GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

analogtiger19 said:I'm not sure. Personally, if I were working with a budget up to $0.67, I'd be deciding between the Radeon R9 280 ($0.50), the Radeon R9 280x ($0.63), or the Asus Radeon R9 290 ($0.74). If I'm pairing it with an Intel Core i5-2320, I wouldn't go any higher than the 280x. The real question is whether he wants to max out his budget to get the absolute best bang for his buck, or if he wants to spend as little as possible while still getting a meaningful upgrade over what he has now. Also, does he plan on upgrading his CPU soon? That would change everything...🤷

The Intel Core i5-2320 can handle the 290 just fine. An i5-2400 won't have any bottlenecking issues at all with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970—you can check that anywhere—and since that card is slightly more powerful than the 290, the 2320 (which is basically the same as a 2400) will definitely hold its own with the 290. Given that the price difference isn't proportional to the performance jump—the 290 is only about $50 more than the 280x but is significantly stronger—there's really no point in getting the 280x. Even if there is a tiny bit of bottlenecking, it doesn't matter.

Brian Campbell36 said:He says my CPU could potentially handle a GTX 970 (but giving it $1167 would be suicide)

It's overclocked to 3.8 GHz 🍿

Yeah, he could probably pull off the 970, though he might run into some heavier bottlenecking in certain spots, like playing Battlefield 4 Multiplayer on Ultra settings or stuff like that. 🙂

Brian Campbell36 said:Some guy told me my CPU could handle an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (but trying to $1167 it would be suicide)

It's overclocked to 3.8 GHz 🍿

Glad you mentioned the overclock... 🙄 😬 ...$1167 Yeah, it's suicide, but for an Intel Core i5-2500K-Intel Core i5-3000 series, you might just end up "critically wounded" 😁 (though honestly, I think even an overclocked CPU is a massive bottleneck for an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 😛 )

analogtiger19 said:It is a relief that you finally saw fit to mention he’s a bit of a loose cannon. 🙄 😬 ...$1167 Is suicide even an option? But then again, for what purpose would one even consider such a thing? 2500-3000 One might find themselves "fatally wounded," wouldn't you agree? 😁 Even if we consider the overclocked processor, one has to wonder: isn't that CPU still going to act as a massive bottleneck for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970? 😛 )

Does an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or a GTX 980 truly alleviate the burden on a CPU? There is a persistent claim that these cards were engineered specifically to facilitate seamless communication with less powerful processors, effectively preventing those frustrating "bottlenecks" where the CPU is left struggling to keep pace with the graphics hardware. Is this technical synergy actually a reality, or merely a convenient myth? 🍿

Brian Campbell36 said:Don't they say the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 and 980 are built specifically to prevent CPU bottlenecks? Like, they're designed so weaker processors can communicate perfectly without hitting those "dead ends," keeping the CPU from lagging behind the GPU.🍿

Look, depending on what kind of games you're running, you might never even notice the bottleneck, but let's be real—that processor just isn't going to squeeze every ounce of power out of that card.

To be clear, it doesn't mean you won't be able to crank most games up to ultra settings; it just means when things start to stutter, the CPU is the one to blame even if the GPU could have handled more.😬

Hey guys—so I might be heading out to pick up a new GPU in the next few days, and I’m stuck between the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 from the ASUS ROG series or the Phantom model. Honestly, I don't have a strong preference for one over the other, and while warranty isn't my biggest concern, I really just want to make sure I get at least 24 months of coverage.

So, if you were in my shoes, what would you go with? Looking at Newegg, it seems like the Phantom version is a bit more compact, which I actually really like. Plus, those two "hidden" vents look pretty cool, and I love the sleek, all-black aesthetic. As for ASUS in general, I've always been a fan of their design language. From what I can tell, the temperatures between these two cards are basically identical...

analogtiger19 said:Look, depending on what kind of games you play, you might never even notice that bottleneck, but that CPU just won't let that GPU reach its full potential.

To be clear, that doesn't mean you won't be able to run most games on ultra settings; it just means when things stutter, the CPU will be the culprit even if the GPU could handle more. 😬

The Intel Core i5-2320 and the Intel Core i5-2500K are basically the same processor, except the 2500K has a higher clock speed and an unlocked multiplier. His Intel Core i5-2320 @ 3.8 GHz is effectively the same as an Intel Core i5-2500K @ 3.8 GHz, and plenty of people running 2500Ks paired with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 don't see any bottleneck at all. So, claiming there's going to be some massive bottleneck here is totally baseless. Like I said, if a bottleneck ever actually happens, it'll be something negligible—maybe something you'd see in Battlefield 4 Multiplayer with 64 players on ultra settings at 1080p and those kinds of extreme setups. Saying you can't pair that CPU with anything stronger than a Radeon R9 280 is just nonsense.

Larry Ortiz5 said:Guys—I might actually head out to pick up a new GPU in the next few days, and I'm currently torn between the ASUS ROG series and the Phantom version of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970. Honestly, neither one specifically "wows" me; even the warranty isn't a huge dealbreaker, as long as I get that standard 24-month coverage.

So, if you were in my shoes, what would be your move? Looking at Newegg, the Phantom seems a bit more compact, which appeals to me—plus, those two "hidden" vents and the sleek all-black aesthetic are pretty nice. As for the ASUS builds in general, I’ve always been a fan of their design language. From what I can gather, the temperatures between these two specific cards are practically identical...

Personally, I’d go with the ASUS option—it comes with a 3-year warranty, and let's face it, you won't really see much of the card anyway once it's installed. If aesthetics are your main driver, I think those Gigabyte G1 Gaming NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 models have a blue LED logo that catches the eye if you happen to have a tempered glass side panel on your case.

Have you happened to read up on whether there are any issues with the fans on the ASUS ROG version? I think someone mentioned something about that on this forum a few months back--can't quite remember who. Also, I really dig the fact that it only needs a single 8-pin connector 😁

Larry Ortiz5 said:Have you checked if there's an Asus ROG version with those fan issues? Someone mentioned it on this forum a few months back. Also, I really dig that it only needs a single 8-pin connector 😁

If I were you

http://www.newegg.com/product&product_id=50282

Alexander Moore67 said:If I were you

http://www.newegg.com/p/product&product_id=50282

Personally, I'd take a Gigabyte card over an Asusica any day.👍

I managed to snag a G1 Gaming 970 for $0.97 over at Best Buy—and yes, the logo actually lights up. I’ve been spending some time scrolling through various forums and watching video reviews to confirm everything

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...934e89ca81994f

The standard Gigabyte model is also seeing a pretty decent discount right now $0.89

If you look elsewhere—like at Micro Center or similar shops—they’re charging about $150$67 more than this
By the way, this G1 Gaming version handles overclocking like an absolute beast—assuming that’s even something you’re planning to mess with

Nah, I’m not even remotely interested in the gambling side of things. Thanks anyway, guys—I'll let you know how it goes. For now, it's time to go see if I can talk the old folks into something 😁

@Adam Moore3/">@@Adam Moore3
If you're naturally an anxious person, don't be—it’s bad for you. If someone in your life is getting under your skin, just deal with them directly. There's no need to ramp up the tension when talking to me; my opinion isn't carved in stone, and I'm not claiming to be 100% right. 😉

Adam Moore3 said:The i5 2320 and the i5 2500K are basically identical chips, except the 2500K has a higher clock speed and an unlocked multiplier. His i5 2320 @ 3.8 GHz is effectively the same as an i5 2500K @ 3.8 GHz, and tons of people running 2500Ks have a GTX 970 without any bottlenecking issues at all.So, your claim about there being some massive bottleneck here makes zero sense.Like I said, if a bottleneck ever actually happens, it'll be barely noticeable, and it would likely only occur in Battlefield 4 Multiplayer with 64 players on Ultra settings at 1080p with those kinds of extreme settings. Saying you can't pair anything stronger than an R9 280 with that CPU is just nonsense.

I never said you can't pair something better than an R9 280 with that processor; I said it would be the best value option for the budget he laid out. As for the GTX 970 and your grasp of what a bottleneck actually is, your quote of my comment pretty much speaks for itself.

Honestly, it's highly probable you didn't even read my post properly, or maybe you didn't read it at all and you're just throwing info around blindly. I don't know how you went from "...just to be clear, that doesn't mean you won't be able to run most games on Ultra settings but simply that when things stutter, the CPU will be the culprit even if the GPU could handle more..." to saying "massive bottleneck""... 🤷

This isn't a constructive way to communicate, and nobody gains anything from it...☕

Take care. 🙂

analogtiger19 said:Glad you mentioned it’s a bit weak... 🙄 😬 ...$1167 sure it's suicide, but for 2500-3000 you might just get "mortally wounded" 😁 (though I still think that CPU is a massive bottleneck for a GTX 970 😛 )

No offense, but you're just plain wrong. Saying that processor is a huge bottleneck for the 970 is incorrect. Clear and simple. Cheers 🙂

Guys, why is everyone fighting so much? Which specific processor does he actually have that makes you think he can't handle a GTX 970?

I used to have an EVGA card, and honestly, I had nothing but great things to say about it. As far as the Phantom models go, they’re easily the best of the bunch from EVGA.

Right now, I'm running a Gigabyte R9 280. It’s a decent enough card, though I don't have a huge opinion on it yet. I mainly picked it up because of the three-year warranty and because it was the only R9 280 small enough to actually fit in my case.

If I had the cash, a beefier power supply, and a massive case, I'd definitely go for the MSI R9 290 x Lightning. I've always wanted one. But then again, I'm the kind of guy who cares way more about how long a card lasts than anything else.

Adam Moore3 said:Respectfully, you're just plain wrong. Saying that CPU is a massive bottleneck for a 970 isn't right. It's clear and simple. Cheers 🙂

Exactly! Right here your point hits the nail on the head. I was still under the impression it had dual cores (damn it, those 23xx models threw me off 😬), and by the time I realized, I couldn't even edit the post anymore. That’s why I thought my last reply clarified my take on the bottleneck situation—there's one, sure, but it's hard to actually feel it in modern games. 🙂

@Larry Ortiz5/">@@Larry Ortiz5
No fighting, just a "misunderstanding"...
Regarding your GTX 970, I was actually scouring the web a couple days ago trying to decide which one I'd pick for myself (assuming I can hide the transaction so my wife doesn't lecture me on how much I spent 😬). For me, the Asus Strix GTX 970 looked best (around $1.00). It might not be the absolute fastest, but it's definitely the quietest, and that's what matters most to me. People also speak highly of MSI gaming. The Gigabyte GTX 970 WF3 is decent, but it's too noisy for my taste... though hey, if you aren't picky, just grab the cheapest one you find (like an Inno3D) for about $250 😬

Chris Robinson25 said:I used an EVGA card before, and I had nothing but good things to say about it. As far as the Phantom goes, that's really the cream of the crop when it comes to EVGA.

Right now, I'm running a Gigabyte R9 280 and it's doing alright—nothing crazy to report yet. I mainly picked it up because of the three-year warranty and because it was the only R9 280 that actually fit in my case.

If I actually had the budget, a beefy power supply, and a massive case, I’d definitely go for the MSI R9 290 x Lightning. I've always had a soft spot for that specific card. Then again, I'm more of the type who cares about longevity—I just want something that lasts.

Thanks for the input! If everything goes according to plan with my parents tomorrow or by Friday, I'll be heading out to buy one. I'm torn between the Asus Strix GTX 970 and the Phantom—even though most of the guys here were voting for the Gigabyte, I don't think I'll bite. It's not like I'm going to stare at my GPU all day, but the Gigabyte just doesn't appeal to me... and honestly, neither does the MSI.

If those are really the only two options—then I'd go with EVGA.

I’d personally lean toward the Asus—it just makes more sense. Plus, if you decide to offload it in two or two and a half years, you'll find it much easier to sell since you'll still have a year of warranty left to sweeten the deal.