Help me choose a new video card!

[AlpsStranger]

I've been out of the hardware loop for a good little while. Having purchased a modest GTX 260 a while back I simply haven't felt the need to search for upgrades. Lately, though, I have started putting money back for a new system. I expect to spend $1500-$2000 on a system designed for high settings (non-stereoscopic) gaming at 1920x1080. Shogun 2 and the upcoming Sword of the Stars 2 are the games that prompted this desire to upgrade the video ahead of the full upgrade.

At present I have the following system (apart from video):

Core2 Quad Q6600
MSI 975X Platinum Power Up
8GB DDR2
Antec TP-650 650W Power Supply (Recently purchased.)

So I have an older CPU, probably adequate RAM given the CPU, and a decent motherboard. I also have a fresh and fairly generous power supply. I am not so concerned with bottlenecking as the video card will ultimately end up in a significantly nicer system. I politely ask that you do not base your suggestions on bottlenecking issues for this reason. I plan to SLI/Crossfire whatever card I purchase when I assemble the rest of the upgrade later this year.

I have about $375, give or take, that I am willing to spend. Spending less is, of course, always welcome. Feel free to suggest any and all video cards, but these are the three I have been looking at.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3067296&SID=

The GTX 570 is quite strong and is easily the most expensive card I've looked at. I have found MSI to be reliable in the past.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127562

I've never owned an ATI card before, but I find this one intriguing. I've heard good things about it but I'm still not sure how I feel. How many sofware issues am I likely to face due to AMD/ATI's low market share?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261099

This is the strangest of the three. It has a highly unusual 2GB of ram, but I don't trust Palit.

So, what do you think?

 

[Maniacal]

You probably only need a new CPU (although I am still using the Q6600 and nothing really uses it to its full potential). I also have a GTX260 and I'm not having any problems running anything with it either. I wouldn't bother upgrading until you actually get a game you can't run at the desired level well enough, although I would make a list of a few top CPUs that will fit in your motherboard and wait for one of them to go on sale on newegg or a similar site.

I've never seen the appeal of SLI, too expensive and does not seem necessary. You also don't need to spend $1500.

Also SotS FTW.

 

[kiwitt]

I may get a ATI 6970

 

[tokala]

If you insist on going dual card, two GTX460s 1024MB are hard to beat price/performance wise.

However, I would strongly suggest to get ONE powerful single GPU card instead. There really is no magic performance boost just by going SLI/Xfire, and a single card, even if nominally less powerful than the dual card combo, will give you a higher effective framerate in most situations.

Dual cards have their place only for super-high resolutions/multiple displays/3D-displays.

They are wasted on 1920x1080 single monitor.

And while we are at wasted power, unless you know how to coax those fancy anti-aliasing modes out of your video card, anything more than a single GTX 460 will be wasted on a 1920x1080 display, too.

In any case, you do NOT need a 2 GB card for that monitor.

 

[AlpsStranger]

If you insist on going dual card, two GTX460s 1024MB are hard to beat price/performance wise.

I'm not going dual card right away at any rate. I'm talking about buying a single card now and (possibly) going SLI in the future.

However, I would strongly suggest to get ONE powerful single GPU card instead. There really is no magic performance boost just by going SLI/Xfire, and a single card, even if nominally less powerful than the dual card combo, will give you a higher effective framerate in most situations.

Of course not, and some software doesn't work well with SLI. My plan is, for the time being, certainly exactly this. I am, frankly, leaning towards the GTX 570 at this point. I don't know what your standards are, but by my standards it sounds quite powerful.

Dual cards have their place only for super-high resolutions/multiple displays/3D-displays.

They are wasted on 1920x1080 single monitor.

Generally, I don't disagree.

And while we are at wasted power, unless you know how to coax those fancy anti-aliasing modes out of your video card, anything more than a single GTX 460 will be wasted on a 1920x1080 display, too.

I really like Anti-Aliasing, and I wouldn't mind having the extra power. I forget what the program is called, but I am well aware that I can override some really heavy duty AA using external profiling software.

In any case, you do NOT need a 2 GB card for that monitor.

This is the common wisdom, sure, but will this be the case in 2 years? I'm not planning on replacing this card right away, and I'm not sure I buy the argument that 1GB of vRam is "enough for anything." This is always a release away from changing.

Still, all things considered, I am seriously thinking of going with the 570.

 

[GenMarshall]

I'm not going dual card right away at any rate. I'm talking about buying a single card now and (possibly) going SLI in the future.

Make sure your motherboard supports it and have adequate power (PSU)

 

[AlpsStranger]

Make sure your motherboard supports it and have adequate power (PSU)

My motherboard supports SLI, not crossfire though. However, if you read the OP, it won't be on this motherboard if I do it. I'm going to buy Video card->CPU/MOBO/RAM->(Second Video card).

 

[tokala]

This is the common wisdom, sure, but will this be the case in 2 years? I'm not planning on replacing this card right away, and I'm not sure I buy the argument that 1GB of vRam is "enough for anything." This is always a release away from changing.

Not until the next generation of consoles is coming out
For the PC, performance requirements are stagnating since Crysis.

Still, all things considered, I am seriously thinking of going with the 570.

If you are aware of all that stuff, go for it

 

[Maniacal]

You don't need more RAM. I wouldn't bother upgrading the mobo unless no recent best bang for the buck CPU fits in it. a GTX 570 should last a good long time.

 

[AlpsStranger]

Finally made my order.

Sweet.

That is all