Help me pick out a GPU

[Scirca]

Ok, so the time has come to build a computer (this will be my first build). The main purpose for the build is a gaming rig, BUT, I'm also going to do hardcore video editing (part of a performing arts program for multimedia)

Some things I'll be running:

BF3

BF4 (When released)

GTA V (When released)

All these hopefully with FPS of over 70 on Ultra

Premiere

After Effects

Photoshop Extended

Illustrator

Lightroom

(All CS6)

Currently, I will be running a two monitor setup, both monitors being 1080p, one being 24" and one being 19" (When I run games, I'll be running them on the 24" with the 19" not connected.

In the future, I also hope to upgrade to one of those 2560x1600 monitors, in which case I'll be using one of those in conjunction with the 24" monitors.

I've decided on an NVIDIA card, and am in-between the Asus GTX680 Direct Copper II([url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121705]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121705[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121705]) and the Gigabyte Windforce Overclock GTX680([url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125448]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125448[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125448])

Will one of these two suffice my needs? If so, which one? I'd also accept any suggestions for cards. ( I don't know very much about video cards, so any explanations on why I should pick one over the other would be great!)

Thanks!

PS: Here's my specs

Corsair 500r

i7 3770k

MSI Z77a-GD65

16GB (2x8) Kingston Hyper X Beast @ 2133

Corsair H100i

Corsair AX850

Asus Bulk Drive

Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SATAIII SSD

Seagate Barracuda 3TB

[virusal19]

Do you have a budget?

I'm guessing that you'll be willing to spend some money - I think you should either get the 7970 GHz edition or the GTX 670. You can even crossfire and SLI them later on if you still require the power.

[Scirca]

Do you have a budget? I'm guessing that you'll be willing to spend some money - I think you should either get the 7970 GHz edition or the GTX 670. You can even crossfire and SLI them later on if you still require the power.

Yes, somewhere around $2200 and $2500. The money that I have left ovev I might use for something else other than parts though, unless I deem that they are usable to me.

I don't really want to get a 7970 or GTX670 since they are both outperformed by the GTX680

[virusal19]

Do you have a budget? I'm guessing that you'll be willing to spend some money - I think you should either get the 7970 GHz edition or the GTX 670. You can even crossfire and SLI them later on if you still require the power.

Yes, somewhere around $2200 and $2500. The money that I have left ovev I might use for something else other than parts though, unless I deem that they are usable to me.

I don't really want to get a 7970 or GTX670 since they are both outperformed by the GTX680

But you can over-clock them both to outperform the GTX 680 easily

Trust me, if i were you, i would get the GTX 670 or 7970 over the GTX 680, save the extra money for another 670 or 7970 and overclock them both. The 680 is not worth its price. (This is coming from a GTX 680 owner)

[sniksder16]

7990 :)

[NapalmX]

Do you have a budget? I'm guessing that you'll be willing to spend some money - I think you should either get the 7970 GHz edition or the GTX 670. You can even crossfire and SLI them later on if you still require the power.

Yes, somewhere around $2200 and $2500. The money that I have left ovev I might use for something else other than parts though, unless I deem that they are usable to me.

I don't really want to get a 7970 or GTX670 since they are both outperformed by the GTX680

Get the GTX 680 if you gonna use the CUDA on After Effects of Premier(they really benefit from CUDA cores).

And get EVGA, Asus, MSI, Gigabyte in that order. :D

[carolkarine]

the 670 is not worth it's price. the 680 is even worse. a 7970 from gigabyte with it's 3x windforce can be overclocked to ghz edition level, which out performs the 680.

actually, after looking at prices on newegg, the 7970 ghz edition (which out-performs the 680) is cheaper than the 680. of course, you could still get a 7970 (non ghz ed) for 50 dollars less than a ghz edition, but if the best single GPU card shy of a titan is also cheaper than it's competitor, you might as well get that....

links to newegg:

cheapest 680 I could find: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125422

gigabyte 7970 ghz edition: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125439

gigabyte 7970 (non ghz edition): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413

[Scirca]

Like NapalmX said, I need CUDA!

Adobe programs also play nicer with NVIDIA cards. So Windforce or Direct CU2?

[carolkarine]

I like windforce... mainly because it's only 2 slots.

[Xin]

Do you have a budget? I'm guessing that you'll be willing to spend some money - I think you should either get the 7970 GHz edition or the GTX 670. You can even crossfire and SLI them later on if you still require the power.

Yes, somewhere around $2200 and $2500. The money that I have left ovev I might use for something else other than parts though, unless I deem that they are usable to me.

I don't really want to get a 7970 or GTX670 since they are both outperformed by the GTX680

Is that $2200-$2500 budget for the GPU only? If not, how much is left for the GPU?

[mgsstar]

I like windforce... mainly because it's only 2 slots.

Gigabyte cards are voltage locked i think, so you can't go very far if you plan on overclocking it unless you flash a bios onto it to unlock the voltage.

[carolkarine]

I like windforce... mainly because it's only 2 slots.

my gigabyte 7870 isn't :/ or maybe it's just set to 1218 and I thought I put it there. regardless, it's running at 1250mhz no problems. maybe I just got the good binning, but IDK.

[LapX]

Do you have a budget?

I'm guessing that you'll be willing to spend some money - I think you should either get the 7970 GHz edition or the GTX 670. You can even crossfire and SLI them later on if you still require the power.

He wants to do hardcore video editing with adobe software so he needs cuda, he can't buy a 7970

[LapX]

Like NapalmX said, I need CUDA!

Adobe programs also play nicer with NVIDIA cards. So Windforce or Direct CU2?

Direct CU2 but I would personnaly go with a 670 because, like they said, a 680 doesn't worth the price. Since you are planning to upgrade to a high resolution monitor you're gonna need VRAM. Since you need cuda, I can't propose an AMD card so, a 670 Direct CU2 card with 4GB of ram is you're best bet. I can't assure you that BF 4 and GTA V will run perfectly on this card because they are not out yet however I am pretty sure you're gonna have satisfactory performance. If the performance does not satisfy you you can always buy a second 670 (with 4GB of ram for high resolution) or sell you're old one and buy whatever is out. I would be happy to help you at that time.

[ofr057]

I am looking at getting a sapphire 7970 vapour x 6g card since its the same price of most 680's and it will be more suited for eyefinity. i think the 6g will give enough headway when 4k monitors come out too.

if you need a card with cuda i would just go for a asus 680 top edition

[TechFan@ic]

I like windforce... mainly because it's only 2 slots.

They've only been locking them since Christmas, the voltage lock is confirmed on the 7900 series cards, not sure of the 7800 series are affected as well.