ATI recommendations - low to mid-range gaming

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Ch0z3n
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ATI recommendations - low to mid-range gaming

Post by Ch0z3n » Sun May 17, 2009 10:25 am

So, I bought a third 19" monitor ($65 Staples :D) so the 2 ports on the 780G are no longer enough. Right now the computer is ghetto rigged with an old geforce 6600 (pci) and 8500gt that I had sitting around and I turned the IGP off. I had been planning on buying a discrete graphics card anyway, so I can hook up my TV to my computer. I have been a good little boy and waited for the 4770 to come out because it would use less power and be awesome and what not.

Unfortunately, it seems like it has only half lived up to the expectations, the high idle power consumption is the most annoying to me. I might end up waiting until non-reference boards come out that will hopefully have the idle power consumption cleaned up and, if they really love me, take off the power connector and move the GPU back so the S1 rev. 2 will fit. Sadly, I have a feeling that is just a pipe-dream, so I am looking at alternatives.

I have considered taking a step back and going with like a 3850 or 4670 but it is just hard to commit myself to them when a $30-$40 price increase will get so much more power from the 4830-4770-4850 group of cards.

A 4770 is far more than I need at the moment, for the most part WoW is about the most graphics intensive thing that I do. But I figured that a good mid-range card had come down to $100, why not? I would prefer to not need an additional power connector for the card, mostly because I want to keep the number of cables running through the case to a minimum. Also, fewer cables would make the job easier if I ever decided to go with a PicoPSU, though that would be a ways off.

Anyway, any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. If you want to recommend a specific card, 2 usable digital outputs is preferable. I've got DVI and HDMI->DVI cables, so it doesn't really matter which kind of digital.

CA_Steve
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Re: ATI recommendations - low to mid-range gaming

Post by CA_Steve » Sun May 17, 2009 11:06 am

Ch0z3n wrote: A 4770 is far more than I need at the moment, for the most part WoW is about the most graphics intensive thing that I do.
You don't mention your gaming screen resolution....here's a WoW benchmark. So, a 4770 may not be FAR more than you need, but JUST what you need as it's nearly 4850 performance.
:D

Ch0z3n
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Post by Ch0z3n » Sun May 17, 2009 1:54 pm

I am pretty sure that benchmark really shows that none of those systems were especially GPU limited. On a single headed system (1440x900) with an 8500gt I got ~60 fps. Granted, it was pre-WotLK, but still. I am pretty sure WoW doesn't need overly exciting graphics cards. I guess the biggest question is: what is the probability that a non-reference board will come out with a lower idle power consumption and a more standard GPU placement?

The monitors are 1440x900

silo
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Post by silo » Sun May 17, 2009 3:09 pm

Athlon 4850e? :lol: i think your sys is efficient enough, also your case is HUGE 4 the kind of tinny mobo you are using, a single cable is not going to impede airflow at all. so the 4770 is not going to make harm, and in some point you have to stop and think a bit about performance, but if you really care about power consumption go with the msi 4670 ( great card btw) because there is not going to be a 4770 that consume as little as that. (cheap) btw also if you are a wow mandman, the 4770 has low load consumption.

Ch0z3n
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Post by Ch0z3n » Sun May 17, 2009 3:36 pm

I know the case is huge, I moved this system into the case after I sold my old system. I've actually been debating building a much smaller case for the system, though I don't want to do that till I know what video card I am going to be using so I know how tall it needs to be.

Well, since the Accelero's wont fit without mauling them, are there any decent aftermarket coolers that will fit? Or is the stock cooler serviceable in a quiet perspective?

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Post by CA_Steve » Sun May 17, 2009 4:02 pm

A couple of other WoW WoLK benchmarks...
- any dual core CPU 2.4GHz or faster will run <100% load. My e8400 sees 60%/80% load.
- My 8800GTS @ 1680 x 1050 gets 60fps in the wild, but slows down in the new city (Dalaran). I see 30-50fps. A 4770 should increase this by ~40%. Your mileage may vary (settings, etc).

Ch0z3n
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Post by Ch0z3n » Sun May 17, 2009 4:23 pm

CA_Steve wrote: - My 8800GTS @ 1680 x 1050 gets 60fps in the wild, but slows down in the new city (Dalaran). I see 30-50fps. A 4770 should increase this by ~40%. Your mileage may vary (settings, etc).
I wonder if the 320mb is limiting dalaran at all. With all the people and what not, it has a ton more textures etc. to load.

silo
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Post by silo » Sun May 17, 2009 4:57 pm

Well, since the Accelero's wont fit without mauling them, are there any decent aftermarket coolers that will fit? Or is the stock cooler serviceable in a quiet perspective?

Zalman VF1000? but it cost as much as the card + is loud. :lol:

1) if you are talking decent like "quiet decent" then the accelero s1 rev 2 is still your best option. its dirty cheap, offers the best performance@ quietness + is widely available. and comes with ramsinks.

(btw i my case i didn't have to do much, all the plastic was already gone- useless- just use a scissor + long nose curved pliers and remove 1 cm of aluminum, took 3 minutes of work) the result? 29C temp + no more brrr.

2) no. the stock cooler is garbage. ( but the x-clamp is useful)

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Post by CA_Steve » Mon May 18, 2009 7:12 am

WoLK added additional shading and other graphics features to the game. So, yes, Dalaran has a lot of gfx content, and it could be my 1:1 memory bus to memory amount that's my personal limiter (the weak spot of this card for 1680x1050 and greater resolution). When the city's population is low, my framerate goes up to 56-60.

In any case, just trying to bracket your card needs. 4830 is as low as I'd go. 4850 is overkill.

I've found my card is maybe 5-10% slower than a 9600GT 512 at my rez. Given that, here's one of many reviews of the 4770 compared to a slew of cards. If we use COD 4 as an example, where I'd see ~50fps at 16x10, the 4830 gets 66 and the 4770 gets 72fps.

Ch0z3n
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Post by Ch0z3n » Mon May 18, 2009 8:12 am

now if only newegg would get 4770's back in stock at $89.99 AR or so. After you butcher an S1 rev. 2, wouldn't you be severely limiting the air that can come in/go out next to the Accelero since now the heatpipe is right next to the back panel of the case? or does that not make much difference?

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