Best Card on the Market for CoD
 

Why, it's the ATI 6990, of course. Hope nobody went out and bought anything by Nvidia in preparation for this title.

Anandtech & HardOCP are some of the first out of the gates with their reviews.

http://www.tweaktown.com/news/19044/...uts/index.html

http://hardocp.com/article/2011/03/0...eo_card_review

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4209/a...ngle-card-king

Ooo Shiny. As it is also International Woman's Day, I think I shall celebrate by emancipating my wife: I'm going to sell her and get one of these.

edit:: actually doesn't best nvidia in every test, but I like supporting the underdog, especially when he's a good bit cheaper and mostly better.

0,25 € says the game will be CPU-limited ... but hey, it's your money. Also, a card that intentionally breaks PCIe specs, not to mention voids the warranty if run at full tilt? That's like selling a car with a V8 and expecting you to run it only on six cylinders lest the whole thing blow up :D

I am not a fan of any manufacturer, not Nvidia nor AMD. But this card seriously sucks IMO. Reviewers report temperatures so high that the test PC's rebooted themselves during benchmarks in order to save the card from overheating. Performance wise - mind blowing, but in reality - useless with a stock cooler.

Much better to save your money for CPU and get a decent card. The latest series from AMD is a flop - overheats like GTX 480 used to and can be used for heating purposes. A real shame on AMD's part that they can't take the lead and produce the proper card.

Btw. GTX 590 is due out on 15th March.

+1

Anybody have any comments regarding nvidia comments? I've been looking at the 580 however still waiting to make a purchase.

I've generally used nVidia until recent years but AMD/ATi have really brought out some decent cards that really gave nVidia a run for their money. Bang for buck I went with AMD/ATi on my last upgrade and very happy with it.

I recently bought a HD 6870. It works extremly well at max settings in games like battlefield bad company 2 or cod black ops (1920x1200).
I see no reason why IL2 shouldn't work with that card. And compared to the 6900 series it's much cheaper.
The real bottle neck will probably be the CPU, so get a good one.

The wife won't let me sell her anyway. To be honest, I'd never go for the top of the range, as there's always a sweet spot, and if i were to be buying, I'd probably be looking quite closely at the 6870 and the 560ti.

I have 2x gtx 460s sli with an amd x4 955 processor which I over clocked to 3.8ghz. I have yet to run into any problems playing any games at a resolution of 1920x1080 . Even with games that don't utilize both cards like rise of flight, I can still run at max graphics with good frame rates. I don't think I'll have any problems running cliffs of dover with my setup. At least I hope not.
If I had the money to spare, I might spring for a new card from nvidia or amd but at that point I might as well build a new machine. Especially since mine is going on 3 years old now. Thank god for upgrades!

Card is mediocre - they just pulled the old trick and making glueing together two lesser cards to make a better single unit at a lower price. It has limited top end upgrade ability - I will stick with my current 580, and in a years time add an additiona 2 580s for 3 way sli.

Plus AMD/ATI drivers are a nightmare.
-also as others have mentioned, the card apparently has heating problems. I also dont know how well (or if you even could) rig it for water cooling. That limits OC ability also.

BS. That story gets old. Also a typical Nvidia owner response towards newer 'competing' AMD cards.

I can confirm that the AMD Linux drivers are a proper dogs' dinner, haha. As for Windows ones, never had a problem at all, except for the Catalyst Control Centre being a real heap of crap. Oh yeah, and the big phase where Il-2 had various visual artifacts and the like, but hey, 10 year old game.

Well, considering I have machines running both Nvidia and ATI cards...
I'll never buy another AMD/ATI video card. Nothing but troubles.. and I hear the same thing from my flight sim friends with ATI. They are fine if you just want to tinker with Office applications... wont have one for gaming. My nvidia cards/drivers never seem to have an issue... but always running into little "things" with ATI.
And I know my way around a computer as well.. not like I buy compaq gaming rigs. I build my own.
Will be building a new machine just for COD.. and she'll be running Nvidia.

overpriced,overnoisy and overheated, just mho

Maybe, I just remember a personal nightmare with them from a few years ago. They may of improved them alot since then, I have not tried them out so I am just going from older experience and what people are saying.
Also I am not bashing them for the sake of it, nvidia does plenty of things wrong too.

You have it right, we can get by on lesser GPU's. What we really need is a CPU!
Something that clocks high like the new 2500K sandy balls! And before this starts a "but sandy bridge is broken" thread, Its not that big of a deal. I'd get:

2500K( 2600K is too much $ for for the difference)
Z68 MoBo (when they come out)
8GB 1600 RAM
I'm keeping my 2X HD 5770 CF AMD GPU (it = a 5870)
at least a 128GB SSD for OS and steam games(also don't start a whin fest bout steam) and old hard drive for other stuff

Actually any card that gives you >30 fps as a minimum at desired res and settings is fine. Yes higher is better but it wont make you a better pilot just lighten your wallet.

You forgot overkill

The main reason i bought my gtx580 is the low heat. It's absolutely stunning on that department with the stock cooler. Idles at 37 and just below 70 under gaming. Never seen it go over 70 yet. I love this card.

No offence to anyone but do people actually read the articles?

They've used the Cayman XT GPU's not the Bart GPU's for this card, so they've broken with tradition.

Huh? The 5800 and 6800 series of cards use less power and are quieter than the 480, even the 580 uses less than a 480. As for power load and temps on the 6990, this new card uses less than a 580 in SLI and produces more performance, and will no doubt cost less than a 580x2 SLI set up.

Everyone must remember that this card is not for everyone, hell I'd even recommend lower spec'd cards for CoD. But if you've got a multi monitor set up and want nothing but ALL the highest settings to be displayed then this is the card you'd want to get.

6990 does NOT perform better or even as 2x580, period. It doesnt even perform like 2x6970 but more like 2x6950 + its hotter, a fair chunk louder and more powerhungry, but hey, at least its more expensive.

Temps are high but would be even higher if the the fan wasnt working overtime to keep the heat at bay. Its the loudest card ever produced, hence, in extension the hottest (the stock cooler is a complete waste of space.)

The fact that many sites doing the tests got errors, black screens, refusal to even start applications etc, is just icing on the cake.(apparently)

Typical AMD cut and paste hope for the best dont worry about the driver, that we can fix in a month or two, maby approach.

The point of this card is beyond me and i feel for those suckered into buying it.

Well I stand corrected and I'll take back my words then re: frame rate performance, I did get a little bit carried away. However AMD still has the bang for buck title over nVidia no matter which card you look at.

Re the driver part - same old same old. nVidia has their fair share of issues as well. I had them when I first got 8800GTX's in SLI and a 9800GTX. I also had them when I got the 4870X2, for me I've always had driver issues with a new card.

I'm not even going to try and explain why I buy the top of the line cards, anyone who knows me knows why. But at the end of the day it's about choice and what a customer wants. I'm actually waiting to see how the 590GTX fairs before I upgrade again.

Ati's 4,5 series were excellent imo, i've had nvidia quite a few times but they never lived up to my expectations.
Considering switching to Nvidia again for the a new card but we'll see might as well wait for the next ATI series.
(And no im not an ATI fanboy, both have and had plenty of nvidia cards)

No they dont - how many of these ATI cards can you link up? How much will it cost to cool them? Can I buy three or even four of these and have them in crossfire?

edit-made me lol: http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/03/08/ju...on-benchmarks/

lol yes thanks for reminding me Oldschool :)

Errrr ???? yeah you can. I've only ever had 2 way crossfire / 2 way SLI systems.

4 x 5870 crossfire on stock cooling.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/....php?p=4043081

You can even now crossfire your stand alone cards with your on-board graphics chip (Hybrid CrossFire) if you've got one.

Cooling ... it depends what your doing. The stock coolers are fine even under load, just make sure your case is well ventilated. But you'd be crazy not to get a well ventilated case if your using multi GPU's, doesn't matter if your using SLI or Crossfire, goes without saying.

If you decide to overclock then that's another story. Spending $$$ on cooling depends on how much you can afford and how far you want to push the hardware.

I'm probably coming across as a AMD fan boy but I can assure you I'm not. I only go for what will gives me the best bang for my dollar.

I think that when talking about bang for buck, most of us don't mean multiple GPUs. For the majority of people what it translates to is "the cheapest single card solution for a given performance range or the fastest one for a given price range, preferably one that i won't have to upgrade again for the next year or more".

In that department, Ati have been ahead during the 4xxx and 5xxx series. Heck, the first time i bought an Ati card was when i got my current i7 rig almost two years ago. I initially bought a 4870 which was defective/damaged during shipping so when it died i used the 3 year warranty and exchanged it for a 4890 which i still have. I'm very pleased with it, it runs well and cool and has more vRAM than the more expensive nVidia GPUs of that generation. If i'm 10fps ahead in one game and 10fps behind in another, i don't care much about it. It does the same job overall for less money and that's good enough for me.


If you mean bang for your buck in regards to multi-GPU setups for expensive rigs to run every single new game at maximum detail then yes, i agree there's other variables in the mix, but it's not what most people have in mind when they are talking about building a well-rounded, capable system on a budget. ;)

I've always used nVidia since their first TNT cards apart from a brief spell with an ATi 9800 card. Back then drivers were a little patchy, no as bad as some make out mind you but were not as strong as nVidia who seemed bulletproof at the time. I stuck with nVidia for a long time but having seen the performance on friends machines and that ATi's drivers are - in my opinion as good as nVidia's I took the plunge and bought a 6870 for a cheap upgrade. I've been very happy with the performance and may stick with ATi the next time aroudn though as always I'll evaluate the cards from both manufacturers but right now it seems like ATi gives the best bang for buck and I certainly would not discourage a member here from using them.

+1, the 48xx series have been wonderful for me, and for a relatively long time in computing terms as well.

Since Nvidia tricked me with their horrible FX 5000 series I never went back. Sold my "old" HD4670 (best low budget card ever) and got my new HD6850 a couple of weeks ago. Works like a charm but consumes a bit more juice than the 4670 but the 4670 barely consumed anything so it's not a biggie. No problems or hitches so far, I'm not a fanboy but I do perceive myself as an informed consumer. That's why I go for AMD, good performance/€, low energy consumption (maybe not the high-end cards but I never buy high-end anyway).

"I say toh-mah-toh, you say toh-may-toh!"

Another 2-headed beast is coming out on March 22nd
 

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 Launch Date is March 22

http://www.techpowerup.com/img/10-11-19/147a.jpg

Lets hope it isn't a flop like 6990.

Not answering the question/comment. I am specifically talking about the 6990 - since its already 2 cards, interms of space, slots and heating is it able to go 3 way crossfire? I doube it thats 6 gpu die. If you bought a more expensive single card thats the better long term option.

As for value - yes ATI/AMD has been leading the pack until the 500's, but the 6990 I dont find special.

edit- apparently you can run two 6990s, which is four cards. But while each 6990 is better than a single card they are of course not a single card which limits future expansion: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...e,2878-16.html

I want to get a GTX 560 TI, but I'm not sure which one to get. One has better cooling (potentially a longer lifespan?) with a three year warranty, and the other has only one fan but a lifetime warranty. Any suggestions? Here they are compared:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=Property&N=100007709&Is NodeId=1&Manufactory=1314%2C1312%2C1402&PropertyCo deValue=679%3A100638&bop=And&CompareItemList=48|14-127-565^14-127-565-TS%2C14-130-604^14-130-604-TS

Anyone buying a new video card at this point (two weeks) is making a mistake - unless they have a casualty or really old old card.

If you've waited this long, why not hold on until say the 26th?

Then, as the "gnashing of teeth" and "rending of garments" continues - you'll get to hear and see screenshots.

Plus, nobody on these forums (other than developers) have any idea of the exact graphics config in the sim. We don't know yet, for example if there will be "Nvidea water or ATI water/textures/reflections/shadows" or whatever....

Soon, someone will invoke the Mayan calander.... I just know it's coming....

S!

Gunny

++++

Listen to wise old Monk grasshoppers... Patience, Patience... ;)

I'll be pulling the trigger on a completely new system from the ground up..... AFTER I read the reviews and get the feedback.

Btw - 26th march nvidia is releasing the 590gtx

-In any case I would go 500 series imo, they run cooler - use less power and can OC better. I just got a 580 via evga stepup for $15 (not joking, just paid price differance and shipping = EVGA rocks :P ).

You mean 22nd March. ;)

For $250 I just upgraded my 5790 to 6990. 8-)

How much did it cost to upgrade your aircon? ;)

Nothing, my CPU is liquid cooled with two 120mm exhausts on top. When I'll add a second 6990 I may reconsider. ;)

Ive done exactly that gunny , i did put a post up in ubizoo about graphic cards & i made a decision on what card to get but at the last minute i decided to hold off until the game comes out.

Should have waited to see how GTX 590 performs.

Well when i built my first rig, it had a 7300GT, then in the next upgrade i chose a 7600GT fatality with this one could enjoy il2 at max settings, then i was thinking on buy the 9800GX2, but then i changed my mind cause i read a lot about noise and heat on those ones so i chose the 9800GTX+, always my cards has been Nvidia products, always said i never going to buy ATI, since the
last ATI generation with the 5800 series i started to think about it, so in the last upgrade i chose ATI and i bought the HD 6970, i nothing more than happy
with it the card can max out everything, i'm now playing eyecandy games like
Crysis 2 demo, and runs so smooth, even had no probs with rise of flight, so
in now days ATI and Nvidia are even, what ever you chose will be a good choise 6970, 580, etc.

Well... 580 is in a different league than 6970. But if you enjoy "coil whine" and have an outstandingly good air cooled case, then 6970 is a good card.

AMD/ATI 5XXX series > Nvidia 4XX series

AMD/ATI 6XXX series < Nvidia 5XX series

If the GTX 590 proves to be cooler and quieter than 6990, the choice is obvious. ;)

Maybe with the next lineup AMD will get their act together.

Are you saying that GTX 590 will have eyefinity and will be able to connect to my HD TV at the same time?

It won't have Eyefinity, but it will have 3D Vision. ;) With up to 4 monitors / displays you can hook on it IIRC.

I went for an ati 6950. Will try for the bios tweak to unlock the extra shaders when i have cod.:cool:

Seems the 590 will have lower power consumption, but also lower performance than the 6990, still has to be confirmed though ;)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/l...-gtx-590/11875