GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Ronald Myers81 said:Fair point, but what about those results from the Bug report? Both cards used there were EVGA, and they were the reference models!

Overclocking potential really varies from one specific unit to the next.

So, if I buy an EVGA card and you buy the exact same EVGA model, it doesn't guarantee we'll both get the same overclocking headroom.

Timothy Kim60 said:So I buy an EVGA card, and you buy the exact same EVGA model—that doesn't mean we're both going to deal with the same level of sag.

Man, this whole thing is just maddening—truly awful. It's like buying a Kinder Egg; the packaging looks identical, the chocolate is the same, but every single toy inside is different...
I'm looking through all these models, where a single GPU type (like a GTX 750 Ti) can have ten different versions, and you're supposed to be "smart" enough to pick the right one... 🙂 🙂

🤣

The only real difference is the cooler and the clock speeds, which barely matter anyway... I guess almost any dual-fan setup will do just fine.

It’s really just the same cookie—just in a different wrapper...

Usually, you're better off just going for whatever has the biggest GPU at the lowest price point, right? 🙂

Ronald Myers81 said:Man, this is incredibly confusing! It’s like buying a Kinder Surprise—the packaging looks identical and the chocolate is the same, but you never know which toy you're going to get inside...

Look, there isn't really a massive difference in overclocking potential between a "lower tier" and a "higher tier" sample of the exact same card. What exactly did this Bug do to kill the other one? I bet any difference is so negligible that you wouldn't even notice it while gaming; only a precise benchmark would ever show it.

If there actually is a significant gap, it could just be due to poor testing on their end or some system anomaly—like an FPS drop that skewed the results. It’s all relative.

Timothy Kim60 said:There isn't much of a meaningful difference in overclocking potential between a "bad" and a "good" sample of the same card—not really. What exactly did this Bug do to kill the other one? It’s likely just a negligible margin that wouldn't even be felt during actual gameplay, something only a hyper-precise benchmark would catch.

If there truly is a significant gap—it could easily be down to poor testing protocols or some system anomaly—like an FPS drop that skewed the data. Everything is relative.

From those tests I've seen, the gap between the GTX 750 Ti and the GTX 750 Ti x is exactly as you described—minimal. Personally, I don't think a 3 FPS difference is worth$33 more; besides, the 750 Ti pulls less power. If you're willing to pay extra, you might as well step up to the 280!

Then again, it all comes down to personal preference...

If I had some extra cash lying around right now, I’d probably ditch my 7870 and pick up a GTX 760—mostly just because Nvidia's power draw is way lower than what you get with Intel. Plus, from what I can see, Nvidia just dropped those new drivers that look like they might be their best ones yet...

Larry Ortiz5 said:If I had some extra cash lying around right now, I’d ditch my 7870 and pick up a GTX 760 just because Intel pulls less power than AMD. Plus, from what I can see, Nvidia just dropped some new drivers that are supposedly the best they've ever released...

Hold off until at least the Maxwell architecture if you're really that concerned about power draw. Besides, didn't you upgrade to a beefier PSU specifically to handle higher GPU power consumption? 😁

Wut, those aren't even processors 😬

The GTX 760 consumes about 30-40W more than the HD 7870 (130W vs 170W TDP).

Nah, he actually swapped out the PSU because the SATA power connector snapped, so don't go thinking that 😁

Man, I totally spaced on that—I guess I just wasn't thinking. To be honest, I haven't really bothered checking the power draw on the GTX 760 before, mostly because I just assumed—as usual—that Nvidia would be pulling less power than Intel 😬

Regarding the power supply, I think fadedorca66 is spot on here 😁

GTX 980 Ti – tackling 4K gaming

roughly $1,500 😲

Just search for Linus Sebastian on YouTube—he actually tested this card out on a 4K monitor...

Larry Ortiz5 said:Just search Linus Sebastian on YouTube, he actually tested this card on a 4K monitor..

Man, that guy really gets on my nerves.😂 😂

What’s all this fuss about his voice? 😁 Honestly, I’d love to trade places with him in a heartbeat. 😍 I mean, can you blame me? You get to be a tech enthusiast—just chilling out, playing games, and making some seriously good money while doing it...

Larry Ortiz5 said:What's wrong with his voice? 😁 Honestly, I'd swap places with him in a heartbeat. 😍 I mean, he's just sitting there, chilling, playing games, and getting paid—and getting paid well at that.

It's because of how he talks.😂

Just taking it easy...

Hey,

here’s what I’m running right now:

Intel Core i7 920 AMD Radeon HD 5870 Corsair DDR3 3 X2GB ASRock x58 Extreme
Radeon HD 5870
Corsair DDR3 3 X2GB
ASRock x58 Extreme motherboard

I’m looking to pick up a new GPU (strictly for gaming, I don't touch Photoshop), so I need some solid advice. My budget tops out at $667. I've been scrolling through endless comparison charts online, but honestly, I'm stuck and can't make a call.

If you ask me, I’d go with the MSI GTX 750 Ti 2GB TF IV—it’s a solid choice if you want something reasonably priced that actually does more than just handle the bare essentials. What kind of work are you actually doing in Photoshop?