The Moose needs help choosing!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Now with Crysis 2 coming upon us I have decide to do one more graphics card update for my venerable system.

I currently have a Shuttle SD37P2 SFF PC meaning that I want to get a graphics card with a blower type fan. This is the PSU I have ATM:

http://www.shuttle.eu/products/xpc-accessories/pc55/?0=

It has three 12V lines and can do 17A,17A and 15A. I know that the 400W version of the PSU can run an HD6870 1GB.

These are the graphics cards I am considering:

1.)EVGA GTX460 1GB SC EE ~ £130 to £140

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-e...dvi-i-minihdmi

This is the shortest card of the three I am looking at.

2.)Sapphire HD6850 1GB Toxic ~ £150 to £160

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/247666

3.)Asus HD6870 OC ~ £160 to £170

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-a...-d-hdmi-minidp

4.)XFX HD5850 1GB ~ £140 to £150

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-x...i-dp-plus-game

I would need to replace the stock cooler with an Akasa Vortexx Neo(I already have one). However,I don't know if the cooler is compatible with an HD5850 1GB.

The EVGA GTX460 1GB FTW uses the same cooler but is clocked around 11% higher. This review seems to compare all three cards:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3987/a...idrange-market

Assuming the GTX460 performance has linear scaling with clockspeed this would mean the EVGA GTX460 1GB would be slower than the Asus HD6870 but probably faster than the Sapphire HD6850.

However,what concerns me is that the GTX460 1GB has higher power consumption than the HD6870.

ATM,I don't know which card to choose!

Is there any news on the GT550/GTS550/GTX550??

[scaryjim]

GTX460 replacement? Surely that was the GTX560? AFAIK the GTS450 didn't have any fused off shaders (it was based on a 192-shader die in the first place) so I can't see a revised, higher performance edition of that coming out. I guess NVidia might be considering a cut down GTX560 to fill the £140 - £160 space, but I'd not picked up and solid rumours to that effect.

What are you upgrading from this time, a 4850?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

GTX460 replacement? Surely that was the GTX560?

Ninja edit FTW!

AFAIK the GTS450 didn't have any fused off shaders (it was based on a 192-shader die in the first place) so I can't see a revised, higher performance edition of that coming out. I guess NVidia might be considering a cut down GTX560 to fill the £140 - £160 space, but I'd not picked up and solid rumours to that effect.

What are you upgrading from this time, a 4850?

I was just asking in case anyone had heard of any new Nvidia cards being released in the £100 to £160 range.

I am upgrading from an overclocked HD4830. Ocassonally I do get the odd glitch in games. It could be the card is starting to go kaput or there is a driver issue. It only happens in Serious Sam and Fallout:New Vegas. Funnily enough Crysis Warhead and L4D2 are fine.

I know that I have been umming and arring for yonks about this upgrade but I am not a frequent upgrader.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I just saw this on the OcUK forums:

http://vr-zone.com/articles/geforce-...rs/11215.html#

Supposedly the GTX550TI is based on the GF116. However,it does not look like it would be faster than a GTX460 1GB though.

[Molotov]

hey cat
was going to write you a message today, in case you were still wondering about 460s noise
I installed crysis, empire/napoleon and a few other games - no noise increase under pressure even in some ridiculous napoleon battles.
I'm still keeping fan speed at the minimum as it isn't overclocked yet (i genuinely see no need to as of now)
Hope this is some help

[Domestic_Ginger]

1.)EVGA GTX460 1GB SC EE - Noisy AFAIK
2.)Sapphire HD6850 1GB Toxic - Priced too close to the 6870
3.)Asus HD6870 OC - I do like the cooler.
4.)XFX HD5850 1GB - Don't like those egg coolers, no voltage control AFAIK either. Changing your cooler will invalidate teh warranty unless you're sure you won't get caught.

The ASUS 6870 on style.

I saw this comparison of OC'd cards at tweaktown and thought it was quite interesting. Interestingly the 6870 flatout can't quite catch a 5870. The 460 gives a good OC but I dread to think the power draw on this sucker.

[cptwhite_uk]

I'm with DG on this - There were reports the EVGA GTX460's were very loud and the worst of the GTX460 models for noise. The 6870 is low power, blower cooler and decent brand - definitely worth the extra. However the 6850 Toxic is a decent option, but not as good value IMO.

Also looking at the comparison link the AMD cards seem to perform better in Crysis Warhead, if that's any indication of which brand Crysis 2 will favour.

Edit: I know you're looking at low power consumption at load, but this is seriously tempting at that price!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

There seems to be a performance preview using the Crysis 2 beta:

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-gaming...g-preview.html

The HD6870 under DX9 does not do too badly.

Now I need the HD6870 to drop in price a bit more!

[MSIC]

My full review of my new 6850 still awaiting (I need a couple of hours one evening, life keeps interupting me), but I can vouch for the ASUS CU cooler. Very nice indeed, and I cant hear it.

One thing to upset the applecart - my 6850 appears to be a V2 variant (which the ASUS site does list, although doesnt say how it is different to a V1), but Scan doesnt show any difference. It appears that I got sent the one with 2 PCI-E power connectors, of which I'm currently only using 1, however i'm guessing is there to support crazy overclocking. (All sorts of wierd claims on the box of an extra 50% etc). I'm not planning on a crazy overclock myself, partly since i cant find my extra modular leads, but i have to say that as a card it has to be worth considering (not least the low power consumption and £144 price).

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The problem is that the Akasa Vortexx Neo cooler I have may not fit an HD6850 1GB as the VRMs are now at the back of the card!!