Upgrade options - BF3 + others

[Aedus]

Looking to upgrade my GPU for BF3, Skyrim and other lovely games coming out later this year. I run an 8800GTX so it's starting to show it's age now.

I normally just buy Nvidia, and I'd like to stick to that so please don't come back with "Lol but AMD is better".

My 2 options are:
1. Buy a mid-range card now, like a 560Ti and buy a high-end card in 2012 when the next gen is released
2. Buy a 580 now and skip the next gen and wait for the 1 after

I'd like to run BF3 and Skyrim on high @ 1920x1080


What would be my best option?

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

What would be my best option?

To wait until we have any idea how well those games run!

 

[Aedus]

To wait until we have any idea how well those games run!

The alpha is out for BF3 so people know how they run.
What's the point in forever waiting? I've waited 2 years already to upgrade, I'm fed up and want something so I can actually enjoy my current games not looking ****ty.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

The alpha is out for BF3 so people know how they run.

The Alpha of a game is no-where near the final release!

 

[Aedus]

The Alpha of a game is no-where near the final release!

Sure, so we can't gauge the rough performance of the game on different cards from the alpha?
Non-sense.

Next you'll be saying "Wait till the Beta to see!" and then when the beta comes out "Oh, wait till it's released then the drivers will have matured and DICE optimizes the engine!"


1 of my options isn't "Wait till the games come out and then get a new graphics card once I see how well they perform, by which point it will be pointless to upgrade at all because the next gen will be just around the corner"

 

[paradisiac]

Sure, so we can't gauge the rough performance of the game on different cards from the alpha?
Non-sense.

Next you'll be saying "Wait till the Beta to see!" and then when the beta comes out "Oh, wait till it's released then the drivers will have matured and DICE optimizes the engine!"


1 of my options isn't "Wait till the games come out and then get a new graphics card once I see how well they perform, by which point it will be pointless to upgrade at all because the next gen will be just around the corner"

thats a crazy statement. next gen cards from amd are due out in the next couple of months, which is around the same time as BF3. also, its a test version, so it will not be running as the game will do when its out as not all textures etc will be there, so it might run fine now, then BAM!!! they add on some high res textures and you £200 card that ran the cut down test version fine now no longer cuts it.

if you can wait then just pick something at random as no one knows what specs will be needed so it will be pot luck.

 

[Aedus]

thats a crazy statement. next gen cards from amd are due out in the next couple of months, which is around the same time as BF3. also, its a test version, so it will not be running as the game will do when its out as not all textures etc will be there, so it might run fine now, then BAM!!! they add on some high res textures and you £200 card that ran the cut down test version fine now no longer cuts it.

if you can wait then just pick something at random as no one knows what specs will be needed so it will be pot luck.

Already stated I'm not buying AMD, so the point is moot.

I can't run BF3 on low properly on my 8800GTX, hence why I am upgrading.

 

[paradisiac]

Already stated I'm not buying AMD, so the point is moot.

I can't run BF3 on low properly on my 8800GTX, hence why I am upgrading.

you mean you cant run the alpha version properly. how do you know that it is fully optimized in its alpha stage?
you might find that final release has better optimization therefore would run fine on your card. all specs are speculation, so in theory any card might run it, or they might not.
i deffinatly wouldnt get any card with less than 1.5GB of Vram, just incase.
there is no reason why a 560ti wouldnt run it, but there is no concrete evidence it will either.

 

[Aedus]

you mean you cant run the alpha version properly. how do you know that it is fully optimized in its alpha stage?
you might find that final release has better optimization therefore would run fine on your card. all specs are speculation, so in theory any card might run it, or they might not.
i deffinatly wouldnt get any card with less than 1.5GB of Vram, just incase.
there is no reason why a 560ti wouldnt run it, but there is no concrete evidence it will either.

I'm not expecting a 560Ti to run it on high btw, that's why it would be upgraded come the next gen, where-as I'd expect a 580 to run on high and perform well enough to get a decent frame rate. But this isn't just for future games, but current ones I can only run on low, like stalker and Crysis. I know an 8800 simply can't keep up any longer.

 

[paradisiac]

personally it depends on the budget and price difference. as we dont really know what Nvidias next offerings will be like either performance or price wise, then i would get whatever you feel is best value for money now, and possibly which will have a greater resale value when you do decide to upgrade.
im in the situation where my AMD cards have issues with certain games, so am looking to swap to an Nvidia card, and at the moment i can get a good price on a GTX460 2GB card, but im not sure if its worth the £135 for such a performance drop.

 

[pecnarf]

i would suggest getting a 460 or 560ti card now then come q1/q2 of 2012 get either a 28nm card (6xx) or a gtx 580 because the moment the 28nm card are released the prices on the gtx 580 will come down. 460/560ti should be more than enough to run bf3 etc. i just bought gigabyte gtx 560ti oc that was in sale to upgrade from a gtx 285, to tie me over until april/june of next year when i buy either a 28nm card or 3gb 580.

ps i belive the 8800GTX won't be able to handle bf3 very well at all, but if you do decide to get a 560ti or 580 if your psu allow it keep the 8800GTX in the machine to have it running as a physx card for those game you have the require physx. it what i've done as i current got my gtx285 doing gaming graphics etc and my 9800gtx doing physx.

 

[Dave****]

i would suggest getting a 460 or 560ti card now then come q1/q2 of 2012 get either a 28nm card (6xx) or a gtx 580 because the moment the 28nm card are released the prices on the gtx 580 will come down. 460/560ti should be more than enough to run bf3 etc.

This.

ps i belive the 8800GTX won't be able to handle bf3 very well at all, but if you do decide to get a 560ti or 580 if your psu allow it keep the 8800GTX in the machine to have it running as a physx card for those game you have the require physx.

And this.

 

[clone]

Running my 580 gtx on the alpha with about 60-100 fps runs really well ive seen players with the 560 with no problem so it`s up to you bud.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

Aedous: I give you advice and you seem to wish to argue! Do NOT buy a rig based on the Alpha release of a game!

 

[BS Dave]

better order before 3 no matter what you do, alpha finishes on 1st August so unless you have a stone cold invite to the beta you'll need to get you money's worth - 3 days play...or you could wait for the GTX 580 to go down in price when the new AMD cards come out that you don't want...

but hey why bother reasoning with someone who said in their opening post they won't be persuaded?

 

[Aedus]

I thought the 560Ti now would be a good option. Not sure which 1 to pick now, but I can always get Saturday delivery if needed Gigabyte SoC a good option?

I'm not arguing with you mg, but I already stated this isn't just for BF3 and Skyrim, but other games I already have. What's the point in waiting till november if new cards come out in Feb/March time? I know my 8800 will barely be able to hack BF3 so I WILL need a new card, and if I get 1 next to release it will give me a few months until I have to sell it on at a big loss, compared to 7-8 months I could get from it if I get it now.

 

[gwobbles]

I dont think this will help but Im playing on 1 6870 atm, with high settings in alpha i get around 45fps - 65fps, but I wouldnt take that as any reference, as other posters have said, its only in alpha and not optimised yet. I was planning on getting a GTX 580 aswell but now I think im gonna wait for the new cards to come out (hope its during christmas!!!)

edit - im running in 1080

 

[setter]

With gtx 470's in sli, rest of spec in sig. Im getting a max of 40fps in the alpha trial, 1920x1200, high setting. Only running on a single card though as theres no sli profile for the bf3 alpha with the latest nv beta drivers.