Cheap temporary DX 11 graphics cards?

barnesy · Jan 2012

Hey fellow Polycounters, I was wondering if you could help me out with a little dilemma that I am having please?

I brought a GTX 560 so that I could use the DX11 features in UDK, however, just 5 months down the line the bloody thing has broken and I am in the process of the RMA procedures.

I need suggestions for a cheap temporary DX11 card that will allow me to continue using the DX11 UDK features. I need it to be cheap so that I can resell it when my GTX returns.

I have a uni deadline in like 3 months so I can't afford to wait the 2-3 weeks that the RMA is going to take.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated

ambershee · Jan 2012

The GTS450 will probably do you quite well.

claydough · Jan 2012

The gtx 560 is now as cheap as my week's bar tab! ( including tips )
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=770542&Q=&is=REG&A=details

$153.00 after $20 rebate,

They are that cheap cuz their replacement Kepler cards are coming out soon! And they will be more powerful than a gtx 580!

If you have a SLI capable motherboard you can then use that extra 560 to run Metro 2033 at a decent rate!

I would suggest waiting for that kepler consumer card but as cheap as prices are...
I think you are now well aware that having a good back up card makes fiscal sense!
To bad u can't wait the two weeks since the kepler replacement may be out in 1 month!
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/graphics/display/20120115211123_Nvidia_Plans_to_Launch_Next_Gen_Kepler_GPUs_in_March_or_April_Rumours.html

According to Fudzilla, the GK104 GPU that is based on NVIDIA's next-generation 28nm Kepler architecture, will feature an estimated 768 CUDA cores. Its CUDA cores possess an estimated 2 teraflops of processing power, which makes it about 50% more powerful than a GeForce GTX 580 graphics card. The GK104 GPU is supposed to have a 256-bit memory interface and sport up to 2GB of video memory.

Source: NVIDIA

The GK104 is believed to be the successor to the GF114 GPU which is featured in cards with model names GeForce GTX 560 and GTX 560 Ti. Hence, it is likely that the GK104 will be branded as GTX 660 with its GTX 660 Ti variant launched later in the pipeline. The GK104 GPU is believed to have a 225W TDP.
In an earlier news article, it was revealed that NVIDIA would be adopting a bottom-to-top product model release strategy.

http://www.hardwarezone.com/tech-news-revealed-nvidia-gk104-gpu-specifications

I am hardware whore however and will probably wait and tri sli the GTX 680s

m4dcow · Jan 2012

Where do you live? If it's in the states, it will sound dirty but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Find a Bestbuy and buy another 560, use it until the RMA comes back and just return it, act dumb, say it didn't work, or some guy made you buy the wrong card and get your refund.

Once the RMA process doesn't take more than 30 days you're golden.

claydough · Jan 2012

Errr.. I thought that report was a typo? and should read: 50% faster than a 560?

Last month the prediction was %10 to %15 percent faster than a 580:

http://wccftech.com/alleged-nvidia-g...ations-leaked/

According to the specifications he acquired, Nvidias GK-104 chip would be a replacement for the GF-114 (GTX 560Ti) Chip. The GK-104 GPU would feature a 28nm architecture consisting of 3.2Billion Transistors, 576 Cuda Cores, 96 TUs, 12 Geometery Engines and 48 ROPs.
The performance of the GK-104 chip is said to be 10-15% faster than the GTX580. OBR also mentions at the end of his post that the Launch of the new cards is sooner than expected. Reports from Fudzilla suggest that the new cards would launch in Q1 2012 however no official reports have been released. More info on Kepler from Nvidia below:
The gtx 580 was 10-15% gtx 480! Now a consumer value card will accomplishes as much.

But that was before the final specs were revealed this week... There are 200 more cuda cores being reported!
50% faster than a gtx 580 Enthusiast card????!?

nick2730 · Jan 2012

its all reported, these things wont ship till probably april. Plus they will only release the big boy first then middle models later so may or june till you get a mid level card

Lee3dee · Jan 2012

I just bought a GTX 560 TI on amazon for $249 for our desktop.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KZHRAM/ref=oh_o00_s00_i01_details"]Amazon.com: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti Superclocked 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card - Lifetime Warranty 01G-P3-1563-AR: Computers & Accessories[/ame]

I have the same card in my laptop and its great for all games and doing UDK/crysis work on.

You could also get the GTX 550 if you wanted to spend a little less. Few guys @work have those and have had great success with them.

EarthQuake · Jan 2012

I would say: Define cheap.

Cheap I would think would be sub $100, and you're probably looking at an ATI card then.

Best "value" gpus: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu_value.html

ATI 6750 at $90
ATI 5670 at $70
GTS 450 at $110

All decent cards that support dx11.

barnesy · Jan 2012

Thanks for the help guys it has really helped me in choosing the right card

Sorry EarthQuake, I should have stated the budget.
Anything below £100 was what I was aiming for.

In the end I ended up buying a GTS 450 for £77 which included postage, so I will have to wait and see if it is up for some SSS fun time in UDK.

Cheap temporary DX 11 graphics cards?

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