PC Build Advice/Review Thread

[Buffy]

Jojimbo, thanks for your response.

To reiterate, the 980 is only about a 15-20% increase over the 970? I was torn between the two before I asked but that was exactly the choice I had been trying to make in my mind.

Since I do want to SLI, and I need to be able to multi-monitor (3, possibly 4 depending on the project I'm working on), it seems like two 970s is a better use than a single 980.

Thoughts?

[Jojimbo]

SLI 970 is much faster than a single 980 and would be a better option, will you be gaming across all 3 monitors? Or just plan to game on one and use the others for productivity (or whatever) and do you need to upgrade or just looking to soonish?

[Kalmado]

I was hot on the 970 until news broke about it being 3.5gb instead of 4gb vram. I know to some it doesn't matter, but I think that's shitty business and until they either own their mistake (which they haven't) or fix it I won't recommend Nvidia.

[Boyiee]

Performance wise it doesn't matter and that's the only thing that does matter

What monitor setup do you plan on using? Unless you are running 4k, 21:9 1440p or multiple monitors then there isn't really too much need for SLI GTX 970s

This is correct information.

Sli 970s outperform a single 980 by quite a bit, and a single 980 isn't very much of a upgrade over a 970. Very marginal.

[Boyiee]

Jojimbo, thanks for your response.

To reiterate, the 980 is only about a 15-20% increase over the 970? I was torn between the two before I asked but that was exactly the choice I had been trying to make in my mind.

Since I do want to SLI, and I need to be able to multi-monitor (3, possibly 4 depending on the project I'm working on), it seems like two 970s is a better use than a single 980.

Thoughts?

You don't need sli to do this.

[Senji]

Most are looking at it as similar pricing of sli 970 vs 980.

I trend it as: if they don't say resolution; then it's 1080.

[Kalmado]

Most are looking at it as similar pricing of sli 970 vs 980.

I trend it as: if they don't say resolution; then it's 1080.

And if we are talking 1080p, isn't a 970 extreme overkill? There are numerous cheaper options for 1080p and the savings could be put to other parts.

[Senji]

Overkill for most. However if you look at it as 970, or 960 which isn't good enough, or that's it because refusing ati due to bad personal experiences/negative hype train. Really they would be best served by a 960ti. However it's not out yet, and people want to upgrade now because they have been riding out their card for two or three generations. They don't want problems, they don't want any performance dip. Look how many insist on that i7/212/cheap psu combo even though they will get zero performance benefit if they aren't rendering/compiling/encoding.

[Kalmado]

Overkill for most. However if you look at it as 970, or 960 which isn't good enough, or that's it because refusing ati due to bad personal experiences/negative hype train. Really they would be best served by a 960ti. However it's not out yet, and people want to upgrade now because they have been riding out their card for two or three generations. They don't want problems, they don't want any performance dip. Look how many insist on that i7/212/cheap psu combo even though they will get zero performance benefit if they aren't rendering/compiling/encoding.

I completely agree. Especially those that buy an I7 for gaming. It's ridiculous. Actually, a good friend of mine bought a 3570k, 16gb ram, a CX750w psu, and what was labeled as a full size tower(cheap brand that basically lied). He doesn't plan to over overclock, doesn't do anything other then basic gaming, and is running a 770 4gb gpu. When inquiring about the parts choices he simply said, "because I can". Stupid. Could have bought a SSD with the money saved buying a non K cpu, only 8gb ram, and a smarter tower.

I really do understand people not wanting to go with AMD. I get it. But I do not understand how a person can justify spending $325+ on a 970 for 1080p gaming when a $170 AMD R9 280 will garner the same results. Shoot, even the R9 270 performs pretty good at 1080p. When testing Mafia 2 I can max everything and get 60fps. Yes that's an older game and not crazy graphically intense, but the point stands. And, the R9 270 was purchased for $100 after rebate and came with the AMD Never Settle Gold giving 3 free games.

[Boyiee]

Yeah I don't know why people overkill 1080p and think there is going to be a difference either... Even at 1440p it can be overkill. It's not until 21:9, 1600p, eyefinity and 4k do you really need to upgrade. And shit, not much is able to even handle 4k yet.

[Fairy-Killer]

And shit, not much is able to even handle 4k yet.

Aaaaand this is where I come in. So I just recently bought a 4k monitor (Dell P2715Q), and I'm looking to upgrade my GPU(s) so that I can:

a) Max out FFXIV @ 60 FPS
b) Max/high Witcher 3 @ 60 FPS (this is probably going to be near impossible unless I lower the AA)
c) Run other games max @ 4k @ 60 FPS

Thoughts on GPU(s)? I'm currently kinda waiting around until AMD releases the 300 series to see what it does to prices. 4k can and will hit 3.5+GB of VRAM, so I don't want to mess with 970s.

Also, @Cleverness, if you have a Microcenter near you, keep an eye out for the CPU because they're pretty much guaranteed to have the lowest CPU prices.

[Krandor]

Just ball out and buy a Titan Z

[Fairy-Killer]

Just ball out and buy a Titan Z

Considering it, lol. Tax return, yo.

[Adajer]

not enough 980 ti news, rumor has it that is pushed back to 2016.

[Boyiee]

Check out hardforum.com for 4k advice.

[Kalmado]

not enough 980 ti news, rumor has it that is pushed back to 2016.

I had read there is no 980ti in the works. Something to do with how the architecture of the 980 reads or something. I can't remember where so I can't cite the source, but it's just rumor anyways.

[Adajer]

really need a more competitive gpu scene. and cpu really.

nvidia has been really lazy past couple gens

[Krandor]

The moral of both of those is that AMD needs to get off the pot and do something. Nvidia and Intel have both been consistently making more efficient hardware while AMD seems content to just push out hardware with a power draw of 500 million watts that run hotter then the Sahara.

[Senji]

All the other gpu manufacturers have been bought out/absorbed. Intel even tried making their own dedicated cards a few years ago, but they couldn't hack it. A handful of mobile gpu manufacturers around; considered more lucrative. AMD is investing in more chip fab like there's no tomorrow, but after the debacle of hex core I don't know if they want anything more than mid/oem and keeping Intel honest.

[enzan]

Not sure if the right place, but what chair do you guys use/recommend? I would prefer something with a mesh seat, but my main concern is the noise. My current chair could wake the dead if I lean back in it, and it is becoming a problem. Looking for something in the 150-200 range, but cheaper works too!