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Which GTX 550 Ti Should I Get?


momosmokey

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Hello everyone!

 

I'm waiting for the new AMD HD7950's to come out and during that time I need some graphics card to hold me over. I've currently been using the onboard GPU *gag* and it's pretty horrific.

 

I've been looking at the GTX 550 Ti. These are the two versions I currently like the look of:

 

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814121434

 

And

 

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814187149

 

I'm also planning on using this card as a dedicated PhysX card for my AMD HD7950, using these hybrid drivers. (http://www.ngohq.com...03-v1-05ff.html)

 

I thought about also getting the GTX 460 but there's just something about them I don't like. I thought I should bring it up though as the GTX 460 seems to be considered a better card than the GTX 550 Ti, for the price.

 

I'm willing to spend a max of $150. That SPARKLE GTX 550 Ti card is about my limit. I started out thinking I'd simply get a GT 430 to hold me over...dream on! biggrin.gif

 

System specs on my signature.

 

Thanks for your help!

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If you absolutely have to get one of those, you should get the Asus, but it's out of stock as stated above.

There's so many 550 Ti's on NE that's under $150. Pick a EVGA card or something. Like Stoner said, don't go for the sparkle.

Go for the bigger brands - ASUS, MSI, EVGA and gigabyte to name the biggest.

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Like Stoner mentioned, the difference between the 550 and 560Ti is enormous. The difference between the 550ti and the GTX 460 is huge for that matter. I would recommend that you use a GTX 460 as a physx card. You will get much better performance in the interim, and you can pick one up for $150.00 which fits your plan.

Just my 2 cents worth of that ever valuable...free advice :biggrin:

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Like Stoner mentioned, the difference between the 550 and 560Ti is enormous. The difference between the 550ti and the GTX 460 is huge for that matter. I would recommend that you use a GTX 460 as a physx card. You will get much better performance in the interim, and you can pick one up for $150.00 which fits your plan.

Just my 2 cents worth of that ever valuable...free advice :biggrin:

:withstupid:

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Why no love for SPARKLE? I've heard they make really good cooler and the card apparently has really good overclocking.

 

Do the EVGA's use reference coolers or are those custom, like ASUS?

 

Honestly I would spend the xtra $ and go for something like this... http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814130661 just pretend you bought the new arkham city with your card and technically you only spent $150 for a EVGA 560 :P

 

I would do that, expect my PSU only has 2 x 6 pin power cables. The GTX 550ti only requires 1 so that when I run my AMD HD 7950 I could use a PCI-e power splitter (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812198016) and do it that way.

Unless I could buy two of these splitters and run 4 PCI-e 6 pin power cables out of 2 PCI-e power outlets. Because both the GTX 460 and GTX 560 require 2 x 6 pin PCI-e power cables.

 

I'm sorry for the short reply, I had a much longer one but it erased before I could post it (accident) and I didn't feel like rewriting it all.

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What powersupply do you have? The 7950 is likely going to need 2x6+2 pin connectors or at least just 2x6 pin. If you psu only has 2 6 pin connectors I don't see it powering that powerhouse and a physx card.

 

Also I don't think you'll be able to get the old physx card and amd working. You would need some old drivers.

You don't need to though because work arounds for CPU physx have been made and resetly for multi threaded physx.

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What powersupply do you have? The 7950 is likely going to need 2x6+2 pin connectors or at least just 2x6 pin. If you psu only has 2 6 pin connectors I don't see it powering that powerhouse and a physx card.

 

Also I don't think you'll be able to get the old physx card and amd working. You would need some old drivers.

You don't need to though because work arounds for CPU physx have been made and resetly for multi threaded physx.

 

But the 7970 has 190w consumption??

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What powersupply do you have? The 7950 is likely going to need 2x6+2 pin connectors or at least just 2x6 pin. If you psu only has 2 6 pin connectors I don't see it powering that powerhouse and a physx card.

 

Also I don't think you'll be able to get the old physx card and amd working. You would need some old drivers.

You don't need to though because work arounds for CPU physx have been made and resetly for multi threaded physx.

 

What do you mean by: "You don't need to though because work arounds for CPU physx have been made and resetly for multi threaded physx."

 

My GPU is the OCZ Fatal1ty 550w PSU, it's in my siggy. It supposedly was designed to do crossfire. Now the AMD HD7950 will be sporting a new 28nm GPU so it should run a lot cooler than conventional 40nm.

 

If I got a GTX 560 that would be 150w + no more than 256w (AMD HD 6950 at load). That would be 406w for just the GPU's at max. Except the GTX 560 won't be maxing since it would be only for the physX.

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What do you mean by: "You don't need to though because work arounds for CPU physx have been made and resetly for multi threaded physx."

 

My GPU is the OCZ Fatal1ty 550w PSU, it's in my siggy. It supposedly was designed to do crossfire. Now the AMD HD7950 will be sporting a new 28nm GPU so it should run a lot cooler than conventional 40nm.

 

If I got a GTX 560 that would be 150w + no more than 256w (AMD HD 6950 at load). That would be 406w for just the GPU's at max. Except the GTX 560 won't be maxing since it would be only for the physX.

 

i know im a bit ocd about alot of things (temps, noise etc) but i really dont like running high end gpus on lower wattage psus. personally i wouldnt run even just a 7950 on a 550w psu, let alone that and another gpu

just my opinion, but i think a psu needs to be much more powerful than you need it to be, so you never stress it so it doesnt blow

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i know im a bit ocd about alot of things (temps, noise etc) but i really dont like running high end gpus on lower wattage psus. personally i wouldnt run even just a 7950 on a 550w psu, let alone that and another gpu

just my opinion, but i think a psu needs to be much more powerful than you need it to be, so you never stress it so it doesnt blow

 

 

The feeling is mutual, trust me. I only had this build put together just shy of a year though and the idea of upgrading my PSU is somewhat frustrating. Mind you I'm not going to be getting my AMD HD7950 until it drops in price and the new custom HD7950's start releasing. By the time I actually buy the card it could be well into 2012 probably past 2013. I feel I will probably just shell out a good $80-120 for a new 750w-850w PSU.

 

Would 750w be sufficient you think?

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