480 or 1060 on a 1440p@144Hz FreeSync monitor?

[Gerr]

While I have a dedicated gaming rig, I want to upgrade the family PC to be a better gaming system.  Right now, it has a 960 4GB card and a 1080p@60Hz monitor powered by a 6600K CPU.  This Xmas, I will be upgrading the monitor on my gaming rig and moving it's current 1440p@144Hz FreeSync monitor to the family PC.  But until then, it will game on it's current monitor or be used to power a Steam Link connected to my 1080p@60hz monitor.

 

I want to upgrade its video card sooner than Xmas and have a $300 max budget.  Knowing that it will split its time between Steam Link gaming and gaming on a 1440p@144hz FreeSync(35-90hz) monitor after Xmas, would a RX 480 8GB or a GTZ 1060 6GB be a better long term option?  It will mainly be playing more open world RPG type games as I will save the harder core FPS games for my gaming rig.  That, and family kiddy games that require low power.

[Starelementpoke]

2 minutes ago, Gerr said:

While I have a dedicated gaming rig, I want to upgrade the family PC to be a better gaming system.  Right now, it has a 960 4GB card and a 1080p@60Hz monitor powered by a 6600K CPU.  This Xmas, I will be upgrading the monitor on my gaming rig and moving it's current 1440p@144Hz FreeSync monitor to the family PC.  But until then, it will game on it's current monitor or be used to power a Steam Link connected to my 1080p@60hz monitor.

 

I want to upgrade its video card sooner than Xmas and have a $300 max budget.  Knowing that it will split its time between Steam Link gaming and gaming on a 1440p@144hz FreeSync(35-90hz) monitor after Xmas, would a RX 480 8GB or a GTZ 1060 6GB be a better long term option?  It will mainly be playing more open world RPG type games as I will save the harder core FPS games for my gaming rig.  That, and family kiddy games that require low power.

If it's freesync? 480, to be able to use that freesync.

[Clanscorpia]

A 480 cant puss 144 frames at 1440p. You'd need a 1080 for that is AAA games

[Aytex]

Free sync monitor's are cheaper but 480 is less powerful...

If you already have the free sync monitor go for the 480 but I say get a gsync one and a 1060 or a non free/gsync monitor

[Starelementpoke]

1 minute ago, Clanscorpia said:

A 480 cant puss 144 frames at 1440p. You'd need a 1080 for that is AAA games

Puss?

[Gerr]

Yes, it's a FreeSync monitor.  FreeSync runs between 35-90Hz on it, so won't reach anywhere near its 144Hz using that, but the cards within my budget can't hit those numbers anyway.  My only concern is that the 1060 is a solid 10% or more faster.  So is it worth it to go the AMD route for FreeSync or go the Nvidia route and get the most powerful GPU?

[Clanscorpia]

3 hours ago, Starelementpoke said:

Puss?

-.- You know what I mean

[bgibbz]

buy a cheaper monitor and a better gpu. Get something like a 1080/1070 and then a solid 1080p ponitor, or a lower end 1440p monitor. 

[Clanscorpia]

3 hours ago, Gerr said:

Yes, it's a FreeSync monitor.  FreeSync runs between 35-90Hz on it, so won't reach anywhere near its 144Hz using that, but the cards within my budget can't hit those numbers anyway.  My only concern is that the 1060 is a solid 10% or more faster.  So is it worth it to go the AMD route for FreeSync or go the Nvidia route and get the most powerful GPU?

If you aren't trying to push 144hz than 480 because it will be un FreeSync range. If you are, wait and get a 1080

[Starelementpoke]

Just now, Gerr said:

Yes, it's a FreeSync monitor.  FreeSync runs between 35-90Hz on it, so won't reach anywhere near its 144Hz using that, but the cards within my budget can't hit those numbers anyway.  My only concern is that the 1060 is a solid 10% or more faster.  So is it worth it to go the AMD route for FreeSync or go the Nvidia route and get the most powerful GPU?

They're pretty stone's throw within each other, and with DX12, meh, either or would be fine. Might as well go with the 480 to actually be able to use the FreeSync.

[WkdPaul]

3 minutes ago, Gerr said:

*snip*

I agree with what the others said, since you already have a freesync monitor, get the 480.

[Gerr]

$300 budget, so 1070/1080 are out of the question.  I know the 480/1060 won't hit anywhere near 144Hz and not looking for that.  I know these cards will struggle to hit 60 FPS on new AAA titles at max settings, and that is fine with me.  Only question is if I should get the 480 as it's compatable with the monitor's FreeSync, or get the slightly more powerful 1060 and ignore FreeSync.

 

Already buying a new gaming monitor for my gaming rig this Xmas, so this FreeSync monitor is sort of a hand-me-down, so stuck with it.

 

 

[rattacko123]

If the 480 is cheaper than 1060, get the 480.

[SeanAngelo]

17 minutes ago, Gerr said:

While I have a dedicated gaming rig, I want to upgrade the family PC to be a better gaming system.  Right now, it has a 960 4GB card and a 1080p@60Hz monitor powered by a 6600K CPU.  This Xmas, I will be upgrading the monitor on my gaming rig and moving it's current 1440p@144Hz FreeSync monitor to the family PC.  But until then, it will game on it's current monitor or be used to power a Steam Link connected to my 1080p@60hz monitor.

 

I want to upgrade its video card sooner than Xmas and have a $300 max budget.  Knowing that it will split its time between Steam Link gaming and gaming on a 1440p@144hz FreeSync(35-90hz) monitor after Xmas, would a RX 480 8GB or a GTZ 1060 6GB be a better long term option?  It will mainly be playing more open world RPG type games as I will save the harder core FPS games for my gaming rig.  That, and family kiddy games that require low power.

480 will struggle to pump out 144fps on 1440p.

[WkdPaul]

1 minute ago, SeanAngelo said:

480 will struggle to pump out 144fps on 1440p.

same with a 1060, also;

 

16 minutes ago, Gerr said:

Yes, it's a FreeSync monitor.  FreeSync runs between 35-90Hz on it, so won't reach anywhere near its 144Hz using that, but the cards within my budget can't hit those numbers anyway.

*snip*

 

[WkdPaul]

1 minute ago, SeanAngelo said:

480 will struggle to pump out 144fps on 1440p.

same with a 1060, also;

 

16 minutes ago, Gerr said:

Yes, it's a FreeSync monitor.  FreeSync runs between 35-90Hz on it, so won't reach anywhere near its 144Hz using that, but the cards within my budget can't hit those numbers anyway.

*snip*

 

[i_build_nanosuits]

27 minutes ago, Gerr said:

snip!

if you're going to use a freesync monitor, then obviously get an AMD GPU' because variable refresh is awesome.

[Gerr]

3 minutes ago, i_build_nanosuits said:

if you're going to use a freesync monitor, then obviously get an AMD GPU' because variable refresh is awesome.

But is it worth losing 10% FPS to get FreeSync for around the same price?  That's the main question here.

[TheMissxu]

I would actually recommend an R9 Fury

 

Sapphire Nitro R9 Fury Tri-X OC+ - $274.33 (315.91 + Debit Card + Opt. Free Rtrn + Shop15)

 

It's faster than a 1060, but will use slightly more wattage. It's main draw (hehe, pun not intended) is it's 1440p performance and FreeSync capabilities.

[Gerr]

Sadly, my system is a Mini-ITX system with a 450W SFX PSU that I really don't want to upgrade, so that rules out more power hungry GPU's.

[WkdPaul]

Just now, Gerr said:

But is it worth losing 10% FPS to get FreeSync for around the same price?  That's the main question here.

honestly, that's all on you, you'll have people that will swear that gsync/freesync is much better than raw power and others will go the other way.

 

Personally I think you should go with an AMD card to take advantage of the freesync, but again, that's a personal opinion!!!

[i_build_nanosuits]

16 minutes ago, Gerr said:

But is it worth losing 10% FPS to get FreeSync for around the same price?  That's the main question here.

yes it absolutely is.

[jjohnthedon1]

1 hour ago, Clanscorpia said:

A 480 cant puss 144 frames at 1440p. You'd need a 1080 for that is AAA games

1080 not the new Titan is pushing 144hz at 1440p maxed out so..

[Gerr]

To add another monkey wrench in...
https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/4tyco0/the_truth_about_480_vs_1060/

 

"On average, a 1060 is 13.72% better than a 480."

 

That's at stock speeds.  The 1060 is known to OC much better than the 480, which could bump the speed advantage to 20% or higher.

 

I agree with others that at around a 10% speed difference, go with the 480 as FreeSync would offset that speed loss.  But when you bump that speed difference to 20%, that same argument starts to weaken.

[Nena Trinity]

3 hours ago, i_build_nanosuits said:

if you're going to use a freesync monitor, then obviously get an AMD GPU' because variable refresh is awesome.

This!