I can't make my mind up!!

[johnno]

I'm really struggling with this! I want the 970 and I prefer Nvidia. But I could save around £60 by going AMD. My last Radeon was a X1950pro and it had issues. I'm going to be gaming at 1920x1080. Is the 970 worth the extra and am I going to be missing out on any features if I choose the 290? I know there is also the 290x but at that price point I would definitely choose the 970.

Gigabyte GTX970 WindForce 3
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4gb-...114mhz-boost-1253mhz-1664-cores-3x-dp-1x-dvi-

MSI AMD R9 290 GAMING TWIN FROZR
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4gb-...gddr5-gpu-1007mhz-2560-streams-dport-dvi-hdmi

 

[ShintaiDK]

The 290 lacks DX11.3/DX12 features, PhysX, VGXI, uses ~100W more and HDMI 2.0 if you should ever need it.

 

[lehtv]

Zotac GTX 970 £259 @ amazon.co.uk

 

[johnno]

how about this Palit Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 JetStream

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Palit-GeFor...UTF8&qid=1424866187&sr=1-2&keywords=palit+970

 

[WittyRemark]

EVGA GTX970 AVX 2.0 costs £15 less than the windforce one, so I'll recommend that instead.

 

[lehtv]

I'd rather have Zotac than Palit, its warranty can be extended to 5 years with registration while Palit is limited to 2 year warranty. EVGA ACX is decent too, 3 year base warranty and 5 years with registration.

 

[MeldarthX]

Honestly if I was going to get a right now it would be this....and don't listen to Shin; about DX12; GCN will support it with no issues...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powercolor-...=UTF8&qid=1424866555&sr=1-1&keywords=PCS++290

BTW I just did get that card and its a beast...

http://www.amd.com/en-us/press-releases/Pages/amd-demonstrates-2014mar20.aspx

AMD revealed that it will support DirectX® 12 on all AMD Radeon™ GPUs that feature the Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture.

Honestly - 290 is cheaper; while only a hair slower at 1080P and is faster as you crank up features.....OC wells; and doesn't have gimped memory.

 

[NTMBK]

The 290 will support DX12, and already supports Mantle and TrueAudio.

 

[Yuriman]

You could always return the 290 if it has issues, which I don't expect. Or rather, you're just as likely to have issues with an NV card as an AMD one these days.

 

[TemjinGold]

Buy a 290 from a place with a good return policy. Use it a few days. If you don't like it, return it for a 970.

 

[Spanners]

They are both good cards the 970 uses less power and has all those Nvidia specific features but I'd be concerned how it's memory segmentation will effect performance in the future.

I've read that Zotac can be quite loud with the default fan curve. It's hard to tell from the photos but it's quite small in comparison to the WindForce card you linked. 20.5cm(8.0") vs 31cm(12.2") approx.

This R9 290 is one of the best around it runs cool and quiet. This GTX 970 also gets good reviews and runs passively at low temp/usage.

 

[Creig]

The 290 lacks DX11.3/DX12 features, PhysX, VGXI, uses ~100W more and HDMI 2.0 if you should ever need it.

The 290/290X actually has 4GB of usable VRAM vs the 3.5GB + 0.5GB segmented memory on the 970 that Nvidia is currently getting sued over.

The 290/290X supports DX12, Mantle, FreeSync, VSR. Oh, and the 290/290X costs less than a GTX 970.

If you're looking to get the most performance for your dollar, purchase a 290/290X.

 

[raghu78]

get a R9 290 Tri-X. good cooler. low noise and temps. the full speed 4GB keeps you better equipped for future games even at 1080p should you need the entire 4GB.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-TRI-X-Graphics-Card-PCI-E/dp/B00HFA44YQ/

 

[ShintaiDK]

Honestly if I was going to get a right now it would be this....and don't listen to Shin; about DX12; GCN will support it with no issues...

API support and feature support are 2 different things. Same reason why GCN will not support DX11.3.

 

[wand3r3r]

I wouldn't even consider a 970 knowing that it's basically a matter of time before you run into the VRAM problem. Note how those promoting the 970 ignore the fact that is has a huge design flaw which will become an issue as games continue to be more demanding. The only thing the 970 has going for it is efficiency, but considering it has the worst memory arrangement on a modern GPU it's cons far outweigh the pros, especially if you plan to keep it for a little while.

Save your money, the 290 is a great card and if you ever choose to buy another XDMA crossfire is excellent. Don't let a decade old experience fool you, both brands have their share of flaws and in general AMD drivers are excellent.

 

[xthetenth]

API support and feature support are 2 different things. Same reason why GCN will not support DX11.3.

Citation? Preferably not literal nvidia press releases?

And yeah, the 970 is a resoundingly decent card with a looming potential problem, thing is it's at a premium that might be worth it to gain peace of mind, not to lose it. Also total anecdote but I've had more driver problems and crashes with new games on mine than multiple AMD running friends put together, so I'd be severely surprised if the odds of problems with the 290 were significantly higher if at all. Get a 290, and if things really don't work with it, return it. 60 GBP is a hefty chunk of change for not much difference.

 

[Arachnotronic]

Buy a 290 from a place with a good return policy. Use it a few days. If you don't like it, return it for a 970.

:thumbsup:

 

[destrekor]

API support and feature support are 2 different things. Same reason why GCN will not support DX11.3.

Quit spreading FUD.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Citation? Preferably not literal nvidia press releases?

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn879499.aspx
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8544/microsoft-details-direct3d-113-12-new-features

 

[destrekor]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8544/microsoft-details-direct3d-113-12-new-features

You have linked to that in numerous threads, and have yet to point out how it proves your argument. Frankly, it seems to me you have no idea how to read, because that article, like the last time you linked to it, does not show how GCN is incompatible with DX11.3 or 12.

 

[therealnickdanger]

I just returned my 970 (full Amazon refund after 3 months) to await the release of AMD's new GPUs - and NVIDIA's obligatory follow up.

 

[johnno]

Thanks for all the great replies. It was worth asking the question

Until the last post I know I could be forever waiting, but what are AMDs next GPUs? I'm mindful that the 290 is already over a year old.

 

[Qwertilot]

Seems unclear! Ditto with when NV are going to launch their next gen really big ones.

Of course the current 290 prices are really not what AMD would like to be charging for the cards, so if the replacement is good it'll quite likely end up costing more.

Also the new NV cards will likely take a while before becoming sanely affordable etc. The quickest effect from all the new stuff is likely to be 980 prices getting trimmed, maybe 970's with it although less obvious there.

 

[96Firebird]

So many posts, so little content... :thumbsdown:

Johnno, what games do you play or plan on playing?

I'm assuming the PC that is in your sig is the PC this card is going into? What PSU do you have?

 

[destrekor]

Regarding new cards, if one decides they want to wait:

Nvidia has their GM200 (big-chip) to release sometime this year. That will be their expensive card, and the first release may very well be Quadro brand (professional market) cards and/or Titan brand, as opposed to the consumer GTX brand.
If this card does get a GTX brand model, it will probably be a GTX 990. It could be a 980 Ti, though that does not make sense. Some have suggested a GTX 1080, though I find that to be equally nonsensical, considering the desktop 900 class just started in the fall.

For AMD, they have the R9 300 series to release soon. All signs point to sometime between now and summer for a release of some product, likely their 380 or 390 cards first. I fully expect these to cost at least as much as the current retail for the GTX 980 cards. Remember, the 290X was right around that $550+ price target, they only dropped due to the effective competition from Nvidia.
AMD might very well be first to market with a new high-end card, and will likely cause a GTX 980 price drop to some degree. How long until we see an affordable GM200-based card from Nvidia is certainly unknown. It may be a Titan product that has an MSRP over $1000, and any GTX-brand releases may not be released until late Summer or Fall, based on Nvidia's past release schedules.