I am between 2 GPU cards, please help pick the right one (the best for

[ermacos]

Hello,

 

I am about to get a new gpu, I decided for a GTX 770 and I am between 2 models. I play allot video games that support modding, I find it really interesting, so I believe its the best place to ask and help me choose.

 

I am interested about this GPU model http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_770_windforce_review,18.html

 

But it comes in 2 editions, 2 and 4 gigs of gddr5 ram. I only have 1 monitor and I am not interested of playing in 3 monitors. But I love mods.

 

Another option is the amd r9 280x with 3 gigs, Much much cheaper, but nvidia have the best drivers.... Please help me pick 1!

Edited October 29, 2013 by ermacos

[Rennn]

4GB is overkill, but the 770 is a strong enough card that 4GB will help for future-proofing when the next-gen consoles hit.

 

I would recommend the 4GB GTX 770 for two reasons.

First, Nvidia cards offer a lot of options to supersample games in the drivers with Nvidia Inspector, which is helpful in games like Bioshock Infinite or Skyrim that otherwise have low quality AA.

Second, Nvidia cards support PhysX hardware acceleration, so an Nvidia card will increase your performance and keep the stress away from your CPU in games using advanced physics.

[nukafish]

2GB is enough for 1080p gaming, I'd get 3GB (280x) for future titles and if you want to go with more than one monitor in the future, the 280x is a rebranded 7970Ghz with better power consumption, the 770 is a rebranded 680.


770 - Shadowplay, CUDA, and G-Sync

280x - Mantle Support, more powerful in OpenCL/OpenGL applications, better multi-monitor support (Eyefinity)


I would personally go with the 280x as it soon will come with the AMD Never Settle Bundle (3 free games)

Edited October 29, 2013 by nukafish

[Thor.]

I would wait until the gtx780 ti, overkill is a good thing :mellow: two gtx770's or one overkill card that does that and then some.

Edited October 30, 2013 by Thor.

[FMod]

4GB on a previous gen card is like racing stripes on a van.

Not only don't they make cars go faster, they wouldn't help a van even if they did.

 

You could kinda justify 4GB back in the times when 680 was the top dog, simply because it's the difference between having the absolute best and not the absolute best.

 

Right now?

It's started aging and it is going to get old long before memory becomes any sort of issue.

680 aka 770 is NOT an adequate card for maximum settings in modern games and it never was. Two 680's pushed Last Light on SSAA 2x... mostly, I still went down to AAA when it got tough.

 

The only reasons to getting a 4GB 770 right now are if 1) you're running multiple displays (because memory gets split equally between them), 2) you've just heard that W invaded Iraq and still think of video cards in terms of VRAM rather than TFLOPS.

[Rennn]

 

680 aka 770 is NOT an adequate card for maximum settings in modern games and it never was. Two 680's pushed Last Light on SSAA 2x... mostly, I still went down to AAA when it got tough.

 

 

I'm not sure what was wrong with your rig, but I can put Last Light on ultra and stay between 40-60 fps on my GTX 660 GC. If I turn on SSAA in LL my framerate plummets to the 20-30 range, but the fact remains a 770 is more than capable of putting Last Light on ultra. If you couldn't, it's because of some other factor.

 

It's a very strong card, and not everyone has the money to spend $1000 getting the absolute best every 3 years.

[ermacos]

haven't played last light myself yet, but with my prev card GTX480 I finished metro 2033 in full settings and it was playable (about 18-40 fps).

 

I am more than confident about gtx770 horse power, especially this specific model pushes about 8-10% more than the reference gtx770 can do, because it has 3x cooling system and 6 pipes. So its a much cooler card.

 

My only consideration is, if its feature proof, against dx11 - dx11.2 capabilities, there is no games that use that yet and I don't like windows 8, for now.. Also the new r9 280x may have some benefits over 3d programs (I am a photographer my self, I use pp) but I want to believe gtx 770 can do well in photoshop as well!, or not..? (gtx480 was more tha enough).

 

In the other hand, the GPU I will get, is free. I won't pay anything, maybe 20-30 euro!. I turned in my gtx480 (still in warranty) and they give me the option to pick one of these cards for free (depends the model), something like a refund, but without getting the bucks in my hands.

Edited October 30, 2013 by ermacos

[FMod]

I'm not sure what was wrong with your rig, but I can put Last Light on ultra and stay between 40-60 fps on my GTX 660 GC.

So can I, obviously. I've never used settings below maximum, apart from SSAA. But I consider anything less than stable 60 fps (with Vsync on) unacceptable.

 

2x680 pull stable 60 with no SSAA. They don't pull stable 60 with 2xSSAA, although you can turn it on and off depending on the chapter/scene.

 

 

It's a very strong card, and not everyone has the money to spend $1000 getting the absolute best every 3 years.

Which is why they shouldn't waste their money on bells and whistles.

 

By the time games need more than 770's default 2GB, on settings they need more than 2GB at, they'll also need more than its GK104 chip.

 

I mean, if the price is the same or like $10 different, I guess get the 4GB just because, but its <1% performance gain isn't even worth a 5%-10% price difference.

 

 

770 - Shadowplay, CUDA, and G-Sync

280x - Mantle Support, more powerful in OpenCL/OpenGL applications, better multi-monitor support (Eyefinity)

Mostly gimmicks. Eyefinity is only relevant for multiple displays and G-sync is pretty much just one otherwise lackluster monitor. There probably isn't more on the way.

 

Really you're betting on PhysX, which some games still keep using, vs Mantle, which some future games may begin using.

 

Both are/will be of relevance in very few titles. PhysX is pretty much Batman and Mantle is Battlefield.

 

CUDA is also important for a few Photoshop plugins (not Photoshop itself).

[Rennn]

 

Both are/will be of relevance in very few titles. PhysX is pretty much Batman and Mantle is Battlefield.

 

For large budget releases, PhysX is also The Witcher 3, Borderlands 2, Metro, Watchdogs, and as you said, Batman.

[ermacos]

mantle was dropped by Sony ps4 and Xbox one... http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/168671-xbox-one-will-not-support-amds-mantle-and-ps4-is-also-unlikely-is-mantle-doa

 

It seems that other companies don't bother with gpu wars and monopoly games.. So mantle is going to end up DOA, I think mantle is competing direct x? Mantle is good for console exclusives (Sony and Nintendo) Microsoft will do their best to ditch it.

 

Either ways, I spoke with the distributor today and my final decision about my new gpu, will be taken next week. (I may have the chance to check also the r9 290 reviews (none X version) that is almost the same price with GTX 770. It will help me decide.

Edited October 30, 2013 by ermacos