# Which one should I go for?



## A_ashish_A (Dec 12, 2012)

I am currently running gtx560(non ti) in my pc. now I want to upgrade to current gen graphic card. I have two thoughts in my mind...plz suggest which should I go for??

1) Buying a gtx 660ti and SLI with my current gtx560. I also want to know is it possible to SLI gtx 660ti and gtx 560{non ti)? 

2) second option is to discard and sell my current gtx560 and buy a new amd 7950 or 7870.

Plz suggest guys which one is best option among above and which one will give better performance on single moniter? I have no plan for multi moniter but plan to upgrade moniter size from my current 22 inches to 27 inches. My config is in my sig.


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## rock2702 (Dec 12, 2012)

First option is not feasible as same gpu's can only be put in sli or crossfire.Go for the second option.


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## Myth (Dec 12, 2012)

First option is possible with hacks/mods, but not advisable. 
Option 2 is much better. Take a *7950*.


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## Jripper (Dec 12, 2012)

Option 2 all the way. 7950 and 7870 are beasts.


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## A_ashish_A (Dec 12, 2012)

Thanx for clear answers guys... will go for 7950 or 7870


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## Thetrueblueviking (Dec 12, 2012)

+1 to 7950.


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## Cilus (Dec 12, 2012)

For SLI, you need exactly same cards. So 660Ti + 560 Ti is not going to work at all. Get the Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X OC with Boost from Vedant Computer, Kolkata @ 20.7K + 4% tax. With the latest 12.11 Beta 8 driver updates, now its performance is comparable to GTX 670. Also it has huge Compute performance advantage over any Nvidia cards available from Kepler series. As you know Compute performance is going to play a very important role in gaming industry too as a lot of gaming quality features like Ambient Occlusion (AO), Field of View (FoV), Depth of Field (DOF) and HDR are getting implemented using DirectCompute API which stresses the compute performance of the GPU. 
Another advantage of 7950, due to 384 bit memory bus  and  3GB Video Memory, it will allow you to enable maximum Anti Aliasing (AA) and Anisotrophic Filtering (AF) in games, resulting better image quality.


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## Myth (Dec 13, 2012)

Sli with two dissimilar nvidia cards is possible, just not supported by nvidia at the moment ( and probably not in the future also)
SLI with different cards - techPowerUp! Forums
Quite a lot of data to substantiate the coupling.  
I havent gone though the whole thread yet, but i think it might be limited to a particular generation(s) of cards.

In any case, the Sapphire 7950 is a much better alternative.


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## ico (Dec 13, 2012)

HD 7950 gets another vote.


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## Cilus (Dec 13, 2012)

Myth, I used to have SLI of Nvidia 6800 Ultra, back in 2005 and using multi-gpu for some time. The SLI of dissimilar cards you're talking about is possible with a normal and re-branded card using BIOS modification of the older one. For example, 9800GTX and GTS 250 both are same cards, the later being a re-branded version of the former. Now using Nvidia driver, SLI isn't possible as the card Bios shows them as different cards. But it is possible to update the BIOS of 9800GTX with a GTS 250 BIOS, obviously a proper one, matching the 9800GTX card's specifications. Then you can SLI the GTS 250 and 9800 GTX. But two completely dissimilar cards like a GTX 560 and GTX 570 can't be SLIed and the restriction is in the implementation of SLI, not in software level.

Actually the original SLI stands for *Scan-Line Interleaved*, developed by *3dfx Interactive* who created the 1st Dual GPU card in their Voodoo lineup and it was possible for only similar cards. After Nvidia purchased 3dfx, they followed the same methodology to implement current SLI or *Scalable Link Interface*. That's why SLI is not supported by dissimilar cards.

You will be surprised to know that the original *3dfx SLI is also the forefather of AMD CrossfireX technology* where dissimilar cards can be paired together. When 3dfx desolves, some of their engineers who were working on multi-gpu of dissimilar cards join ATI and implemented their idea of multi-GPU setup which you know as Crossfire.


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## Myth (Dec 13, 2012)

Cilus said:


> Myth, I used to have SLI of Nvidia 6800 Ultra, back in 2005 and using multi-gpu for some time. The SLI of dissimilar cards you're talking about is possible with a normal and re-branded card using BIOS modification of the older one. For example, 9800GTX and GTS 250 both are same cards, the later being a re-branded version of the former. Now using Nvidia driver, SLI isn't possible as the card Bios shows them as different cards. But it is possible to update the BIOS of 9800GTX with a GTS 250 BIOS, obviously a proper one, matching the 9800GTX card's specifications. Then you can SLI the GTS 250 and 9800 GTX. But two completely dissimilar cards like a GTX 560 and GTX 570 can't be SLIed and the restriction is in the implementation of SLI, not in software level.
> 
> Actually the original SLI stands for *Scan-Line Interleaved*, developed by *3dfx Interactive* who created the 1st Dual GPU card in their Voodoo lineup and it was possible for only similar cards. After Nvidia purchased 3dfx, they followed the same methodology to implement current SLI or *Scalable Link Interface*. That's why SLI is not supported by dissimilar cards.
> 
> You will be surprised to know that the original *3dfx SLI is also the forefather of AMD CrossfireX technology* where dissimilar cards can be paired together. When 3dfx desolves, some of their engineers who were working on multi-gpu of dissimilar cards join ATI and implemented their idea of multi-GPU setup which you know as Crossfire.



I sort of understood the card generation limitation from the link. Long term this multi gpu setup with bios modifications and updates doesnt seem worth the effort. Best to stick to same cards in sli or better yet a powerful single card. 

The last two paragraphs are really good info. Thanks for that


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## A_ashish_A (Dec 13, 2012)

@cilus do Vedant computers sell online?? Do they have any online shop? I searched but didn't found any.


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## topgear (Dec 14, 2012)

negative  you have to make use of the phone or just send an e-mail. They can provide you shipping if you place the order through phone.


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## amjath (Dec 14, 2012)

I have been looking for this graphic card as well. Vedant is the only store giving for such a low price whereas in md computers it is out of stock with high price  IMO vedant should have a online site or atleast ebay page for customers like me


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## Cilus (Dec 14, 2012)

^^ They're working on it. But in one way, I think Vedant's dependencies over us is better, we can have more control. Sometimes, after becoming very well known, people or shops just forget how everything was started.


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## A_ashish_A (Mar 5, 2013)

Cilus said:


> ^^ They're working on it. But in one way, I think Vedant's dependencies over us is better, we can have more control. Sometimes, after becoming very well known, people or shops just forget how everything was started.



i have almost decided to get  Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X OC with Boost from Vedant Computer... i just want to clear few more things.
1)about saphhire guarantee/warranty status? 
2)will i have to ship gpu to Vedant Computer in case any RMA? 
3)is Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X OC overkill for my config?


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## Cilus (Mar 5, 2013)

1. Saphhire provides very good after sales service.
2. You don't need to ship it to Vedant, you can directly go to the Sapphire Service Center in your locality.
3. Looking at the requirements of the current generation games, I don't think HD 7950 is gonna be an overkill.


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## Angus (Mar 6, 2013)

All the post really good. I want make this thread more valuable to add some more best graphic cards e.g 
Nvidia  GeForce GTX 690, Nvidia GeForce GTX 680, AMD Radeon HD 7970, Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 AMD adeon  HD 7950, and the last but not lest best is AMD Radeon HD 7870.


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## Ironman (Mar 14, 2013)

Cilus said:


> 1. Saphhire provides very good after sales service.
> 2. You don't need to ship it to Vedant, you can directly go to the Sapphire Service Center in your locality.
> 3. Looking at the requirements of the current generation games, I don't think HD 7950 is gonna be an overkill.



Why All People Recommend or Advice 
Sapphire for 7950

Please tell me why other companies like MSI , GIGABYTE , XFX , HIS , POWERCOLOR are 
not suitable for india

please i want to know !!


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## amjath (Mar 14, 2013)

I have 3 words for you Value for money [good price/performance]


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## Nerevarine (Mar 14, 2013)

Lucid Logic anyone ? Even pairing an Nvidia with an AMD is possible if your mobo supports it
But 7950/7970 is way better


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## topgear (Mar 15, 2013)

Ironman said:


> Why All People Recommend or Advice
> Sapphire for 7950
> 
> Please tell me why other companies like MSI , GIGABYTE , XFX, HIS , POWERCOLOR are
> ...



you may face RMA issue later ... and not sure about Powercolor as well.


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## Ironman (Mar 15, 2013)

topgear said:


> you may face RMA issue later ... and not sure about Powercolor as well.



does that mean these companies dont have service centres in kolkata / india ?


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## amjath (Mar 15, 2013)

No they have but no good reputation, may be Kolkata guys ll help u answering ur locality query


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## topgear (Mar 16, 2013)

Ironman said:


> does that mean these companies dont have service centres in kolkata / india ?



They all have sans the GIGA gfx cards .... and XFX don't have a very good reputation nowadays and about powercolor Ive no experience.


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## Ironman (Mar 16, 2013)

amjath said:


> No they have but no good reputation, may be Kolkata guys ll help u answering ur locality query


ok Rejected from Choice due to Bad Reputation



topgear said:


> They all have sans the GIGA gfx cards .... and XFX don't have a very good reputation nowadays and about powercolor Ive no experience.



Could not catch the Meaning of "All have SANS the GIGA gfx Cards"


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## topgear (Mar 17, 2013)

have a look at this post and I think this will make everything clear :
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-cards/168091-looking-grpahics-card-around-8k-2.html#post1817668


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## A_ashish_A (Mar 17, 2013)

ok got ASUS - GTX660 TI-DC2(TOP)-2GD5  from Vedant comp for 21k. really cool seller 

ASUS - GTX660 TI-DC2T-2GD5


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## topgear (Mar 18, 2013)

Congrats on your purchase but why did you change your mind to go for a GTX 660 Ti ?


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## Ironman (Mar 18, 2013)

topgear said:


> have a look at this post and I think this will make everything clear :
> *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-cards/168091-looking-grpahics-card-around-8k-2.html#post1817668



Odd
cause i found this
GIGABYTE India to Open Full-fledged,


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## A_ashish_A (Mar 18, 2013)

topgear said:


> Congrats on your purchase but why did you change your mind to go for a GTX 660 Ti ?



actually Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X OC was not available at that moment at vedant and i was not in a mood to wait. and i found ASUS GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II TOP quite satisfying. checked its reviews and found them very positive---
HARDOCP - Introduction - ASUS GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II TOP Review
GTX 660 Ti Roundup (ASUS, EVGA, Gigabyte, Galaxy, MSI)
i hope i made a wise choice


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## Myth (Mar 18, 2013)

Ironman said:


> Odd
> cause i found this
> GIGABYTE India to Open Full-fledged,
> *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif




Actual experience over newspaper clippings and ads anyday...


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## topgear (Mar 19, 2013)

Ironman said:


> Odd
> cause i found this
> GIGABYTE India to Open Full-fledged,



yeah, I've read that before and a few months later I've completely different experience with them.



A_ashish_A said:


> actually Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X OC was not available at that moment at vedant and i was not in a mood to wait. and i found ASUS GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II TOP quite satisfying. checked its reviews and found them very positive---
> HARDOCP - Introduction - ASUS GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II TOP Review
> GTX 660 Ti Roundup (ASUS, EVGA, Gigabyte, Galaxy, MSI)
> i hope i made a wise choice



you have a made a good decision and that's an excellent graphic card you've got.


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