GTX960 4GB or GTX970

[Mark0016]

Hey Guys!

I'm planning to get a new rig soon and I was looking around the GPU section. I've been wondering if its worth to get a GTX970 over a 4GB GTX960 if it means sacrificing a 120$ from my fixed budget. That would mean no SSD and stock cooler on the CPU if I do it now.

 

As the 4GB GTX960 I would like to get the Gigabyte one with the 2X Windforce cooler. If I would pick up a GTX970 I don't know which one yet but probably one of the MSI ones.

 

Also as upgradeability I thought if I will ever need more GPU performance I would pick up an other one of it and run it in SLI.

 

If would have a bigger budget I probably would pick up a 970 but to get that much money it would mean to wait until at least Christmas.

I could also get everything except the GPU and roll with my GTS450 till I get the money but that seams a bit weird.

[ZetZet]

Yes. 970 is much faster, it's definitely worth it. 4gb 960 is kind of scammy, since the card is not powerful enough to use 4gb of vram anyway.

[XplosiveNoctua99]

Yes. 970 is much faster, it's definitely worth it. 4gb 960 is kind of scammy, since the card is not powerful enough to use 4gb of vram anyway.

[ZetZet]

 

but is it worth that hefty premium price, I don't think so. at 1080p, which is where this card is supposed to be used it's way too close.

[stconquest]

I spend about 5-10 minutes screwing around with graphics settings with every semi-demanding title (R9 280).  I don't mind doing this. 

 

Example, I started Hitman Absolution recently and spent a good 5-7 minutes on getting the benchmark to a 52-54 minimum FPS.  Actually, everything is maxed except for 2x MSAA, Shadow Quality at medium and Texture Filter at 2x Anisotropic.

 

If you don't mind doing stuff like this, the 960 is okay.  If you want a better/easier gaming experience jump to the 970.  The performance jump is not small.

[stconquest]

$787:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($166.95 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: be quiet! PURE ROCK 87.0 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($24.90 @ Newegg)  <<This is for noise level more than cooling.  Stock cooler is fine.
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($69.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($46.99 @ NCIX US)  <<Can change this for a 250GB SSD +$30
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($314.99 @ NCIX US)  <<high clock out of the box
Case: Thermaltake Versa H22 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($33.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($54.99 @ Newegg)  <<Not a high quality unit, but you know.. budget.
Case Fan: Kingwin CF-012LB 40.0 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($3.98 @ OutletPC)  <<Front intake
Case Fan: Kingwin CF-012LB 40.0 CFM 120mm  Fan  ($3.98 @ OutletPC)  <<Front intake
Total: $767.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-07-02 08:46 EDT-0400

 

Make that $887 if you need a copy of Windows.

[Santipro]

Hey Guys!

I'm planning to get a new rig soon and I was looking around the GPU section. I've been wondering if its worth to get a GTX970 over a 4GB GTX960 if it means sacrificing a 120$ from my fixed budget. That would mean no SSD and stock cooler on the CPU if I do it now.

 

As the 4GB GTX960 I would like to get the Gigabyte one with the 2X Windforce cooler. If I would pick up a GTX970 I don't know which one yet but probably one of the MSI ones.

 

Also as upgradeability I thought if I will ever need more GPU performance I would pick up an other one of it and run it in SLI.

 

If would have a bigger budget I probably would pick up a 970 but to get that much money it would mean to wait until at least Christmas.

I could also get everything except the GPU and roll with my GTS450 till I get the money but that seams a bit weird.

DUDE and SSD is WAAAAY more important then a GTX970! 

[stconquest]

DUDE and SSD is WAAAAY more important then a GTX970! 

 

Not always, no.  If you keep your OS clean a HDD as a boot drive is not a problem at all.

[Zonus]

I think you should wait for Nvidia to release their next line-up, aka "Pascal".

 

Back when SSD's were extremely expensive and low capacity, a lot of people hugged their mechanical drives and told everyone that "SSD's are stupid". I was one of those people, but when I finally bought one, I realized that it's essential for a main rig.

My point being that, getting an SSD and a better cooler would be a better idea right now. 

 

In fact, I would say not to buy a 960 either. Save your cash, wait it out, and drop it on Pascal.

I don't know what card you currently have (if any), but use that until then. I was going to drop all my money on a G1 970, but it was a dumb idea, seeing as Pascal is going to be released in early 2016.

[Mark0016]

I don't mind tweeking with the graphics settings at all, but I may be able to sell my current system and that way I could get the money.

Also I looked around a little bit about 960 4gb sli and I found it doesn't perform to much better than a single 970 which was surprising, so that may be what takes it for me.

Thanks for all the info and thank you stconquest but I don't need a completely new rig and here is what I thought about getting:

 

Intel Core i5-4690K

Cooler not yet decided

MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition

2x HyperX Fury black 4GB 1866MHz

Kingston SSDNow 120GB + I have a spare 1TB HDD

Cooler Master G650M

And I have a case with a lot of fans

[stconquest]

I don't mind tweeking with the graphics settings at all, but I may be able to sell my current system and that way I could get the money.

Also I looked around a little bit about 960 4gb sli and I found it doesn't perform to much better than a single 970 which was surprising, so that may be what takes it for me.

Thanks for all the info and thank you stconquest but I don't need a completely new rig and here is what I thought about getting:

 

Intel Core i5-4690K

Cooler not yet decided

MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition

2x HyperX Fury black 4GB 1866MHz

Kingston SSDNow 120GB + I have a spare 1TB HDD

Cooler Master G650M

And I have a case with a lot of fans

 

Kingston V300 SSD has reported sequential writes as low as 50MB/s.  Go look at some reviews.  They switched out the memory to much lower quality shortly after reviewers benched them.  Avoid that drive.

 

The build was just an example of a very capable gaming rig.  The K series is not a gaming necessity... Haswell architecture is damn fast.  The K series CPUs is a niche thing... I have one (i5 3570K).  If it means you lose the 970 to a 960... screw the K series CPU.

[brokencross]

None. R9 390. Or if you can find a cheap 290, go for it.

The only GPU from nvidia worth buying atm is the 980Ti.

[Mark0016]

stconquest thanks for the info I could get a HyperX Fury SSD 120GB for 5$ more what do you think about that one?

And I want the 4690K because I also do some programming so I may get more power out of it for brute force or some other programming uses.

[stconquest]

stconquest thanks for the info I could get a HyperX Fury SSD 120GB for 5$ more what do you think about that one?

And I want the 4690K because I also do some programming so I may get more power out of it for brute force or some other programming uses.

 

It is better... Sequentials are good, random Write/Read suffers a bit.  So things like installing Windows will be blazing fast, but loading up Windows will be just okay... but much better than the V300.

 

Look at the Crucial BX100, MX100, MX200....

 

or the Sandisk X110....

 

or the ADAT SP 900/SP902...

 

and of course the Samsung EVO 850.

[Nena Trinity]

960 4GB < 380 4GB < 970 < 390!

[Kodey116]

but is it worth that hefty premium price, I don't think so. at 1080p, which is where this card is supposed to be used it's way too close.

but there is dsr so he could run some games at 4k and use that 4gb... that my plan when i get a gpu budget again. league and csgo would eat vram at that resolution.

[ZetZet]

but there is dsr so he could run some games at 4k and use that 4gb... that my plan when i get a gpu budget again. league and csgo would eat vram at that resolution.

But then 970 becomes sooooo much better

[Kodey116]

But then 970 becomes sooooo much better

Yeah but im a budget gamer i work but i help pay bills in my house and i also have other hobbies to put money towards. i currently have a 6990( i didnt buy it new) and it struggles with 2gbs of vram per gpu.... titanfall alone eats it up at 768p so i can see the 4gb on a 960 for 20 bucks more helping or even a 280 with 3gb for around 200. but money is also the object of concern.

[arronleeds]

DUDE and SSD is WAAAAY more important then a GTX970! 

are you serious? thats like saying a gtx 750ti and ssd is more important than an hdd and a 970, drives dont get your more fps smh.

[Santipro]

Not always, no.  If you keep your OS clean a HDD as a boot drive is not a problem at all.

Mabye, but honestly most of the times an SSD would be preferrable. Faster loading speeds, more FPS, faster booting time etc...