Which GeForce GTX 970 4GB to Buy?

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PuppyBoss

Member
Nov 27, 2015
42
2
71
The backplate really doesn't make much of any difference other than the fact it looks cool and kinda protects the back of the card. I wouldn't pay any extra for it, but if 2 have the same price its probably a nice-to-have
So the backplate doesn't prevent the cards sagging later on? Is cards sagging even a thing, and should I be concerned?
 

Seba

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2000
1,497
144
106
Among the above list, the cheapest is 28.3k & the costliest is 33.5k, so the price difference is Rs. 5200, which is $75. What I feel is, when I'm spending so much for the card, I'd rather pay a little extra and get the best one out there
That is 18% difference between the cheapest and the most expensive in your list. I would not call that "a little extra", especially when all the cards have the same GPU, so no major performance differences.
 
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PuppyBoss

Member
Nov 27, 2015
42
2
71
That is 18% difference between the cheapest and the most expensive in your list. I would not call that "a little extra", especially when all the cards have the same GPU, so no major performance differences.
Well, I didn't realize its 18% price difference. But still, I don't want to end up with a card that ends up with overheating problems, coil whine, noisy fan, sagging card due to poor structural design, or anything of the sorts. If it's, say, another 2k more, I will pay it, if the card is significantly better in the above regards (My budget: 30k, +upto 2k if it really makes a difference)

That said, I don't want to unnecessarily spend extra if there is no differences among them. Granted, the clock speeds, etc are the same (more or less) that's why I'm looking at design flaws, etc to shorten the choices. I've been reading user reviews on many many shopping sites (newegg, amazon, etc) and some have complained saying their card died after 5 months, or started making noises after a while. Some could be manufacturing defects and thus isolated incidents. Dunno how much weightage I should give to those comments.
 

crazzy.heartz

Member
Sep 13, 2010
183
26
81
Good lord, I did not know this. Now I'm scared AF to buy this D:
Reading through the 398 comments didn't help either. There are those saying performance is not affected, & there are those saying it's OK for the games out now, but future games will take a hit with this. Some have complained that games like Dying Light & Borderlands Pre-Sequel have taken a hit with just 1080p resolutions with Ultra settings. Dunno how many of these are genuine comments. I know this is a big controversy and has been discussed elsewhere, but could someone tell me whether it's OK to buy the card with this limitation? I intend to always use a single monitor, never dual or triple screens. I have been gaming at 1920x1080 resolution on my 22" LCD. I might increase this resolution later with the new card. Will this cause any hurdles for gaming the latest titles, and future titles?

Of course the 3.5 GB RAM is going to factor in.. It matters right now and will matter a lot more in 1-2 years.. Let alone the 4-5 years you intend to keep this card. And that too at 1080p..

For 1440p or higher rez, you'd have to dial down on the quality settings in most games..

Most of the members here buy their 970 for $300 or less.. Its a great card for that price.. But, you're buying this 970 for $450-$470

There is a reason why 980ti comes with 6GB because more RAM is and will b needed at higher resolution and in upcoming games..

Don't cripple yourself with a $450 3.5 GB in 2015.. It's 2016 basically.. 970 was released in 2013 i think.. More and more Hi Resolution, affordable /TVs are gonna come out and you'll b kicking yourself in the foot as this card is gonna held you back..

It's fine if you don't like AMD .. But AMD is selling 8GB 390/390x which performs the same as 970.. Yes it uses 80-90 more watts but it'll perform much at higher resolution / games that need more RAM..

At least inquire about the local AMD 390/390x prices..
 

PuppyBoss

Member
Nov 27, 2015
42
2
71
Also, Zotac offers 5 years warranty vs 3 years for all other brands.. Its the cheapest as well.. @Rs 26,200/-

www.snapdeal.com/product/zotac-nvidia-geforce-gtx-970/1972009682

Pay the least amount of money as possible for a 970.. Youll have a 5 year warranty to keep you safe..

Thanks for factoring that in. Yes, this card is overpriced over here. Seems like a good idea to buy this card in the US (have a friend who's coming back from US, could ask him to buy it for me, perhaps). The warranty will be valid in India for a card or any other electronic equipment purchased abroad, right?
 

Mercennarius

Senior member
Oct 28, 2015
466
84
91
It's fine if you don't like AMD .. But AMD is selling 8GB 390/390x which performs the same as 970.. Yes it uses 80-90 more watts but it'll perform much at higher resolution / games that need more RAM..

At least inquire about the local AMD 390/390x prices..

I'd say a 390X is a little quicker in most situations and with better DX12 compatibility and more VRAM will age much better on newer games than a 970 Will.
 

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,355
642
121
Of course the 3.5 GB RAM is going to factor in.. It matters right now and will matter a lot more in 1-2 years.. Let alone the 4-5 years you intend to keep this card. And that too at 1080p..

For 1440p or higher rez, you'd have to dial down on the quality settings in most games..

Most of the members here buy their 970 for $300 or less.. Its a great card for that price.. But, you're buying this 970 for $450-$470

There is a reason why 980ti comes with 6GB because more RAM is and will b needed at higher resolution and in upcoming games..

Don't cripple yourself with a $450 3.5 GB in 2015.. It's 2016 basically.. 970 was released in 2013 i think.. More and more Hi Resolution, affordable /TVs are gonna come out and you'll b kicking yourself in the foot as this card is gonna held you back..

It's fine if you don't like AMD .. But AMD is selling 8GB 390/390x which performs the same as 970.. Yes it uses 80-90 more watts but it'll perform much at higher resolution / games that need more RAM..

At least inquire about the local AMD 390/390x prices..

That power difference of 80-90 watts is probably a lot less since for the GTX 970 to match the R9 390/surpass it. It needs a max OC. That difference in actual gaming loads is probably a lot less if the GTX 970 is clocked to match an R9 390.

I understand you're making the point and trying to be as nice to the GTX 970 as possible to show that the R9 390 is a good deal though!

Honestly though I agree with you. GTX 770 owners who picked up a 2GB VRAM card when new consoles were coming out made me cry. I mean 2GB of VRAM when you know the consoles have a 8GB shared RAM pool? Do you expect your card to last?

But hey, Nvidia is THE best company at this. It's why I love them so much as a company. They sell cards that win benchmarks TODAY right NOW. They maximize profits by giving people enough hardware to be great NOW, but don't give much leeway into the future allowing them to sell ANOTHER card later.

But hey, we saw this with the GTX 770 2GB VRAM card. So I won't be surprised to see people make the same mistake now with the GTX 970.

OP has 2 choices.
NEVER worry about VRAM again.
or
Worry about VRAM, and pay more to do so......

He has chosen option 2.... I don't get it, but that's his choice.

Edit: I was NOT an AMD fan or even wanted an AMD GPU myself. But it was 2 GB of VRAM in a GTX 680 vs 3 GB VRAM in a HD 7950....
Thank GOD I did not Pay more for the Nvidia GPU back then with LESS VRAM.
 
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amenx

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2004
4,007
2,277
136
Almost laughable to think VRAM future proofs a game. Every year, your top tier card almost becomes a virtual mid range card when new ones are released. 8Gb cards will still get thrashed by newer, lower tiered 4gb ones on release.
 

Headfoot

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2008
4,444
641
126
So the backplate doesn't prevent the cards sagging later on? Is cards sagging even a thing, and should I be concerned?

I've never seen a card sag, nor have I ever had a card sag, and I've never bought a card that has a backplate. Except maybe an old GTX 260?
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
But hey, Nvidia is THE best company at this. It's why I love them so much as a company. They sell cards that win benchmarks TODAY right NOW. They maximize profits by giving people enough hardware to be great NOW, but don't give much leeway into the future allowing them to sell ANOTHER card later.

How many avid gamers buy a GPU to last 3-5 years? Just like CPUs, the Next Best Thing is always around the corner... and enthusiasts pay the money to stay in the upper tier. GPUs aren't an investment, they are just part of the cost of operation.
 

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,355
642
121
How many avid gamers buy a GPU to last 3-5 years? Just like CPUs, the Next Best Thing is always around the corner... and enthusiasts pay the money to stay in the upper tier. GPUs aren't an investment, they are just part of the cost of operation.

Who said 3-5 years?

And did you seriously just attempt to compare the GPU market to the CPU market for longevity of parts? You've basically discredited yourself completely.
 

crazzy.heartz

Member
Sep 13, 2010
183
26
81
Thanks for factoring that in. Yes, this card is overpriced over here. Seems like a good idea to buy this card in the US (have a friend who's coming back from US, could ask him to buy it for me, perhaps). The warranty will be valid in India for a card or any other electronic equipment purchased abroad, right?

Unless a brand offers Global warranty, I doubt that the local distributor / service centre is going to honor warranty claim for a card purchased from abroad. Not worth the risk IMO..


I'd say a 390X is a little quicker in most situations and with better DX12 compatibility and more VRAM will age much better on newer games than a 970 Will.

My thoughts exactly.

That power difference of 80-90 watts is probably a lot less since for the GTX 970 to match the R9 390/surpass it. It needs a max OC. That difference in actual gaming loads is probably a lot less if the GTX 970 is clocked to match an R9 390.

Honestly though I agree with you. GTX 770 owners who picked up a 2GB VRAM card when new consoles were coming out made me cry. I mean 2GB of VRAM when you know the consoles have a 8GB shared RAM pool? Do you expect your card to last?

OP has 2 choices.
NEVER worry about VRAM again.
or
Worry about VRAM, and pay more to do so......

He has chosen option 2.... I don't get it, but that's his choice.

Edit: I was NOT an AMD fan or even wanted an AMD GPU myself. But it was 2 GB of VRAM in a GTX 680 vs 3 GB VRAM in a HD 7950....
Thank GOD I did not Pay more for the Nvidia GPU back then with LESS VRAM.

Its not even a fair comparison this time around. Its not 4GB vs 8GB, Its 3.5 vs 8.

I can understand why someone doesn't want to go for a card from a non preferred brand and that usues power. Heck, thats the reason why I haven't bought a 390/390x already.. And I've been using AMD cards for 6-7 years..

I had allocated 200 watts towards GPU, when building my current system. However, looking at current games, resolutions and GPU performance across the board, one can't help but notice the new trend which favors more VRAM..

At first, 970 seem to fit the bill perfectly for me and i am itching to replace the current GPU.. But after looking at this 3.5 GB thing and that it's a 2013 card, I just couldt pull the trigger..
 

crazzy.heartz

Member
Sep 13, 2010
183
26
81
Almost laughable to think VRAM future proofs a game. Every year, your top tier card almost becomes a virtual mid range card when new ones are released. 8Gb cards will still get thrashed by newer, lower tiered 4gb ones on release.

Can you honestly tell OP that a 4 GB(3.5 effective) 970 is going to serve him better than a 8 GB 390/390x.. He is buying a new GPU and would then upgrade the rest of his system.. Also, as he's been using 1080p display for some time, would most likely upgrade that as well wih he rest of his system for a bigger / higher rez display.. How well would that 970 hold up then compared to a 390.

How well did a 2GB 680 held up against a 3GB 7970.. Not everyone buys new GFX cards every year for marginally better performance..
 

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
Thanks for factoring that in. Yes, this card is overpriced over here. Seems like a good idea to buy this card in the US (have a friend who's coming back from US, could ask him to buy it for me, perhaps). The warranty will be valid in India for a card or any other electronic equipment purchased abroad, right?

Chances are, the warranty will not be valid in India if the card was purchased in the U.S. However, if you are saving $100-150 by buying it in the U.S., I would easily take that chance.

The average chance of failure/return rate on GPUs is small:

- Gainward 1,41%-1,44%
- ASUS 1,66%-2,08%)
- Gigabyte 1,78%-2,37%
- MSI 2,16%-2,48%
- Sapphire 2,28%-2,71%
- Zotac 2,32%-1,57%
- Inno3D 3,69%
http://www.hardware.fr/articles/944-5/cartes-graphiques.html

Also, if your friend can bring you parts from the US, if he does decide to help you, you can re-post in this thread. Prices on GPUs change often.

You can also try to order an awesome CPU cooler in the US (just check if your case can support 170mm coolers):
http://www.nansgaminggear.net/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TS-140-BW-RevA-TY147A

With your friend in the US, keep an eye out on EVGA B-stock deals too as sometimes 980 drops to $350.

Almost laughable to think VRAM future proofs a game. Every year, your top tier card almost becomes a virtual mid range card when new ones are released. 8Gb cards will still get thrashed by newer, lower tiered 4gb ones on release.

Most likely true but 390 is a faster card than the 970 to begin with and is better positioned for someone to use over 2-3 years. This is even more true considering how well AMD cards tend to age over time vs. NV. If the OP can actually buy a card in the US, then 970 is no longer the easy default choice. That means in this case it's not 8GB vs. 4GB but you get a card that has more GPU horsepower, performs better at 1440P (meaning it's more likely to last longer with next gen games) and has > 3.5GB of VRAM as a bonus.

In any event, since GPU prices change so frequently, it could be possible to buy a 970 + CPU cooler for less than an R9 390 or vice versa. That's why if the OP is buying in the US through a friend, this should definitely be considered since $30-40 that can go towards an awesome CPU cooler that'll help him hit 4.5-4.8Ghz on a 2500K is a HUGE benefit that can swing the buying decision alone based on the price of 970 vs. 390 at the time of purchase.
 
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tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,355
642
121
Can you honestly tell OP that a 4 GB(3.5 effective) 970 is going to serve him better than a 8 GB 390/390x.. He is buying a new GPU and would then upgrade the rest of his system.. Also, as he's been using 1080p display for some time, would most likely upgrade that as well wih he rest of his system for a bigger / higher rez display.. How well would that 970 hold up then compared to a 390.

How well did a 2GB 680 held up against a 3GB 7970.. Not everyone buys new GFX cards every year for marginally better performance..

It's how you know the fanboyism on this forum is real on BOTH sides.

For Nvidia fanboys, they defend the GTX 970 with 3.5 GB of VRAM. Because no games use a lot of VRAM anyway. But the second you talk about the Fury cards (Despite their other shortcomings), it ONLY has 4GB of VRAM vs the GTX 980 Ti 6GB of VRAM.
Huh? I thought 3.5 GB of VRAM was enough right?

For AMD fanboys, they say Fury X does amazing with 4GB of VRAM, and that no games use over 4GB of VRAM, and that AMD will do the memory management to ensure the 4GB of VRAM is enough.
Yet I thought the GTX 970 3.5GB VRAM segmented wasn't enough? Or that dealing with NVidia optimizing a segmented card wasn't worth it?
Why not just take the GTX 980Ti and not deal with it?

It's fanboyism on BOTH sides and it's really just pathetic.

R9 390 > GTX 970
GTX 980Ti > Fury X

And the R9 390 and the GTX 980Ti are the only 2 cards really worth getting. 6GB VRAM and 8GB VRAM cards as the 2 top recommendations. So no, I'm NOT going to get a 3.5 GB VRAM card, when that will be below the 4GB VRAM low midrange cards, the 6GB VRAM midrange cards, and the 8GB highend cards.
 

Seba

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2000
1,497
144
106
For Nvidia fanboys, they defend the GTX 970 with 3.5 GB of VRAM. Because no games use a lot of VRAM anyway. But the second you talk about the Fury cards (Despite their other shortcomings), it ONLY has 4GB of VRAM vs the GTX 980 Ti 6GB of VRAM.
Huh? I thought 3.5 GB of VRAM was enough right?
Fury X is much more expensive than GTX 970, so if you pay that kind of money you are less willing to compromise.
 

amenx

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2004
4,007
2,277
136
Can you honestly tell OP that a 4 GB(3.5 effective) 970 is going to serve him better than a 8 GB 390/390x..

Most likely true but 390 is a faster card than the 970 to begin with and is better positioned for someone to use over 2-3 years.
I wasnt talking about the 970 vs 390 per se, just the fact/opinion that higher vram as a criteria on its own for 'future-proofing' doesnt work when GPU power is more the decisive factor. Not to say that games made to use/cache more than 4gb vram wont appear, but historically we've always seen how well newer lower vram cards perform. AMDs GCN architecture is more the reason why their 290/390/390x have continued to do well rather than their higher vram. Wouldnt be surprised of a future 3gb lower mid range card eating todays 8gb cards for breakfast even at higher res.
 

PuppyBoss

Member
Nov 27, 2015
42
2
71
I've never seen a card sag, nor have I ever had a card sag, and I've never bought a card that has a backplate. Except maybe an old GTX 260?
Good to know. Won't give the backplate any special consideration now.

Unless a brand offers Global warranty, I doubt that the local distributor / service centre is going to honor warranty claim for a card purchased from abroad. Not worth the risk IMO..
Doubt GPU's have global warranty. Think items like PS/XBox might have though. It's a risk as you said.

Its not even a fair comparison this time around. Its not 4GB vs 8GB, Its 3.5 vs 8.
I agree, but the 390 is way over my budget. The 6GB 390 costs 39900 here :'(

However, if you are saving $100-150 by buying it in the U.S., I would easily take that chance.
That's something to seriously consider now that you mention it. Will have a chat with him.

You can also try to order an awesome CPU cooler in the US.......
.....CPU cooler that'll help him hit 4.5-4.8Ghz on a 2500K is a HUGE benefit
Should I try to overclock my CPU? I am very new to that area and have no idea about overclocking and what to watch out for to prevent damages in case it's too much. I haven't even OC'ed my GPU till now!

Keep an eye out on EVGA B-stock deals too as sometimes 980 drops to $350.
Wouldn't that be risky as it's scratched/dented.used parts? The chances of failure will be more, and the no warranty cover abroad issue?

390 is a faster card than the 970 to begin with and is better positioned for someone to use over 2-3 years.
Looks like the the 8GB 390X is the same price in the US as the 970 in India! D:

I'd also like to mention why I'm inclined towards NVidia cards. Most games are very well optimized to run on Nvidia cards, so that means less hassle and headaches when playing games. I've observed many AMD users complain they have some graphics issue or the other on many games, and forums telling them to do different things as a workaround. I cannot say how exactly the situation is with AMD cards, as I've never owned even one till now. If the 390X is really good, with double the VRAM, and the same price, then I might be just desperate (if you'll forgive me) enough to buy that. The price here is way more for the 390, and in the US, according to BestBuy, the price is $430 which is 29k (within my budget)
 
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PuppyBoss

Member
Nov 27, 2015
42
2
71
Watch that video OP. If you chose a 390, it is a good card and you will be happy more than likely.
That video looks promising enough. So the 970 is still on the table. The 390 requires more power right? I don't have an issue with power actually, as I have a 750W Seasonics MII12 Bronze, but as the power intake increases, won't the temperatures also shoot up? I dunno whats wrong with my current setup, but when gaming on my GTX 460, the temp remains in 92-96 degrees range. I tried removing the side panel and even keeping the cabinet out of my compact table where there's not enough airflow. (I checked the temps with Tech Powerup GPU-Z). Isn't this a rather high temp range for the card to be in? Or is it OK? And should I restrict myself to lower TDP (?) cards which pull less power (to prevent heating issues when I keep the cabinet back in the computer table)

On another note, here's a video spoof of Der Untergang about the 3.5GB + .5 GB issue. Had me chuckling for quite a while
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNGi06cq_pQ

And this too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDtNGi06cq_pQ&v=BdwUsalwBJ8
 
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Teizo

Golden Member
Oct 28, 2010
1,271
31
91
That video looks promising enough. So the 970 is still on the table. The 390 requires more power right? I don't have an issue with power actually, as I have a 750W Seasonics MII12 Bronze, but as the power intake increases, won't the temperatures also shoot up? I dunno whats wrong with my current setup, but when gaming on my GTX 460, the temp remains in 92-96 degrees range. I tried removing the side panel and even keeping the cabinet out of my compact table where there's not enough airflow. (I checked the temps with Tech Powerup GPU-Z). Isn't this a rather high temp range for the card to be in? Or is it OK? And should I restrict myself to lower TDP (?) cards which pull less power (to prevent heating issues when I keep the cabinet back in the computer table)

I'm not sure why your 460 is running that hot, but the 970 shouldn't. Depends on your case and the ambient temp and other variables...but the 970 when I had it stayed in the upper mid 60s at stock and lower 70s when it was overclocked to 1.5ghz vcore and 8ghz vram....but I live in North Carolina and have good airflow in my Define R4.

If you like spoof vids, you will probably get a kick out of this video about the latest Radeon driver fiasco when they messed up and locked the fan speed to 20% and people's cards overheated and fried.

Same guy as in second vid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruCr6OXbK5E
 

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,355
642
121
The fact that people need convincing to take a card with more VRAM given pretty much all other things being equal is mind boggling. I can't even post in this thread or deal with the reasoning ya'll use to live your lives.... just mind boggling.
 

Teizo

Golden Member
Oct 28, 2010
1,271
31
91
Or it could just be that if he wants a 970 then people should just let him buy what he wants rather than try to 'save' him from the horrors of the 500mb boogie monster with overblown jibberish.

Either card is fine, but if he wants a 970...then let him buy a 970 and quit making up junk to make it out like he is committing some atrocity that will ruin his pc gaming experience. The 390 has 8gb of vram, but it is not like it is a powerful enough chip to use it all efficiently. It really is a matter of 3.5gb vs 4gb.
 
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