Need opinion on GPU purchase

[ZeR04U]

Currently have a GTX 770 (just bought) and realized it's 2gb instead of 4gb. Noticing some games like Titanfall really need the extra VRAM. I did get an RMA back from Newegg to return for a full refund.

Question, what should I do and why:

1) Hang onto the GTX 770 (originally bought for $330).
2) Return the GTX 770 and buy the 4 gb for $80 more.
3) Return the GTX 770 and buy the GTX 780.

Currently game on 1080 and not sure I'll make the switch in the near future to 1440 or 4000. Would probably use the GTX 780 for 1+ years before I sell and/or upgrade to 800 series or SLI options for 4K.

System Specs: I7 930i (oc'd, 3.4ghz), 16g G Skill Ripjack, Windows 7 64 bit, Asus Sabertooth X58, 1000W Corsair PSU.

My original card was a GTX 570 of which I sold to a friend (the 1gb version).

Thanks!

 

[nwo]

GTX 780 for sure! It's only gonna be a few bucks more than the 4GB 760 and it's a way better deal if you ask me, even though it has "only" 3GB VRAM.

 

[OCGuy]

There is no difference between the two at 1080p. Titanfall is a Source engine console port with a stutter-laden Beta that wont use over 1GB at your res. There is a thread that has this discussion in it on the front page here you should check it out.

You would be crazy to make any changes when you are revisiting everything in one year anyway

 

[ICDP]

If SLI is even remotely on your radar then get one with more VRAM. 2GB is fine now with 1080p but if games do start demanding more VRAM in a year or two, then the selling price of a 2GB card will tank badly. Personally I would go with GTX780 over GTX770 4BG all day long.

Assuming US prices.
Cheapest GTX770 4GB $370
Cheapest GTX780 $500

GTX780 is around 20%-30% faster.

 

[ZeR04U]

There is no difference between the two at 1080p. Titanfall is a Source engine console port with a stutter-laden Beta that wont use over 1GB at your res. There is a thread that has this discussion in it on the front page here you should check it out.

You would be crazy to make any changes when you are revisiting everything in one year anyway

Well, I will be revisiting CPU and such in a year, but if a GTX 780 would last me a couple and run all current games at ultra settings that would be best. I just hear that some games are pushing beyond 3gb and even 1080 Titanfall wont even let you set insane with a 2gb card (which is lame).

So I'm just trying to accommodate for that and if possible get a card now that will last me a good couple years.

 

[ZeR04U]

There is no difference between the two at 1080p. Titanfall is a Source engine console port with a stutter-laden Beta that wont use over 1GB at your res. There is a thread that has this discussion in it on the front page here you should check it out.

You would be crazy to make any changes when you are revisiting everything in one year anyway

And appreciate the insight OCGuy. I mean after I sold my GTX I basically only spent $400 to get a GTX 770 (from GTX 570) and 16 GB RAM (from 6 GB) so that's pretty cheap from a temp upgrade.

Do you think that would last me over a year while being allowed to game at high/very high settings?

 

[ZeR04U]

Eh after giving thought think I'll stick with the GTX 770 and cancel my RMA. I think it provides a solid boost for now (over the GTX 570, think I saw about 50% performance increase) and my CPU will prob. bottleneck in the near future anyway.

GTX 770 should last me the next year + and it sounds like architecture is changing for quite a bit of stuff anyway (including possibly DDR 4 memory).

All in all $400 is fairly cheap for a good upgrade ($360 if I didn't want to keep the free Assassin's Creed) that will last over a year with settings fairly high if not max on 1080.

Thanks folks, did read some of the various threads on here. Probably best to wait for cards to be better optimized for 1440 or > cause I really don't feel the need to blow $1,000 on video cards (SLI) to run things at max.

 

[Carfax83]

A GTX 770 with a 2GB frame buffer is excellent for 1080p. A GTX 780 would be overkill for that resolution, and is only about 18% faster on average unless you resort to using very high levels of AA.

I think you made the right choice. By the time 4K monitors become more accessible, there will be GPUs that are far faster than any current model..

 

[ZeR04U]

Thanks carfax! I see you and OCGuy posting pretty interesting and informative information, so appreciate both your opinions.

Also, do you think my processor (I7 930i oc'd to 3.4) is bottlenecking things? I don't feel it is, but just kind of got into overclocking and messing around with timings.

It's a fairly old processor, but I don't want to upgrade at the moment if I don't have to. Again, thinking if I'm running 1080 it wouldn't be an issue, but would like to hear from the pros.

 

[TFchris]

GTX780 is probably the best bang for the buck at the moment.

Unless you can find some used 4GB GTX680 / HD7970's for a bargain.

 

[rgallant]

(I7 930i oc'd to 3.4)
wouldn't hurt to have a 3.7, 3.9, 4.1 bios profile on hand to compare games , if you have the cooling.
I ran my[920] @ 4.0 - 4.2 [4-8 threads]but thats how/why I have the cooling in my sig. to day .

 

[rgallant]

GTX780 is probably the best bang for the buck at the moment.

Unless you can find some used 4GB GTX680 / HD7970's for a bargain.

add in the max 780oc and it goes up - per the adandtech of max oc in their reviews of the 770 vs 780.