Recommend me a GPU suitable for nice modded visuals

[Wouter445]

 

 

Actually is not the 32-bit that limits Skyrim but DX9..... and is limited to 4GB of vram on modern windows (Win8/Win8.1/Win10) that are really easy to reach if using 4k textures.

 

Me not sure where you get this information from but memory values are reserved by it's program not by dll's

Their are many software that use dx11 and still are written in 32 bits, why it's lot easier and less time consuming.

This is also the reason Beth soon have skyrim in 64 bit native which can't be runned on a 32 bit os.

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He is talking about Win8/10 limitation for DX9 games.

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https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/1263324/gpu-memory-allocation-limit-on-directx9-windows-8

Wow that's quite a shocker so if installed Windows 8/10 and your GPU have more then 4GB it would only allow 4 GB that suxs dunky cock with those bitches at Microsoft. Guess I go back this weekend to I windows 7 (pardon my France but this really made me quite mad) Edited September 9, 2016 by Wouter445

[Project579]

And anyway thanks to the memory patches Skyrim can easily use 2GB of ram without problems it can even go up to 4GB but it doesn't seem like the engine is able to coordinate that amount of memory.

[Mortimer]

Phew, ok ... I have an AC Bel HB1001 500W PSU.

 

Which from what I understand is a pretty decent one?

[BlackRoseOfThorns]

Phew, ok ... I have an AC Bel HB1001 500W PSU.

 

Which from what I understand is a pretty decent one?

 

ACBel is not on the safe list of psu manufacturers. Their iPower PSU model was a disaster.

 

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/acbel-polytech-ipower-660-power-supply-review/9/

 

Polytech R9 900W unit from 2010 was barely average.

 

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=210

 

This brand is not commonly distributed and you will have hard time finding reliable information on your model.

[Mortimer]

So I'm probably looking at, at least a PSU anyway?

[LeddBate]

So I'm probably looking at, at least a PSU anyway?

 

BlackRoseOfThorns is correct. As we were worried, you do indeed have a cheap PSU. So, yes, you should definitely get a new PSU immediately. You are taking a chance every time you use your PC with that PSU. Sorry to sound like an alarmist, but it's quite true.

 

Okay, you've already gotten a few recommendations for cards (GTX 970, 1070 and R9 390) The 1070 will run you about $400+ while the 970 fluctuates wildly from $300 to $450 depending on the model. This is because the 970 has been out for a long time and has dozens of versions available from many manufacturers. The 1070 has only been out a little while and doesn't have that many versions out yet. The R9 390 will run in the range from $275 to $350 and has almost as many versions as the 970. Any of these three cards would be a terrific upgrade for you. The difference between the cards in "real-world" performance is minimal. Sources such as Toms Hardware and Benchmarks indicate that the difference between the cards is less than 5 FPS under most testing conditions. The 970 actually edges out the 1070 in most tests, but the drivers for the 1070 aren't mature yet, so we'll probably see a lot of change over the next six months as updated drivers are released. The AMD R9 390 is actually a bit superior to the 970 in most game tests (if only by a handful of frames.)

 

Now lets talk PSUs. First, what's the minimum wattage you need? That's actually easy. You should always try to get a PSU with at least a "bronze" rating. Bronze, silver and gold ratings refer to how well the PSU actually delivers the power it promises. The details are a bit involved, so all you need to know is that a bronze rating is good enough. You should get a PSU with wattage about TWICE what your system requires. However, at higher GPU wattage levels, you can drop this down by about 25% (Because it's only the GPU that is drawing the additional power, not your entire system.) Your earlier stats indicate that (not counting your GPU) your system will consume approximately 75 to 90 watts. Now all you need to know is how many watts your GPU will consume...

Nvidia GTX 970 = 145 watts

Nvidia GTX 1070 = 150 watts

AMD R9 390 = 295 watts

 

As you can see, the R9 390, while a bit better than the other two cards in performance, is a real power hog compared to the Nvidia cards. So, to summarize:

970 or 1070 requires a 500 watt PSU. (550 watt would be safer.)

R9 390 requires a 650 watt PSU. (You could probably get away with a 600 watt PSU, but I wouldn't recommend it.)

 

Of course these three cards we've talked about aren't the only possibilities. But they are the best ones if you want to wring the most out of games ranging from Skyrim to current titles. My final advice on the matter is to get a good 550 watt PSU (Antec has the best reputation in my opinion) and go for a GTX 970.

 

One last thing. Make sure that your GPU has room to breathe in your case. Overheating your GPU is not a good thing to do. Make sure it's intake fan(s) have lots of room (at least 3 inches, if possible) and that your case is equipped with lots of fans. You should have a minimum of two fans blowing air into your case and at least one blowing air out. A fan located on the side panel and another on the lower-front blowing inwards and a fan near the top back blowing outwards is a good basic air-flow setup.

[BlackRoseOfThorns]

Okay, you've already gotten a few recommendations for cards (GTX 970, 1070 and R9 390) The 1070 will run you about $400+ while the 970 fluctuates wildly from $300 to $450 depending on the model. This is because the 970 has been out for a long time and has dozens of versions available from many manufacturers. The 1070 has only been out a little while and doesn't have that many versions out yet. The R9 390 will run in the range from $275 to $350 and has almost as many versions as the 970. Any of these three cards would be a terrific upgrade for you. The difference between the cards in "real-world" performance is minimal. Sources such as Toms Hardware and Benchmarks indicate that the difference between the cards is less than 5 FPS under most testing conditions. The 970 actually edges out the 1070 in most tests, but the drivers for the 1070 aren't mature yet, so we'll probably see a lot of change over the next six months as updated drivers are released. The AMD R9 390 is actually a bit superior to the 970 in most game tests (if only by a handful of frames.)

 

Gtx 1070 already has models with custom PCBs.

MSI GTX 1070 Gaming Z 8GB boost clock goes up to 1860 MHz as it's slightly overclocked and costs 460$. Non OC X version is a bit cheaper, 450$.

Evga FTW is also a 460$ model. EVGA AXC cooler SC is on the cheaper side and you can get it for 430$ on Newegg (I believe this one has normal PCB).

 

The gtx 970 will stay at low price due to the mixed memory used for this model (3.5GB +500mb VRAM). 1070 is a better future-proof purchase in my opinion.

 

I'm curious why you haven't menrioned RX 480, as it performs same or better than R9 390 and is below 300$ mark. Did it had any problems I'm not aware of?

Personally I would go with AMD only, if I was tight on budget or planned on purchasing Freesync monitor. Both RX 480 and R9 390 are gtx 1060 6GB equivalents, the price is almost identical. 1060 wins when it comes to temperatrures. Right now some of the models might be affected by inflation, but I think MSI 1060 6GB is fairly decent (290$).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzyUVQHzDwk

 

 

Now lets talk PSUs. First, what's the minimum wattage you need? That's actually easy. You should always try to get a PSU with at least a "bronze" rating. Bronze, silver and gold ratings refer to how well the PSU actually delivers the power it promises. The details are a bit involved, so all you need to know is that a bronze rating is good enough. You should get a PSU with wattage about TWICE what your system requires. However, at higher GPU wattage levels, you can drop this down by about 25% (Because it's only the GPU that is drawing the additional power, not your entire system.) Your earlier stats indicate that (not counting your GPU) your system will consume approximately 75 to 90 watts. Now all you need to know is how many watts your GPU will consume...

Nvidia GTX 970 = 145 watts

Nvidia GTX 1070 = 150 watts

AMD R9 390 = 295 watts

 

As you can see, the R9 390, while a bit better than the other two cards in performance, is a real power hog compared to the Nvidia cards. So, to summarize:

970 or 1070 requires a 500 watt PSU. (550 watt would be safer.)

R9 390 requires a 650 watt PSU. (You could probably get away with a 600 watt PSU, but I wouldn't recommend it.)

 

Custom gtx 1070 draws around 200W. Getting 600-650W unit would be a good idea, if he plans on changing his motherboard and cpu in next 5 years for an overclockable model. With PSU warraty lasting from 5-10 years it'a a long term investition after all.

 

 

 

So I'm probably looking at, at least a PSU anyway?

 

BlackRoseOfThorns is correct. As we were worried, you do indeed have a cheap PSU. So, yes, you should definitely get a new PSU immediately. You are taking a chance every time you use your PC with that PSU. Sorry to sound like an alarmist, but it's quite true.

 

I agree that this one has to go. There is no point risking 900-1000$ PC rig with a part that can be easily replaced for 60-100$. I wouldn't use it even for budget build, if you really value your money.

[twiztedmongoloid]

Actually is not the 32-bit that limits Skyrim but DX9..... and is limited to 4GB of vram on modern windows (Win8/Win8.1/Win10) that are really easy to reach if using 4k textures.

 

Easy to reach even if using 1/2k textures......i know from exp.

 

We're talking total memory not VRAM. I actually still have good amount of wiggle room VRAM wise but the memory gets dangerously close to the limit.

 

With the FULL SRLE guide installed i did the flying around skyrim test using SPM and total memory peaked at 3.7 and VRAM peaked around 3.3 if i remember correctly. Used almost all 1k textures. NO CTD in 10 minutes of flying around but shows how easy it is to reach that memory limitation.

 

GPU depends on budget and other system specs.

 

I would say get something thats equivalent or better than a gtx 970.

 

970 or equivalent will allow you to mod skyrim to its fullest (barring memory limitations) and also let you play the newest titles on near max settings at 1080p.

 

For future proofing something with 4gb or more of VRAM is ideal.

[BlackRoseOfThorns]

 

Actually is not the 32-bit that limits Skyrim but DX9..... and is limited to 4GB of vram on modern windows (Win8/Win8.1/Win10) that are really easy to reach if using 4k textures.

 

Easy to reach even if using 1/2k textures......i know from exp.

 

We're talking total memory not VRAM. I actually still have good amount of wiggle room VRAM wise but the memory gets dangerously close to the limit.

 

With the FULL SRLE guide installed i did the flying around skyrim test using SPM and total memory peaked at 3.7 and VRAM peaked around 3.3 if i remember correctly. Used almost all 1k textures. NO CTD in 10 minutes of flying around but shows how easy it is to reach that memory limitation.

 

GPU depends on budget and other system specs.

 

I would say get something thats equivalent or better than a gtx 970.

 

970 or equivalent will allow you to mod skyrim to its fullest (barring memory limitations) and also let you play the newest titles on near max settings at 1080p.

 

For future proofing something with 4gb or more of VRAM is ideal.

 

 

1080p Benchmark:

[Mortimer]

How would a ZALMAN ZM750-EBT 750W Modular ATX PSU - 80 Plus Gold for a PSU go?

 

Could get a ASUS STRIX GTX970 DirectCU II Overclocked 4GB GDDR5 PCI-E 3.0 DVI HDMI Display Port from the same supplier too.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Mortimer