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What upgrade from 6970?

Gti

Gti

Gti

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Joined
16 Aug 2009
Posts
265
Hello lads, I've got the bug for an upgrade from my HIS 6950 (flashed to 6970).
I'm running a 1080p monitor and sometimes play on my 1080p TV via HDMI. I can play games like Bioshock/Dishonored/Metro Last Light at 1080p and looking nice but they can drop FPS. I would like a card that can keep them at 6ofps with most bells and whistles on.

Ideally I want something quieter than my current card as it annoys me when gaming and something that would allow me to get into Litecoin mining. I'm guessing something in the R9 280 range? Would that be a big enough jump?
 
An overclocked 270x is roughly the same performance of a 6970...perhaps a bit between the 6950 and 6970. To get a decent bump in FPS, to make an upgrade worthwhile, perhaps a 290 (not the x version)...but the 290s are expensive.

What's your budget
 
subbytna said:
An overclocked 270x is roughly the same performance of a 6970...perhaps a bit between the 6950 and 6970. To get a decent bump in FPS, to make an upgrade worthwhile, perhaps a 290 (not the x version)...but the 290s are expensive.

What's your budget
Click to expand...

That is not actually true.

I went from an MSI 6970 Lightning to a Powercolour R9 270X Devil, and am getting over a 40% increase in 3D Mark 11 Firestrike.

It also runs BF4 on Ultra at 60FPS+ on 1080P. Such a thing was not possible on my 6970. Add on Mantle support and a 270X is a very good value for money upgrade.
 
I would go for either a 270x or 280x if you want a bit more. Neither will keep last light at a constant 60Fps though. If you have to have 60Fps constant a 290 or 780 would be a better option but considerably more expensive.
 
Sorry I forgot to include specs:

MSI P67A-GD65
2500k @ 4ghz
8GB Corsair XMS3
HIS 6950 (flashed to 6970) @ 880 Core/1375 Mem
Crucial 256gb SSD
CorsairHX 850w PSU
 
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280x would be a good card or a second hand 7970, you could always add another later on if needed. Only downside is this stupid bitcoin rubbish has inflated both the new and second hand prices on these cards.
 
Gti said:
Hello lads, I've got the bug for an upgrade from my HIS 6950 (flashed to 6970).
I'm running a 1080p monitor and sometimes play on my 1080p TV via HDMI. I can play games like Bioshock/Dishonored/Metro Last Light at 1080p and looking nice but they can drop FPS. I would like a card that can keep them at 6ofps with most bells and whistles on.

Ideally I want something quieter than my current card as it annoys me when gaming and something that would allow me to get into Litecoin mining. I'm guessing something in the R9 280 range? Would that be a big enough jump?
Click to expand...

You'll need a 290 Pro or a 280x. I'd go with this, or if thats too expensive, this.
 
Only upgrades worthwhile would be 7950 7970 280x GTX 760 and above.

Also your power supply does about 1100 watts so you could get another 6970 and xfire for slightly faster than 280x / 7970 speed for £70 outlay but then you don't like noise so...

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-118-GI&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=1830 is a good buy if you cant find a 280x for £220 or less it's not THAT much slower than a 280x http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1038?vs=1041 no idea what the fuss is over litecoin etc ? hasn't that ship already sailed ? I wouldn't go near a 280x at those prices they should be around the £200 mark.
 
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I would be looking to mine in a Scrypt Altcoin pool that pays out in Litecoins. I wouldn't be expecting a whole lot from it but as long as it covers the electric and then some it would be nice to make use of it when not gaming. Hence also the quiet requirement as the rig is in the same room as my sofa/tv.

I thought my power supply could only do 850w?
 
subbytna said:
An overclocked 270x is roughly the same performance of a 6970...perhaps a bit between the 6950 and 6970. To get a decent bump in FPS, to make an upgrade worthwhile, perhaps a 290 (not the x version)...but the 290s are expensive.

What's your budget
Click to expand...

An overclocked 270x can run with a 7950 Boost edition and a 7950 Boost edition is nigh on nearly twice as fast as a 6970
 
Gti said:
I would be looking to mine in a Scrypt Altcoin pool that pays out in Litecoins. I wouldn't be expecting a whole lot from it but as long as it covers the electric and then some it would be nice to make use of it when not gaming. Hence also the quiet requirement as the rig is in the same room as my sofa/tv.

I thought my power supply could only do 850w?
Click to expand...

No the original hx 850 and new v2 version does way above it's spec not that you would need 1000 watts for xfire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDclxRr_Rrk skip to 14:50

xfire will be noisy and hot though if I were you I'd stretch / wait for a 280x to be around the £220 mark or I'd get a GTX 760 if buying new but then you want ati for mining.
Otherwise a 7950 7970 second hand would be a good buy for £170 or less.
 
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subbytna said:
An overclocked 270x is roughly the same performance of a 6970...perhaps a bit between the 6950 and 6970. To get a decent bump in FPS, to make an upgrade worthwhile, perhaps a 290 (not the x version)...but the 290s are expensive.

What's your budget
Click to expand...

Definitely not true. 6970 is a pretty weak card from end 2010.
 
6970 pretty good card lasted ages upgrade to 7950 this summer was good upgrade , then not sure why changed it to 770gtx i think, because was flickering on desktop sometimes 120 hz bug but 7950 very good.
 
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