Graphics card upgrade

jgunning · Mar 5, 2013, 10:22 PM

I know someone just posted a thread simular to this..However the cards I want your opinions on are abit different.

HD7870 or the HD7950 is my question? Both have their good points and im from australia and there is about $30 difference between them..

Thoughts?Experiences from anyone with these cards? Which would you reccomend?

freaksavior · Mar 5, 2013, 11:18 PM

7950 is a better deal than the 7870 for the price point, plus you can OC the 7950 to be nearly on par with the 7970. There really isn't a reason to not upgrade to the 7950 over the 7870 if you can afford the small price bump.

PatoRodrigues · Mar 5, 2013, 11:37 PM

I was ready to suggest the Tahiti LE-based HD7870's, but for a $30 price difference you should definitely go with the HD7950...

jgunning · Mar 5, 2013, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freaksavior

7950 is a better deal than the 7870 for the price point, plus you can OC the 7950 to be nearly on par with the 7970. There really isn't a reason to not upgrade to the 7950 over the 7870 if you can afford the small price bump.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatoRodrigues

I was ready to suggest the Tahiti LE-based HD7870's, but for a $30 price difference you should definitely go with the HD7950...

Both useful advise.Thanks lads! =)

I was thinking the same thing.I mean for about 30 bucks difference I reckon the 7950 is the way to go.

PatoRodrigues · Mar 5, 2013, 11:55 PM

It's a reference HD7950 that you mention, or this price range is actually for board partners? I'm asking you because the word out there is that, in Australia, taxes are TOO DAMN HIGH.

jgunning · Mar 6, 2013, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatoRodrigues

It's a reference HD7950 that you mention, or this price range is actually for board partners? I'm asking you because the word out there is that, in Australia, taxes are TOO DAMN HIGH.

Australia stuff is stupidly taxed!!

I can get a hightech ati hd 7950 for $318.00 (AUD) plus postage of probably $25ish.

But it could be worse I guess..

Reference-
http://www.ddcomputer.com.au/prod-HI...X11.1_Fan.html

BarbaricSoul · Mar 6, 2013, 12:20 AM

You can get the 7870 XT for $45 cheaper than the 7950, not $30. I say go with the 7870 XT.

http://www.ddcomputer.com.au/prod-SA...X11.1_Fan.html

Norton · Mar 6, 2013, 12:22 AM

FYI- that card may run hot- cooler is just a simple vapor chamber plunked down on top of the gpu core- consider spending the extra bucks for a card with a decent heatpipe cooler (Gigabyte, Sapphire, MSI w/Twin Frozer III, etc...)

EDIT- BarbaricSoul's find on the 7870 XT is a pretty good deal

BarbaricSoul · Mar 6, 2013, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norton

FYI- that card may run hot- cooler is just a simple vapor chamber plunked down on top of the gpu core- consider spending the extra bucks for a card with a decent heatpipe cooler (Gigabyte, Sapphire, MSI w/Twin Frozer III, etc...)

what card you refering to?

Norton · Mar 6, 2013, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

what card you refering to?

the 7950 not your recommendation on the 7870 XT.... that one is pretty decent

jgunning · Mar 6, 2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

You can get the 7870 XT for $45 cheaper than the 7950, not $30. I say go with the 7870 XT.

http://www.ddcomputer.com.au/prod-SA...X11.1_Fan.html

Dont know where I got $30 from..

Good find!So you would still go the 7870..?

jgunning · Mar 6, 2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norton

FYI- that card may run hot- cooler is just a simple vapor chamber plunked down on top of the gpu core- consider spending the extra bucks for a card with a decent heatpipe cooler (Gigabyte, Sapphire, MSI w/Twin Frozer III, etc...)

EDIT- BarbaricSoul's find on the 7870 XT is a pretty good deal

hmmm.Thanks Norton.That is a good point and good advice.

BarbaricSoul · Mar 6, 2013, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgunning

Dont know where I got $30 from..

Good find!So you would still go the 7870..?

Only go with the 7870 XT like the one I linked. Do not go for a regular 7870. The 7870 XT has the same GPU as the 7950, the regular 7870 cards do not.

PatoRodrigues · Mar 6, 2013, 01:10 AM

WOW, the Ares II in that store costs ~$2000.

What about huge taxes...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

Only go with the 7870 XT like the one I linked. Do not go for a regular 7870. The 7870 XT has the same GPU as the 7950, the regular 7870 cards do not.

And now BarbaricSoul's suggestion is a lot better than mine considering the price. I thought the
XT was a special version, not a different GPU.

Shame on me.

Norton · Mar 6, 2013, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

Only go with the 7870 XT like the one I linked. Do not go for a regular 7870. The 7870 XT has the same GPU as the 7950, the regular 7870 cards do not.

Here's a quick comparison of 7870, 7870 XT, and 7950:

*note- performance wise the 7870 XT looks like it keeps up with a 7950 up to 1080p resolution- then the 7950 starts to pull away

PatoRodrigues · Mar 6, 2013, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norton

Here's a quick comparison of 7870, 7870 XT, and 7950:

http://img.techpowerup.org/130305/7870 compare330.jpg

*note- performance wise the 7870 XT looks like it keeps up with a 7950 up to 1080p resolution- then the 7950 starts to pull away

Over 1080p, i think the 3GB against the XT's 2GB starts to make a difference (maybe i'm wrong, tho). Not to mention the memory interface...

jgunning · Mar 6, 2013, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

Only go with the 7870 XT like the one I linked. Do not go for a regular 7870. The 7870 XT has the same GPU as the 7950, the regular 7870 cards do not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norton

Here's a quick comparison of 7870, 7870 XT, and 7950:

http://img.techpowerup.org/130305/7870 compare330.jpg

*note- performance wise the 7870 XT looks like it keeps up with a 7950 up to 1080p resolution- then the 7950 starts to pull away

Thanks guys, that looks like the way I will go I reckon. Useful to know that the 7870XT has the same gpu as the 7950!I didnt know that. Good to know though!

Really appreciate the advise! =)

cdawall · Mar 6, 2013, 02:12 AM

I was in the same predicament about two weeks ago. Went with the 7950 myself.

jgunning · Mar 24, 2013, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdawall

I was in the same predicament about two weeks ago. Went with the 7950 myself.

And have you been happy with your purchase? and what did you upgrade from?
Im still contemplating how much performance increase I would get going from my 6870 to the 7870xt..?

What do you guys think?

cdawall · Mar 25, 2013, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgunning

And have you been happy with your purchase? and what did you upgrade from?
Im still contemplating how much performance increase I would get going from my 6870 to the 7870xt..?

What do you guys think?

Card is great upgraded (sidegraded) from 3xGTX470's

jgunning · Mar 25, 2013, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdawall

Card is great upgraded (sidegraded) from 3xGTX470's

really?interesting!I have to say I am a fan of a single gpu rather than multiples. Just wondering if I would see a MASSIVE performance increase from my 6870 to the 7870XT or just a slight increase?I have looked on a couple of GPU comparison sites and the statistics are better but I don't know how to tell how much better the performance will be in relation to the stats of the 7870xt

PatoRodrigues · Mar 25, 2013, 01:11 AM

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/540?vs=548

And remember: 7870XT has a Tahiti GPU, not Pitcarin. That said, performance gap ought to be even bigger.

jgunning · Mar 25, 2013, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatoRodrigues

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/540?vs=548

And remember: 7870XT has a Tahiti GPU, not Pitcarin. That said, performance gap ought to be even bigger.

You're a legend mate.

That's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

Thanks a lot =)

jgunning · Mar 25, 2013, 04:21 AM

I just bought the 7870XT!! =) Cant wait to get it!!

Thanks for all the help fellas! =)

PatoRodrigues · Mar 26, 2013, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgunning

You're a legend mate.

That's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

Thanks a lot =)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgunning

I just bought the 7870XT!! =) Cant wait to get it!!

Thanks for all the help fellas! =)

I'm glad you took the shot.

7870XT appears to be a great performance/price GPU, hope you'll enjoy it.

Mar 5, 2013, 10:22 PM	#1
jgunning Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 229 (0.71/day) Thanks: 286 Thanked 49 Times in 42 Posts System Specs	Graphics card upgrade I know someone just posted a thread simular to this..However the cards I want your opinions on are abit different. HD7870 or the HD7950 is my question? Both have their good points and im from australia and there is about $30 difference between them.. Thoughts?Experiences from anyone with these cards? Which would you reccomend?

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Video Card:	Sapphire ATI HD 7870XT Edition 2GB 256-bit DDR5
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Mar 5, 2013, 11:18 PM	#2
freaksavior To infinity ... and beyond! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: H-Town Texas Posts: 6,780 (2.88/day) Thanks: 1,031 Thanked 852 Times in 581 Posts System Specs	7950 is a better deal than the 7870 for the price point, plus you can OC the 7950 to be nearly on par with the 7970. There really isn't a reason to not upgrade to the 7950 over the 7870 if you can afford the small price bump. __________________ Heat My HTPC Guide freak's F/S thread Fill Out you sp here.

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Mar 5, 2013, 11:37 PM	#3
PatoRodrigues Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Brazil Posts: 166 (0.72/day) Thanks: 157 Thanked 41 Times in 37 Posts System Specs	I was ready to suggest the Tahiti LE-based HD7870's, but for a $30 price difference you should definitely go with the HD7950... __________________ "Knowledge makes the man unfit to be a slave" - Frederick Douglass "Thumb screws are both a blessing and the bane of my existence" - Linus Sebastian

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Benchmarks:	5 3DMark03

Mar 5, 2013, 11:55 PM	#5
PatoRodrigues Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Brazil Posts: 166 (0.72/day) Thanks: 157 Thanked 41 Times in 37 Posts System Specs	It's a reference HD7950 that you mention, or this price range is actually for board partners? I'm asking you because the word out there is that, in Australia, taxes are TOO DAMN HIGH. __________________ "Knowledge makes the man unfit to be a slave" - Frederick Douglass "Thumb screws are both a blessing and the bane of my existence" - Linus Sebastian

Mar 6, 2013, 12:20 AM	#7
BarbaricSoul Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Southeastern Virginia Posts: 3,736 (1.95/day) Thanks: 369 Thanked 1,082 Times in 797 Posts System Specs	You can get the 7870 XT for $45 cheaper than the 7950, not $30. I say go with the 7870 XT. http://www.ddcomputer.com.au/prod-SA...X11.1_Fan.html __________________ “Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.” “Amd....definitely a blond female.....not much on the cpu side, but always strutting about showing off her gpus......wow that was bad. I apologize.” -ensabrenoir

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Mar 6, 2013, 12:22 AM	#8
Norton WCG Team Assistant Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Northeast, USA Posts: 5,168 (9.96/day) Thanks: 5,406 Thanked 10,116 Times in 3,185 Posts System Specs	FYI- that card may run hot- cooler is just a simple vapor chamber plunked down on top of the gpu core- consider spending the extra bucks for a card with a decent heatpipe cooler (Gigabyte, Sapphire, MSI w/Twin Frozer III, etc...) EDIT- BarbaricSoul's find on the 7870 XT is a pretty good deal __________________ *Why sit on the Bench* when you can get in the game and Crunch!!!- World Community Grid (FTW) CPU crunchers- FX-8350(4.4)/FX-8150(4.0)/FX-6200(4.0)/ PII 1045T/PII 1045T/i7-920/Xeon (6c/12t)....(44 cores/54 threads) GPU crunchers- no WCG GPU work available Folding@Home- 2x GTX 580's WCG-TPU Team thread- crunch for our Team/see what we do...**

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Mar 6, 2013, 02:12 AM	#18
cdawall where the hell are my stars Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: some AF base Posts: 16,021 (6.42/day) Thanks: 457 Thanked 2,753 Times in 2,222 Posts System Specs	I was in the same predicament about two weeks ago. Went with the 7950 myself. __________________

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Mar 25, 2013, 01:11 AM	#22
PatoRodrigues Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Brazil Posts: 166 (0.72/day) Thanks: 157 Thanked 41 Times in 37 Posts System Specs	http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/540?vs=548 And remember: 7870XT has a Tahiti GPU, not Pitcarin. That said, performance gap ought to be even bigger. __________________ "Knowledge makes the man unfit to be a slave" - Frederick Douglass "Thumb screws are both a blessing and the bane of my existence" - Linus Sebastian

Mar 25, 2013, 04:21 AM	#24
jgunning Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 229 (0.71/day) Thanks: 286 Thanked 49 Times in 42 Posts System Specs	I just bought the 7870XT!! =) Cant wait to get it!! Thanks for all the help fellas! =)

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