AMD 7970 v Nvidia GTX 770

[BallaTheFeared]

Cell certainly was nothing similar to desktop products.

We're talking about GPU's, this is after all the GPU forum.

 

[powruser]

I don't think it's fair to compare the price of one specific Sapphire 7970 GHz edition AFTER rebate to the entire line of GTX 770. All GTX 770's are ~$410, only one 7970 GHz edition is <$400. Plus I have to pay tax at Newegg, and I didn't pay tax for my GTX 770, so that evens it out more. AMD's crossfire implementation is broken. I also prefer Nvidia's drivers, as well as their hardware PhysX implementation. Not to mention the GTX 770 consumes less power and runs cooler and quieter.

 

[powruser]

Sapphire only gives 2 year warranty versus 3 years for most (if not all?) GTX 770s. So if you're like me and keep rigs for 3 to 4 years, that's another thing to consider.

 

[sushiwarrior]

Why would developers ignore where most of the PC marketshare is? What if future Intel and nVidia PC iterations are much more flexible and robust architectures?

Developers would ignore most of the PC marketshare because

1. It's free performance in the port to PC for GCN (just use a tool, code is compiled in an optimal manner more or less).
2. It's expensive performance for Kepler/Maxwell (devs don't do this, this is up to Nvidia's driver team)
3. AMD is arguably close enough to equal in marketshare that it's definitely worth optimizing for, and it could see a shift in marketshare if this is the way future ported titles run...

The fact of the matter is for AMD, this is free performance without driver optimizations. For Nvidia/Intel, this performance is definitely attainable (except in cases like Dirt Showdown where the engine is built for GCN) but it costs lots and lots of money in driver optimizations. Nvidia is going to have to pay for this performance in every single title that needs it - AMD gets it for free. It's a very, very smart path for AMD

 

[sontin]

Yes, AMD get it for free. A shame that nobody plays on Linux. D:

 

[Elfear]

I don't think it's fair to compare the price of one specific Sapphire 7970 GHz edition AFTER rebate to the entire line of GTX 770. All GTX 770's are ~$410, only one 7970 GHz edition is <$400.

Yet the card exists and is a very good value. I'm not sure how you shop for cards but I'd imagine most people look for the cheapest SKU that is good quality unless they're looking for a specialty card (e.g. more robust hardware for extreme overclocking or smaller dimensions for a tight case). It's fair to use the card in a debate about value because it's a card most people would consider when buying.

I'm still not sure what people's aversion to rebates is all about. I've sent in dozens of rebates and have a 95% success rate. It's really very easy.

Plus I have to pay tax at Newegg, and I didn't pay tax for my GTX 770, so that evens it out more.

If you live in the U.S., there is a good chance your state charges a Use tax for internet purchases so you pay sales tax either way.

AMD's crossfire implementation is broken.

It's true SLI is better out of the box then Crossfire and requires less tinkering in general but Crossfire is hardly broken. There is very easy and free third-party software to help with microstutter like RadeonPro.

I've been using Crossfire for a long time and somehow magically I can raise the IQ settings above and beyond what is possible with a single card. My "broken" Crossfire must be fooling my games into thinking they're running with more eye candy.

I also prefer Nvidia's drivers,

Anything specific you like better about Nvidia drivers? Seems like a vague statement stemming from the fact you just prefer Nvidia.

as well as their hardware PhysX implementation.

In a few titles PhysX does look pretty good, but those titles are so few and far between I don't see it being that much of a selling point.

Not to mention the GTX 770 consumes less power and runs cooler and quieter.

The 770 does consume less power (180W vs 235W) which is a nice bonus since the performance is so close. It shows how efficient the Kepler architecture can be.

In the whole scheme of things it's not worth much savings though. If you game 2hrs a day, it will save you ~$5/yr (@0.12/KWH). $10/yr if you have SLI.

 

[Will Robinson]

powruserI don't think it's fair to compare the price of one specific Sapphire 7970 GHz edition AFTER rebate to the entire line of GTX 770. All GTX 770's are ~$410, only one 7970 GHz edition is <$400. Plus I have to pay tax at Newegg, and I didn't pay tax for my GTX 770, so that evens it out more. AMD's crossfire implementation is broken. I also prefer Nvidia's drivers, as well as their hardware PhysX implementation. Not to mention the GTX 770 consumes less power and runs cooler and quieter.

Umm..."All" those GTX770s you are banging on about only have 2GB of VRAM mister.
Not 3GB like on the HD7970s.

 

[bryanW1995]

The GTX 770 is not over-priced compared to the competition as a whole -- only if one cherry picks a cheaper sku and blankets price performance as a whole.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=-1&amp;isNodeId=1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=-1&amp;isNodeId=1

Your link shows $100 difference in price between the cheapest 7970 and the cheapest gtx 770. You could argue that the "cheap" 7970 is a pile of crap and not worth buying, but the cheapest 7970 has the 2nd highest rating of any 7970 listed on newegg and is made by a quality AMD board partner.

You have a much stronger argument when you talk about the terrible state of crossfire. Regardless of some allegedly imminent magical upcoming fix, I would not have bought my 7970 if I planned to xfire but would instead have waited for a gtx 770 4gb deal to pop up (or maybe have settled for a cheap 7950 and planned to check out the next gen cards).

I don't think it's fair to compare the price of one specific Sapphire 7970 GHz edition AFTER rebate to the entire line of GTX 770. All GTX 770's are ~$410, only one 7970 GHz edition is <$400. Plus I have to pay tax at Newegg, and I didn't pay tax for my GTX 770, so that evens it out more. AMD's crossfire implementation is broken. I also prefer Nvidia's drivers, as well as their hardware PhysX implementation. Not to mention the GTX 770 consumes less power and runs cooler and quieter.

That's the point of this discussion, however. You can currently buy a 7970 for $350 AR, which is $50 less than a gtx 770 and $100 less than a gtx 770 4gb. When/if that Sapphire deal goes away, then there will be a different value proposition and we may very well be able to recommend the gtx 770, instead, but for now the clear choice is the Sapphire 7970.

Sapphire only gives 2 year warranty versus 3 years for most (if not all?) GTX 770s. So if you're like me and keep rigs for 3 to 4 years, that's another thing to consider.

That's a valid point if true, though I know that nvidia's top board partner (EVGA) used to have several different warranty terms based upon the type of card you purchased. One of those terms ( on the least expensive card of course ) was only one year, though you had the option to increase the warranty term when you registered the card. Are they still doing that AR/KR/etc program?

 

[powruser]

Yet the card exists and is a very good value. I'm not sure how you shop for cards but I'd imagine most people look for the cheapest SKU that is good quality unless they're looking for a specialty card (e.g. more robust hardware for extreme overclocking or smaller dimensions for a tight case). It's fair to use the card in a debate about value because it's a card most people would consider when buying.

I'm still not sure what people's aversion to rebates is all about. I've sent in dozens of rebates and have a 95% success rate. It's really very easy.

If you live in the U.S., there is a good chance your state charges a Use tax for internet purchases so you pay sales tax either way.

It's true SLI is better out of the box then Crossfire and requires less tinkering in general but Crossfire is hardly broken. There is very easy and free third-party software to help with microstutter like RadeonPro.

I've been using Crossfire for a long time and somehow magically I can raise the IQ settings above and beyond what is possible with a single card. My "broken" Crossfire must be fooling my games into thinking they're running with more eye candy.

Anything specific you like better about Nvidia drivers? Seems like a vague statement stemming from the fact you just prefer Nvidia.

In a few titles PhysX does look pretty good, but those titles are so few and far between I don't see it being that much of a selling point.

The 770 does consume less power (180W vs 235W) which is a nice bonus since the performance is so close. It shows how efficient the Kepler architecture can be.

In the whole scheme of things it's not worth much savings though. If you game 2hrs a day, it will save you ~$5/yr (@0.12/KWH). $10/yr if you have SLI.

Yes the card exists. One model. At one retailer. For people in one country. I personally think the card looks kinda funny with the weird fan shroud and blue PCB. But to each his own.

And I like the UI of the nvidia drivers better.

If the retailer doesn't charge me tax, I'm not going to itemize on my tax return and volunteer extra money if the retailer didn't charge me tax. I'm sure you wouldn't either.

Hope u guys don't think I'm looking down on you for your choice to get an AMD card. I'm not. I looked at the same card. I went with the nvidia offering. I explained why. My reasons are just as valid as yours are for having an amd card. Enjoy your cards everyone!

 

[SirPauly]

Your link shows $100 difference in price between the cheapest 7970 and the cheapest gtx 770. You could argue that the "cheap" 7970 is a pile of crap and not worth buying, but the cheapest 7970 has the 2nd highest rating of any 7970 listed on newegg and is made by a quality AMD board partner.

How do you figure that? Where? I've always offered AMD products are compelling and have strengths.

 

[bryanW1995]

Yes the card exists. One model. At one retailer. For people in one country. I personally think the card looks kinda funny with the weird fan shroud and blue PCB. But to each his own.

And I like the UI of the nvidia drivers better.

If the retailer doesn't charge me tax, I'm not going to itemize on my tax return and volunteer extra money if the retailer didn't charge me tax. I'm sure you wouldn't either.

Hope u guys don't think I'm looking down on you for your choice to get an AMD card. I'm not. I looked at the same card. I went with the nvidia offering. I explained why. My reasons are just as valid as yours are for having an amd card. Enjoy your cards everyone!

It's funny, I seem to switch from NV to AMD quite often, and I'm always a bit concerned about whether I'll like the new/different aspects of cards from the other company. Fortunately, at least thus far, I have been pleased with each new card ( at least so far in going from 6600gt -> 7600gt-> x1950xt -> 3870 -> gtx 260 -> gtx 480 -> 7970 ). Most of the time my decision has been decided by the deal available, though with 3870 I chose the lower performance vs 8800gt b/c I wanted the quieter fan from using the dual slot cooler.

 

[powruser]

It's funny, I seem to switch from NV to AMD quite often, and I'm always a bit concerned about whether I'll like the new/different aspects of cards from the other company. Fortunately, at least thus far, I have been pleased with each new card ( at least so far in going from 6600gt -> 7600gt-> x1950xt -> 3870 -> gtx 260 -> gtx 480 -> 7970 ). Most of the time my decision has been decided by the deal available, though with 3870 I chose the lower performance vs 8800gt b/c I wanted the quieter fan from using the dual slot cooler.

Yup, both nvidia and amd make awesome GPUs. Its hard to decide sometimes with all the different options, plus all the customized cards made by each different manufacturer. Really pays to do your research and pick which card fits your specific needs and budget. Cheers!

 

[blackened23]

*wall of text incoming*

I think it all boils down to price. If the price between the 7970 and 770 is even , i'd say the decision would tilt favorably towards the GTX 770. However, with that being said - while I've gained a lot of appreciation for nvidia's software over the past 6 months or so and love my 780, I wouldn't hesitate to get a 7970 at 300$ over a 400$ GTX 770. Now I don't know what the 7970 MSRP situation is - I don't know if that's a one time promotion or if it's a sign of a SKU-wide price drop, but a 300$ 7970 is a *heck* of a value. Out of the box, the 770 may perform a bit better, but not really by much.

Aside from this, and this is completely subjective - but having used both the 7970 and various nvidia SKUs, I would say the 7970 definitely has more breathing room and scalability in terms of overclock-ability. I can say, without question, that going from 925mhz to 1200mhz on a 7970 gives you a performance increase that is just insanely high. Now, some will say you can overclock the 770. This is true, but overclocking the Kepler is a bit more involved since you're dealing with temperature and power limit thresholds, which don't exist on the 7970. The advantage with the 770 is that it comes close to it's full performance potential out of the box while the 7970 does not, and the 770 has a more elegant heat control / noise solution for the most part than the reference 7970. Of course you can get an aftermarket 7970 to address that.

Whew. So basically it all boils down to price and what is the better value. Some may prefer nvidia no matter what, but if you can find a 7970 at 300$ - that is definitely a better value, IMHO, than a 400$ GTX 770. Conversely, if they're both the same price, I would give the nod the GTX 770. Again -- I have no idea what the MSRP situation is with the 7970. I've seen them ranging from 300$ to 450$. It's pretty confusing.

In the end they're both great cards IMHO. Just go for the better value if a budget is a big consideration in your purchase.

 

[24601]

Yes the card exists. One model. At one retailer. For people in one country. I personally think the card looks kinda funny with the weird fan shroud and blue PCB. But to each his own.

And I like the UI of the nvidia drivers better.

If the retailer doesn't charge me tax, I'm not going to itemize on my tax return and volunteer extra money if the retailer didn't charge me tax. I'm sure you wouldn't either.

Hope u guys don't think I'm looking down on you for your choice to get an AMD card. I'm not. I looked at the same card. I went with the nvidia offering. I explained why. My reasons are just as valid as yours are for having an amd card. Enjoy your cards everyone!

State taxes on interstate commerce are literally unconstitutional.

States it extremely clearly.

 

[zlejedi]

Unfortunatly AMD seems to have forgotten that something outside of USA exists and that super pricing doesn't include Europe.

 

[Elfear]

Yes the card exists. One model. At one retailer. For people in one country. I personally think the card looks kinda funny with the weird fan shroud and blue PCB. But to each his own.

And when/if that deal disappears you have a valid point for buyers in the U.S. Of course consumers in other countries will have to find the best deal where they live. Maybe in some places the 770 is a much better deal than the 7970.

Regarding the look of the card, you would fit into the category of someone looking for a specialty card to fit a specific need (that of displaying your hardware to house guests maybe?).

If the retailer doesn't charge me tax, I'm not going to itemize on my tax return and volunteer extra money if the retailer didn't charge me tax. I'm sure you wouldn't either.

Volunteer isn't the right word, it's the law in 45 states. I don't want to take this thread off course but I do pay a Use tax each year to the state of Kansas. Don't project your ethical standards on me by claiming I wouldn't.

Hope u guys don't think I'm looking down on you for your choice to get an AMD card. I'm not. I looked at the same card. I went with the nvidia offering. I explained why. My reasons are just as valid as yours are for having an amd card. Enjoy your cards everyone!

:thumbsup:

In the end I hope everyone enjoys the hardware they purchase. I may defend AMD at times but I also think Nvidia has some great hardware and I'd use them again in the future if a good deal came along.

 

[echineko]

Well, my main concern in posting this thread was value, and I gotta say, so far I'm quite satisfied. I can afford decent parts, but at the same time, I don't think it's too wise spending almost $1000 on the highest end cards, I can find better ways to spend it

The 7970 will serve me fine until the inevitable next refresh (I say inevitable because I will probably need an 6/8-core CPU down the road as my non-gaming needs increase),and I'll reconsider at that point.

Right now I'm happy I made the best decision based on the hardware in the market to maximise my investment

Cheers for all the feedback and discussion guys, it's been really useful

:thumbsup:

 

[UaVaj]

The GTX 770 is not over-priced compared to the competition as a whole -- only if one cherry picks a cheaper sku and blankets price performance as a whole.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=-1&amp;isNodeId=1

that is a smokin deal on a 7970ghz. 350 after MIR.

that is the card of choice for anyone considering single gpu.

if amd can get crossfire fix with that july 31 driver release. this will be a big win for amd.

 

[RussianSensation]

The GTX 770 is not over-priced compared to the competition as a whole -- only if one cherry picks a cheaper sku and blankets price performance as a whole.

Yes it is. The cheapest 770s are 2GB versions for $400 and 4GB versions are $450 There are plenty of deals on 1Ghz 7970s and 7970GEs if you look around. If people don't want to research online in US, that's their problem.

Here is a 1Ghz 7970 with 4 free games bundle for $360.

That means you are paying up $90-100 for a 4GB version of 770 for what 5% more performance, less when both are overclocked. 770 2GB should be $349 and 4GB $399 as stated by other posters. Funny enough when GTX680 was getting beaten by 7970GE for the last 12 months by 10%+, people said the difference is not large enough and 680's price was just fine, despite 7970GE significantly undercutting it. Now 770 is once again overpriced and as I said I keep seeing the same defending for its price. Even professional review sites that retested 770 recently and noticed that 7970 1Ghz/GE pricing has come down are saying 770 is overpriced.

http://techreport.com/review/24996/nvidia-geforce-gtx-760-graphics-card-reviewed/10

Also, look at the games where 770 wins by large %s, and there are very few, or the framerates are already so high it makes no difference (Diablo 3, WOW, SC2). On the contrary, in many GE titles the 7970 overclocked absolutely hammers 770 overclocked. That means you are going to barely beat 7970 overclocked in most games but in those GE titles the 770 can't compete. Tomb Raider, Sleeping Dogs, Hitman Absolution, COH2, GRID2, 770 is behind by a lot more than 10%. On the AMD side, besides the Secret World and Shogun 2 I can't think of many games where 770 blows the 7970 GE away by large amounts. Can you?

 

[Silverforce11]

Can you?

Yes, a lot of games where PhysX enabled results in a slideshow for AMD GPUs. hehe

 

[toyota]

one of the many reason I personally will not go AMD is that they seem to have issues with older games. I dont think Far Cry will even play properly last time I checked. the times I have used AMD gpus and apus I have had way too many issues. everything from drivers not installing or uninstalling properly to getting random checkerboards. I cant think of a single machine I have used with AMD that has not resulted in something not working properly. my Nvidia experience has been great as for as simple things like installing drivers go. yes they have had some bad drivers but I have been lucky. I still recommend AMD because it seems others have better luck. of course there the random few people that live in a fantasyland where they have never had an issues with any side ever.

 

[Silverforce11]

Yes I must live in fantasy land.. its weird downunder here.

I never have issues with GPU vendor drivers. Clean install everytime a new GPU is put in, smooth sailing since my Rendition Verite and Voodoo.

As such, I will happily buy whatever brand that offers the best value.

 

[Black Octagon]

Yes, a lot of games where PhysX enabled results in a slideshow for AMD GPUs. hehe

Anyone dumb enough to enable PhysX when running an AMD card deserves what they get.

Your post is about as useful as saying that knives should be banned because in certain situations you can end up cutting yourself.

 

[SirPauly]

Yes it is.

I don't agree with you! The GTX 770 introduction MSRP of 399 was very welcomed and will see if the market can sustain it! The GTX 760 introduction MSRP of 249 was very welcomed and will see if the market can sustain it.

Can you?

Absolutely, the GTX 770 with x8 AA, over-all, offers 20 percent more performance at 1080p and 14 percent more performance at 1600p than a HD 7970, based on Computerbase' findings!

 

[toyota]

Yes I must live in fantasy land.. its weird downunder here.

I never have issues with GPU vendor drivers. Clean install everytime a new GPU is put in, smooth sailing since my Rendition Verite and Voodoo.

As such, I will happily buy whatever brand that offers the best value.

sure of course. you just happen to not play any game ever with a driver issue? every driver install perfectly? never driver related crash? never grey screen or the myriad of AMD only issues? yeah okay sure. lol so I guess all of the those well known issues and fixes that were done where just for things you happen not to be playing or using. the list is ridiculously long of problems from both sides over the years so yes you are not in reality to say you have never had an issue in 10 years. that is 100% bs.