So glad I got the 4GB GTX 770!!

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BrandonCSLC

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Nov 18, 2013
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When I went to purchase the GTX770 I asked for some advice on Tomshardware about whether I should get the 4GB or 2GB card. Everyone swore up down that I would never see 4GB of memory being used at 1080p resolution and it was a waste of 50 bucks. well.... Wrong! I just bought Shadow of Mordor and the game looks amazing with the HD textures DLC. The game is a memory hog! I see the full 4GB of memory being used to run the game at 60+fps. Other games that I play also go well over the 2GB mark. The 4GB card is a monster. I love it and so glad I spent the extra $50. If anyone is thinking of getting the 7704 GB card... DO IT! 2GB isn't gonna cut it anymore.
 
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The game runs just fine with 2gb of gddr5. the reason its using the 4gb is because instead of using the ddr3 on your motherboard. its taking advantage of the 4gb on the gpu. Blame the next gen consoles for this. However, the game dynamically adjust and runs fine with 2gb. The bandwith of the 4gb card isnt even high enough to saturate the whole 4gb. Secondly, the 770 was historically over priced and you paid even more for the 4gb modle when you could of gone with a 290 or something with more punch anyway.
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I think everyone swore you would not see a lick of performance increase over the 2GB version. Memory saturation does not equal performance. The argument being made is that visual performance of any game using Ultra settings, is not visually different when using High settings, that all the extra overhead does not yield proportional results.

My 2GB GTX 770 will produce the same visually stunning renders using High settings as your 4GB model. In Ultra settings, you might squeak out a few more FPS but visually the game looks basically as it did using High settings with tons more hardware overhead.
 
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Happy for you, but a couple of points:
- When the 770 was new, benchmarks showed that the 770 2GB showed no performance degradation at a given setting compared to the 770 4GB, in other words, the 770 didn't strictly NEED the extra memory, it could manage with 2 GB.
As you point out, and you're right in today's scenario, games are starting to use more than 2 GB for 1080p.
- As for getting the 770 4GB now, that's a no. The GTX 970 is newly released, has 4 GB, and needs only 2/3 of the power the 770 needs. Plus, it's sitting at an attractive price point of $330.


As for your 770, it's still a good card for gaming, and should serve you well for some time to come, since you were prepared for additional required memory.
 
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2GB is fine for most of today's games.

As for upcoming games, we'll see. With the PS4 and Xbox One, we'll probably start seeing a lot of sloppy ports (example: watch dogs).

The 770 4GB shows no or very little improvement over the 770 2GB. And many games you see using more than 2GB or VRAM don't require it, they just load whatever they can into VRAM.
 
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Also.. .You can get a 770 4GB card now for less than 300. I have seen some going for 200-250 used. Granted, all that stuff about power consumption and performance of the 970 is true. However, you could get a 7704GB card for less, not care about the power consumption and get similar performance (because games right now don't utilize the new maxwell chip) and be totally happy for the next year or two. Just saying, If you dont have the 350 to dish out for the 970.... Get the 770 4GB not the 2GB.
 
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Games do untilize the 970's full power. I can tell you that going from a 770 to a 970 was a nice upgrade.
 
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I don't know what you mean by games right now don't utilize the Maxwell chip. Everything a GTX 770 2/4GB can do, a GTX 970 can do better and with a lot less power.

I got my GTX 770 2GB for $250.00 Used, about 6 months ago. I think they have already been discontinued so anyone shopping a new GTX 770 right now should be shopping a GTX 970.
 
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It sounds like you are furthering my above argument but maybe I have misunderstood you.

The OP equated 4GB VRAM saturation to performance. Filling up your VRAM means very little if it does not translate to a measurable or identifiable performance improvement, of any sort. All the GTX 760 and 770 2GB Vs. 4GB reviews I've read, also indicate this.

This is not a capacity issue(all 2GB cards Vs. all 4GB cards). It is an issue with specifically, the GTX 760 4GB and GTX 770 4GB not being able to utilize the extra VRAM capacity in an efficient manner that allows for any performance increase in a 1920x1080p environment.

Marginal performance increases have been documented in 5760x1080p resolutions with these two 4GB cards, but only marginal at best. The end recommendation usually is, "if you are gaming in 5760x1080p, why did you not buy a GTX 780Ti 3GB"

The GTX 700 series 4GB cards were a money grab. If you were gaming in 5760x1080p and using SLI 760 4GB or 7704GB, you saw some benefit of the extra VRAM but you were wishing you had went with SLI 780Ti's
 
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So..... a game being able to load/store 4GB of data on a graphics card at a time has no advantage over 2GB of data? Am I miss-understanding how graphics cards work? Would this larger bank of resources not provide an advantage? If that isn't the case then why do they increase a GPU's VRAM every generation?
 
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Starting an argument? I'm just very confused by your post. What is so blatantly obvious to you, that I am missing? You are implying that something in this thread is over my head and if it is, I just want to understand.... not argue.

Do you disagree with any of my posts in this thread?
 
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TigerDirect has them both on sale right now (2GB and 4GB versions) for the same price...... $249.00 after rebate. Pick either one as the results will be basically identical for all but 1% of people using them. Those are people running three displays and using SLI and even then, the benefits of the 4GB over the 2GB are <10% increase in performance. Single display users might get a 1-2% increase.


Update Edit: The 2GB version just sold out. Why would anyone would buy the 2GB version over the 4GB version if they are the same price. Maybe they aren't so different?
 
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The game runs just fine with 2gb of gddr5. the reason its using the 4gb is because instead of using the ddr3 on your motherboard. its taking advantage of the 4gb on the gpu. Blame the next gen consoles for this. However, the game dynamically adjust and runs fine with 2gb. The bandwith of the 4gb card isnt even high enough to saturate the whole 4gb. Secondly, the 770 was historically over priced and you paid even more for the 4gb modle when you could of gone with a 290 or something with more punch anyway.
 
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