Suggestions For A Good Ati Radeon Card.

[sack_patrol]

I'm thinking of getting a new video card this summer if I save up enough money. I know that it takes time to decide...at least for me so I'm starting the research early.

 

What I'm looking for is not the newest most expensive card that can run 50 crysis instances on max settings at once. I need a card that has the highest speeds for the lowest price aka price to quality ratio. Also, the main reason I'm getting a new one...is not because of my games, but because of overclocking, so I'll need a good overclocking card. I know that the overclockability depends on each individual card, but maybe there is a model that is an overall better overclocker and the chances that it overclocks well are higher than other models. The card should be higher than 4870 in speeds. I'm looking maybe for a 5870...I think they seem about right. 5890 are wayyyyyyyy too expensive and not of any practical use to me.

 

What I've got so far is this PowerColor 5770: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131327&cm_re=ATI_Radeon-_-14-131-327-_-Product

A Sapphire 5870 Vapor-X: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102872&cm_re=radeon_5870_1gb-_-14-102-872-_-Product

A Gigabyte 5870: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125323&cm_re=radeon_5870_1gb-_-14-125-323-_-Product

A HIS 5870: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161301&cm_re=radeon_5870_1gb-_-14-161-301-_-Product

 

Those are just 3 cards that I though might be good but I'm not sure at all... I read that the gigabyte is very loud...I read that the PowerColor has low overclockability (not counting the stock overclock), and I read that the sapphire is also not so good with the overclock. I couldn't find many reviews for the HIS but the one I DID find was very positive except for the 5% overclock...so again...I don't know

 

I don't know what my budget will be since I was also thinking of getting a pair of 200$ headphones and 200$ sound card but maybe I'll get a gpu instead...I don't know...in fact I don't even know if I'll manage to save 200$....Though I'm hoping for a budget of ~520$ BIG MAX. No more than that. I'm also hoping that the prices will drop by then so maybe some nice cards will start getting big price drops n stuff...So for now I just need a bunch of options to consider because once I have a bunch of cards to choose from...it's going to be easy to decide which to get when I find out how much cash I'll have.

[slapnuts]

I just received my vid card from newegg.ca HIS 5870 I don't have it installed yet. I'm waiting on the rest of my parts, but I can tell you the reason I picked it was because of all the rave reviews it received of course opinions are like bell buttons, everybody has one...just my two cents. GL

[IVIYTH0S]

the way I see it

HIS 5870- Cheapest

 

Sapphire 5870- Best cooler

 

Gigabyte 5870- 3yr warranty, and interesting cooler but I don't know much about it

 

The reference cooler is still good if you want to save the most money and get the HIS

[sack_patrol]

the way I see it

HIS 5870- Cheapest

 

Sapphire 5870- Best cooler

 

Gigabyte 5870- 3yr warranty, and interesting cooler but I don't know much about it

 

The reference cooler is still good if you want to save the most money and get the HIS

Yea but remember that I need something that can handle a nice overclock of about 30%.... I am also open to other suggestions for other cards... Doesn't need to be fancy or with a special cooler...as long as it overclocks well and it can handle it...it's good.

[IVIYTH0S]

Yea but remember that I need something that can handle a nice overclock of about 30%.... I am also open to other suggestions for other cards... Doesn't need to be fancy or with a special cooler...as long as it overclocks well and it can handle it...it's good.

Idk what to say there, it's sort of luck of the draw with that sort of thing though. No real way to accurately foresee that, I guess the Vapor X may be best since it has a proven enhanced cooler?

[sack_patrol]

Idk what to say there, it's sort of luck of the draw with that sort of thing though. No real way to accurately foresee that, I guess the Vapor X may be best since it has a proven enhanced cooler?

that's what I thought too, but as you said...it's lucks in that case I better just focus on getting a card that many people know is good....

I think by looking the vapor-x and the HIS without comparing the prices...the vapor-x has a few extra MHZ of speed too....+ the cooler...so I'd say that it's a good price for what you get. The HardwareCanuks give it a very very good review too.

 

EDIT: I see that there's also a Toxic edition for the Sapphire 5870 but it's out of stock in newegg so I don't know how much it'll cost for me. When (and if) they get some more I'll have to compare the 2 versions of the gpu to see which a better deal.

 

Though I gotta say that the vapor-x 5870 as a card...seems very good. OCC gives it high score too.

[IVIYTH0S]

Here's a Vapor-X for $460

 

or this for $515 :thumbsup2:

[molotovdaskwerl]

or by another cooler

switch to watercooling

[Hyper Threaded]

Since they all do the same, just go for the cheapest one. Reference coolers are fine, even to overclock a bit. Giant coolers are mostly a gimmick to inflate the price.

[sheldorisafk]

Since they all do the same, just go for the cheapest one. Reference coolers are fine, even to overclock a bit. Giant coolers are mostly a gimmick to inflate the price.

 

I would have to disagree. I usually wait until a company comes out with a card with an aftermarket cooler. Being able to cool effectively at lower noise levels is a win in my book.

[sack_patrol]

Here's a Vapor-X for $460

 

or this for $515 :thumbsup2:

lol I remember those 2 sites...I had them bookmarked before but then totally forgot. Though those are nice prices. Thx a lot.

 

or by another cooler

switch to watercooling

I don't think gpu aftermarket coolers are worth the money 90% of the time. As for water cooling...I've thought about it and at the moment with some much stuff that I actually need...I don't think I can afford a good water cooling system...I can't even afford a cheap one so vapor-x cooler should do the job...I'm certain it will. Maybe I'll try to get a nice water cooling system for Christmas.