MSI GTX 560 Ti Hawk or ASUS GTX 560 Ti DirectCUII?

[momosmokey]

First, I'm sorry for making so many topics recently, but I'm trying to accumulate as much information on these different graphics cards before plunking down roughly $300.

 

I do believe I will actually go with a GTX 560 Ti version instead of the GTX 560 non-Ti, mainly because I'm running a full HD monitor.

 

Here are my goals:

 

• Gaming at 1920x1080 with maxed or mostly maxed settings. (Games being Skyrim, Rage, Just Cause 2...etc).
• Overclocking, I'd like to get the core clock to 1Ghz if possible.
• Quiet and Cool operation. I don't want a LOUD card, but at the same time, like I mentioned, I want to overclock.
• This card is going to be a Physx card in a year or two. If I get the custom PCB HD 7970's, it will be a year.

It has come down to these three cards:

 

2Gb MSI (http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814127608)

 

or

 

MSI Hawk (http://www.newegg.co...0560%20ti%20haw)

 

or

 

ASUS Top (http://www.newegg.co...N82E16814121425)

 

Please leave a reason for why you like the card.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Happy New Year!

Edited January 1, 2012 by momosmokey

[F13Bubba]

First, what is your monitor resoultution. Second, what are you planning on doing with it?

 

I'm assuming the goal is gaming, so the best card, imo, is the 2GB MSI card. For the extra money, double the ram is more than worth it.

[momosmokey]

First, what is your monitor resoultution. Second, what are you planning on doing with it?

 

I'm assuming the goal is gaming, so the best card, imo, is the 2GB MSI card. For the extra money, double the ram is more than worth it.

 

Here are my goals:

 

• Gaming at 1920x1080 with maxed or mostly maxed settings. (Games being Skyrim, Rage, Just Cause 2...etc).
• Overclocking, I'd like to get the core clock to 1Ghz if possible.
• I want quiet and cool operation. I don't want a LOUD card, but at the same time, like I mentioned, I want to overclock.
• This card is going to be a Physx card in a year or two. If I get the custom PCB HD 7970's, it will be a year.

I think that's it.

Edited January 1, 2012 by momosmokey

[Stonerboy779]

Of those three cards go for the Asus 560ti TOP

 

Edit: just thought would give you a run down of my experience of the 560 (non ti) TOP cards.

 

I have two in sli using the exact same cooler and I run it at a permanent 40% even now when it is summer although when some of the days are hitting 35C+ ambient I bump the fans to 46%.

 

At that level it is inaudible over my cm 120mm silent case fans running at 7v.

 

I have idle/web browsing temps ~5C above ambient and with a 25C ambient usual gaming load is 45-50c bottom card and 55-60C top although extended periods put it sometime towards 70C top card.

 

The stock clocks a great but the top cards in my experience oc amazingly 1ghz+ core in sli

Edited January 1, 2012 by Stonerboy779

[Tjj226_Angel]

Go with the MSI hawk. The two GB version of the card is meant for higher resolution/more screens, and in theory better textures. However, you wouldn't notice that much of a difference. If you were going to spend that money, then you would be better off spending the extra 12-20 bucks on the GTX 560 448. The asus card, while being made by asus which is by far one of my favorite companies to buy from is slower. Considering you can over clock the hawk edition to well over 1 Ghz and get great frame rates out of the thing, it is really a no brainer. The only thing you should consider is there there are some GTX 560 448s that have rebate that get them close to the price you are looking at.

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1707154&CatId=3669

 

This is what you should REALLY get.

[momosmokey]

@Tj226_Angel:

 

Thanks for the reply. Do you think the MSI Hawk has better cooling than the ASUS DCUII?

Please don't tempt me further. My budget is already being stretched if I go with the GTX 560 Ti.

 

This will become a Physx card.

 

This is not my final card.

 

@Stonerboy779:

 

Thanks for the reply. At a 1Ghz OC does the card still stay cool and quiet?

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I've read several reviews saying the ASUS DCUII runs hotter than the MSI Hawk. I've Also read that the MSI Hawk, when playing games, speeds up to 70%+ fan speed, which is very loud.

Edited January 1, 2012 by momosmokey

[Stonerboy779]

@Tj226_Angel:

 

Thanks for the reply. Do you think the MSI Hawk has better cooling than the ASUS DCUII?

Please don't tempt me further. My budget is already being stretched if I go with the GTX 560 Ti. This will become a Physx card. This is not my final card.

I would say the Asus is better for cooling especially at low rpm and I would also say even iif the msi was a bit better it still isn't worth the extra money imho

 

Edit: Better card at $230 after MIR vs second card at $265

Edited January 1, 2012 by Stonerboy779

[momosmokey]

I would say the Asus is better for cooling especially at low rpm and I would also say even if the msi was a bit better it still isn't worth the extra money imho

 

 

Your GTX 560 non ti overclocks to 1Ghz, correct? At that speed how cool does it run and how loud would you say it runs. What's your ambient temperature?

 

Thanks!

[Stonerboy779]

Over locked it was ~5-7C above the stock 900/1800/2200

Highest oc was 1010/2020/2400 because that was the max the overclocking utility could go. The other card could only oc to 1004/2008/2400 and in sli it would run 1000/2000/2400 with a rare chance of a crash due more to the fact I was playing on unstable beta drivers.

 

If I bothered to unlock the voltage just a little I am sure I could run sli 1010/2020/2400 but I don't bother for the most part I just leave it on stock due to sli 560s at 900/1800/2200 being more than enough to kill any game at 1080p.

 

When I had the case on the floor and not six inches from my ear I was running to about 60% fans and not hearing them.

 

Hope this helps.

[momosmokey]

Thanks Stonerboy, that is helpful.

[IVIYTH0S]

Go with the MSI hawk. The two GB version of the card is meant for higher resolution/more screens, and in theory better textures. However, you wouldn't notice that much of a difference. If you were going to spend that money, then you would be better off spending the extra 12-20 bucks on the GTX 560 448. The asus card, while being made by asus which is by far one of my favorite companies to buy from is slower. Considering you can over clock the hawk edition to well over 1 Ghz and get great frame rates out of the thing, it is really a no brainer. The only thing you should consider is there there are some GTX 560 448s that have rebate that get them close to the price you are looking at.

 

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1707154&CatId=3669

 

This is what you should REALLY get.

That would rock all the choices made so far, otherwise ASUS TOP

[El_Capitan]

I've had 6 ASUS TOP's that couldn't overclock better than the one MSI Hawk. You know where my allegiance lies.

 

No need to get a 2GB version if you're going to switch to the 7970 pretty soon. That 2GB isn't even going to help you unless you're going to SLI two of them. You also won't need 2GB in a dedicated PhysX card...

 

In all these posts you've started, my suggestion still stands - buy a used GTX 560 that has serial-based warranty for ~ $140 - $150 and save the money for the 7970.