GPU Advice

los · 20 May 2014 at 13:19

As said above, your looking at a 770 or 280x, I'd get a PSU as well personally. If its too much, might be worth considering a PSU and a 280

Ian Evey · 20 May 2014 at 16:39

LtMatt said:
The 3gb card might be better for this game, since there is a graphic setting called "unlimited video memory" that improves the graphics. That's what im told anyway. I don't play the game myself so cannot confirm if the above is true. Just trying to help out with a suggestion rather than be a smart ass, like you.

LOL i dont claim to know anything unless i have experienced it first hand.

Now definition of smart ass

NOUN

• informal
A person who is irritating because they behave as if they know everything.

Sounds unlike me? but as you said it, it must be true.

Note : People with 6gb titans and 8gb 290's will be well chuffed when playing this game and find there graphics are better than 1gb , 2gb , 3gb , 4gb cards

LtMatt · 20 May 2014 at 16:42

Ian Evey said:
LOL i dont claim to know anything unless i have experienced it first hand.

Now definition of smart ass

NOUN

• informal
A person who is irritating because they behave as if they know everything.

Sounds unlike me? but as you said it, it must be true.

Still nothing worthwhile to offer to the thread i see Ian. Why break the habit of a lifetime hey.

Ian Evey · 20 May 2014 at 16:49

I know you do not need anything over 2gb on a card that does not have the gpu power to push the settings higher, so imo a 290 or 780 with 3gb or 4gb has the gpu power, a 770 and a 280x does not unless you go Xfire or SLI.

LtMatt · 20 May 2014 at 16:52

Why settle for less? The game uses a lot of vram. It just makes sense to get a 3gb card over a 2gb card in this instance, when both are similarly priced and offer similar performance. The other cards are not within his budget and he needs a new psu (potentially) as well. If he can afford a 290 or a 780, then ive already suggested that would be an alternative idea.

Ian Evey said:
I know you do not need anything over 2gb on a card that does not have the gpu power to push the settings higher, so imo a 290 or 780 with 3gb or 4gb has the gpu power, a 770 and a 280x does not unless you go Xfire or SLI.

GHazy said:
Matt is correct in what he is saying. I play the game and indeed it has the unlimited memory option. Based on that AMD might be your best choice to go unless you can afford an 780.

Ian Evey · 20 May 2014 at 17:09

Rome total war 2 is a very cpu intensive game playing the campaign is very buggy and fps drops are the norm for it, Getting a 3gb card or a 2gb card makes no difference to visual quality and both cards perform similar in this game.

Optimizations for this game have been very slow coming and i can tell you that my 670 2gb at 1920x1200 ran this game just as well as my 780 does, min / max fps is down obviously but the general fps figure shown in fraps is not a mile higher.

So for this game i would choose the cheapest option regardless of 2gb or 3gb.

humbug · 20 May 2014 at 18:58

I agree with Matt.

I also don't think its good advice to settle for just enough vRam (2GB) on GPU's costing around the £200 mark, not when a similar performing 3GB card costs the same or less.

Give yourself futureproofing and room to play with for your money.

pdhenin · 20 May 2014 at 19:29

Thanks everyone I will get my PSU upgraded first as I don't like the idea of my machine going pop under load and then look at a card.

I could be tempted by the 290 B grade but CS have told me they can't guarantee a manufacturer warranty on it.

I'm guessing no one is a fan of the GTX 760 OC edition?

any recommendations on a <£100 psu?

Ian Evey · 20 May 2014 at 21:02

£89.99

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-043-SS&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=2466

Pretty Good power supply for £90

Kaapstad · 20 May 2014 at 21:35

OP get yourself a 280X it will be a big improvement on what you are using.

I am going to fire up RTW2 and bench it on one of my 290Xs (they are about 40% faster than a 280X) so you can get rough idea what to expect.

Kaapstad · 20 May 2014 at 22:42

Single stock 290X @1080p max settings

VRAM used

A single stock 280X under the same conditions would score about 37.5 fps.

Ian Evey · 21 May 2014 at 17:31

I see vram was not an issue then at least. :rolleyes:

LtMatt · 21 May 2014 at 17:46

Ian Evey said:
I see vram was not an issue then at least.

He ran the in game benchmark and even then its dangerously close to 2gb already. Why take the risk and why settle for less.

Rusty0611 · 21 May 2014 at 17:50

LtMatt said:
He ran the in game benchmark and even then its dangerously close to 2gb already. Why take the risk and why settle for less.

You'd think a 4GB card would be caching a fair amount though so in reality what's required is going to be far less.

OP: Fag paper between the two cards so look at other things such as reliability, drivers, unique features etc, price. You can't really go wrong with either to be honest. What is best will come down to peoples opinion on what is important.

LtMatt · 21 May 2014 at 17:51

That's just a benchmark scene though. Big battles see's higher vram usage my friend says. I just don't see the point in risking it myself, but that's just my opinion.

humbug · 21 May 2014 at 17:54

Is that Skyrim?

There is a post in here somewhere of someone with a 2GB 6950 getting stuttering and bad performance, turns out he was running Mods wich was causing the card to run out of vRam.

Rusty0611 · 21 May 2014 at 17:55

My friend says Bob is behind you... the point being it's speculative on both yours and other accounts. I haven't see anything which says categorically that it isn't enough memory for this game at that resolution at settings 'x'.

Whether it's wise to go for a card with 2GB is a different question but let's not pretend that 2GB is some arbritray limit at which games run out of memory.

humbug said:
Is that Skyrim?

There is a post in here somewhere of someone with a 2GB 6950 getting stuttering and bad performance, turns out he was running Mods wich was causing the card to run out of vRam.

I ran out of memory with 2 3GB 7950s in Skyrim. It's the exception not the norm.

LtMatt · 21 May 2014 at 17:55

Rusty0611 said:
My friend says Bob is behind you... the point being it's speculative on both yours and other accounts. I haven't see anything which says categorically that it isn't enough memory for this game at that resolution at settings 'x'.

Whether it's wise to go for a card with 2GB is a different question but let's not pretend that 2GB is some arbritray limit at which games run out of memory.

I'm talking about Rome Total War 2 and have made that clear from the start. Talking about that as the OP mentioned it.

Rusty0611 · 21 May 2014 at 17:57

LtMatt said:
I'm talking about Rome Total War 2 and have made that clear from the start.

You don't say?

humbug · 21 May 2014 at 17:57

Its not Skyrim then ^^^