Need upgrade advice - BFG GeForce 7800 GTX

Mofodave · 23 Oct 2010 at 01:38

Hi All,

It's been a loooong time since I treated myself to a new vid card and think my BFG GeForce 7800 GTX OC has had it's day

I'm well out of touch on the graphics card side of things and finding it hard to know where to start. I would appreciate some advice anyone can give on what direction might be good to go in.

I have a Gigabyte EP35C-DS3R Mobo, 3GB RAM and E8400 Core Duo. I play various games but am into the like of WoW, CoD, GTA etc and I like my games to look as pretty as possible when playing!!

Budget wise, I want to spend as little as poss of course but hoping not to go above £175.00.

Thanks in advance.

REAPERUK · 23 Oct 2010 at 01:42

GTX 470 Would serve you well and a nice upgrade over the 7800

best card at that price at the moment.

kylew · 23 Oct 2010 at 01:44

An HD6870, you can get one right on your budget if you look around.

Phoenixdancer · 23 Oct 2010 at 02:06

REAPERUK said:
GTX 470 Would serve you well and a nice upgrade over the 7800 best card at that price at the moment.

the 6850 or 6870 are better for the money

REAPERUK · 23 Oct 2010 at 02:19

Phoenixdancer said:
the 6850 or 6870 are better for the money

why

the 470 can do 32AA on compatible in game settings or even forced in certain games,has more memory for the AA as well, even overclocks very well, and the 3D has had a bit of development, i.e 3DTV play just released for 3D TV's that works out of the box once downloaded.

Question again same money, or you getting more for your money?

Skyrocket · 23 Oct 2010 at 02:28

^^^^^

470gtx has more memory because its got poor memory optimisation.
32AA who uses that. 4AA to 8AA is more than enough on rez 1920x1200
3D hmmmmmmmm
470 does overclock good though!

Its a personal choice really. If you dont mind the 55db noise and heat running in your case go for the 470GTX!

REAPERUK · 23 Oct 2010 at 02:38

BFC2 uses 32AA (Frostbyte engine), click options and add the setting in game

3D gaming try it before Hmmmmmmm..

Trunks9486 · 23 Oct 2010 at 09:41

Shop around for the 6870. It will represent a huge step up.

Razor Time · 23 Oct 2010 at 10:57

Go for a gtx470 it's the faster card. There are a few threads opened in the last few days asking the same thing ie 6870 vs 470 and most are saying to go for the gtx470.

CAT-THE-FIFTH · 23 Oct 2010 at 11:01

The GTX470 is a nice card but remember that it does consumes quite a bit of power and this will only get worse when you overclock it.

The HD6870 has quite low power consumption when compared to the competing Nvidia cards.

[/IMG]

Exsurgo · 23 Oct 2010 at 11:55

On air and provided you don't want aftermarket cooling I would go 6870 or 6850.

Razor Time · 23 Oct 2010 at 12:07

CAT-THE-FIFTH said:
The GTX470 is a nice card but remember that it does consumes quite a bit of power and this will only get worse when you overclock it.

Very true but some people buy a card on graphical performance and not on how much power it uses. The power difference is there, but its the same difference as a light bulb.
A GTX470 once clocked does use more power but it also kicks the 6870 arse in terms of performance. A 6870 is more targeted to the 460gtx which it beats, its not meant to be pitted against the GTX470 but as the price of the GTX470 has fallen it finds its self in the same price bracket as the 6870.

Similar thread:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18199364

CAT-THE-FIFTH · 23 Oct 2010 at 12:26

Razor Time said:
The power difference is there, but its the same difference as a light bulb.

Not an energy saving one though!

SirCanealot · 23 Oct 2010 at 12:37

Go for a 6870 and save the trees.

And then OC the hell out of it and burn some trees

Razor Time · 23 Oct 2010 at 12:40

CAT-THE-FIFTH said:
Not an energy saving one though!

Lol

Snooble · 23 Oct 2010 at 12:42

OC the hell out of it? Have you seen the thread with the bloke who got a 33% rise at an ambient room of 5degrees with the biggest air cooler in history?.. It's not a good overclocker it seems. For performance the 470 beats in most departments.. If you don't care and want to save power, at least wait for the initial price of the 6870 to go down.. :s

Lokken86 · 23 Oct 2010 at 15:42

The 6870 will get a small boost with later drivers mind.

^Andy^ · 23 Oct 2010 at 16:07

Razor Time said:
Go for a gtx470 it's the faster card. There are a few threads opened in the last few days asking the same thing ie 6870 vs 470 and most are saying to go for the gtx470.

It's only a faster card depending on which game its benchmarked against or which synthetic benchmarks are used. There is no clear winner because different games and benchmarks favour both.

I'd say flip a coin when it comes to performance on these 2 cards but when it comes to features then the new AMD/ATI 6800 series cards win easily.

REAPERUK · 23 Oct 2010 at 16:18

6870v470 at DX11 mode = 470 win, no simpler way of putting it.

Trunks9486 · 23 Oct 2010 at 16:28

If you want to overclock consider the 6850. It can be found at 135 and overclocks to same levels as the 6870.

If you do get the 470 make sure your PSU can handle it, and make sure it can handle an overclock on the card. The chip that its based is hot and power hungry. GTX 460 1GB with a good overclock is better IMO if you want to go for nvidia.