What graphics cards should I use?

[Nollan]

So basically, I need help deciding what graphics cards to go for.

I'm building my "dream machine", but I'm struggling to decide which graphics cards I should use. I started of going for a single 690, but then scrapped the idea when I found out about titan. So then I was going for the titan, but scrapped that idea aswell (Overpriced much?). So then I was going for two 680s, then two 670s and now I'm stuck.

I'm right now deciding between EVGA GTX 670 SOC 4GB sli vs. EVGA GTX 680 SOC 2GB sli.

Specs;

Motherboard: ASUS Maximus V Formula

CPU: Intel Core i7 3770k

RAM: 4x4046MB Corsair Dominator Platinum 1866Mhz

PSU: Corsair AX 860i 80+ Platinum

Watercooling: 280mm rad in top, 240 or 360mm fan in front, D5 pump and Corsairs AF-series quiet edition fans.

Monitor: A single BenQ XL2420t 120hz.

The price difference is about £40 in favor of the 670s, but this is nothing I'm worried about.

It's going to be used for gaming mainly, and some recording/minor editing and photoshop.

I want to hear your thoughts on this? What would you have done and why? Also will I be needing the extra VRAM from the 670s (I doubt I'll go three monitors really)? Do you think I should look into some other graphics cards maybe?

Thanks in advance

 

[SeekaX]

670 sli in that case. also look into some 7950s. 4GB vram isnt needed at all with one monitor.
also a 680 is not worth it. a good 670 will pretty much be as good as a 680.

 

[alienware]

As above you don't need 4gb for a single monitor.

If anything you will lose performance as it all needs addressing.

I would look at the MSI Twin Frozr power editions. Great cards.

 

[leathart123]

get the 680's or 7970's because 4gb on a single screen is pointless

 

[alienware]

get the 680's or 7970's because 4gb on a single screen is pointless

I think it was two 670s or one 680? that's how I read it any way.

 

[Nollan]

I think it was two 670s or one 680? that's how I read it any way.

Woops Made a little mistake. You read it right, but I meant two 680s in sli.

 

[alienware]

Woops Made a little mistake. You read it right, but I meant two 680s in sli.

Then I would stick to two 670s as there's hardly anything in it. A well clocked 670 with a custom cooler is right up the backside of a 680 any way so unless you overclock both 680s then I would just stick with 670s. The price difference just isn't worth it (see also 7950 or 7970).

I run 670s (boost 1085 stock) in SLI and trust me the last thing you need to do is overclock them. They smash anything known to man into submission.

As I said, check out the MSI TF power editions. Gorgeous cards !

 

[Mysterae]

I have the two EVGA 670 SC 4gb that you mention and they are nice cards. Cool when in the right case, back plate, boosts up to 1137 (can get higher but needs more cooling), very stable, had no issues at all.

Comparing it to 2x 680 2gb,... I had the same dilemma. I only run one screen but it's 2560x1600 so thought the extra vram would be better. I watch my vram now and again in games using Rainmeter on another screen, probably in a vain attempt at hoping to see it exceed 2gb and justify my decision. It rarely happens, but I'm yet to get Crysis 3; abstaining as I've so much else to do rigth now!

The extra horsepower of the 680's might be better than the drawback of not having enough vram, but it depends on your screen(s) and your games.

 

[Nollan]

Cool guys, thank you for your help. I did some further research and realized I have loads of backplates for the 680 available where I live, but not for the 670. Therefore I decided to go for the 680s instead And you know, since this is my "dream machine", I shouldn't really be cutting corners I guess.

As for getting the MSI cards instead, I looked at them and they look great! But, I do really like EVGA and all my friends have had a great experience and since I'm rather unexperienced I will go for them, just to play it safe.

Now, I would like to OC my cards, so would it be worth getting the SOC version of the 680? I wouldn't mind saving the extra £50 for the normal ones instead. If there's a genuine difference other than EVGA just pressing some buttons, if that makes sence, I will take it into consideration. Otherwise I will spend those extra bucks on something else.

Sorry for changing topic but I don't want to clutter the forums with a question as simple as this one? Maybe you guys can advice me what to do?

 

[SeekaX]

EVGA and MSI are both great, i dont know if you plan on a waterloop, but for overclocking the MSI cards are better than the EVGA cards. i myself have an EVGA card, i'm happy with it (670 FTW), but besides kepler boost there isn't really any headroom for overclocking because of the temps. well, mine will get wet in autumn anyways, so that doesn't matter a whole lot to me.

 

[Nollan]

EVGA and MSI are both great, i dont know if you plan on a waterloop, but for overclocking the MSI cards are better than the EVGA cards. i myself have an EVGA card, i'm happy with it (670 FTW), but besides kepler boost there isn't really any headroom for overclocking because of the temps. well, mine will get wet in autumn anyways, so that doesn't matter a whole lot to me.

I will water cool it actually Me overclocking the video cards isn't as much about getting the extra performance out if it, as it is me wanting to try it out and learn more about it Ofcourse I don't mind the extra % in power, but it's mostly learning more about overclocking.

 

[alienware]

The 670 FTW and some other 670s use the same pcb as a 680 so theoretically you could fit 680 back plates.

I guess if you have the money though you may as well go all out.

 

[iiBetrayforAR]

7970 Crossfire.