Ati 5850 upgrade £200

[fastwunz]

Hi all- as above. Best bang for buck please? I'll happily use afterburner and overclock the one I get but I'm pretty confused as to which is now best.
Would prefer ATI please but if anyone can tell me there is a better nvidia option then I'm all ears.

Thank you

 

[Rusty0611]

HD7850

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-100-GI&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411

Overclocks to stock 580/7950 performance.

Very good value for money.

 

[wazza300]

Best bang for buck would be another 5850 for xfire,but extra heat and possible driver issues come with it so a 7850 would be the next best choice

 

[Tonester0011]

£200 is difficult to price for...
You have the HD7870 that's bang on budget, you have the HD7850 for £150 and you have the HD7950 - what's a significant upgrade from the HD7870 for £230.

HD7870 £200

HD7950 £240

HD7850 £150

Comparison between those cards.

7870 vs 7950

7870 vs 7850

Most people would recommend the 7850 due to its overclocking potential, but if you could stretch your budget, i personally would go for the 7950.

 

[Defy Belief]

£200 is difficult to price for...
You have the HD7870 that's bang on budget, you have the HD7850 for £150 and you have the HD7950 - what's a significant upgrade from the HD7870 for £230.

HD7870 £200

HD7950 £240

HD7850 £150

Comparison between those cards.

7870 vs 7950

7870 vs 7850

Most people would recommend the 7850 due to its overclocking potential, but if you could stretch your budget, i personally would go for the 7950.

Tbh looking at it, difference between 7950 and 7870 is about 3-5fps average? Which is louder, hotter and uses slightly more power.

 

[Tonester0011]

Tbh looking at it, difference between 7950 and 7870 is about 3-5fps average? Which is louder, hotter and uses slightly more power.

7950 has a higher overclocking potential though, so swings and roundabouts.

 

[Defy Belief]

7950 has a higher overclocking potential though, so swings and roundabouts.

Key word there is potential.

Could get a complete dud of a 7950 and a beast of a 7870 and they'd probably run practically the same, luck of the draw I guess.

 

[Bacon?]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/548?vs=550

Note these are stock cards.

 

[fastwunz]

Thanks guys- it's looking like a 7870 and then clocking the nuts off it is the way to go then....

 

[humbug]

Thanks guys- it's looking like a 7870 and then clocking the nuts off it is the way to go then....

wehehay... hang on.

The 7950 has 35% more cores (but is stock ~20%) lower clocked than the 7870. a 7950 @ 1200Mhz / 1500Mhz is 25% faster than a 7870 at the same speed

If you can afford the 7950 you should definitely go for that.

 

[fastwunz]

wehehay... hang on.

The 7950 has 35% more cores (but is stock ~20%) lower clocked than the 7870. a 7950 @ 1200Mhz / 1500Mhz is 25% faster than a 7870 at the same speed

If you can afford the 7950 you should definitely go for that.

And THAT advice is the very reason I asked! Really appreciate it- it's a bloody minefield at the moment in this price bracket!