Need new graphics cards

[dipzy]

Hey guys, i'm looking to do a new build over the next few months and im planning to get a pair if cards, i was thinking of getting the gtx680 but having a hard time deciding

[kalniel]

Hey guys, i'm looking to do a new build over the next few months and im planning to get a pair if cards, i was thinking of getting the gtx680 but having a hard time deciding

If you need that level of performance then go for it! There's nothing equivalent out there at the moment.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

AMD will be releasing the HD7970 GHZ Edition which runs at a much higher clockspeed. It looks to be as quick as a GTX680. I suspect at higher resolutions it will do quite well. GTX680 prices will probably drop when it is released.

Also,TBH,I would get a GTX670 or a cheaper HD7970 model instead of a GTX680. The GTX680 and higher end HD7970 cards are overpriced IMHO.

[Rookie1986]

If you need that level of performance then go for it! There's nothing equivalent out there at the moment.

Exactly this, if your looking at top end stuff then your options are:

GTX 670 SLI
GTX 680 SLI
GTX 690
7970 Crossfire
7970x2

Personally I like the look of the 7970x2 Devil13 but would need to see some benchmarks before making any decisions.

Rookie

[c12038]

you can think of the 7970 or the GTX680 both are good cards

good performers

[teppic]

The HD7970 overclocked beats the GTX 680 in many games. I can get mine completely stable on stock voltage at the maximum Overdrive (AMD driver) rates - 1125MHz core (reference is 825MHz, I think). The only problem is the drivers are still effectively beta for these cards, but I think the next release will be pretty solid.

[KeyboardDemon]

I think my next card will be an nVidia, and right now I would say the GTX670 is a better choice of card than the GTX680, just in terms of value for money or price to performance ratios etc...

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

More details of the HD7970 GHZ Edition:

http://www.techpowerup.com/167711/AM...-Detailed.html

Some were reviewed recently and these ran at 1075MHZ instead of the 925MHZ of the normal cards. However,production cards will run at a higher 1100MHZ and at a lower GPU voltage than current HD7970 cards.

[KeyboardDemon]

Some were reviewed recently and these ran at 1075MHZ instead of the 925MHZ of the normal cards. However,production cards will run at a higher 1100MHZ and at a lower GPU voltage than current HD7970 cards.

Do you know if the AMD cards will offer something like Physx in the current line up, Physx is the only reason I would want to get an nVidia card.

[kalniel]

Do you know if the AMD cards will offer something like Physx in the current line up, Physx is the only reason I would want to get an nVidia card.

Poor reason to chose a graphics card IMHO, but no, nVidia will not let AMD provide physX, so if you support them in that way of thinking you better buy nVidia.

[teppic]

There aren't many games that use physx are there? I know the Batman games do, but does it make a huge difference?

The main draw for nvidia for me is adaptive vsync. I hope AMD introduces an equivalent.

[KeyboardDemon]

Poor reason to chose a graphics card IMHO, but no, nVidia will not let AMD provide physX, so if you support them in that way of thinking you better buy nVidia.

I have grown tired of the race to get more and more frame rates, now what I want is a more cinematic experience, and I like the idea of having smoke and particle effects that add to the atmosphere in the games that I play. Though I would probably on run Physx in single player games, I wouldn't want to lose the ability to see opponents from further away due to particles of dust/smoke or newspapers blowing in the wind getting in my way.

I'm not unhappy with my current GPU and probably a long way away from swapping it out, but I just want that little bit of quality.

[kalniel]

There are other ways of providing that than PhysX - see games like BF3, Diablo 3 etc. for example, which don't use PhysX.

[Greecean]

GTX 680 SLI

thats what id go for

(i dont like the 690 or 670 and im not really into the 7000 series either )

[dipzy]

you can think of the 7970 or the GTX680 both are good cards

good performers

Exactly this, if your looking at top end stuff then your options are:

GTX 670 SLI
GTX 680 SLI
GTX 690
7970 Crossfire
7970x2

Personally I like the look of the 7970x2 Devil13 but would need to see some benchmarks before making any decisions.

Rookie

If you need that level of performance then go for it! There's nothing equivalent out there at the moment.

thats what id go for

(i dont like the 690 or 670 and im not really into the 7000 series either )

Thanks for the suggestions guys I think i'll go with the GTX680. I do like the 670, great performer but when watercooled the card will look out of place as they are short, it would bug me but thats just me being picky i guess. I do love the look of the GTX690 but i'd hate to watercool, the heatsink just looks so awesome

Plus i'd be getting them from the US which will work out to be cheaper than in the UK, I emailed EVGA and they said if i needed to RMA, instead of shipping back to US, i'd send it to their repair center in Germany so its all good really, not to mention Global warranty

[Greecean]

I do like the 670, great performer but when watercooled the card will look out of place as they are short, it would bug me but thats just me being picky i guess.

completely agree - the 670 just doesnt LOOK powerful - and that bothers me when we spend so much on cards and blocks