PC Gaming hardware discussion - Page 6 - Video Games

Two Plus Two Forums Sports and Games Video Games

PC Gaming hardware discussion

Post Reply Subscribe

...

Page 6 of 66

First

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 26 56

Last

Page 6 of 66

First

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 26 56

Last

07-20-2014 , 09:47 PM

#126

weevil

veteran

Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,162

Not sure, but I would look for a 4GB model either way. We're already starting to see some games that require that for ultra settings.

Quote

07-21-2014 , 01:11 AM

#127

Low Key

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 33,327

i'm not all that up to date with pc graphics, but if you're only buying 1 card, do you really use ultra graphics all that often?

Quote

07-21-2014 , 01:17 AM

#128

weevil

veteran

Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,162

Quote:

Originally Posted by Low Key

i'm not all that up to date with pc graphics, but if you're only buying 1 card, do you really use ultra graphics all that often?

Most games run fine on ultra with a 2.5 year old 670gtx. I think I remember reading Chris Roberts mentioning he'd be targeting GPUs with 6GB+ RAM at the top end, but that's likely to be this coming generations Crysis as far as benchmarking (and the game runs on Cryengine..)

Quote

07-21-2014 , 09:08 AM

#129

bobman0330

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 24,234

Quote:

Originally Posted by CubicZirconia

Anyone upgrade their graphics card lately? I need to replace a dying HD 6950 and I am trying to decide between an R9 280X and an R9 290. The 280x is ~$300 and the 290 is ~$400. The 280x is clearly a better value, but it could be 4-5 years before I upgrade again so I am tempted to get the faster card with more memory. Anyone have thoughts?

My CPU is an i5 2500K, and I have no intentions of upgrading it.

Go for the 290. It's a much more powerful card:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1041?vs=1068

Quote

07-21-2014 , 02:15 PM

#130

YouR_DooM

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 7,829

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobman0330

Go for the 290. It's a much more powerful card:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1041?vs=1068

It's around 15% stronger on fps values that are already beyond non-120hz monitors.

I would invest the 100$ elsewhere imho, especially if you need something. Sound card, headphones or mouse for example. Or a good hdd. Speaking from a limited budget point of view tho.

If you don't need anything and the money is free to spend, 290 is obv the snap choice.

In the long run ( as in years ), the cpu is going to bottleneck anyway ( even if it is still excellent right now imho ) and that will hold back the gpu.

Last edited by YouR_DooM; 07-21-2014 at 02:21 PM.

Quote

07-21-2014 , 02:50 PM

#131

Daer

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 17,686

Who uses sound cards anymore?

Quote

07-22-2014 , 11:43 AM

#132

bobman0330

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 24,234

Quote:

Originally Posted by YouR_DooM

It depends a bit on what sort of gaming you're doing, but I think it's fairly unreasonable to be worried about CPU bottlenecking with a 2500K. I also don't think skimping on a video card that is intended to be a very long term investment is a good move. There is a substantial performance advantage with the 290 that, depending on what resolution you're at, you could see in current games, and are likely to see in games that come out over the next few years. Ultimately, it may make sense to not spend the extra $100 on the GPU, but it's certainly not wasted or inefficiently spent money.

Quote

07-22-2014 , 11:46 AM

#133

YouR_DooM

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 7,829

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daer

Who uses sound cards anymore?

I do

The superior sound quality on good speakers is undeniable.

If you actually care about that or even enjoy it is a different point

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobman0330

Fair enough.

Quote

07-24-2014 , 01:48 PM

#134

aislephive

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 19,317

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobman0330

Agreed. GPUs are easily the biggest performance drivers in a gaming PC assuming you're not bottlenecked anywhere (which shouldn't really be a concern if you're paying attention) so it should be the main point of emphasis in every build. While the resources most games demand has stalled a bit over the past few years I really think that when the last gen consoles fade out we're going to see an uptick in visual / graphical capabilities that games will be able to deliver, and when that happens you'll be glad that you shelled out a little extra for the more powerful GPU.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 01:21 AM

#135

CubicZirconia

old hand

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,229

I decided to go with the faster R9 290. Pretty excited to get it and see what it will do. Definitely going to install some of the various Skyrim ENB mods and see how it performs.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 04:00 AM

#136

O.A.F.K.1.1

Ted Patrick

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 27,952

Back in the day you had to pay big bucks for a graphic card that would play a game released last month at maximum settings, now you pay the big bucks to get a card that will play a game released in two years at maximum settings.

Cards have really outpaced the demands put on them. My card is now pretty long in the tooth (GTX660) and it still plays 85-90% of the games I throw at it at maximum 1920x1080.

There are a few games that it cant touch at maximum (Witcher 2 etc) but they really are the exception.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 09:13 AM

#137

CubicZirconia

old hand

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,229

No doubt the upgrade cycle has lengthened a great deal. I do think the average price for mid to high-end graphics cards has increased substantially in the last 15 years though. I remember paying $190 for a Voodoo3 3000 which at the time was maybe the second fastest video card you could buy. You can still get a ton of performance for your $200 but it won't be the second best card around anymore. Also we need to remember that we are the beginning of the next console cycle which unfortunately drives the graphics of pc games as well. Many of the pc games we are playing today were designed to be able to run on 8-10 year old hardware in consoles.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 10:47 AM

#138

O.A.F.K.1.1

Ted Patrick

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 27,952

Yea but the hardware in new consoles is still worse than my 2 year old computer.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 01:49 PM

#139

Krayz

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 47,277

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daer

Who uses sound cards anymore?

$200 sound card in my rig

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132001

Quote

07-29-2014 , 04:09 PM

#140

YouR_DooM

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 7,829

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krayz

$200 sound card in my rig

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829132001

:thumbsup:

Quote

07-29-2014 , 07:21 PM

#141

CubicZirconia

old hand

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,229

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.A.F.K.1.1

Yea but the hardware in new consoles is still worse than my 2 year old computer.

But still a heck of a lot better than the 9800pro in the xbox.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 09:48 PM

#142

CPHoya

Warden of Taipan Island

Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 73,265

If I'm looking to replace this, is the GTX 760 a strong choice?

Not trying to drop $400 on an r9 290 unless you tell me that the performance difference is massive.

EDIT: Though it appears the 760 is actually like a year old and probably slated to be replaced anyway. . .

Last edited by CPHoya; 07-29-2014 at 10:00 PM.

Quote

07-29-2014 , 10:56 PM

#143

CubicZirconia

old hand

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,229

I think the GTX 760 and R9 280x would both be fine choices. You might want to dig a little if you are hoping to do very high resolution or multi-monitor gaming. Offhand I don't know when the GTX 760 is going to be replaced but remember there is always something new on the horizon.

Quote

07-31-2014 , 04:12 PM

#144

Low Key

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 33,327

how does this look for non-overclocked gaming? plan on using stock heatsink unless it's an awful idea / i5s run hot

memory is a placeholder, just needed to put something there

Quote

07-31-2014 , 04:59 PM

#145

bobman0330

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 24,234

2 SSDs seems like too many SSDs

Quote

07-31-2014 , 05:27 PM

#146

Mr.mmmKay

Drugs are bad...

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 20,173

Yeah getting an ssd and a huge regular hard drive is probably better

Quote

07-31-2014 , 06:09 PM

#147

CubicZirconia

old hand

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,229

I'm guessing the plan was to install your OS on the small SSD and everything else on the larger one? While I love the idea of not having any mechanical drives, 250 GB of storage probably isn't enough. You would know how much you really need though.

Quote

07-31-2014 , 06:29 PM

#148

CPHoya

Warden of Taipan Island

Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 73,265

+1 on one SSD and one mechanical behemoth. I got the slow green WD one (5400) and even that is fine. I will admit that I install my premier performance games to the SSD though, for whatever that's worth.

Quote

08-01-2014 , 02:30 AM

#149

Low Key

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 33,327

i've tried one ssd for OS and premier games, one mechanical for everything else before. just didn't satisfy me. I have a 3TB wireless drive for storage, so any extraneous stuff can go there. I really don't need a ton of games installed all at once, as i never play that many at the same time

hell, with 15 games installed currently (7 modern AAA titles), I still don't even take up a full 256 gb on my 750 drive. Could easily do with less of them installed.

Quote

08-01-2014 , 04:47 AM

#150

Low Key

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 33,327

looked at a 512gb ssd, would only be another $100. Perhaps if i need the extra money spent to hit a longer interest-free period i'll bite

swapped to a Core i5-4690K since i found one locally for the exact price of the 4590, and it's overclockable so BWAMP!! doing 8gb dual channel crucial ballistix memory

really curious to see how the Inwin BUC case is for building. So very excite!

Don't even have to wait to sell my gaming laptop either, though when it sells it'll cover the price of this build

quite dizzy and breathless with excitement!

Quote

Page 6 of 66

First

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 26 56

Last

Post Reply Subscribe

...

Page 6 of 66

First

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 26 56

Last