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newbie help

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Joined
10 Apr 2013
Posts
8
Hi guys

Looking at building a new gaming PC my 1st for 8 years

Monitor resolution will be 2560 x 1440 5ms

I will install 16 ram, i7 3770k cpu..750w modular psu , sabertooth z77 ..ssd for os... 2tb WD black cavier in a corsair 650d case

I was going to buy 1 x gtx680 2gb card hoping this would run all games with full bells and whistles

Will also need to cope with avchd camcorder import and minimal editing of family home movies

Would I be better off with 1 x gtx 680

Or 2 x gtx670
Or 2 x gtx 660

Etc etc

Can not afford 690 or titan

Thanks in advance ;)
 
Single 670 and see if it copes before going dual.

Any reason not to go AMD?

Equivalent outlay enables higher specs, equivalent performance can be had for less, all minus PhysX of course.
 
thanks all

I guess I am just sticking with Nvidia as I always have and for no other reason

due to my need to game at 2560 x 1440

and IF I went 680GTX single card

would there be any benefit in getting the 4GB version ??

having spent the last 8 years with macs and ps3/360 i am wanting to get back to viewing graphics at their very best and am keen not to shell out 2k and be disapointed
 
Unless you are planning on using at least 3 GTX 680s and multi monitors the 4GB is not going to get used.

You are better off with a GTX 670 and adding a second later if needed.
 
I would still say get a 680 2g and then later you can add another and have some future proof for your money without having to shell out for new gen for a good while.

the choice is yours as they say, but 670 sli is dam fast and will also hold a good future for up and coming games at high res
 
I guess I am just sticking with Nvidia as I always have and for no other reason

Used to be my train of thought too.

Nothing in them Nvidia/AMD imho bar PhysX, but that comes at a premium with lower specs in comparison as well, just in case you aren't aware being out of the loop for 8 years.:)
 
Pros and cons for the following please

2 x 680
2 x 670
2 x 7970

Am I just going to get more fps?

Is sli and crossfire a complete ball ache for a newbie like me... I seem to remember trying it 8 years ago but much has happened since then

Many gamers seem to really favour the 670 option
 
So I guess I just need to decide between the gtx680 and 7970 then

Iam not loyal to any brand, ive had both over the years from the Ti4600 to 9700pro 5870 6870 GTX 8800 GTX580 in the end its your choice.

at the moment I think the 680 has better drivers, but again some will say different. the choice is yours, do some reading on both and make up your mind is the best way matey!

either card will be a good choice!:)
 
Am I just going to get more fps?

Is sli and crossfire a complete ball ache for a newbie like me... I seem to remember trying it 8 years ago but much has happened since then

Many gamers seem to really favour the 670 option

Sli for me has been sweet, but so can crossfire as I had 2 5870's in crossfire also 2 X 4890 crossfire. again sweet enough. yes you get issues but you also get the same issues with 1 card and drivers ect.
 
thanks all really do appreciate the advice as its a minefield..one minute i think i have my shopping list done and then i watch another utube video or read another post....... happy gaming and have a great weekend !!
 
Cons

Single card solution has zero downfalls/headaches of dual or more.

Dual cards requiring more 'effort' in general.

May have to wait for a game profile to arrive-or you have to 'trick' a profile in the driver with a third party tool.

AMD has new CrossFire drivers launching in July with new added features as it's not as 'smooth' as SLi-some reports are over exaggerated(sometimes to the extreme) though imo-as a CrossFire user.

In the case of 2Gb variants, teetering on the edge of usage, an expensive setup requiring lesser settings in the event of exceeding 2Gb usage.

Pros


Faster than fastest single card solution.

Cheaper than fastest single card solution(in regards to 2X670's or 2X79's).

Higher playable IQ settings than the fastest single card solution.

The biggest pro though is-overclock 2x7950's, sell the games and your looking at an outlay of ~£400!(almost the same cost of a single 680):eek:
 
AMD has new CrossFire drivers launching in July with new added features as it's not as 'smooth' as SLi-some reports are over exaggerated(sometimes to the extreme) though imo-as a CrossFire user.

I have not read up on this but have seen this quite a few times now

My question is, if AMD have something that works why don't they get it out and available now.

In the case of 2Gb variants, teetering on the edge of usage, an expensive setup requiring lesser settings in the event of exceeding 2Gb usage.

Running 2 X GTX 690s on 1600p maxing games out I have not managed to exceed the 2gb vram limit. If someone is using one/two GTX670/80s @1440p they are even less likely to exceed the 2gb limit.

Having said all of the above the HD 7950s are nice cards and very good value.
 
2x 7950's are the best value for money and more than enough for 2560 x 1440.

Be careful reading around, GPU brands are like football teams, with stubborn loyalties by usurers to either brand with some behaving like football fanatics trying to make the dirty fouling opposition look bad, this includes some reviewers, in that Nvidia are Manchester United in terms of their following.

Neither one card is worse than the other, its down to price.
 
2x 7950's are the best value for money and more than enough for 2560 x 1440.

Be careful reading around, GPU brands are like football teams, with stubborn loyalties by usurers to either brand with some behaving like football fanatics trying to make the dirty fouling opposition look bad, this includes some reviewers, in that Nvidia are Manchester United in terms of their following.

Neither one card is worse than the other, its down to price.



indeed..it is certainly a headache.... thanks for the heads up..nothing has changed in that regard in the 8 years i have been away.... i was one of those people back in the amiga/ST days...very sad :)
 
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