6870 or 470 buying today

[RavenXXX2]

Does it? Do you have a Gainwood GTX470? Or are you just assuming that just because it's using a non reference cooler it automatically has to be better then the stock solution?

It's not so much the power these cards draw (well unless you running a Folding rig 24/7) but what happens with the energy used. The more power a card uses the hotter a card becomes which in itself can cause system issues if you case isn't up to scratch but more importantly the heat causes your cool to work harder which means more noise.

It's a cracking cooler, and as seen by the icy and Zalman coolers, the supposedly hot running 480 is kept well below 70c even when highly clocked, so power consumption then becomes a consideration for those concerned about saving a fiver a year.

 

[Freddie1980]

Why do board partners insist on shipping there video cards with crappy games? Broken Warfare 2, Mafia 2, Assassins Creed, Battleforge, AvP, HAWX 2........Dirt 2 was an exception but someone needs to get a grip try Fallout New Vegas, F1 2010, The Witcher 2 (hopefully this will be every bit as good as the first one).

It's a cracking cooler, and as seen by the icy and Zalman coolers, the supposedly hot running 480 is kept well below 70c even when highly clocked, so power consumption then becomes a consideration for those concerned about saving a fiver a year.

But aren't they triple slotters? I agree the Zalman is a great cooler (not read up on the Icy cooler) and can tame the 480 but you are being asked to sacrifice expansion slots.

 

[easyrider]

In days gone by I would have just picked the 470 as its the faster card and that's what I based my buying decisions on.

However today the performance is so close other factors have to be taken into consideration when choosing hardware...

The power/ temp and the HD master audio where the final features that made me go with the 6870...

 

[opethdisciple]

In days gone by I would have just picked the 470 as its the faster card and that's what I based my buying decisions on.

However today the performance is so close other factors have to be taken into consideration when choosing hardware...

The power/ temp and the HD master audio where the final features that made me go with the 6870...

Fair enough.

Infact the reason why I picked up my 5870 over the 470 was becuase of the my need for low noise.... so I can understand that.

But the gainward 470, looks like it may be more quiter than other 470's?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-137-GW&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1810

 

[Freddie1980]

Fair enough.

Infact the reason why I picked up my 5870 over the 470 was becuase of the my need for low noise.... so I can understand that.

But the gainward 470, looks like it may be more quiter than other 470's?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-137-GW&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1810

It’s hard to believe it can be any worse then the stock cooler but I nearly bought the HIS 5850 which hard a non reference cooler and I to made the same assumption 'it's custom so it must be better/quieter'. Then I read a review in CustomPC magazine and it turns out it was a lot louder then ATI blower style stock cooler. I nearly made an expensive mistake as I had that card eyed for an HTPC from now on though I won't be so flippant and will thoroughly read up on anything I'm buying before purchasing it.

 

[opethdisciple]

It’s hard to believe it can be any worse then the stock cooler but I nearly bought the HIS 5850 which hard a non reference cooler and I to made the same assumption 'it's custom so it must be better/quieter'. Then I read a review in CustomPC magazine and it turns out it was a lot louder then ATI blower style stock cooler. I nearly made an expensive mistake as I had that card eyed for an HTPC from now on though I won't be so flippant and will thoroughly read up on anything I'm buying before purchasing it.

Definetly.

I also advocate reading reviews and doing some of your own research rather than just take what we say on here as gospel!

 

[NZXT30]

you shouldnt worry about noise with that cooler the gtx 470 will be more quiet compared to the 6870. its a no brainer imo go for the 470. golden sample uses the same cooler but with a factory overlock:

 

[Rob43]

The noise is the big worry for me,hence the Gainward 470 option ,i am worried that it will still be a bit on the loud side though

Still not 100%

Rob

 

[prescott28]

DP 1.2 is a good selling point... 3 monitors off one port...
when a nvidia card can still only do 2 monitors... yet a 6870 can do over 6 + on one card

I'll be fed up I chose the 470 as and when I can afford 6 monitors. Until then I shall have to use just one monitor and the benefits evaporate.

 

[RavenXXX2]

you shouldnt worry about noise with that cooler the gtx 470 will be more quiet compared to the 6870. its a no brainer imo go for the 470. golden sample uses the same cooler but with a factory overlock:

Good find, yeah it's the same cooler so well quiet.

The noise is the big worry for me,hence the Gainward 470 option ,i am worried that it will still be a bit on the loud side though

Still not 100%

Rob

NZXT30's post should 100% it. ;]

 

[An Exception]

Is the OP interested in running 6 monitors or anyone else for that matter? You also need to purchase extra gear to run that setup. Personally I would rather game on a big screen rather than having big black bezels going through my image, same goes for Nvidia surround.

Well I game on a big screen 3008wfp unlike your self, and tbh I'm thinking of selling it and getting 3 24" monitors instead, as it provides much better field of view in FPS games.

 

[An Exception]

The noise is the big worry for me,hence the Gainward 470 option ,i am worried that it will still be a bit on the loud side though

Still not 100%

Rob

Personally the 470 is great value, but overall I would take the 6870 every day of the week, as your probably not going to want to clock the 470 anyway as the power consumption & heat-dump in your room then becomes immense.

Over all the 6870 is a much more refined card and will be easier to live with, and if you ever did want to go down the Multi GPU route, it scales much better in xfire than the 470 in SLI.

 

[Razor Time]

Well I game on a big screen 3008wfp unlike your self, and tbh I'm thinking of selling it and getting 3 24" monitors instead, as it provides much better field of view in FPS games.

I would love to see 3 x 30" babies (2560x1600) in action.

 

[RavenXXX2]

Well I game on a big screen 3008wfp unlike your self, and tbh I'm thinking of selling it and getting 3 24" monitors instead, as it provides much better field of view in FPS games.

Is that so, what card or cards are you using to game at that res. Still black bezels all over my image just doesn't do it for me, better FOV or not.

Personally the 470 is great value, but overall I would take the 6870 every day of the week, as your probably not going to want to clock the 470 anyway as the power consumption & heat-dump in your room then becomes immense.

Yeah the 470 in question has a decent cooler on it, heat and noise is not a problem, and once overclocked " easily done with the custom cooler " the 6870 is well out performed.

 

[An Exception]

@ Razor
Me to, but I don't see how you'l get playable FPS on high settings...
Besides these monitors cost a bomb and arn't really worth it compared to 1920*1200 imo.

 

[An Exception]

Is that so, what card or cards are you using to game at that res.Still black bezels all over my image just doesn't do it for me, better FOV or not.

A single 5870 is fine at that res with all the games I like playing...

 

[Kribby2006]

it scales much better in xfire than the 470 in SLI.

 

[GiB]

I would have to go 6870 for the heat and power savings.

 

[An Exception]

Yeah the 470 in question has a decent cooler on it, heat and noise is not a problem, and once overclocked " easily done with the custom cooler " the 6870 is well out performed.

Well it's good that noise isn't an issue then, he might have to game with his door or even a window open as all that heat needs to go somewhere.

What is the power consumption of a clocked 470 btw?

 

[Rroff]

it scales much better in xfire than the 470 in SLI.

Actually... (in some cases with the proper profiles), most places are showing 470 SLI scaling atleast on par overall and often better due to higher minimum fps.