What card should I get?

[Trooper]

I currently have a Radeon 6950 2GB from Sapphire. I want to upgrade to a significantly better card for under $250. I currently run an i7 2600k.

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R9 280 or 270X

[Marcus Kemp]

I currently have a Radeon 6950 2GB from Sapphire. I want to upgrade to a significantly better card for under $250. I currently run an i7 2600k.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202137&cm_re=r9_280x-_-14-202-137-_-Product

 

This is one of the cards I have used in the past and it buried my gtx 960 strix so if you can afford it you will be more than satisfied.

[Bob Jim]

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r9380gaming4g

Best you could do for under $250, but if you could spend $300 get an R9 390.

[Zefues]

It's on discount http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-VAPOR-X-PCI-Express-Graphics-11221-20-20G/dp/B00RXA5G5O/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1436862241&sr=1-3&keywords=R9+280X

[Bob Jim]

R9 280 or 270X

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202137&cm_re=r9_280x-_-14-202-137-_-Product

 

This is one of the cards I have used in the past and it buried my gtx 960 strix so if you can afford it you will be more than satisfied.

STOP RECCOMENDING 200 SERIES GPUS. THEY ARE NOT DX12 COMPATIBLE MEANING NEWER GAMES WILL NOT SUPPORT THEM. SORRY, BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.

[Marcus Kemp]

STOP RECCOMENDING 200 SERIES GPUS. THEY ARE NOT DX12 COMPATIBLE MEANING NEWER GAMES WILL NOT SUPPORT THEM. SORRY, BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.

I am not blind, don't tell people what to do, and most games still don't use DX12 so it doesn't even  matter. 

[SuspiciousBadger]

DX12 won't be used for another year or 2.

[Marcus Kemp]

DX12 won't be used for another year or 2.

Thank you @Xenofen

[Bob Jim]

I am not blind, don't tell people what to do, and most games still don't use DX12 so it doesn't even  matter.

Are you entirely stupid... Ofc games don't support DX12 now, but when they do, and for news games that get launched, the improvements will be very good, making people who followed your advice sad. I at least want a computer that I build/upgrade to last for AT LEAST 2-3 years, so DX12 is important.

[REX.exe]

STOP RECCOMENDING 200 SERIES GPUS. THEY ARE NOT DX12 COMPATIBLE MEANING NEWER GAMES WILL NOT SUPPORT THEM. SORRY, BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.

Most games don't even support DX12? Calm down m8 the 200 series is currently the best for budget cards.

[Marcus Kemp]

Are you entirely stupid... Ofc games don't support DX12 now, but when they do, and for news games that get launched, the improvements will be very good, making people who followed your advice sad. I at least want a computer that I build/upgrade to last for AT LEAST 2-3 years, so DX12 is important.

well i am not stupid but when DX12 games start coming out the first will be in two years and then 20 new cards will have come out saying that they are DX13 compatible but even then maybe only 5 games will be using DX12 so you still have no argument

[Bob Jim]

well i am not stupid but when DX12 games start coming out the first will be in two years and then 20 new cards will have come out saying that they are DX13 compatible but even then maybe only 5 games will be using DX12 so you still have no argument

DX12 games will come in 2016, so one year. The point is, DX12 is SO MICH better than DX11 and offers SO MANY new features that it is stupid to get a card that does not support it. DX10 to DX11 didn't offer much, so in that scenario I would agree with you. But here, there is a big difference. Presuming DX13 is another incremental update, DX12 cards should support it, because most DX 10 cards supported DX11.

[Marcus Kemp]

DX12 games will come in 2016, so one year. The point is, DX12 is SO MICH better than DX11 and offers SO MANY new features that it is stupid to get a card that does not support it. DX10 to DX11 didn't offer much, so in that scenario I would agree with you. But here, there is a big difference. Presuming DX13 is another incremental update, DX12 cards should support it, because most DX 10 cards supported DX11.

How do you know if DX12 isn't out yet? You are just assuming all of this.

[Popingheads]

STOP RECCOMENDING 200 SERIES GPUS. THEY ARE NOT DX12 COMPATIBLE MEANING NEWER GAMES WILL NOT SUPPORT THEM. SORRY, BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.

 

Can you post a source for that, haven't heard anyone say such a thing before. Plus most of the 200 and 300 series is the same architecture with some of the 200 also series based off the 7000 series.

 

But to anwser OP's question at the $250 price point you could find R9 290s even if you find a good sale plus some rebates maybe. Aside from that the R9 380 is also a very good deal (if you want something a little cheaper than the 290), they can be found around the same price of the 960 but performs better than it.

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STOP RECCOMENDING 200 SERIES GPUS. THEY ARE NOT DX12 COMPATIBLE MEANING NEWER GAMES WILL NOT SUPPORT THEM. SORRY, BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.

Pretty sure the 200 series will support DX12 lol?

[Marcus Kemp]

Can you post a source for that, haven't heard anyone say such a thing before. Plus most of the 200 and 300 series is the same architecture with some of the 200 also series based off the 7000 series.

 

But to anwser OP's question at the $250 price point you could find R9 290s even if you find a good sale plus some rebates maybe. Aside from that the R9 380 is also a very good deal (if you want something a little cheaper than the 290), they can be found around the same price of the 960 but performs better than it.

 

Pretty sure the 200 series will support DX12 lol?

Thank you both you people actually make sense and I just looked it up and they do.

[Bob Jim]

Can you post a source for that, haven't heard anyone say such a thing before. Plus most of the 200 and 300 series is the same architecture with some of the 200 also series based off the 7000 series.

 

But to anwser OP's question at the $250 price point you could find R9 290s even if you find a good sale plus some rebates maybe. Aside from that the R9 380 is also a very good deal (if you want something a little cheaper than the 290), they can be found around the same price of the 960 but performs better than it.

Pretty sure the 200 series will support DX12 lol?

The 285 will because it is a Tonga GPU. I am fairly sure I heard something about it in an LTT video, possible the r9 285 review. Anyway, you cannot provide proof that the 200 series will support it, so the logical outcome is that the older cards won't support the newer tech, like with only the 200 series supporting mantle, despite being rebrands.

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The 285 will because it is a Tonga GPU. I am fairly sure I heard something about it in an LTT video, possible the r9 285 review. Anyway, you cannot provide proof that the 200 series will support it, so the logical outcome is that the older cards won't support the newer tech, like with only the 200 series supporting mantle, despite being rebrands.

 

AMD used to list the 200 series as DX12 compatible on their website. Do some research man before you spread false information. There is also different levels of support, 300 series GPUs use the same architecture and support DX12 as listed on their website.

[Bob Jim]

Here: http://www.extremetech.com/computing/190581-nvidias-ace-in-the-hole-against-amd-maxwell-is-the-first-gpu-with-full-directx-12-support

Maxwell was released after the 200 series, point proved.

[Bob Jim]

AMD used to list the 200 series as DX12 compatible on their website. Do some research man before you spread false information. There is also different levels of support, 300 series GPUs use the same architecture and support DX12 as listed on their website.

Different levels of support... That could be where this whole thing got confused. So the 300 series is the only AMD one to FULLY support DX12, and Maxwell is the only Nvidia one to FULLY support DX12, but the others half-support it or something...?

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Here: http://www.extremetech.com/computing/190581-nvidias-ace-in-the-hole-against-amd-maxwell-is-the-first-gpu-with-full-directx-12-support

Maxwell was released after the 200 series, point proved.

 

http://www.techpowerup.com/204463/all-amd-graphics-corenext-gpus-to-support-directx-12-company.html

 

Even the HD7000 series will support it.

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Different levels of support... That could be where this whole thing got confused. So the 300 series is the only AMD one to FULLY support DX12, and Maxwell is the only Nvidia one to FULLY support DX12, but the others half-support it or something...?

 

Some "features" will be unsupported. Don't remember the features but they were unimportant. DX12 is basically an evolved mantle, mantle works on older cards.

[Bob Jim]

http://www.techpowerup.com/204463/all-amd-graphics-corenext-gpus-to-support-directx-12-company.html

 

Even the HD7000 series will support it.

Oh dang... Apparently I was the blind one... Err, shall I just leave quietly or something?

[Bob Jim]

Some "features" will be unsupported. Don't remember the features but they were unimportant. DX12 is basically an evolved mantle, mantle works on older cards.

Oh ok, so I was sort of half right. Let's end this here.