RX 470 8GB vs RX 480 4GB?

[EuphoricLlama]

I'm at the absolute max of my budget for GPUs and I've managed to find an MSI RX 470 with 8GB of VRAM for the same price as a Sapphire RX 480 with 4GB of VRAM. Upgrading to a RX 480 8GB is not an option as I've stretched my budget as far as it'll go and non-blower style* RX 480s (8gb) start at £30 more. So here's the question, which will give me better performance? The most demanding games I play are the larger Bethesda titles like Skyrim and Fo4 - highly modded a lot of the time. 

Here's the rest of my build (idk if it helps):

• Intel i5 6600k
• ASUS Z170 Pro Gaming
• Arctic Freezer i32
• 16GB DDR4 Crucial Ballistix Sport
• EVGA 650W GQ
• 1TB Seagate Barracuda + 250 GB Samsung 750 EVO
• NZXT Phantom 240 w/ 4 be quiet! Silent Wings 2
• AOC 1080p 75Hz FreeSync Monitor

*I can't stand the noise of blower GPU coolers, especially as I'll be getting a second GPU for 2-way CrossFire later.

[GirlFromYonder]

3 minutes ago, EuphoricLlama said:

I'm at the absolute max of my budget for GPUs and I've managed to find an MSI RX 470 with 8GB of VRAM for the same price as a Sapphire RX 480 with 4GB of VRAM. Upgrading to a RX 480 8GB is not an option as I've stretched my budget as far as it'll go and non-blower style* RX 480s (8gb) start at £30 more. So here's the question, which will give me better performance? The most demanding games I play are the larger Bethesda titles like Skyrim and Fo4 - highly modded a lot of the time. 

Here's the rest of my build (idk if it helps):

• Intel i5 6600k
• ASUS Z170 Pro Gaming
• Arctic Freezer i32
• 16GB DDR4 Crucial Ballistix Sport
• EVGA 650W GQ
• 1TB Seagate Barracuda + 250 GB Samsung 750 EVO
• NZXT Phantom 240 w/ 4 be quiet! Silent Wings 2
• AOC 1080p 75Hz FreeSync Monitor

*I can't stand the noise of blower GPU coolers, especially as I'll be getting a second GPU for 2-way CrossFire later.

i would say go rx 470 as overclocking it will give you the same performance as an rx 480 and with that xfire u might need 8gb

[Darel321]

yep.. go with rx470... its almost the same as the 480 anyway

[Repost]

GTX970 because it's not as overpriced as the 480. 

[EuphoricLlama]

2 minutes ago, Repost said:

GTX970 because it's not as overpriced as the 480. 

I would never do that, I've learnt by now never to buy parts that are more than two years old as they will just be obsolete. I also have a freesync monitor which i bought so that I could get an amd gpu  .

[dfg666]

7 hours ago, Repost said:

GTX970 because it's not as overpriced as the 480. 

-Gimped VRAM (Nvidia advertizes it as 4GB when the reality is 3.5GB fast VRAM + 0.5GB of really really slow VRAM)

-Poor DX12 support

 

No way you'd recommend someone a Maxwell product let alone an older generation Nvidia product. RX 470 all the way.

 

[Darkseth]

DX12 isn't a tiny bit of a Problem here. it's the fact he recommended a GTX 970, that's not just a memory cripple that NOONE should consider anymore, but it's also an NVIDIA Card for someone, who is using a FREESYNC monitor.

 

That's not just a Dobule-Fail, it's a Triple Fail beause he obviously didn't even read the first Post.

 

 

@ This Thread: RX 470 8gb > RX 480 4gb.

 

The RX 480 4gb models have onl< 1750 Mhz Memory clock, instead 2000 Mhz, which "gimps" their Performance a tiny bit. Bringing them even closer to the 470 (which has 2000 Mhz).

 

Those 5% Performance difference will NEVER make any difference. Not now, not in 5 years, not in 720p, not in UHD.

But 8gb instead 4gb can make a Difference, especially if the Game is coded very very bad.

 

[Repost]

9 hours ago, dfg666 said:

-Gimped VRAM (Nvidia advertizes it as 4GB when the reality is 3.5GB fast VRAM + 0.5GB of really really slow VRAM)

-Poor DX12 support

 

No way you'd recommend someone a Maxwell product let alone an older generation Nvidia product. RX 470 all the way.

 

 

2 hours ago, Darkseth said:

DX12 isn't a tiny bit of a Problem here. it's the fact he recommended a GTX 970, that's not just a memory cripple that NOONE should consider anymore, but it's also an NVIDIA Card for someone, who is using a FREESYNC monitor.

 

That's not just a Dobule-Fail, it's a Triple Fail beause he obviously didn't even read the first Post.

 

 

@ This Thread: RX 470 8gb > RX 480 4gb.

 

The RX 480 4gb models have onl< 1750 Mhz Memory clock, instead 2000 Mhz, which "gimps" their Performance a tiny bit. Bringing them even closer to the 470 (which has 2000 Mhz).

 

Those 5% Performance difference will NEVER make any difference. Not now, not in 5 years, not in 720p, not in UHD.

But 8gb instead 4gb can make a Difference, especially if the Game is coded very very bad.

 

It's about bang for the buck. You get much better performance with a 970 than the 480 while being cheaper. 

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-radeon-rx-470,review-33625-4.html

 

 

 

 

In addition, there's no point in buying a card that delivers barely playable framerates (60fps minimums on close to max settings - ultra + 4xMSAA) in DX12 right now; you're bound to have a terrible gaming experience. 

 

Edit: I would have suggested the 390, but the last time I checked, prices haven't budged for that.

[Darkseth]

1. You are still ignoring Freesync. There is no point in getting a nvidia card here, the Performance difference is too small here. Freesync feels similar smooth with much less actual fps, the same goes for GSync.

 

2. You are still ignoring the 3.5gb + 0.5gb Memory cripple. There are even games TODAY, where 3.5gb isn't really enough and starts showing in worse Frametime stuttering.

 

3. This Test has the 4gb RX 470, it's about the 8gb here  The 4gb wouldn't make any sense, since he also plan's to use Crossfire (which i wouldn't recommend anyway but still. I would rather sell the card in 1-2 years and buy a Vega).

Sli with 2 GTX 970 is twice as stupid as still buying a 970 today. 3.5gb is barely "okay" for 1 Card, but will Bottleneck HARD on 2 970s.

 

How about a newer one? http://www.tomshardware.de/msi-geforce-gtx-1060-gaming-x-3g-pascal-grafikkarte,testberichte-242193-4.html

 

4. Depends on the Country... Just to save 30 bucks (here in Germany it's even only 15-20 bucks cheaper. In UK 30-40 bucks at best) its not worth getting a 970 if you can have a MUCH more future Proof 470 8gb, that also works with Freesync.

Actually, considering ALL factors, you get a worse bang for the buck by getting a 970. Less Vram, old Architecture, can't use Freesync anymore (which means, he will have to use settings where he is CONSTANTLY above 75 fps (since his Monitor has 75 Hz), and use VSync to have smooth Frametimes. With Freesync he's completely fine down to 40 fps, and still have a smooth experience.)

Just the Freesync point alone makes the 970 a bad choice tbh... Let alone the 3.5gb cripple Memory Interface.

[EuphoricLlama]

2 hours ago, Repost said:

 

It's about bang for the buck. You get much better performance with a 970 than the 480 while being cheaper. 

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-radeon-rx-470,review-33625-4.html

 

 

 

 

In addition, there's no point in buying a card that delivers barely playable framerates (60fps minimums on close to max settings - ultra + 4xMSAA) in DX12 right now; you're bound to have a terrible gaming experience. 

 

Edit: I would have suggested the 390, but the last time I checked, prices haven't budged for that.

I'm still not sure you understand. I don't want a Nvidia GPU, I have a freesync monitor. Also, I don't play or like any of those games - I am not a triple A gamer. The GTX 970 is also over two years old now which in the PC world makes it impractical to buy at this point in time. Finally, DX12 and Vulkan is the future of gaming, both of which the 970 is not optimized for making it a poor choice to put in a new PC.