Which card for $300 max?

[Guest]

Hey all, just got Battlefield 3, and I can barely play it on low settings , so I want to upgrade my card. My budget is around $250, but I can stretch it if it is really worth it. Right now I'm considering the 7850, 7870, and 660 ti. I also heard the 660 and the 650 came out too, but I haven't heard much about them yet. I want this card to last a while. Which would you recommend? Keep in mind I am on a budget, and would prefer the cheapest, but best bang for your buck.

Thanks!

 

[CaptainTom]

Hey all, just got Battlefield 3, and I can barely play it on low settings , so I want to upgrade my card. My budget is around $250, but I can stretch it if it is really worth it. Right now I'm considering the 7850, 7870, and 660 ti. I also heard the 660 and the 650 came out too, but I haven't heard much about them yet. I want this card to last a while. Which would you recommend? Keep in mind I am on a budget, and would prefer the cheapest, but best bang for your buck.

Thanks!

The best bang for your buck is easily the HD 7870. It sells for $230 on newegg and is easily as strong as a GTX 580 (A $500 card from last year). If OC it can beat an HD 7950 at stock. Also it trades blows with the $300 660Ti.

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

This 7950
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102989
or this 7870
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127681
Those are the two best cards near $300. You could also get a 660ti but they often times are beaten by a 7870.

 

[Guest]

I was indeed leaning towards the 7870 twin frozr. Is the $40 jump from the 7870 to the 7950 worth it? I did not know you could find a 7950 that cheap. Also, I'm going to guess the 7950 beats the 660t?

 

[gregaaron89]

I would say it goes 7950>660ti>7870>660>7850

The 660 is pretty much at the price/performance sweet spot, the 660ti or 7870 would be better if you want something a bit more powerful that will stay relevant a bit longer and is still a good deal. The 650 is a low end card, it's basically just an update to the 460 and I wouldn't even consider it.

 

[maxh22]

I was indeed leaning towards the 7870 twin frozr. Is the $40 jump from the 7870 to the 7950 worth it? I did not know you could find a 7950 that cheap. Also, I'm going to guess the 7950 beats the 660t?

Go for the 7950 you can always overclock it more and get more FPS than any of the other cards listed above!

 

[17seconds]

The GTX 660 Ti outperforms all those cards in Battlefield 3. It's one game you want every bit of performance you can get.

It's also overall faster, plus you get PhysX, Adaptive VSync, TXAA, FXAA, etc.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_660_Ti_Power_Edition/28.html

 

[_scientist]

Short and simple:

Nividia type = 660ti

AMD type = 7870 OC

 

[Hiii]

IMO the 7950 is outperformed by the 660 Ti in BF3 but i think that the 7950 still runs BF3 well and i think its probably a better all around card.

 

[17seconds]

That's how you buy a video card: pick the game(s) you want to play, check benchmarks for the resolution you use, get the best card. I mention the bonus features like PhysX because when confronted by two cards at the same price and the same performance, the extras are what sets them apart. The GTX 660 Ti comes with a free copy of Borderlands 2 right now so you would actually get to play a PhysX game with the effects enabled.

But really, you're talking BF3, that's a GTX 660 Ti game all the way. The difference between it and the 7950 in BF3 can be pretty stark.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6159/the-geforce-gtx-660-ti-review/13

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/56090-nvidia-geforce-gtx-660-ti-review-10.html

http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/zotac_gtx660ti_amp_edition_review,10.html

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=967&Itemid=72&limit=1&limitstart=12

 

[maxh22]

That 7950 is cheaper than any 660ti out there.

But more importantly, notice how many times the 7950 has better minimum framerate than the 660ti even though it often has a lower average framerate? Minimum framerate is much more important, and because of the crippled memory bandwidth on the 660ti, it often suffers in minimum framerate.

And the 7950 is better than the 660ti in MOST games not including BF3.

 

[envy14tpe]

I would say it goes 7950>660ti>7870>660>7850

The 660 is pretty much at the price/performance sweet spot, the 660ti or 7870 would be better if you want something a bit more powerful that will stay relevant a bit longer and is still a good deal. The 650 is a low end card, it's basically just an update to the 460 and I wouldn't even consider it.

This guy is right. For around $250...I'd buy 7870. You will be happy. More money always gives more, but
with diminishing returns. Otherwise wait a bit for 660 reviews.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the answers guys. I think I'm leaning toward the 7870. It seems like the 660ti usually wins with Battlefield 3, but that's not the only game I'm going to be playing anyway.

Any ideas on which brand 7870 to buy?

 

[zared619]

Benchmarks show the 660 beating out the 7870 in BF3 and its cheaper. If it were me personally, I would spring for the 660. Plus Nvidia tends to have a little better driver support.

The picture isn't showing so just copy the image url by right clicking on the box. Sorry bout that.

 

[envy14tpe]

Keep to your budget.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127662

Everyone recommends a higher card, but do you need it?

 

[Guest]

I actually think waiting for some 660 reviews may not be a bad idea. It might be comparable/better than the 7870 for a cheaper price? That may bring the 7870's price down a little? Who knows. If anyone has some 660 benchmarks, I'd appreciate it.

 

[zared619]

I actually think waiting for some 660 reviews may not be a bad idea. It might be comparable/better than the 7870 for a cheaper price? That may bring the 7870's price down a little? Who knows. If anyone has some 660 benchmarks, I'd appreciate it.

Here you are.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-660-geforce-gtx-650-benchmark,3297.html

 

[redeemer]

At the current price points I wouls say that the 7950 is the best card for the money right now. The 7870 is cheaper and has worthy performance as well. The 660ti is not a well rounded performer it excels in some titles and thats about it. If you do choose the 7950 you will have more bandwidth available for future titles if they do so require.

 

[maxh22]

At the current price points I wouls say that the 7950 is the best card for the money right now. The 7870 is cheaper and has worthy performance as well. The 660ti is not a well rounded performer it excels in some titles and thats about it. If you do choose the 7950 you will have more bandwidth available for future titles if they do so require.

+1

 

[CaptainTom]

The GTX 660 Ti outperforms all those cards in Battlefield 3. It's one game you want every bit of performance you can get.

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_660_Ti_Power_Edition/images/bf3_1920_1200.gif

It's also overall faster, plus you get PhysX, Adaptive VSync, TXAA, FXAA, etc.

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_660_Ti_Power_Edition/images/perfrel_1920.gif
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_660_Ti_Power_Edition/28.html

LOL no. Nothing against Nvidia but the 660ti is a rip off compared to the 660 and 7870. You do realize those charts only tell us that a 7870 is 90% a 660ti for 77% of the price. Oh and BF3 doesn't use Physx.

The point is if you want the "Strongest card for BF3," get an HD 7970 GHz. If you want price/performance, get an HD 7870 or a GTX 660.

At the end of the day, when an HD 7870 feels old... a 660ti will feel just as old.

 

[zared619]

LOL no. Nothing against Nvidia but the 660ti is a rip off compared to the 660 and 7870. You do realize those charts only tell us that a 7870 is 90% a 660ti for 77% of the price. Oh and BF3 doesn't use Physx.

The point is if you want the "Strongest card for BF3," get an HD 7970 GHz. If you want price/performance, get an HD 7870 or a GTX 660.

At the end of the day, when an HD 7870 feels old... a 660ti will feel just as old.

Could not have said it any better.