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Looking to upgrade from 7950.

Firesilver

Firesilver

Firesilver

Associate
Joined
3 Nov 2011
Posts
69
Location
Scotland
Very long time coming, however it's time to upgrade from my reference 7950, I have no idea what to get though!

Looking to go green so it's really coming down to deciding between a 970 and a 980.

At present I'm gaming at 1080 but will be looking to do an entire new build sometime early in the new year (February time) including a 1440 monitor.

Currently have a corsair 500r case with a msi z68a-gd55 and a xfx 850w psu.

What would be my best options performance and cooling wise? Budget of about 400 (preferable sub 400 to keep the missus happy!)

Cheers!
 
Have you looked at the 390 or the 390x's? Or are you set on Nvidia? I have nothing against either side haha, and i have recommended a few other people take a second look at AMD, but for the money you cant go wrong. I can almost 150% guarantee someone will stomp in and say (best caveman impression) '980Ti' without a doubt.
If i had to choose, considering you are doing a full rebuild in the new year, just wait or get something cheaper to last you, or look 2nd hand so it has some resell value when you come to fully rebuild!
 
I've had a look at the 3xx series and have heard that they are quite a lot more in-efficient(engrish?) than the equivalent nvidia cards. Not sure why I'm so set on going green but everyone I've spoken too in person keeps telling me to go for it haha.

I'm thinking 980 at the moment purely because I'll keep that even with a new build, until further down the line when sli would become an economic option.

I know a 980 is probably overkill for 1080p but I also know I'm not going to be running at 1080p forever haha.
 
Firesilver said:
I've had a look at the 3xx series and have heard that they are quite a lot more in-efficient(engrish?) than the equivalent nvidia cards. Not sure why I'm so set on going green but everyone I've spoken too in person keeps telling me to go for it haha.

I'm thinking 980 at the moment purely because I'll keep that even with a new build, until further down the line when sli would become an economic option.

I know a 980 is probably overkill for 1080p but I also know I'm not going to be running at 1080p forever haha.
Click to expand...

Thats fair enough mate haha, the 3xx series, and the 2xx series are power-hungry cards at the best of times haha, just aswell they perform well!
980's are really good cards, and i was looking at one earlier this month but decided to upgrade the rest and stick with my R9 290!
 
Worth noting that if you're going to get a 144Hz 1440P screen, that the NVIDIA cards have a bug where they consume much more power and run much hotter at 144HZ - so much that they have much more similar power draw and heat output as the 390 series.

I upgraded from a 7950 and 24" 1200P monitor to a 390X and a 24" 144Hz Freesync monitor, and I'm extremely happy with it's performance and quality, no complaints.

Bear in mind the 390 series have double the VRAM, you get more for your money plus an open standard variable refresh technology (freesyc).
 
Dave2150 said:
Worth noting that if you're going to get a 144Hz 1440P screen, that the NVIDIA cards have a bug where they consume much more power and run much hotter at 144HZ - so much that they have much more similar power draw and heat output as the 390 series.

I upgraded from a 7950 and 24" 1200P monitor to a 390X and a 24" 144Hz Freesync monitor, and I'm extremely happy with it's performance and quality, no complaints.

Bear in mind the 390 series have double the VRAM, you get more for your money plus an open standard variable refresh technology (freesyc).
Click to expand...

I went from a 7950 to a GTX980 and new XB270HU g-sync 1440p monitor.

Cant say ive noticed this bug ?

Btw OP, i was very very happy with the upgrade. if you're going to 1440p, then spend the extra and get the 980 over the 970. you'll be glad you did, once you go 1440p
 
thedoc46 said:
I went from a 7950 to a GTX980 and new XB270HU g-sync 1440p monitor.

Cant say ive noticed this bug ?

Btw OP, i was very very happy with the upgrade. if you're going to 1440p, then spend the extra and get the 980 over the 970. you'll be glad you did, once you go 1440p
Click to expand...

Compare idle temperatures and fan speed at 60Hz compared to 144Hz, post results back here ;)
 
Firesilver said:
Very long time coming, however it's time to upgrade from my reference 7950, I have no idea what to get though!

Looking to go green so it's really coming down to deciding between a 970 and a 980.

At present I'm gaming at 1080 but will be looking to do an entire new build sometime early in the new year (February time) including a 1440 monitor.

Currently have a corsair 500r case with a msi z68a-gd55 and a xfx 850w psu.

What would be my best options performance and cooling wise? Budget of about 400 (preferable sub 400 to keep the missus happy!)

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Show your missus a 980 and then buy a 980ti that looks exactly the same, your both happy.
 
Spent all morning looking at 390x comparisons and all its done is complicate things haha. Seems to be very little difference at 1440p other than power consumption and a few frames here and there. I just can escape the lust to go green haha (never had an nvidia gpu)

What 980's come most highly recommended? Bearing in mind size may become an issue (anything over 300mm would probably be a very tight fit)
 
I wouldn't buy a 980, the 970 is much better performance per pound, the 980ti is much better performance for the small price difference.
 
davisdavid said:
I'd go 980 mate if you can and if you're going 1440 in Feb.

Edit: If you've been a forum member since 2011 do you get free delivery?

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £400.49
(includes shipping: £10.50)
​


​
Click to expand...

Would you recommend the kfa? I've not heard too much about them in general, mostly I've been recommended the Asus strix, but haven't seen/heard great things online about it.
 
Dave2150 said:
Worth noting that if you're going to get a 144Hz 1440P screen, that the NVIDIA cards have a bug where they consume much more power and run much hotter at 144HZ
Click to expand...


^This

I have this issue. It happened on my Titan X and happens with my Gigabyte Xtreme GTX970. On both the mhz would climb and make the GPU run hotter near 50c on idle on my Asus Swift 1440p G-Sync. Going down to 120hz fixes the problem, but until Nvidia or Asus or who ever needs to fix it?

It's been going on for 6 months now and still no fix???
 
The 144hz nVidia bug mentioned above is easily resolved.

The GPU won't go to Idle clocks at 144hz, so set your Windows desktop to 120hz. It then idles correctly.

In nVidia control panel you can "Force Maximum Refresh" in games. So even games that default to 60hz with no way to change, will now run at 144hz. You don't want to be at idle clocks when gaming anyway.
 
Simon Belmont said:
^This

I have this issue. It happened on my Titan X and happens with my Gigabyte Xtreme GTX970. On both the mhz would climb and make the GPU run hotter near 50c on idle on my Asus Swift 1440p G-Sync. Going down to 120hz fixes the problem, but until Nvidia or Asus or who ever needs to fix it?

It's been going on for 6 months now and still no fix???
Click to expand...

Is this an nvidia wide problem then or just specific cards? A good friend of mine has sli 980ti's and hasn't mentioned anything about it at all.
 
rtho782 said:
The 144hz nVidia bug mentioned above is easily resolved.

The GPU won't go to Idle clocks at 144hz, so set your Windows desktop to 120hz. It then idles correctly.

In nVidia control panel you can "Force Maximum Refresh" in games. So even games that default to 60hz with no way to change, will now run at 144hz. You don't want to be at idle clocks when gaming anyway.
Click to expand...

It's on 120hz in control panel and I did say it's fine. When I first got the swift it was idling just fine at 144hz temps when low 30c and the a few months later after a driver update it all went down hill and has been ever since? in 144hz temps reach low 50's. Putting wins 10 in 120hz still doesn't fix the 144hz idle issue? I just leave the swift at 120hz and it's fine. tbh I don't see much difference from 120hz to 144hz. So I just leave it on 120hz and game happily.

Firesilver said:
Is this an nvidia wide problem then or just specific cards? A good friend of mine has sli 980ti's and hasn't mentioned anything about it at all.
Click to expand...

Don't know? Looks like only a small number of users having issue.
 
Last edited:
Simon Belmont said:
It's on 120hz in control panel and I did say it's fine. When I first got the swift it was idling just fine at 144hz temps when low 30c and the a few months later after a driver update it all went down hill and has been ever since? in 144hz temps reach low 50's. Putting wins 10 in 120hz still doesn't fix the 144hz idle issue? I just leave the swift at 120hz and it's fine. tbh I don't see much difference from 120hz to 144hz. So I just leave it on 120hz and game happily.



Don't know? Looks like only a small number of users having issue.
Click to expand...

Think I'll just pull the trigger on the 8pack kfa then, seems like an absolute monster straight out of the box. Any idea of where it would be sent in the case of an rma?
 
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