GTX 660 possible bottlenecking?

[Mycielski]

Hi guys!

 

Want to ask for some help.

My specs are the following:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 @ stock 2.66GHz

Mobo: ASUS P5QC

RAM: 4x2GB DDR2 @ 800MHz

GPU: Gigabyte GTX 650 OC 1GB GDDR5

PSU: be quiet! System Power 9 500W

 

Today, I got an opportunity to buy a fairly well priced Palit GTX 660 2GB GDDR5 GPU.

I have 4 questions:

- Is this GPU (GTX 660) is a good deal for around 50 bucks?

- Is Palit a brand you would buy, specially second-hand?

- Will my whole remaining system (if I buy the card) bottleneck the GTX 660?

- Is it worth to upgrade from a GTX 650 -> GTX 660 at all?

 

Thansk for your help in advance!

M.

[Princess Luna]

Replace a GTX 650 with a GTX 660 would be the most redundant thing ever, no it's not worth the cost at all, just keep saving for an actual upgrade with actually up-to-date hardware.

[narrdarr]

3 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

Replace a GTX 650 with a GTX 660 would be the most redundant thing ever, no it's not worth the cost at all, just keep saving for an actual upgrade with actually up-to-date hardware.

agreed keep saving up for a better card. 

[Mycielski]

Thanks for the help, but the two comments at top basically against each other... well my problem is, that in the scores and tests, GTX 660 almost has double the score GTX 650 gets....

[narrdarr]

considering I bought a 770 for 40$ last week 660 for 50$ doesn't sound that good of a deal.

a 770 isn't that great of a these days anyways. these card are simply put just becoming to out dated. 

you can spend the $ on that and stay stuck in the past or a save a little and get something a lot better.

you can find r9 280 for 100$ sometimes even gtx 970  

[Mycielski]

In Canada or US possibly prices are much lower than in my country.

Here a HD 6970 2G or a GTX 660 for about 45-50$ counts as a "mild" good deal, as far as I can tell by the market.

Wish I could buy a GTX 770 for about 40$

 

[Princess Luna]

11 minutes ago, Mycielski said:

.

The thing is if you just save to buy the most entry level possible present gen hardware like a GTX 1050 you're getting even more performance with a hell lot more power efficiency and way more compatibility with the latest games while still running the older ones perfectly fine, all that for 100 bucks tops.

 

It's just that you're going for a product that's actually 4 generations old already and GPUs performance increased an absurd the past few years.

[Mycielski]

I found a bottleneck calculator (never knew that it exists) and it states that now (with the 650) my CPU is heavily bottlenecked by the GPU. But with the suggested GTX 1050 my CPU is the bottlenecking factor.

Also here (my country) the dankest, Inno3D GTX 1050 2GB modell costs like 150 USD.

[narrdarr]

there will always be a bottleneck in any system. 

you can look at as you cpu would be the bottle neck or you can look at it like finally my cpu is getting used at it full protentional 

[Mycielski]

What you think, is THIS GTX 1050 a plausable option? I never heard of Inno3D. I thinks that's not a good sign. Looks a bit weird, but the store gives 3 yrs warranty tho'.

[narrdarr]

its a single slot low profile edition of the 1050. there a ti version as well. how much would you be paying for it?

[Mycielski]

I wouldn't call it a low profile one. I would pay about 150$ for this, new. But almost for the same price I could get THIS. Looks a bit more reliable.

[narrdarr]

at 150 you should be able to find a better card. used 970. or 1050 ti.

[Mycielski]

Here, used 1050Ti-s are a reality for around 150$ and used 970 for about 170$.

[narrdarr]

get one of those instead. the 1050 non ti will perform about the same as the 660 do to it power and vram limitation. it only plus is it uses less power than a 660. 

 

since those card are used maybe you can talk down the price to fit your budget better. 

[Mycielski]

Thats the reason I even considered buying the GTX 660, at the fraction of the cost of the 1050, I can get almost the same power. I think my PSU can handle that additional load tho'. And I get a month warranty from the seller for it... even if its being a used card.

[narrdarr]

I your only playing older titles then yea. at least the 1050 can handle some new titles.

[i_build_nanosuits]

1 hour ago, Mycielski said:

- Is this GPU (GTX 660) is a good deal for around 50 bucks?

- Is Palit a brand you would buy, specially second-hand?

- Will my whole remaining system (if I buy the card) bottleneck the GTX 660?

- Is it worth to upgrade from a GTX 650 -> GTX 660 at all?

- not really

- yeah...

- most likely yes

- no not really

[Mycielski]

11 minutes ago, narrdarr said:

I your only playing older titles then yea. at least the 1050 can handle some new titles.

Well regarding my budget and what I play. Me personally virtually nothing, it's used as a kick-in build to my brother and my sister, for some Fortnite and Unturned, and some older titles.

I did not wanted to get a new card, I just stumbled upon this ad, and thought: well for this price, it sounds like a good deal.

[narrdarr]

thumbs

[Mycielski]

Like, what does that mean, mate?  

[narrdarr]

Like thumbs up, cool. 

As long as you understand what your getting I'm happy. 

But I still by with save some extra $$ and get yourself a better upgrade. Like a 1050 ti 

 

[Mycielski]

Oh, I see.

Sure, but that upgrade would be overkill, considering the sorrounding hardware

I could afford it tho', but I would upgrade my i5-2400 system, rather than this LGA775 goodness  

[Mycielski]

Just some update, I bought the GTX 660, it's has almost twice the performance GTX 650 had (at least in Unigine Heaven bench regarding the FPS numbers and score).

So far, I'm happy with the choice I made.

PS. It dumps a lot more heat to my case, compared to the GTX 650, so upgrading the case cooling is now an other concern  

[narrdarr]

which case do you have?