Nvidia or AMD Dilemma.

[ste852]

Hey all I was wondering if i could get some more opinions on what I'v been thinking about recently.

I have been wondering if it is worth swapping out my current GPU (GTX 970) for a similar performing AMD card, most likely a R9 390 (none X), reason behind me thinking about doing this is I'm looking to get a new monitor within the next 12 months and I would like to get a variable refresh rate monitor aka Freesync or G-sync monitor, I personallly can't see G-sync sticking around forever since both AMD and Intel both support freesync and the freesync monitors are also cheaper, but saying that I can see Nvidia milking out G-sync as long as they can so they won't support freesync any time soon either. The only way I could work this is if I was able to sell my current 970 to recover the cost of getting an AMD card and a Freesync monitor or just forking out for a G-sync Monitor and being stuck with Nvidia. Guess what I'm trying to ask is does anyone think this is worth it?

[law000]

IMO no, don't think its worth it. I have a 290 Tri-x which is clocked to 390 levels (so pretty much the same) and I think you'll be making a mistake. The R9 390(x) card run even hotter then before. Don't let reviews fool you, even a tri-x cooler in a raven case still touches 81c when playing Witcher 3. If you're not looking to upgrade now, then save your money and see how it pans out. Keep in mind Pascal next year with HBM, will blow anything out of the water that AMD has. Don't let the DX12 card fool you, nvidia will have that under wraps before long.

[KeyboardDemon]

How soon are you looking to actually to buy the new monitor or GPU and monitor combo?

If it were me and I was in a hurry then I would simply go for a G-Sync monitor rather than opt for selling the GTX 970 at a lower price than the price I paid to then buy a card that's on par or slightly better and a new monitor. If on the other I had some time to decide then I would wait and see what else we can learn about DX12 performance, the card you have at the moment has support for DX12 at feature level 12.1 so you should be able to take full advantage of all the bells and whistles that DX12 will have to offer but it would be worth waiting to see if it's the red or the green team that will be wearing the DX12 champions crown once enough results have come through.

[law000]

HIf on the other I had some time to decide then I would wait and see what else we can learn about DX12 performance, the card you have at the moment has support for DX12 at feature level 12.1 so you should be able to take full advantage of all the bells and whistles that DX12 will have to offer but it would be worth waiting to see if it's the red or the green team that will be wearing the DX12 champions crown once enough results have come through.

Agree with this. DX12 won't be mainstream for another 12 months. See what happens

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

If I were the OP I would not bother,but then looking at the large price premium for G-Sync monitors I don't think I care much for them. I would give them some more time to drop in price.

If you don't believe me - compare the standard mode against the ones with Adaptive Sync enabled and the G-Sync ones.

IMO no, don't think its worth it. I have a 290 Tri-x which is clocked to 390 levels (so pretty much the same) and I think you'll be making a mistake. The R9 390(x) card run even hotter then before. Don't let reviews fool you, even a tri-x cooler in a raven case still touches 81c when playing Witcher 3. If you're not looking to upgrade now, then save your money and see how it pans out. Keep in mind Pascal next year with HBM, will blow anything out of the water that AMD has. Don't let the DX12 card fool you, nvidia will have that under wraps before long.

Emm,what?? People on OcUK who own the R9 390 cards,don't seem to be having the issues of the cards running hotter,not that 80C is that hot anyway,when the whole Nvidia 9000 series was rated for 105C and the cards seemed to have been fine for years,and even some of the GTX970 cards like the Palit one could run hot too(around 80C).

Plus,you talk about Pascal,what about Arctic Islands:

http://wccftech.com/amd-greenland-gp...n-transistors/

Seriously,unless you have seen leaked benchmarks of the next gen,you cannot say anything about what is blowing what out of the water.

For all we know Pascal could be the next 8800 series,or the next Fermi for all we know(and remember Nvidia had the single GPU crown with the GTX285 anyway).

How soon are you looking to actually to buy the new monitor or GPU and monitor combo?

If it were me and I was in a hurry then I would simply go for a G-Sync monitor rather than opt for selling the GTX 970 at a lower price than the price I paid to then buy a card that's on par or slightly better and a new monitor. If on the other I had some time to decide then I would wait and see what else we can learn about DX12 performance, the card you have at the moment has support for DX12 at feature level 12.1 so you should be able to take full advantage of all the bells and whistles that DX12 will have to offer but it would be worth waiting to see if it's the red or the green team that will be wearing the DX12 champions crown once enough results have come through.

The problem,is that DX12 is not like previous other DX versions anyway - AMD apparently will certain bits of DX12 a bit better than Nvidia,like this:

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-news/3...ml#post3521332

Its a bit hard to really say who is the leader currently and remember the consoles which use GCN1.1 GPUs are the main limiting factor know.

[KeyboardDemon]

The problem,is that DX12 is not like previous other DX versions anyway - AMD apparently will certain bits of DX12 a bit better than Nvidia,like this:

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-news/3...ml#post3521332

Its a bit hard to really say who is the leader currently and remember the consoles which use GCN1.1 GPUs are the main limiting factor know.

Unless there are other results that show how the different brands perform then a single test can not be taken and read as anything that's indicative of a trend. That's why I said I would wait.

GPUs may well be the limiting factor now, but what will be the limiting factor in 6, 12 or even 24 months?

[ste852]

Thank's for the feedback guys.

Well I'll probably be in the market to get a new monitor just after christmas so prices should drop a bit by then hopefully, as for the GPU I would wan't to do it before the value of my GTX 970 drops otherwise it won't be finacially viable for me, from what i can see my 970 is about £200 second hand and the free sync monitors are about £100 cheaper than the equivalent G-sync monitor, so in theory I should be about £50 better off.

DX12 performance is another thing that has gotten my attention as well, but like everyone has said that is pretty much a wait and see thing as to how that turns out between red team and green team.

[shaithis]

If your thinking of a 1080p or 1200p monitor, then there is no point. The 970 will not really be needing freesync or gsync for a while.

DX12 performance? Maybe when GoW:UE releases (no date yet), that may be a thing but so far I am unaware of any concrete release dates for DX12 titles, which means they are some way off yet.

[ste852]

Well I want to up from 1080p to 1440p or even 1440p on a 21:9 aspec ratio when I get a new monitor so I will be needing the horse power then.

[law000]

Plus,you talk about Pascal,what about Arctic Islands:

http://wccftech.com/amd-greenland-gp...n-transistors/

Apologies, I did not know about Arctic Islands. I really hope that AMD does well because we all know competition is necessary.

[ste852]

Anyone have any idea when we are to start seeing the next generation of GPU's?

[kalniel]

Anyone have any idea when we are to start seeing the next generation of GPU's?

Traditionally some time before Christmas, I think this time it's going to be more like 2016.

[law000]

Both AMD and Nvidia are rumoured for 2016 release, I'd reckon 2H 2016, although the rumour is AMD will come first due to it's joint venture with SK Hynix.
Both are rumoured to have ~17billion transistors, use HBM2 and the 16nm finfet+

last statement on this page is interesting however.

[kalniel]

last statement on this page is interesting however.

Not at all interesting, more like stating the obvious. You don't usually make mega large chips on your first pass at a new process. Interposer size on the other hand..

I must say that unless TSMC has deliberately withheld details about its new process, I find the premise of a ~600mm^2 first generation 16nm FinFET+ product from any company very unlikely.

[ste852]

Interesting, I guess I will hold out till after Christmas and see how thing's pan out, unless my monitor dies in the mean time, or the slightly damaged screen annoys me too much.

[ltron]

Wait until next year when arctic islands and pascal come out, much better options will be available as well as a wider range of monitors.