Considering Upgrading my R9 270X 4GB - Advice?

[MrEgo]

If my budget is in the $325 to $375 range, am I looking at a noticeable difference?

My card is this one, to be specific:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121866

The reason I ask is because a relative of mine is interested in buying a used card for a good deal, so I figured I would explore the possibility of upgrading mine and giving him a used card for a good price.

I've been so out of the graphics card loop lately. I'm not the enthusiast I once was

Thank you all for any advice.

 

[Seba]

R9 390 or GTX 970 would be nice upgrades from R9 270X and should easily fit in your budget.

What CPU and what power supply do you have?

 

[MrEgo]

R9 390 or GTX 970 would be nice upgrades from R9 270X and should easily fit in your budget.

What CPU and what power supply do you have?

Here is my power supply and CPU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151124

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KPRWAX8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01

I'm thinking I may need to upgrade the power supply?

 

[Seba]

That Core i7 4790K is overclocked?

A GTX 970 should work with that 450 W power supply (because you have a good one), but it would be too close for comfort, at least for me. Your R9 270X is a bottleneck for your CPU so it is possible that the i7 4790K CPU would draw more power in some situations when paired with a better graphics card, like GTX 970 (so the total power drawn by your system could be higher than the current one).

 

[Headfoot]

970 would be no problem for that power supply, very high quality unit. A guy in the other power consumption thread is reporting 330 at the wall for an overclocked 980 + 4770k combo system

 

[Seba]

A guy in the other power consumption thread is reporting 330 at the wall for an overclocked 980 + 4770k combo system

But then you also have reports like this one. That power supply has 33A on 12V, so 396W on 12V rail. Theoretically enough.

 

[iiiankiii]

That Core i7 4790K is overclocked?

A GTX 970 should work with that 450 W power supply (because you have a good one), but it would be too close for comfort, at least for me. Your R9 270X is a bottleneck for your CPU so it is possible that the i7 4790K CPU would draw more power in some situations when paired with a better graphics card, like GTX 970 (so the total power drawn by your system could be higher than the current one).

I used a 420watt corsair PSU to power an overclocked 3770k and a 290x. It ran fine. People over estimate their wattage all the time. As long as you have a decent quality PSU, 450watt is more than enough.

 

[Seba]

I used a 420watt corsair PSU to power an overclocked 3770k and a 290x. It ran fine.

Why past tense, then?

 

[iiiankiii]

Why past tense, then?

Because I no longer run it. Like I said, it ran fine. I upgraded to 2x 290x and a seasonic 850watt. Found out that dual GPUs suck, went straight to a Titan X. Again, it ran fine.

 

[MrEgo]

That Core i7 4790K is overclocked?

It is not overclocked.

 

[Teizo]

I was going to say try to find a good deal on a 390X, but your best options with that PSU are going to be a 390 or 970, and with that PSU a 970 would better.

A 970 with handle anything @ 1080p, and there will be no need to overclock that 4790K btw.

Rumor has it that Nvidia is going to lower the price of the 970 to $299 and 980 to $449...so wait just a few weeks to see if that comes to fruition.

http://www.pcper.com/news/Graphics-Cards/Report-NVIDIA-Cut-GeForce-GTX-900-Series-GPU-Prices

 

[RussianSensation]

If my budget is in the $325 to $375 range, am I looking at a noticeable difference?

There is no new GPU in that price range worth buying. I would go with GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 970 DirectX 12 GV-N970WF3OC-4GD for $300 if you want either of those games or if you aren't interested in those games, the PowerColor PCS+ R9 390 for $280.

Performance should be very similar.

If you are playing SW:BF, Black Ops 3, Shadow of Mordor, Far Cry 4, Crysis 3, etc. go with the 390. If you plan to keep your card for longer than 2 years, considering getting a 1440P monitor, go with the 390. If you are playing The Witcher 3, GTA V, Anno 2205, Project CARS, AC Syndciate, go for the 970.