Replacing my 9600GT with a GTX 280...

[Tripperdude]

It was 75 bucks, it runs at GTX 285 speeds and with the 512-bit GDDR3 (at 160 GB/s) it renders 2D like a champ. I'm not a gamer so framerates aren't significant to me...I edit video and audio mostly.

Plus, I believe a 128-bit bus (found on most cards in my price range today) will bottleneck the most intense graphics no matter how fast the GDDR is, right? My 9600 was 256-bit and 128 just seems like a step down.

Now except for the power draw (which btw my PSU can handle) I have no complaints about this card. It hits 230W when maxing out 3D frames, which isn't very often. Most of the time temps run just below 50C, or just above if I push a bit. And the card is rated for 100C.

With Black Friday only two months away I figure I'll find a good deal on a 7850 then. (I saw those Powercolor refurbs at The Egg, but spent my money on an SSD instead!)

If anyone here has any objections, let him speak now. In other words, have I overlooked any good reason to return the 280 while I still can?

Thanks in advance for your interest, and your replies.

 

[Jaydip]

Let just say I don't like to spend money on obsolete tech.Unless editing video or audio is your profession I would just sit tight until the Black Friday deals.

 

[SPBHM]

128 bit GDDR5 is not a step down from 256bit GDDR3.

75 is probably enough for a 7770...

7770 is probably as fast for DX9/DX10 but using far less power, and when DX11 is factor...

 

[24601]

You would have been better served with a 460 or a 7770, as they would both have presumably much better driver support along with ability to use DX 11 and good CUDA and OpenCL capability respectively.

The CUDA and OpenCL capability might be important to you if you use video and audio editing programs that support it.

Also, if you overclock the cards the 460 is better by a mile compared to the 280.

 

[arkcom]

You went from 6 generations old to 5 generations old. Not worth it any price.

 

[DownTheSky]

You would have been better served with a 460 or a 7770, as they would both have presumably much better driver support along with ability to use DX 11 and good CUDA and OpenCL capability respectively.

The CUDA and OpenCL capability might be important to you if you use video and audio editing programs that support it.

Also, if you overclock the cards the 460 is better by a mile compared to the 280.

What this guy said. Also advice for the future: instead of acting smart and looking stupid (from what you wrote you have no idea what you've talking about) don't go beyond your means.

Warning issued for thread crapping.
-- stahlhart

 

[FalseChristian]

The GTX 280 is a significant upgrade over the slow-ass 9600GT. The only drawback is that it doesn't support the latest OpenGL 4.3 or DirectX 11.

 

[Tripperdude]

What this guy said. Also advice for the future: instead of acting smart and looking stupid (from what you wrote you have no idea what you've talking about) don't go beyond your means.

Lack of DX11, OGL 4 and the higher power consumption are negatives, I grant you that. I run two monitors now and look to upgrade them soon, hoping the higher GDDR-bandwidth of the 280 will be a big benefit. Because from what I've read, the 128-bit cards bottleneck multiple-monitor systems, is that right or not?
Because if its false I may as well go with a 7770 or a 7790, even a 550Ti maybe.

 

[amenx]

For $25 more you could get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127687

and its better than a gtx285:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5541/amd-radeon-hd-7750-radeon-hd-7770-ghz-edition-review

 

[Zap]

It was 75 bucks

That's my issue. It isn't as if a GTX 280/285 is a bad upgrade for you, but for $75 it is, since a much faster GTX 460 should cost that much these days.

 

[toyota]

That's my issue. It isn't as if a GTX 280/285 is a bad upgrade for you, but for $75 it is, since a much faster GTX 460 should cost that much these days.

a gtx460 is certainly not "much faster" and in fact it was slower than the gtx285 overall. and the 768mb model was really not much better than the gtx260.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Went from a 8800gts 512mb to a gtx280 when that card debuted,i remember the card in the majority of my games almost doubling in performance fps wise and at the time i almost regretted it cause of price but overall it was a awesome card especially after the first adopters got their $150 back like i did making what was a $650 card a $500 one.

Not a bad card but unless you got the psu or get one hell of a good deal on the gtx280,there is much better modern choices out there.

 

[DigDog]

i also went 8800 -> 280 (second hand) -> 7750, and the 7750 is by far the better of the three - first and foremost because it doesn't sound like a jet taking off... plus ofc the nonexistent heat and minute power draw.

 

[Zap]

a gtx460 is certainly not "much faster" and in fact it was slower than the gtx285 overall. and the 768mb model was really not much better than the gtx260.

DOH! You're right. Looks as if the faster 1GB GTX 460 is only a hair faster than a GTX 285, so the 768MB version may very well be slower.

GTX 285 vs GTX 460 1GB

Looks like the huge benefit would be power usage.

As an aside, wonder why AnandTech doesn't keep around the older benches? My browser history still has the 2011 GPU bench link, but it no longer exists.

 

[mindbomb]

gtx 460 1gb/gtx 560/gtx 560 ti were really popular, and you can find great deals for used ones on ebay.

sub $100 gtx 560 ti's for example.

 

[Tripperdude]

DOH! You're right. Looks as if the faster 1GB GTX 460 is only a hair faster than a GTX 285, so the 768MB version may very well be slower.

GTX 285 vs GTX 460 1GB

Looks like the huge benefit would be power usage.

As an aside, wonder why AnandTech doesn't keep around the older benches? My browser history still has the 2011 GPU bench link, but it no longer exists.

Yeah, I loved the performance of the 280, it rivals most mid-range cards in DX10 and 2D but in the end I couldn't get past the 230W draw in 3D, so I took it back today. Ebay has a ton of GTX 460's used and cheap, but I think I'll just wait for Black Friday and see if an HD 7850 can't come down to $100. If it can it will be worth the wait.

It took five-and-a-half years for me to afford an nVidia flagship card, and with 780's and 790's in the $400-$500 range it'll be another five before I can consider it again. I noticed they like to soak up the juice too.

Thanks all for writing in, it is much appreciated.

PS: I swear my 9600GT is much LOUDER than the GTX 280 was!

 

[Deders]

If you aren't gaming then you don't really need much power or memory bandwidth. What will you be using your computer for?

 

[nenforcer]

The Radeon HD 9000 series will be announced next week and in stores by late October so when Black Friday rolls around there should be some good deals on the Radeon HD 7000 series.