Will I really miss out with little AF and AA?

[angelo88]

Hey guys, I was just wondering, is there really a big difference between, say, 16xAF vs 2xAF, or high AA vs low or no AA? Coz(as posted in the other forum) I was debating between upgrading my processor from a 970 to a core i5 2500k and stick with my card which is a 5770, or stick with the 970(or sell it and get a 955. The 970 is brand new by the way. Its a gift) and use the extra cash to get a better GPU.

The thing is, thinking long term, basing on the benchmarks, I see that the 2500k would probable benefit me more. If that's the case, I could stick with the 5770 for the (really long)mean time. I use a 1680x1050 monitor, and don't plan on upgrading that at all.

Given that, I know I probably won't be able to max out games that much, especially the AA and AF, since(I believe) these are the ones that put the greatest stress on the GPU. So my question is, is the difference between high AF and low AF, as well as high AA versus low AA, really that noticeable? I normally game with, like, 2xAF and no AA, and they're pretty sweet. But if there's really something better out there, and its a really big diff that's worth getting a better vid card over a better CPU for, I'd go for it.

 

[Rustyy117]

I always opt for the highest level of AF as it improves texture quality a fair bit. AA isn't so important to me, 2 x AA at 1080P is fine, I'll use more if my frame rates can take the hit.

I think image quality in general is largely personal preference, It boils down to what your willing to accept.

Have a play around with some AF and AA settings in your favourite games and see what the difference is in quality and frame rates, then you can make an educated decision on what is best for you.

 

[FlintIronStagg]

I always opt for the highest level of AF as it improves texture quality a fair bit. AA isn't so important to me, 2 x AA at 1080P is fine, I'll use more if my frame rates can take the hit.

I think image quality in general is largely personal preference, It boils down to what your willing to accept.

Have a play around with some AF and AA settings in your favourite games and see what the difference is in quality and frame rates, then you can make an educated decision on what is best for you.

+1 To the af/aa.
You have the PIIx4 970BE? The 970 BE can hit 4.0 GHz easily, and perform very well with a new video card. If that's the cpu you have, I would get a higher end video card as that would yield the biggest increase in performance in gaming for you, and would see you through your "mean time". a pIIx4 970BE with an OC and a 570 or 6970 you would see a huge improvement from your 5770, and the 5xxx series didn't have the best tesselation support and the 5770, although a good performer for the price, is the weak spot there between the 970BE and your gpu

 

[angelo88]

6970 on 1680x1050? Isn't that a bit overkill? Not that I'd know, since I'm not that well versed, but I always that the 69xx cards were made for 1080 and above gaming?

 

[Rustyy117]

6970 on 1680x1050? Isn't that a bit overkill? Not that I'd know, since I'm not that well versed, but I always that the 69xx cards were made for 1080 and above gaming?

I would say that for the vast majority of games out today it is overkill, but there are a few exceptions like Metro 2033, Battlefield 3, Crysis 2 (with High resolution texture pack and DX11 patch), I'm sure there are a few others aswell.

If you plan on keeping the card for a few years then I'd say its a good investment, although if you do plan on keeping the card for awhile then I'd suggest waiting until the AMD 7xxx series as they are only a few months away (Rumour has it).

 

[angelo88]

But if ever the 7xxx series comes out, the higher end cards(like the ones that should replace the 69xx) would be quite expensive. But how bout this for an alternativeL how about crossfiring my 5770 with a 6770? Would that produce just as good results as a 6970, or a 6950 at least? I saw some benchmarks with crossfired OCed 6770s matching the 6970, and since the 5770 is almost the same as the 6770(minus the OC), would they produce almost as good results?

I haer people saying there may be issues with micro suttering though. What is that? and is it really that bad?

 

[Rustyy117]

But if ever the 7xxx series comes out, the higher end cards(like the ones that should replace the 69xx) would be quite expensive. But how bout this for an alternativeL how about crossfiring my 5770 with a 6770? Would that produce just as good results as a 6970, or a 6950 at least? I saw some benchmarks with crossfired OCed 6770s matching the 6970, and since the 5770 is almost the same as the 6770(minus the OC), would they produce almost as good results?

I haer people saying there may be issues with micro suttering though. What is that? and is it really that bad?

You cannot crossfire a 5770 with a 6770, they are from different generations, you can only crossfire 2 (or more) cards from the same series E.G a HD5770 with another HD5770 or HD5750.

You could purchase a second HD5770 which would give you roughly the same performance as a HD5870 which in turn is very close to the performance of the HD6950.

Some info on Micro stuttering: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_stuttering

 

[angelo88]

actually according to the AMD website they can

http://sites.amd.com/PublishingImages/Public/Graphic_Illustrations/WebBannerJPEG/AMD_CrossfireX_Chart_1618W.jpg

But from anyone who's actually experienced it(or has exprience with crossfire set ups) how do dual GPUs perform for you? Is it worth the savings? Or is it really worth spending for a newer better card?

 

[Rustyy117]

actually according to the AMD website they can

http://sites.amd.com/PublishingImages/Public/Graphic_Illustrations/WebBannerJPEG/AMD_CrossfireX_Chart_1618W.jpg

But from anyone who's actually experienced it(or has exprience with crossfire set ups) how do dual GPUs perform for you? Is it worth the savings? Or is it really worth spending for a newer better card?

EDIT: holy **** you can, wow thats crazy, I've not seen a review for that before, must be rebranded

 

[FlintIronStagg]

I would say that for the vast majority of games out today it is overkill, but there are a few exceptions like Metro 2033, Battlefield 3, Crysis 2 (with High resolution texture pack and DX11 patch), I'm sure there are a few others aswell.

If you plan on keeping the card for a few years then I'd say its a good investment, although if you do plan on keeping the card for awhile then I'd suggest waiting until the AMD 7xxx series as they are only a few months away (Rumour has it).

The exact reason I suggested the 570 or 6970 was not just due to the immediate increase in performance but also the longevity it would have over a less powerful card that would show its age quicker as the op stated the lengthy time between upgrades. Im sticking by it.

 

[angelo88]

I see your point. Allright then, thanks so much everyone for your help! Now to start saving up for the new card. Probably means ima have to upgrade my psu though(currently using a corsair 520w). But the 600w power supplies aren't that far outta reach.

Appreciate the help!

 

[FlintIronStagg]

But if ever the 7xxx series comes out, the higher end cards(like the ones that should replace the 69xx) would be quite expensive. But how bout this for an alternativeL how about crossfiring my 5770 with a 6770? Would that produce just as good results as a 6970, or a 6950 at least? I saw some benchmarks with crossfired OCed 6770s matching the 6970, and since the 5770 is almost the same as the 6770(minus the OC), would they produce almost as good results?

I haer people saying there may be issues with micro suttering though. What is that? and is it really that bad?

The 5770 xfire was performing between the 6870 and the 6950. When assessing the 7xxx series remember that they will most likely release their top end cards later than the launch.

 

[FlintIronStagg]

I see your point. Allright then, thanks so much everyone for your help! Now to start saving up for the new card. Probably means ima have to upgrade my psu though(currently using a corsair 520w). But the 600w power supplies aren't that far outta reach.

Appreciate the help!

Np, good luck with the upgrade!