Maximum PC

I've got an ATI 5770 XFX which I'm currently using, what would be a good upgrade for a budget of $275? Either AMD or Nvidia is fine with me. I'll be running MW3, swtor, Diablo 3 and possible BF3. How is the Nvidia 560ti is that a nice upgrade from the 5770 which I've currently using? I could also wait to see if the prices drop a little.


Current System:
Intel i5 750
Gigabyte GA-P55-US3 Rev 2.0
Acer H233H 1920 x 1080 which is what I plan on running.
Corsair 800d

For 280ish, I'd look at the 560ti 448 and the amd 6950 2gb. Good boards, way faster than your 5770.

Thanks for the response JBaz, I should also have posted have a 850w psu. I found an XFX 6950 2GB for $250, the 560ti 448 is $280ish.

The 560 448 is basically a 570 lite, a really good decent value card for what it is considering the 570's are 350. The 6950 2gb is probably a better value for 250 and probably would side towards that, but if you really want to stay with nvidia, 448 for your price range.

If I was you I would wait for the new HD7xxx series and whatever Nvidia is going to release, now isn't the best time to buy with the new tech coming around the corner and your current card isn't exactly terrible or outdated.

If you get a Nvidia card from EVGA and get either a extended or lifetime warranty, if a new card comes out like the card you got like a 560Ti-->660Ti you can trade up straight from EVGA. I just thought I would pass this on since I don't like to pass up good deals. I'm not sure if other companies do this though.

I agree, If you can wait, WAIT! 5770 is still a decent card. The upper mid range 7950's are coming out at the end of this month, but probably be more in the $400 range (heh, someone people call that a mid range budget card... lol)

And nvidia is pumping out Kepler cards like crazy right now for a fast release (because their marketing people were really trying to milk the Fermi cards and didn't plan accordingly (someone dropped the ball so they gotta pay $$$ for fast production)), I'd expect midrange and high end cards to come out very soon, next month are what the rumors are saying. Close to 2-3 months early (680's were slated to be released till Q2!).

So yeah, sit back, and watch as amd and nvida duke it out for the next few weeks, see what sticks and we consumers win!

I hope they bring out the midrange Keplars before the middle of march so I can trade my 560Ti out for the new version!

^ rumors are kinda vague, but whats been floating around, they are in full production for kepler. Donno if that includes the midranges or just the 680 to beat the 7970. They were planning on releasing the midrange cards first in march/april time frame. Maybe they'll just release the whole series at once for a change?

oh who are we kidding... They probably just gonna put a stop gap and release a stupid 585... lol

I'll stand put then I can wait. If this 5770 allows me to play BF3 not looking at the highest settings, swtor, mw3, diablo 3 then I'll stick with it for awhile.

Your card should net around 34 fps on high at 1080p resolutions. Drop it to medium or low and you'll probably see 40-50fps. (toms hardware bf3 benchmark link).

same goes with SWTOR, you should get about 45fps on max detail with no AA @ 1080p (toms hardware swtor benchmark link).

As for shitty MW3, even an 8800gts will play the game just fine, they haven't changed the game engine since MW2 and that's from 2009.

Jbaz, on a side note maybe I should post a new topic. The Intel HD Audio onboard should be sufficient for listening gaming or would a cheap SC = Sound Card be better?

You actually have the Realtek ALC892 onboard sound. Its basic and works; most joe's won't really need more than this. Its really up to you if you don't like what you are hearing right now.

You can look at the Asus Xonar offerings, but I'd probably look at the Xonar DX 7.1 pcie model for about $85.

I have had the Asus Xonar DX1 that model you posted, lasted for 5 months but we all know how Asus tech support is right? I've called them up they wont repair or replace my unit. I've got access to a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6829102019 pcie model with the optional 5 1/4 box for $110 new local place.

what was the reason? you should have a 3 year warranty with it. Need to press the issue with their CS; threaten them with BBB if you have to.

And that waiting won't cost $400 for sure :p

The 560Ti isn't new tech and is on Craigslist here and there under $200. Waiting for something over the top is just pretty silly.

Nvidia's Kepler's were originally slated to be released (well... after nvidia delayed it... and technically never gave an actual "release date", just a time frame) in March/April, but with limited exposure with budget cards first (GK104 chip); the flagship, high end cards (GK100 chip) was originally planned to follow suit sometime in Q2, probably in early or mid summer.

But now reports are coming out that nvidia has pushed the time table on Kepler to be released in weeks (probably due to the AMD's new cards), not months so who knows what nvidia will release next month. It could very well be the full line of the kepler series, which could lead into a stiff pricing war across the whole line of price points.

This would surely help reduce the prices of older gen cards and AMD is known to be quite quick with changing prices, as apposed to nvidia (and Intel for that matter). AMD has to stay very competitive to keep their little bit of market share in both cpu and gpu's. Lots of rumors on Chinese forums and lots of paper benchmarking has risen (although pretty pointless without real benchmarks). Some of the GK104 specs sound better than the 580's and those are suppose to be priced between the current 560 and 570's.

I'm not sure how quick their 680's would be released since their product development time is much longer for the GK100 as it'll be used in the Geforce, Quadro and Tesla lines. If I was a betting man (and I'm not), I'd say the GK104's would come out next month and the GK100's a month later at the earliest. Even if they had gotten the samples in early December and got all the bugs fixed in a month, they still have to mass produce the chips, get their quality control up for their runs, supply the board manufacturers, who then in turn have to design (well nvidia does the reference boards) and build the cards while marketing has to do all of the necessary collateral, packaging and ads to market the card. And that's quite a feat to do in a few months if everything went to plan.


Its all speculation right now since very little info actually comes out from nvidia's mouth.

Asus wouldn't give me a reason except they told me the card is defective. I fixed the card myself its working without issues.

The 460GTX I have has died and no longer under warranty, currently using a 5770 as a backup. I've seen a 560TI 448 would this be something to get to replace the 5770? I do know new cards was released have looked at them but way out of my price range.

The gtx 660 is probably coming out soon you may want to wait for that (within the next month).