Best GPU for folding

[MGP]

I'm getting fed up that my ATi 4870 isn't really getting the reults it should.

So on a bang per buck basis, which nvidia based GPU series cards offer the best return for folding? This should be based on cards running at stock, with standard coolers, on a Vista 64 system using a Quad CPU and 4GB RAM. Consideration too please to the energy usage.

As a side note, it would be nice if a card was reasonably efficient at gaming such as Call of Duty 4 & 5.

 

[Biffa]

Best bang/bucks:
9600GSO (96 stream processsors) @ £74
9800GT (112 stream processors) @ £82

As for COD the 9800GT is good, depending on your resolution, with Image Quality settings:

* 4x Anti Aliasing
* 16x Anisotropic Filtering
* All settings maxed out

Guru3D got between 47fps (1280x1024) and 28 fps (2560x1600)

I use 4 of them, and depending on the work unit get between 3800 and 5000+ ppd

Not much different to my 4850 really, probably around 10-15% more. But thats being used for milkyway now

 

[shadowscotland]

if your leaving it at stock the gt wins hands down.
But 30 sec's in rivatuner will make the gso/8800gs shine

 

[ChrissyT88]

The GTX260 is on a par with the 4870 games wise (sometimes slightly better) and is a good folding card. Not quite up to the ppd/watt or £ as some of the 9 series but is a great card. The new GTS250 (or 9800GTX+) are also pretty good cards - my flatmate has a GTX+ and it handles everything he's thrown at it and is a brilliant folder for the money (up to around 6000 ppd depending on the WU).

 

[MGP]

It's so confusing all these different series of card numbers. I suppose the same could be said for ATI ones too. Going to have to do lots of reading up to decide if this is worth it.

 

[edgedemon]

Best bang/bucks:
9600GSO (96 stream processsors) @ £74
9800GT (112 stream processors) @ £82



I use 4 of them, and depending on the work unit get between 3800 and 5000+ ppd

Not much different to my 4850 really, probably around 10-15% more. But thats being used for milkyway now

That is a serious amount of money you have splashed out there I have been crunching on an 8800GT and its good as gold and averages around 45 wu a day, same spec as the rebranded 9800's. Hate to think about your electric bill, Im seeing about 20 quid a month added to mine if I GPU crunch 24/7

if your leaving it at stock the gt wins hands down.
But 30 sec's in rivatuner will make the gso/8800gs shine

But will oc'ing via rivatuner compensate for the extra stream processors in the 9800??? I would have thought that the 9800 would win hands down?

 

[verbal]

My folding PC (2x 8800GTs and a single core cpu) has cost me £74 in electricity for 6 months continous use. I measure the kw/h using a plug-in device. What cards are you using edgedemon, it could be that they're not using as much electricity as you think?

 

[shadowscotland]

But will oc'ing via rivatuner compensate for the extra stream processors in the 9800??? I would have thought that the 9800 would win hands down?

In total ppd the 8800gt wins - especially with some of the new units.
Even OC with the current batch of wu I've averaging around 4k ppd
(that at least a 1000ppd behind an lightly oc'ed GT I think)
BUT the GT costs more to buy and 50% more to run.

Got mine for 35inc plus an extra £10 of a AC accelero - and it runs passively in my workstation 24/7 with no noise, low heat and uses 1Kwh a day (40w*24h)

PPD per Watt and PPD per £ it's still top dog (untill the 9800gt eco arrives).
Raw phowar it's middle of the table.

 

[edgedemon]

My folding PC (2x 8800GTs and a single core cpu) has cost me £74 in electricity for 6 months continous use. I measure the kw/h using a plug-in device. What cards are you using edgedemon, it could be that they're not using as much electricity as you think?

In total ppd the 8800gt wins - especially with some of the new units.
Even OC with the current batch of wu I've averaging around 4k ppd
(that at least a 1000ppd behind an lightly oc'ed GT I think)
BUT the GT costs more to buy and 50% more to run.

Got mine for 35inc plus an extra £10 of a AC accelero - and it runs passively in my workstation 24/7 with no noise, low heat and uses 1Kwh a day (40w*24h)

Im on a key meter for my electric It used to be £30 month before xmas, but since xmas I've noticed that 30 quid will only get me through to the 19/20th of the month and Im topping it up with another £20.
The only difference that I can think of is my CUDA crunching, though in fairness, it is the PC overall, as it is a dual P4 830D which was never going to be economical. Since xmas, it has been on 24/7 and I have noticed the difference..
My crunching card is a 8800GT which I have OC'd to the limit

Verbal - your costs are just over £12 a month, my difference could be pricing due to the key meter. NO chance of getting it changed as it is flats..

 

[Biffa]

Thats why I put 4 cards in one machine, I was running 3 cards in three machines, but worked out 4 cards in one machine would work out better.

You can lower the power draw by downclocking the core and memory and upclocking the shaders.

e.g. My 9800GT's run at default at 700/1700/1000 on GPU/Shaders/Memory

I clock them at 600/1800/900 and get better folding scores yet lower power useage.

 

[Biffa]

Got mine for 35inc plus an extra £10 of a AC accelero - and it runs passively in my workstation 24/7 with no noise, low heat and uses 1Kwh a day (40w*24h)

To be honest I originally was gonna go with the 9600GSO, as I had a 8800GS before, but the prices went up so that the £10 difference wasn't worth it to me and the 9800GT has the extra shaders for only a £10 difference.

I'd also noticed comparing the 384MB GS and the 256MB 8800GT I had that the higher SP's in the GT were actually making a difference.

Now look at the new prices of 8800GT's (even the 256MB version) and it just doesn't make sense.

To the OP, if you can get the cards second hand then you are onto a winner, whether it be a 8800GS or a 9600GSO (same cards) or a 8800GT or 9800GT (same cards again)