that we play these day are console ports from the xbox360, in the near future of all 3 next-gen console will house AMD APU (GPU in Wii U) so having a GCN GPU would "technically" help in some ways i believe. This is pure opinion.

If you want to bitmining, this GPU can technically mine and pay for itself.

Hope i help you

p/s: i just help this guy on choosing the HD 7870 ghz. You can check out my contribution to it! link:http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1668178/gtx-650-radeon-7850.html

The nvidia counterpart of the hd 7870 is the gtx 660 and they trade blows in gaming.

 

[coozie7]

A couple of points:
What is your monitor resolution? Higher resolutions need more graphical muscle to drive them.
You may need to change the power supply, it's not suitable for either the HD7870GHz/XT cards, they both need dual 6 pin PCI-E connectors, and while it's a quality unit I doubt it has the dual connectors required and driving cards of this calibre off Molex/PCI-E converters is NOT recommended.
Top choice without a PSU change would be the GTX660 (non Ti) or HD7850, in either case you MUST check the specs carefully some designs require dual connectors.
I am aware that some of the cards will call for 500Watts, the makers over specify this requirement to cover for the large number of c**p PSUs out there, trust me, as long as you don'd add a dozen HDDs or get into heavy overclocking the Antec will be just fine.

 

[KyleT014]

A couple of points:
What is your monitor resolution? Higher resolutions need more graphical muscle to drive them.
You may need to change the power supply, it's not suitable for either the HD7870GHz/XT cards, they both need dual 6 pin PCI-E connectors, and while it's a quality unit I doubt it has the dual connectors required and driving cards of this calibre off Molex/PCI-E converters is NOT recommended.
Top choice without a PSU change would be the GTX660 (non Ti) or HD7850, in either case you MUST check the specs carefully some designs require dual connectors.
I am aware that some of the cards will call for 500Watts, the makers over specify this requirement to cover for the large number of c**p PSUs out there, trust me, as long as you don'd add a dozen HDDs or get into heavy overclocking the Antec will be just fine.

My monitor resolution is 1680x1050. I really don't know what to get from these (7870, 660, 7850) but since my mobo support crossfire.. i should probably pick an amd one... I just want it to last for about 3-5 years before it gets outdated.

Oh yeah, should i wait for the new gpu's to come out before i make a purchase?

 

[coozie7]

You might find this article helpful:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-graphics-card-review,review-32671.html

If you can wait, then wait, Nvidia should be releasing their new cards in 3 weeks or so but bear in mind it may take a month or more for prices and availability to settle down.
If you cannot wait the GTX660 (non Ti) is the most your power supply can run-assuming the card you want uses a single 6 pin PCI-E lead.

 

[KyleT014]

You might find this article helpful:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-graphics-card-review,review-32671.html

If you can wait, then wait, Nvidia should be releasing their new cards in 3 weeks or so but bear in mind it may take a month or more for prices and availability to settle down.
If you cannot wait the GTX660 (non Ti) is the most your power supply can run-assuming the card you want uses a single 6 pin PCI-E lead.

Based on your knowledge, should i get a 660 or a 7850? 😀 thanks!

 

[coozie7]

Given that this upgrade will push the PSU a bit, 660 tends to have lower power consumption and is faster-I'd go for that.
Just be sure to check it only needs the single 6 pin connector, I do n't think any do require dual plugs but it's a good idea to make sure.

 

[KyleT014]

Given that this upgrade will push the PSU a bit, 660 tends to have lower power consumption and is faster-I'd go for that.
Just be sure to check it only needs the single 6 pin connector, I do n't think any do require dual plugs but it's a good idea to make sure.

Alright man! One last thing, which 660 should i get? There's quite a lot and i have no idea how to differentiate them http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=gtx+660&x=0&y=0. Thanks again!

 

[caydn12]

Given that this upgrade will push the PSU a bit, 660 tends to have lower power consumption and is faster-I'd go for that.
Just be sure to check it only needs the single 6 pin connector, I do n't think any do require dual plugs but it's a good idea to make sure.

Alright man! One last thing, which 660 should i get? There's quite a lot and i have no idea how to differentiate them http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=gtx+660&x=0&y=0. Thanks again!

Ive heard a lot of people giving good credit to the AMP! Edition from Zotac:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500291

If you dont want that one, then go for an EVGA card. They are good manufacturers.

 

[KyleT014]

Given that this upgrade will push the PSU a bit, 660 tends to have lower power consumption and is faster-I'd go for that.
Just be sure to check it only needs the single 6 pin connector, I do n't think any do require dual plugs but it's a good idea to make sure.

Alright man! One last thing, which 660 should i get? There's quite a lot and i have no idea how to differentiate them http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=gtx+660&x=0&y=0. Thanks again!

Ive heard a lot of people giving good credit to the AMP! Edition from Zotac:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500291

If you dont want that one, then go for an EVGA card. They are good manufacturers.

it does look nice lol, aww what, but the 7850's come with more games than the 660! oh wow, i really cant make up my mind

 

[caydn12]

Given that this upgrade will push the PSU a bit, 660 tends to have lower power consumption and is faster-I'd go for that.
Just be sure to check it only needs the single 6 pin connector, I do n't think any do require dual plugs but it's a good idea to make sure.

Alright man! One last thing, which 660 should i get? There's quite a lot and i have no idea how to differentiate them http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=gtx+660&x=0&y=0. Thanks again!

Ive heard a lot of people giving good credit to the AMP! Edition from Zotac:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500291

If you dont want that one, then go for an EVGA card. They are good manufacturers.

it does look nice lol, aww what, but the 7850's come with more games than the 660! oh wow, i really cant make up my mind

If you want to play those games and dont own them, its the better choice honestly. The 7850 isnt as fast (its more like a 650ti boost) but it can get the job done.

Another option:
Buy a 7870. They are like $30 more than the 7850 and if you have to save a little bit longer but still want those games you wil be on par with the 660 and have the games for only $30 extra. Its a good deal in my opinion. Plus you can overclock way further with a 7870 than you can with a 660.

And really its not too hard to save up $30. Have some old video games for a console you dont play? Sell em for $15-$30 depending on their condition and there you go.
Craigslist is a great site to make a quick $30 if you have some stuff you dont use anymore.

 

[david cassar]

Given that this upgrade will push the PSU a bit, 660 tends to have lower power consumption and is faster-I'd go for that.
Just be sure to check it only needs the single 6 pin connector, I do n't think any do require dual plugs but it's a good idea to make sure.

Alright man! One last thing, which 660 should i get? There's quite a lot and i have no idea how to differentiate them http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=gtx+660&x=0&y=0. Thanks again!

Ive heard a lot of people giving good credit to the AMP! Edition from Zotac:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500291

If you dont want that one, then go for an EVGA card. They are good manufacturers.

it does look nice lol, aww what, but the 7850's come with more games than the 660! oh wow, i really cant make up my mind

I wouldn't get the hd 7850 instead of the gtx 660. IMO you are better of getting the amd bundle off of ebay for a cheap price. The gtx 660 is around 15% percent faster than the hd 7850 and also comes with nvidia technologies. The gtx 650 ti boost might be a good option. Currently they perform a bit better than an hd 7850 but are extremely cheap. Look at this one : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127728
It is only 141 dollars for a 2gb version!!!

 

[Raheel Hasan]

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_650_Ti_Boost_SC/26.html

Look at the performance summary 7850 and 7870 are not good choices. Either get 650ti boost($150 as mentioned above) or 7870xt($240). 7870xt performs similar to 7950 but at very low price

 

[coozie7]

@KyleT014: Consider the HD7850 if you want the free games, it's not hugely slower than the GTX660.
Without a power supply upgrade the HD7870/7870LE/XT are out of reach, I doubt your Antec PSU has dual 6 pin PCI-E connectors and, as I have already said, running such a card off Molex/PCI-E adaptors is not a good idea.
For your current setup, I'd say that Zotac AMP! card is as close to a perfect fit as you'll find.

 

[KyleT014]

Alright, thanks for the input guys! I will buy a 660 and i will just purchase the games at ebay! Just one more thing, if i purchase the never settle bundle online, will it work even though i dont have an amd card? Will they check it? Thanks again!

 

[david cassar]

Alright, thanks for the input guys! I will buy a 660 and i will just purchase the games at ebay! Just one more thing, if i purchase the never settle bundle online, will it work even though i dont have an amd card? Will they check it? Thanks again!

It will still work since they are just game codes.

 

[KyleT014]

Alright, thanks for the input guys! I will buy a 660 and i will just purchase the games at ebay! Just one more thing, if i purchase the never settle bundle online, will it work even though i dont have an amd card? Will they check it? Thanks again!

It will still work since they are just game codes.

Okay, thanks David!