Which is better GTX 960 or R9 280X

[Dazzyayan]

Hey,
I am planning on upgrading my graphics card from a aging GTX 560. Now I have put a considerably amount of time into choosing which card to get but I cannot decide between the two cards. I can only fit a card that is a maximum 10.5" in length into my case without hitting the hard drive bays and with that in consideration I can only fit in either of those two cards.
I have made a list of pros and cons:

 

GTX 960:

Pros:

Cheaper
Smaller form (important for me as it is difficult to put in a card larger than 10.5" into my case)
Possibly runs cooler than the R9 280x

 

Cons: Lower performance

 

R9 280x:

Pros:
Higher performance card

 

Cons:

Approximately £40 more than the 960 if I have someone bring it for me from the USA

Larger size (tight squeeze into my case)
 

 

With this in mind, which of these cards do you think will be better for me to buy?

[Vek1313]

Umm seems like you answered it yourself. Personally I would go for performance.

[Luke4efc]

r9 280x any day

[Castdeath97]

I have seen the 960 preform similarly to the 280x in some games, but the extra Vram is worth it. I'd say 280x.

[Mao_Zedong]

You're saying that the 280x costs £40 more for you. Because of that, the 960 is a much better value for you. The 280x performs a tiny bit better, but not THAT much better. Especially considering the lower power and silence of the 960 it is a much better option for you.

[Lord_Karango17]

I have seen the 960 preform similarly to the 280x in some games, but the extra Vram is worth it. I'd say 280x.

Your profile picture gives me nightmares... A KV-2 was bad enough as it is...

[Dzzope]

Cons.. if you import from the states and have an issue, it's a bitch to return for warranty.

[ADZ_123_!"£]

280X all the way.

[Castdeath97]

Your profile picture gives me nightmares... A KV-2 was bad enough as it is...

True, but war thunder thinks otherwise..

[Dazzyayan]

Cons.. if you import from the states and have an issue, it's a bitch to return for warranty.

This is a good point, especially if it happens to be faulty when I get it

 

 

You're saying that the 280x costs £40 more for you. Because of that, the 960 is a much better value for you. The 280x performs a tiny bit better, but not THAT much better. Especially considering the lower power and silence of the 960 it is a much better option for you.

Is the performance difference worth £40?

 

Would the 280x have a greater longevity than the 960?

[Pool]

Considering the price : GTX 960

[Mao_Zedong]

Is the performance difference worth £40?

 

Would the 280x have a greater longevity than the 960?

I would say no. The 280x may perform a little bit better, but it also depends on what games you play. 

 

The 280x could last longer for some things, but vram probably won't be a big issue unless you use tons of filters in future games.

[Lord_Karango17]

True, but war thunder thinks otherwise..

Stalin's derp dispenser is making its way downtown...

[dougdangger]

The cheapest I've seen a 960 2GB at Amazon is $180.  The cheapest 280X I've seen at Amazon is $260.  That's not a small difference.

If memory is a concern, they have a 4GB version of the 960 for $240.  1GB more ram and still $20 cheaper than the 280X.

 

If you go with the R9 280X, spend the extra $70 and you can get the GTX 970 which will kick the crap out of the 280X.

 

 

If your power supply can't feed the 280X, you'll have to spend another $80 for a decent power supply.  You're now spending about $340.  Might as well buy the 970.

[vembutech]

Can go with r9 280x.

[Nena Trinity]

280X unless you play anything or alot that uses openGL. =)

[Faceman]

The cheapest I've seen a 960 2GB at Amazon is $180.  The cheapest 280X I've seen at Amazon is $260.  That's not a small difference.

If memory is a concern, they have a 4GB version of the 960 for $240.  1GB more ram and still $20 cheaper than the 280X.

 

If you go with the R9 280X, spend the extra $70 and you can get the GTX 970 which will kick the crap out of the 280X.

 

 

If your power supply can't feed the 280X, you'll have to spend another $80 for a decent power supply.  You're now spending about $340.  Might as well buy the 970.

280Xs go on sale for less than $200 all the time on Newegg.

[dougdangger]

280Xs go on sale for less than $200 all the time on Newegg.

Cheapest one on Newegg is about $230 ($210 after MIR).  I personally hate rebates.  1/2 the time you don't get them.  Besides, the 960 4GB has an extra gig of ram over the 280X.

 

I avoid Newegg at any cost.  I hate having to RMA or return something with them.  I once bought an item from them with some accessories missing and I waited 6 weeks (after sending back the unit) for them to send me a complete item.  That's ridiculous.

 

I had a similar problem with Amazon and they cross shipped me a replacement (Overnight express) at no additional cost.

 

I used to love Newegg years ago when they had FedEx as their standard courier.  Now they got cheap and just about everything is sent via those fools at UPS.

[VagabondWraith]

GTX 960 4GB version. Runs cooler and less power.

[miagisan]

280x for the extra performance

 

960 if you need less heat (say in a microatx box or htpc)

 

all footing equal, i would recommend the 280x over 960

[Faceman]

Cheapest one on Newegg is about $230 ($210 after MIR).  I personally hate rebates.  1/2 the time you don't get them.  Besides, the 960 4GB has an extra gig of ram over the 280X.

 

I avoid Newegg at any cost.  I hate having to RMA or return something with them.  I once bought an item from them with some accessories missing and I waited 6 weeks (after sending back the unit) for them to send me a complete item.  That's ridiculous.

 

I had a similar problem with Amazon and they cross shipped me a replacement (Overnight express) at no additional cost.

 

I used to love Newegg years ago when they had FedEx as their standard courier.  Now they got cheap and just about everything is sent via those fools at UPS.

Maybe right now, but its like once a week that an R9 280X goes on sale for less than $200.  Even without a rebate, its still $210-$230, not a bad price.  Just because you hate rebates, doesn't mean everyone else does. I have been doing rebates for over a decade, and have only once ever had a problem.  Just take pictures of everything, fill out stuff online when you can, and you're set.

 

A 4GB 960 may have an extra GB of VRAM, but in terms of sheer performance, the R9 280X is the superior GPU. Plus, when you start getting into that $220-$240 range, you are better off just saving an additional $10-$20 to buy an R9 290.

 

Sorry that you had a bad experience with Newegg, but that doesn't mean you have to write them off entirely, especially when their prices are often the best around.  Thats just silly. "I tried Pizza one time, but it was too greasy, so I don't eat pizza anymore"  Pizza/Newegg is universally loved.  Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean everyone shares the same opinion.

[dougdangger]

Maybe right now, but its like once a week that an R9 280X goes on sale for less than $200.  Even without a rebate, its still $210-$230, not a bad price.  Just because you hate rebates, doesn't mean everyone else does. I have been doing rebates for over a decade, and have only once ever had a problem.  Just take pictures of everything, fill out stuff online when you can, and you're set.

 

A 4GB 960 may have an extra GB of VRAM, but in terms of sheer performance, the R9 280X is the superior GPU. Plus, when you start getting into that $220-$240 range, you are better off just saving an additional $10-$20 to buy an R9 290.

 

Sorry that you had a bad experience with Newegg, but that doesn't mean you have to write them off entirely, especially when their prices are often the best around.  Thats just silly. "I tried Pizza one time, but it was too greasy, so I don't eat pizza anymore"  Pizza/Newegg is universally loved.  Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean everyone shares the same opinion.

If a rebate is around $5-$20 it's not worth the hassle of going after a company and asking for your money.  They know this as to why they keep doing this.  I wouldn't take an hour of my time from work or my family just so I can give that person in India a piece of my mind on how I still haven't received my check for $10.

 

Sure you can get an R9 290 for more money, but you can also get a 970 (which is a better card) for more money as well.  It's a spitting competition that doesn't end.  The deal breaker for me with ATI cards is their ridiculous need for gobs of power and inevitable function of heating someone's room.  If AMD can make the 280X not be like a toaster oven and operate on the same wattage as the 960, they'd beat Nvidia's brains out overnight.

[dougdangger]

Plus, when you start getting into that $220-$240 range, you are better off just saving an additional $10-$20 to buy an R9 290.

I've looked at the track record of the 290 and it explains it's massive price drop.  Of all the R9 series, it has the highest problem/failure rate reported by buyers.

 

Majority of complaints are black screens.  The typical response of the manufacturer is that the user has insufficient power supply.  Yet AMD fans keep harping left and right to ignore the required wattage that the manufacturer suggests.

 

A problem with Newegg as well is that they don't pay for return postage by default, even if it's defective.  You have to twist their arm to get them to do so.  Heck with Amazon, it just takes about two clicks of a mouse and I can print my return pre-paid postage.

 

Another problem with rebates is that once you submit it, you can NOT return the defective card to the seller anymore.  You are locked into that upc and serial number of a card.  You now have to deal with the manufacturer which literally takes days.  Often time you pay for the shipping of the card to send to the manufacturer.  You sit and wait for days, weeks and even months for them to repair your card, or replace it with a refurbished unit.

 

I would rather sacrifice that $10 check from the manufacturer knowing I won't be locked into something that I am literally stuck with the moment I submit that order.  Heck, I'd run to Fry's Electronics.  They match online retailer prices and you have 30 days to get a REFUND on things that don't work right.

[Faceman]

@dougdangger

 

You are taking way too much of personal opinion into someone else's decision making.

 

A rebate does not take 1 hour.  It takes 10-15min, and that includes taking photos.  Rebates nowadays are mostly done online, and are much quicker than they have been in the past.  Also, mail in rebates on GPUs are generally $20-$30.

 

Just because the UPC code is removed, doesn't mean they wont offer RMA.  I got my 780 and it had an MIR of $30.  A few months later it broke, I was able to do the RMA process so easily and the UPC thing never came up.  It was inexpensive, it cost $16 for shipping, and it only took 9 Days.  Not business days, 9 days. They still offer RMA and warranty even if UPC code is removed.  They go off of the card's serial number.  Every GPU I have seen has a sticker on the GPU that says do not remove, and it lists the card's serial number.  UPC has nothing to do with it.

 

Amazon doesn't always offer free return postage.  I remember I bought a $20 bluetooth keyboard for my ex girlfriend, she got the model wrong and it didn't fit.  I had to return it.  Amazon does print you out postage, but they also deduct the cost of postage, guess how much it was for a simple keyboard that weighs a single pound... $9.  There was no option to self-pay for shipping.  It ain't always free.  I haven't had to do an RMA through Newegg, but I have had to do a return, and it was painless.  Simple, not even a restocking fee, just had to pay return shipping whose method I got to select, they got it 4 days later and credited my account.

 

The thing about a 960/280X/R9 290 is that the price of these components are all so similar.

 

GTX960: $175-$200

R9 280X: $180-$220

R9 290:   $220-$260

 

Those are fairly similar prices.  If you want to jump up to a 970, you are looking at $300+.  Its not really in the same price tier as these other options.  There is always the option to spend more and get better, but the price difference between an R9 290 and GTX970 is pretty large, and the performance difference isn't.

 

Again, you are bringing personal opinion into someone else's buying decision.  Stop doing that.  AMD cards are just fine.  All manufacturers recommend a very conservative amount of power, but when actually tested, they really don't need too large of PSUs.  A reputable 500-600W PSU is plenty for any single GPU setup, don't act like you need more than that, you don't.  A PSU in that 500-600W range is what most people have, so an AMD card is just fine for the majority of people. 

 

Not all AMD cards run hot.  There are many AMD cards with phenomenal coolers on them.  It was only the reference R9 290 cards that had very bad issues with stability and heat.  Non-reference cards are very good and keep temperatures at a much lower level than those reference cards.  The Gigabyte R9 290 Windforce goes on sale for $220 on NCIXUS.com frequently.  That is one amazing card for just over $200. The Sapphire GPUs are also incredible.  The Tri-X and Vapor-X coolers are some of the absolute best stock coolers in the GPU game, and they are available on both R9 280X and R9 290 at those prices I mentioned when on sale/after rebate.  Prices fluctuate often and you have to get one of these GPUs when the time is right, which is almost every other week.

 

Not everyone has the luxury of a Microcenter, Fry's, or Tigerdirect nearby.  I think Tigerdirect has even closed all retail stores now.  It is not an option for everyone, so again, stop acting like your opinion and personal situation applies to everyone.

 

None of this really helps the OP because he has very specific needs, and is in a different region, but when dolling out advice, you need to stop acting like everyone shares the same opinion and local retailers as you.