GPU for Budget Build

[AwesumPawsum]

So currently I am building a PC with a budget around $800 dollars. I'd like to get as much performance with my money as possible and have set my eyes on two GPUs.

 

GTX 690 Dual GPU card: used for around $230 from a friend of mine.

RX 480 for $250

 

I am going to be gaming at 1366x768 and 4096x768 resolutions. Will also be doing digital art, which is essentially 2D rendering at very large resolutions (think 8K, 12K that kind of thing)

 

Was wondering what is the better choice here for value? I know the GTX 690 is old but it is a dual GPU card compared with the RX 480, Although I think the 480 performs better at only $20 more dollars. Not sure what to go with here... really split between these two GPUs.

 

I plan on getting two of both in the future and getting two of both would require around the same cost for a PSU so I ask what is better for performance at my resolutions and with my work with digital art?

 

I'll also be interested in any other cards around the RX 480 and used GTX 690s price range. Keep in mind I am looking to keep the price as low as possible with the most amount of performance. For budget builds I've heard AMD is king.

 

One thing I would like to mention is it seems like the build quality for the GTX 690 is far superior to the RX 480. This is all coming from someone who's only gamed on Celerons and Athlons and is still doing so in 2016, with my current hardware I can't even game at the full resolution of 1366x768.

 

I really want the 690 simply because it's a dual GPU card and I'd feel more comfortable with purchasing that but I began to put into question it's age when compared to the 480. So here I am asking here XD. Also benefits for the 690 is ShadowPlay, Ansel and Direct x 12 support. RX 480 has everything the 690 can do except Raptor is nowhere near as good as ShadowPlay and no Ansel either (a least to my knowledge)

 

For someone who's work with digital art is very important and someone who is going to be gaming at 1366/4096x768 resolutions what's the better choice here?

 

http://www.amd.com/en-us/products/graphics/radeon-rx-series/radeon-rx-480

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-690

[Energycore]

690 is a no-go. No PSU under $80 can handle it, more or less.

 

Also dual GPU doesn't work with some games

 

RX 480 can do 4096x768 just fine, not on max on the latest games but close.

 

I'd upgrade a monitor though, if I was you. If you create huge digital drawings you'll love a correspondingly huge monitor

[ARikozuM]

Will it be the 4GB 480? Go for it over the 690 since it's more power efficient and newer.

Will it be the 8GB 480? GO FOR IT! See above.

[AwesumPawsum]

Just now, Energycore said:

690 is a no-go. No PSU under $80 can handle it, more or less.

 

Also dual GPU doesn't work with some games

 

RX 480 can do 4096x768 just fine, not on max on the latest games but close.

 

I'd upgrade a monitor though, if I was you. If you create huge digital drawings you'll love a correspondingly huge monitor

I personally wouldn't never cheap out on a PSU. Uuuhhh My monitor is 32 inches so it's pretty large compared to anything I've ever used.

 

Would the GTX 690 even be able to handle 4096x768? From the way you describe it, it sounds like it would die.

 

Also in terms of frame rates, 60fps is perfect for me...

 

 

The frame rates provided in this benchmark chart over at Tom's Hardware seem to show that this card is more than enough power for me at 4096x768.

 

Although as you can see here the RX 480 can also pull off framerates above 30fps aswell at these resolutions which are WAY higher than anything I'll be running.

 

I wouldn't want to end up spending any extra money I don't have to and it's VERY hard to find adequate benchmarks for the GTX 690 in modern games compared to these new cards considering it's age.

 

These are both extremely powerful cards, I'd also like to add that I'd like to be able to keep this PC somewhat futureproof. Since I'll be keeping it for awhile.

[Energycore]

2 minutes ago, AwesumPawsum said:

 

Hmm. 690s are also hot and loud

 

Keep in mind those are different games there. Crysis 2 has been superseded by its successor Crysis 3

 

The RX 480 will age better because it's built with the new APIs in mind.

 

I think those are all the advantages that come to mind right now

[ARikozuM]

The 690 only has 2GB per core (SLI cards only "have" half of the total VRAM). The 480 has 4GB and is a faster card which higher efficiency.

[AwesumPawsum]

6 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

Will it be the 4GB 480? Go for it over the 690 since it's more power efficient and newer.

Will it be the 8GB 480? GO FOR IT! See above.

It will be the 8GB version, sorry I didn't specify that in the original post.

 

Really the only thing I'm wondering is if the dual GPU card will be better for me at the budget and resolution I am currently at. I'd like to skim off as much money as possible and I'm not sure what would give me more bang for my buck.

 

The prices are pretty close too but I also don't want to spend extra money on something that is WAY more powerful and isn't really necessary for me to do what I need to do I guess. Both of them are really inticing I just want to make sure I'm spending my money wisely.

 

Since I come from an environment of gaming on Celerons and Single Core Athlons where anything around 25-30fps and the lowest resolutions possible (640x480 800x600) are deemed an OK experience. I know my perspective as a gamer in 2016 is extremely different from most but I've never really had any gaming oriented hardware (except consoles) so If I seem a bit dumb on the subject that's why XD.

[ARikozuM]

3 minutes ago, AwesumPawsum said:

-snip-

Never skimp on a GPU. Get the one that you can safely afford for the best performance since the card should last you two or three generations (unless you're a DVM and can afford the new cards when they're overpriced to heaven and hell and back).

 

The 480 8GB will be the best card for you, but if you want something a little lower for 1080@60 the 470 4GB would be a great choice and it would still perform better than the 690 except (maybe) in SLI-optimized games (of which I know none).