Need your help with these questions

[Mikeal1996]

Hey LTT forum!

 

This will be my first post and oh boy, it is one.

 

So with GTA-V coming up and my graphics card being a little old for my liking, I would like to upgrade mine. I've conducted some research on forums and other media in my country (The Netherlands, Europe) but I need some help deciding what GPU I am going to buy. 

 

I consider myself a Nvidia-fanboy but since I gotta pay my GPU on my own at this point in my life (18 years old) instead of my father and I upgrading all the PC's in the house on his budget  . I kinda need a budget GPU around the 250 to 350 euro's. So far I have looked in to the following cards:

- GTX 760 Ti

- GTX 770

- GTX 780

- GTX 960

- GTX 970

- R9 280X

 

Now for some reason i have always bought nvidia cards for, in my opinion, better support in games and settings configuration. So my first and followup question:

 

What is the difference in adjustable and configuration in video settings between Nvida and AMD? How is support in games between Nvidia and AMD?

 

Currently i have a MSI Geforce GTX 560 Ti Twin Frozer 2GB. This card is a beast since it still runs a lot of games at 1080p on stock specs. Maybe not all maxed up but fine by me. I have always been a preformance gamer and not so much a graphics gamer as you may call it. Recently there has been a lot of discussion about the memory of the GTX 970. So that got me wondering how much vram i use. This is my second question:

 

What software can i use to monitor and log the amount of vram, temp, etc. used by my card?

 

This is a key-point in my decision whether or not to buy a more expensive card. I would also like it to last a year or 3 so longevity is also a concern. Thats why i would like to buy a newer card but I am not sure if I should buy something in this current GTX 900 series or go for a GTX 700 series as it is often compared by its similar specs.

 

And for my final question:

 

Should i consider anything else to upgrade in my current system?

 

Just as a bonus question  . I think that's not the case but tell me if you think otherwise, tell me!

 

Thanks for taking the time to read!

[Merlorz]

You are starting a war in this topic my friend!

[RedSphyxis]

*grabs popcorn

 

go for a 970 or a 290(x) that's the sweet spot for your budget.

 

Nvidia has better support and drivers but AMD is trying to make up for it with its upcoming features like freesync and that VR thing they keep promoting

 

install MSI Afterburner for the GPU monitoring and stuff

[Toxicable]

... I"d just liek to point out that the VRAM issue on the 970s is not a problem unless you're playing on 4k *links LTT's video on the issue* + why even bother monitoring it uunless once again you're playing on 4K

[Badger906]

1) both nvidia and amd have great calibration and settings programmes outside if games.

I'd say nvidias was more intuitive and simpler where as amds was more in depth but less easy to grasp.

2)msi afterburner has you covered here.

3) can't see your spec so won't answer lol

[Mikeal1996]

... I"d just liek to point out that the VRAM issue on the 970s is not a problem unless you're playing on 4k *links LTT's video on the issue* + why even bother monitoring it uunless once again you're playing on 4K

I know its not a problem but considering I am on sort of a budget. I would like to know how much vram i am currently using in my games. That way I wont overpay for the vram I am not using. With GTA-V at the horizon and having played the poorly ported GTA-IV where you could see how much vram it ate up, I am considering taking a higher vram option. Thats why the R9 280x stood out as a good option for its 3GB vram.

 

 

You are starting a war in this topic my friend!

Not my intentions !   I know that choosing one GPU manufacturer's side is more of a problem then a solution in my opinion. It is easier to keep to habits then to change them.

[Mikeal1996]

1) both nvidia and amd have great calibration and settings programmes outside if games.

I'd say nvidias was more intuitive and simpler where as amds was more in depth but less easy to grasp.

2)msi afterburner has you covered here.

3) can't see your spec so won't answer lol

3: Aren't they in my signature? Anyways here they are: 

• CPU                         Intel i7 2600k 3,4GHz
• Motherboard          Asus P8Z68-V PRO iZ68
• RAM                        Corsair 2x4GB, DDR3, PC12800, CL8, Vengeance
• GPU                         MSI GeForce GTX560 Ti Twin Frozr II OC 2GB
• Case                        Cooler Master Midi Tower CM 690 II Advanced
• Storage                   Hitachi 1TB SATA300 32MB / Samsung 500GB SATA 300 32MB
• PSU                          OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Modular
• Display                    Samsung P2770 1ms
• Cooling                   Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B
• Keyboard                Logitech G110
• Mouse                     Razer Deathadder 3.5G
• Sound                     Steelseries Siberia V2 Frost Blue
• OS                           Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium

[Toxicable]

I know its not a problem but considering I am on sort of a budget. I would like to know how much vram i am currently using in my games. That way I wont overpay for the vram I am not using. With GTA-V at the horizon and having played the poorly ported GTA-IV where you could see how much vram it ate up, I am considering taking a higher vram option. Thats why the R9 280x stood out as a good option for its 3GB vram.

 

I dont know why I am repeating myself, but again... the only situation the VRAM issue is previlent is in 4K gamming, and no at 1080 GTX V will have no problems

[Badger906]

<p>

3: Aren't they in my signature? Anyways here they are:

• CPU Intel i7 2600k 3,4GHz

• Motherboard Asus P8Z68-V PRO iZ68

• RAM Corsair 2x4GB, DDR3, PC12800, CL8, Vengeance

• GPU MSI GeForce GTX560 Ti Twin Frozr II OC 2GB

• Case Cooler Master Midi Tower CM 690 II Advanced

• Storage Hitachi 1TB SATA300 32MB / Samsung 500GB SATA 300 32MB

• PSU OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Modular

• Display Samsung P2770 1ms

• Cooling Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B

• Keyboard Logitech G110

• Mouse Razer Deathadder 3.5G

• Sound Steelseries Siberia V2 Frost Blue

• OS Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium

it probably does but I'm on the mobile site. helping you lot instead of working ha.

the rest of your rig is solid. youll get very little performance advantages upgrading anything there.

edit** other than getting an ssd that will make a huge difference in booting and games loading.

[ctxgaming]

960 or 970 m8