£150 budget for a used GPU what could I get ?

[Panos]

4 years old and will still max out anything at 1080 and by your definition it's 'true trash'? Wow, OK then!

given that for same money you get superior cards? yes

 

[mid_gen]

Sheesh here was me thinking I was playing the latest AAA releases pretty much maxed out on my 970....guess I must be mistaken!

Don't a bit of reality get in the way of the 3.5GB hysteria.....

 

[G J]

970's are trash? Run's everything I want it too at 1080p, was cheeper then a 290/x uses less power and heat my old 290 tri-x chucked out was insane in comparrison. (Great winter card tho )

These threads are always the same about 2nd hand cards, someone always chimes in a says you can get x card for such price and most of the time the price they say the cards are selling for most of the time is complete BS.

The best ones are pick up x card in the MM for x price, rarely do these cards sell for the price the poster say they do in there and even is the price is close to what the poster said they sell for good luck beating the legion of bots/hawks that respond within minutes.

 

[Panos]

970's are trash? Run's everything I want it too at 1080p, was cheeper then a 290/x uses less power and heat my old 290 tri-x chucked out was insane in comparrison. (Great winter card tho )

These threads are always the same about 2nd hand cards, someone always chimes in a says you can get x card for such price and most of the time the price they say the cards are selling for most of the time is complete BS.

The best ones are pick up x card in the MM for x price, rarely do these cards sell for the price the poster say they do in there and even is the price is close to what the poster said they sell for good luck beating the legion of bots/hawks that respond within minutes.

Grabbed for my brother a GTX980 for £155 today After seeing their prices.
So yes, for the same price the 970 is bad. Same applies to all other options at that money, even the RX570 is faster and cheaper second hand than the 970.

Maybe look at some reviews with current drivers and games these days?
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/geforce_gtx_1050_3gb_review,10.html

(linked the first game in the list, just browse through them).

 

[Funky-Melon]

And yet you could have saved yourself £30 odd and just overclocked the 970 to 980 speeds and called it a day.

Not too bad for a 'trash' card

I think we'll just have to say each to their own here and move on. OP has enough to make a decision here for the money he has to spend.

 

[freddie64]

@2013

There is a EVGA GTX 970 on MM for £125 plus you may get it a bit cheaper.

True it may be inferior to a 980 but as others have said it's ok for 1080p.

 

[David Bisset]

Wait we're defending the 970 now because it costs more and is slower than competing second hand cards? While it wasn't 'trash' initially with pricing how it was, since about a year in it's never been a good pick for the money. Doesn't make it a worse card - but makes it a poor recommendation as has been the case for some years.

 

[Davedree]

Wait we're defending the 970 now because it costs more and is slower than competing second hand cards? While it wasn't 'trash' initially with pricing how it was, since about a year in it's never been a good pick for the money. Doesn't make it a worse card - but makes it a poor recommendation as has been the case for some years.

Going back 3+months and more, 2nd hand pricing was different to today, rx4/57/80's were priced £200-300 2nd hand, 290's/390's (125-200). So whilst you can certainly compare todays 970 prices, let's not forget the prices during the mining inflation times. Where the 970 was cheaper than the amd's.

In today's 2nd hand market, the rx570 is where I put my money. Hence I have bought 4x 570's in the last week.

 

[opethdisciple]

Last year this was 970 price. Right now I'd say you should be able to get something like a 980 at that price. Considering the age.

But explore the 1060 options as that might be better.

 

[David Bisset]

Oh yeah to be fair I forgot how silly second hand AMD prices went last year, right you are.

 

[bru]

While the 970 is still a very good card, there are better options for very similar money and as with all things second hand, it all depends on seeing the right deal at the right time.

And yes I have a 970 which runs great @1440p with GSync in everything I'm currently playing.

 

[fastwunz]

I wouldn't call a 970 trash. It'll play anything maxed out still at 1080....I've not yet had to turn anything down on mine paired with an ancient 2500K @ 4.8GHz so dunno what you're on about there.

Regarding the 390X, it'll use an awful lot more power, run hotter, for essentially a few FPS more and you probably won't get one for £150, quick scan on ebay see's them going for around £200.....

I have the same system - runs anything frankly at 1080p and similar clocks

It’s not trash. It’s bloody quick. Hence it still holds value extremely well. It’s drivers are also still updated regularly by Nvidia.

 

[2013]

Thanks guys, So I should aim for a 1060 but a 970 is also a good option ?

I'm assuming everyone would say get one that's not been used for mining or at least not long ?

 

[heatonpkmassive]

Either would do you fine, but so would a 480 as well. Try and get a little more cash together and you could go for a 580, which is also a solid option in that price range.

 

[Legend]

1060 6GB can be had second hand for a little over your budget. They are very close to 980 performance, more VRAM and less power draw. If you can find one for a good price, this would be my choice, unless you'd rather go AMD, in which case the 580 is a good shout.

 

[2013]

1060 6GB can be had second hand for a little over your budget. They are very close to 980 performance, more VRAM and less power draw. If you can find one for a good price, this would be my choice, unless you'd rather go AMD, in which case the 580 is a good shout.

I've used both AMD and Nvidia, I dont mind either but i prefer the Nvidia due to my past experience.

I think i will aim for the 1060 its a newer card so I maybe able to get one with warranty.

 

[heatonpkmassive]

1060 is a good choice for you and fits fairly well with your system.

 

[G J]

Grabbed for my brother a GTX980 for £155 today After seeing their prices.
So yes, for the same price the 970 is bad. Same applies to all other options at that money, even the RX570 is faster and cheaper second hand than the 970.

Maybe look at some reviews with current drivers and games these days?
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/geforce_gtx_1050_3gb_review,10.html

(linked the first game in the list, just browse through them).

Thank you and for 150ish a rx570 or a 980 is a better buy for the price and to add to my other post I got my 970 for £115 at christmas time as any 290/x 390/x 480/580 470 or 570 was complete no go as the pricing was stupid due to mining.

Today I wouldnt pay more than £100 for one but the market is what it is.

1060 is a good choice for you and fits fairly well with your system.