How do you justify your high end graphics cards?

FinglisHobbit · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:40

As title really.

I'm gonna be in the market for a new card within the next month and I'm quite excited to step up from this aging 7950.

Ill probably be stumping up more money than I have in years because the draw of 60fps at 1440+ definitely appeals to me.

At the same time my card is still managing 1440p at Medium detail on most of the current crop of high end games (W3, GTAV and SoM) managing 30fps in each of them.

When you sink £550-850 on a Ti or Titan what is giving you that buzz?

Part of me thinks that its a lot of cash for a handful of games right now.

Gerard · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:46

Mainly resolution imo, used to have 2 6970's then a 6990 and a 6970 for 5760x1080 eyefinity. Now i'm running 4k and have a 295x2. I generally like to crank up the settings and so far this card can handle them. Also had a 7990 for a while, was more like a gale force wind simulator coupled with 2 ovens on the pcb with the heat and noise it produced, total pos.

FinglisHobbit · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:52

Gerard said:
Mainly resolution imo, used to have 2 6970's thena 6990 and a 6970 for 5760x1080 eyefinity. Now i'm running 4k and have a 295x2. I generally like to crank up the settings and so far this card can handle them.

Do you play loads of games to completion or have one in particular you really feel the benefit on ? I imagine people who play current crop FPS games crave the perfect framerate. (I used to play Counter Strike religiously)

I think some people actually spend more time benchmarking than they do gaming. Its an interesting world in PC graphics

Perfect_Chaos · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:55

For me it's mainly for the high frame rate, resolution comes second hence why i think 1080p/1440p is best.

Gerard · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:57

FinglisHobbit said:
Do you play loads of games to completion or have one in particular you really feel the benefit on ? I imagine people who play current crop FPS games crave the perfect framerate. (I used to play Counter Strike religiously)

I think some people actually spend more time benchmarking than they do gaming. Its an interesting world in PC graphics

I fart about in games more, gta, bf4. Haven't played that all that much as of late. Mkx ive been playing a bit though.

Ayahuasca · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:58

I enjoy being able to max as many settings as I can whilst still keeping it playable.

Sgt_Pepper · 4 Jun 2015 at 23:58

I sat with a 980ti in my basket for a good 4hrs wondering whether to hit buy.

FinglisHobbit said:
Part of me thinks that its a lot of cash for a handful of games right now.

And this is my problem, i would be paying £550 to play the two games I bother playing these days. I only play Heroes & Generals for about 6hrs a week and ARMA about the same.

I do want a new card but I'm not sure if I would get a better experience by having it.

I've always bought top tier cards around release day, and it was always a great feeling. It just doesn't hold the same excitement for me anymore like it used to.

Squeeze · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:04

if your not playing everyday and getting the lastest titles then i wouldnt bother.

but you could xfire another 7950? for performance, if its just for looks leave it wait for a massive jump like 10 million k screens in the future.

if you like playing a certain game i dont think more eyecandy will make it more likeable.

MasterOC · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:09

For high end single cards , I'd just say I'm having it for an early bday or Christmas etc, now I frequently purchase 2 of those , 2 970s , 2 980s , now two 980tis , I just have to admit I cant justify them . But I still want them so I'll buy them knowing I'll likely never get value for my money and sell them off cheap befor the next decen upgrade comes . I just like new toys and as long as money's there's to pay for them that's all the justification I need .

K1LaW8tt5 · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:12

bought my 290x for bf4 , Have no urge to upgrade any time soon as I only play bf4 really.

Sayjimwoo · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:13

I don't really justify It, I just buy them because I can. I upgrade my gpu's at least twice a year or whenever they are released. I have only had my 980 HOF for 3 months (having upgraded from a reference 980) and now I am selling the HOF for the 980ti Classified (pre-ordered).
Damn, that is 3 gpu's a year... ah well lol

kaku · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:20

I like building PCs and having nice hardware.

I guess it's like how you don't NEED anything more than a crappy Micra or something yet people spend on vastly more expensive cars despite anything over 70 being "a waste".

Rroff · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:21

I struggle to justify spending much money on GPUs these days - I buy what I need to play the stuff I'm playing/resolution, etc. but just don't see value for money in a lot of them nowadays and stuff like the 980, etc. doesn't really give me much of a buzz, Titan X might a bit more if it was sub 28nm :S

MatTheCat · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:28

FinglisHobbit said:
As title really.

I'm gonna be in the market for a new card within the next month and I'm quite excited to step up from this aging 7950.

Ill probably be stumping up more money than I have in years because the draw of 60fps at 1440+ definitely appeals to me.

At the same time my card is still managing 1440p at Medium detail on most of the current crop of high end games (W3, GTAV and SoM) managing 30fps in each of them.

When you sink £550-850 on a Ti or Titan what is giving you that buzz?

Part of me thinks that its a lot of cash for a handful of games right now.

splashing that amount of cash on gaming hardware amounts to nothing more than an ocd obsession with gaming performance, and it sounds like u know it as well.

if there weren't any carrots dangling in front of ur nose, u would be perfectly happy with what u have.

anyhow.........i justify forking these stupendous sums of money by telling myself "hey, at least i amn't spending all that money on crack!"

edit: noticing the justifications for 'high resolution'. this why i recommend to everyone to keep the fk away from high res screens. It wont make you happy. it will just agitate you as your series of 600 gbp gpus are found lacking every 12 months or so, 'forcing u to upgrade. 4k especially is the definition of a rat race trap.

FinglisHobbit · 5 Jun 2015 at 00:41

MasterOC said:
For high end single cards , I'd just say I'm having it for an early bday or Christmas etc, now I frequently purchase 2 of those , 2 970s , 2 980s , now two 980tis , I just have to admit I cant justify them . But I still want them so I'll buy them knowing I'll likely never get value for my money and sell them off cheap befor the next decen upgrade comes . I just like new toys and as long as money's there's to pay for them that's all the justification I need .

I like this no nonsense honest response. Its similar to how I feel when I make purchases.

edit : "hey, at least i amn't spending all that money on crack!" is also a fantastic mentality

I think Im partly frustrated because I know our game quality is dictated by the console market. CDProjekt proved that unfortunately.

old gamer · 5 Jun 2015 at 01:11

i spend a lot on a gpu and tell myself it will last two years when i damn well know i will be looking at something new and shiney within six months

YB2ndBEST · 5 Jun 2015 at 01:12

Since I don't do drugs... I buy PC gear

Scougar · 5 Jun 2015 at 01:13

If I were to buy a to end card, my justification would be that a) I have the money b) it brings the best graphics and performance almost without compromise. Normally I have to compromise something with a lower card.

GoogalyMoogaly · 5 Jun 2015 at 01:32

E-peen!

Also generally it saves me worrying IF I can run a game or what I have to turn down to make it playable.

PaulyD · 5 Jun 2015 at 01:46

MasterOC said:
For high end single cards , I'd just say I'm having it for an early bday or Christmas etc, now I frequently purchase 2 of those , 2 970s , 2 980s , now two 980tis , I just have to admit I cant justify them . But I still want them so I'll buy them knowing I'll likely never get value for my money and sell them off cheap befor the next decen upgrade comes . I just like new toys and as long as money's there's to pay for them that's all the justification I need .

This

GoogalyMoogaly said:
E-peen!

Also generally it saves me worrying IF I can run a game or what I have to turn down to make it playable.

and this for me.

Bought a 980 for my birthday, had a perfectly good 780ti at the time. I "kinda" justified it by having just bought a 144hz Gsync screen. I do get satisfaction that I know i am running games to the best of my ability for the budget I have, Titan money is out of my reach realistically without further justification which even with my man maths I can't reach!