Time to Upgrade from SLI GTX275s. Ideas?

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SPL Tech

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Nov 28, 2006

• Mar 30, 2014

• #1

I am thinking two GTX660s. Gigabyte has some for $179 each. My limit is in the $350 range, so I think that is as good as I am going to get for the price. I plan to overclock them. The cards dont need to be one of the latest modes. I would be fine with cards from the 500 or 400 series too, and I dont mind buying referb or B stock.. Are the 660s a worthwhile upgrade over the 275s?

Oh, and the cards dont need to be NVidia. I would be fine with ATI cards.

 

Last edited: Mar 30, 2014

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wingman99

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Dec 10, 2003

• Mar 30, 2014

• #2

For that price I would purchase a GTX 770.

 

OP

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SPL Tech

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• Mar 30, 2014

• Thread Starter
• #3

Really? It seems like two GTX 660s would be way more powerful.

 

ATMINSIDE

Sim Racing Aficionado Co-Owner

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• Mar 30, 2014

• #4

I support the 770, it ran everything I wanted for 1080p.

 

False Christian

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• Apr 1, 2014

• #5

The GTX 660s are a great value now. Grab 2 and you're good to go for awhile. THE GTX 760 is the faster card but is much more expensive (at least up here in Canada).

 

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Metlcub

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Apr 26, 2011

• Apr 2, 2014

• #6

yea but 2x 660's is not as good as a single 770. I'd get a 760 and then in a few more months get another 760 to sli.

 

OP

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SPL Tech

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• Apr 3, 2014

• Thread Starter
• #7

Are you sure? A Google search shows two 660s are quite more powerful than a single 770. PassMark shows the 770 is only 25% faster than the 660, and two SLI cards generally produce over 50% the performance of one card.

Anyway, I went with the 660s and I am happy. From two GTX 275s overclocked in SLI I went from 59.5 FPS average to 170.7 with my two 660s in Heaven Benchmark, and I havent even overclocked the 660s yet! Tessellation looks really nice too. Too bad more games dont support it.

 

awktane

92 with 10% ethanol

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Jun 7, 2013

• Apr 3, 2014

• #8

Two GTX 660s in SLI are pretty much identical to a GTX 770 as far as performance is concerned. In 3DMark firestrike extreme the two stock 660s score about 4200 and 770 scores about 4000. FPS wise in most games we're talking about on average a few FPS. Assuming the same price I'd go for a GTX 770, that way when you want a little more oomph it's easy to add a second 770 for far more performance than a third 660. You also avoid the oddness you'll see in the occasional game due to SLI. Of course, lower power consumption with the one card if you're into saving a tree or two.

 

MattMan657

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• Apr 4, 2014

• #9

If a GTX660 SLI setup is faster than a GTX770 it certainly isn't by much. That plus how having a single 770 provides you the option of going 770 SLI in the future which would be far more powerful than a 660 SLI setup.

 

EarthDog

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• Apr 4, 2014

• #10

For 1080, there is no need to purchase NEW midrange cards (that are a generation old already). Grab a single 770 and call it a day.

 

manu2b

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Feb 6, 2011

• Apr 4, 2014

• #11

^This.

 

False Christian

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• Apr 15, 2014

• #12

He already bought 2 GTX 660s. For the price they are a great deal. A GTX 770 might be a better option IF you're planning to SLI them down the road.