WTB: Hot Cruncher Seeks Better GPU - Radeon 7970/280X/290(X)

[finalfugue]

Alright, so maybe only part of the title is true, but myshortpencil said I would get more attention if I put "hot cruncher".

I've been watching AMD GPU prices for months now (all through the *coin craze) and hallelujah, scores of cards are going up on eBay and my local (Seattle) Craigslist at reasonable and lowering prices. I suspect more will soon become available as the *coin world gets more convoluted and the rest of the country heats up/rigs break down. I plan to buy either a Radeon 7970/280X, or possibly a 290/290X if I can nab one at the right price. I want one of these due to their OpenCL/integer performance and decent double precision capabilities. The stats on this page show I can get from ~600-700 gflops to around a teraflop depending on the card. Currently I lack anything to allow me to run projects like Milky Way, plus they're great for video games (and I lack Titan kinda cheddar). Sorry, a 6990 is too much juice and the 5970 is older than my niece.

So rather than give my money to a miner looking to ditch some gear that may or may not have known what they were doing (or might be a con in all the chaos), I was hoping a teammate would want to part with something. I get a new-to-me card, you get some money to possibly upgrade a card or other gear, SETI.USA moves onward and upward.

Will pay via Paypal/Google wallet/similar. The prices I'm watching for are around:

290/290X- ~$275-325
280X- ~$235
7970- ~$175 (these are still overpriced on the markets despite being old and well out of warranty. Not preferred, but if you've got something bulletproof and still going strong, sell me on it)

I'm skeptical of brands like PowerColor/Visiontek and their cooling designs/component selection. I'm not dug in over anything. Tell me what you've got and what you want. You know what I'm after. Try adding "hot cruncher" to your pitch.

[Mumps]

I think Tank_Master has a Titan up for grabs you may consider Hot.

[Sarge104]

Random suggestion if you see them around ebay the 6970 would be a low power alternative to that 6990. I doubt you want to take the cut in available ram though, the 6970 does offer decent double precision power (683 GFLOPs). If you can find the 7970GE around that 200 dollar range it might be a worth while grab.

[Sarge104]

I think Tank_Master has a Titan up for grabs you may consider Hot.

My Titan is a bit lonely, but I doubt I have enough fans in the case to supply all the hot and heavy action that would go on

[finalfugue]

Oh sure, I'll consider the 7970GE at ~200 as well as the 7970, I just forgot/skipped a rebadg... I mean totally discrete and independent product in my list. Thanks for the tip Sarge. I may keep the 6970 as a backup plan in case overnight RonPaulCoin takes the world currency markets by storm. I was hoping to have to settle with only 600-700 GFLOPS in the case of a 290/X due to their otherwise awesome performance. I didn't expect to get one around here though unless it was just by chance.

And I'd consider another nVidia card if it weren't for their relentless pursuit of a CUDA master race and treating OpenCL like a redheaded step-bastage (nevermind the war crimes they commit against their double precision performance ratios). Gotta admire their commitment to API purity though. Just watch out Belgium...

[MindCrime]

After reading this thread I thought I'd check my area: Portland. This guy is selling/parting out his miners with hardware in your scope.

If it matters at all this is a very easy area to get to coming from the North (ie seattle). i5s (~160miels)> i205s (10miles)> i84e(3miles)> Fairview is very small.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/sys/4402214018.html

[finalfugue]

Oh I'm seeing listings like that pop up all over my local CL. I got the leavings of a rig (z77 mboard, chip, RAM) for cheap off a guy after he parted out the GPUs. Thanks for pointing this out, but it doesn't look like he's caught wise to the idea he needs to part out at a discount and quickly. If I were to visit Portland it would be just to visit Portland- *NW fist bump*.

I picked up a HIS IceQ 280X on the used market at what I thought was a good price. I have a HIS 7870 and it has been fantastic, so I trust them and their card designs (this one gets strong reviews). Should arrive in a day or so. See you in the Milky Way!

I think come May/June it's going to be so hot in the rest of the country these multi-GPU rigs/rooms will be practically given away. I may check again when people get more desperate.

[rgathright]

Got many 5800 to 5900 series to move.