Thinking of upgrading my GPU

[Crazybob's Son]

So I currently have a Geforce 9600 GSO. I have been looking into the GTS 450's which would allow me to stay with the NVIDIA drivers and just upgrade to the newest drivers. However, in comparing the shear computing power (# of stream processors x GPU Core Clock) they come nowhere near that of an ATI GPU. I noticed a 5770 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150447&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL012711&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL012711-_-EMC-012711-Index-_-DesktopGraphicsVideoCards-_-14150447-L0B) for $119 @ Newegg but wasn't sure how it'd run on Collatz and/or any other projects that wouldn't require anything other than just attaching to the project. I just don't feel like doing all the app_info garbage, then worrying about what settings I have, is it running at full capacity, etc.

Edit: I currently have a micro-atx board w/one PCI-e x16 slot and a 550w power supply.

[DrPop]

Hi CB's Son! Great to hear about a possible upgrade! :D

OK...well, the Nvidia cards won't get your nearly as much credit, except on one project - PRIMEGRID. They have a CUDA app there that is currently just smoking hot. Sooo...if you love that project, then the Nvidia card is the one to get (right now). You know how things are always changing in the tech world...

The ATI/AMD card will get more credits for the $ at any other project. Thing is, you need a double precision capable GPU to run MilkyWay. I would not go less than a 58xx series, because projects are starting to use OpenCL code.
The 5830 is down to $145 after rebate at Newegg, don't know if that is stretching things too much. (There's a new one on Ebay buy it now price $128)
A 5850 might technically be more bang for the buck due to more stream processors (and the fact that you can make it run 5870 specs), but that would be $160 after rebate.

If you want to go with Nvidia, I wouldn't pay for anything less than a GTX 460. It is an insanely great Over Clocker, has considerably more CUDA cores, and is more power efficient. Best of all worlds, there. $105 to $125 after rebate at Newegg.

Hope that helps a little, and please post back for more discussion before you pull the trigger! :cool:

[Crazybob's Son]

OK, so was at compusa and saw the HD 6850 (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7105766&CatId=3669) the other day. Almost picked it up...

Then was talking to slicker earlier and he mentioned that the 6850 is not double precision which means it can't run MW. Now the question is, do I go with a HD 5850 (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6500369&CatId=3669) to run MW/DNETC. OR do I go with the 6850 to run DNETC? I am thinking that the double precision is probably the way to go but not sure.

[joker]

My 2 cents is go for the double precision if you go AMD/ATI. As you may recall, there was a scare a little while ago about DNETC shutting down. I realize that it didnt happen but I am one to keep my options open.

[zombie67]

My 2 cents is go for the double precision if you go AMD/ATI. As you may recall, there was a scare a little while ago about DNETC shutting down. I realize that it didnt happen but I am one to keep my options open.

+1

Better credits with ATI, but make sure it is double precision. Better selection of projects with nVidia.

[Crazybob's Son]

OK, so here's the final verdict.... I severely under-estimated how long this card is. It doesn't look that big in the picture. Lucky for me I have a full tower so plenty of room.

144

Edit: It's not in yet, but hoping to have it in by the end of the night. Once it's in, let the stones start rollin'

[DrPop]

Good choice!
Once you get it running stable, bios mod the voltage to 5870 settings, and run it at 900core / 450 mem clocks and you'll be cranking out some SERIOUS daily credits.
This is totally safe because it's a 5870 with some shaders disabled, and a BIOS set voltage and clock speed reduction. ;)

[Crazybob's Son]

Good choice!
Once you get it running stable, bios mod the voltage to 5870 settings, and run it at 900core / 450 mem clocks and you'll be cranking out some SERIOUS daily credits.
This is totally safe because it's a 5870 with some shaders disabled, and a BIOS set voltage and clock speed reduction. ;)

To be completely honest I have no clue how to do that unless it's in the program that comes with the video card. I only know how to overclock the CPU and RAM via the BIOS.

[DrPop]

Fair enough. ;) I only know how to do it because Bryan told me it was "safe" because it's really just a 5870 w/ some chops. So I went looking online and found some programs.

If you're interested, shoot me a PM when you get it in and running nice for a few days. I'll send you back a step by step walk through and the bios modding program (it's really simple, just have to know what to type in, etc).

[Maxwell]

To be completely honest I have no clue how to do that unless it's in the program that comes with the video card. I only know how to overclock the CPU and RAM via the BIOS.
And this is where I come in. I'm a lame-o, and can't over clock for s***. So here is what I would suggest:

Install the 10.10 ATI driver for your card (that's the one that works best for me - others have had different experiences, so you may find different things in your machine). You should be able to find "ATI Overdrive" in the driver software (CCC, or Catalyst Control Center). If you're running MW or DNETC on it, you can slide the GPU clocks up as high as you feel comfortable with and memory pretty low (in the range DrPop just said). And you can control fans there, too, keeping temps where you like them.

Thus concludes Maxwell's tutorial in overclocking your ATI card. ;)

[joker]

It can get better then that Max. I got a 5850 (provided my DrPop with the BIOS flash info he got from Bryan for the OC) that is crunching 280K +/- a day in DNETC. My OCed 5830s (running at 900MHz using the method you have described) are only producing 185K +/- a day. So I would say that you should ask DrPop and Bryan about how to OC a 5850. Just my 2 cents.

[Maxwell]

It can get better then that Max. I got a 5850 (provided my DrPop with the BIOS flash info he got from Bryan for the OC) that is crunching 280K +/- a day in DNETC. My OCed 5830s (running at 900MHz using the method you have described) are only producing 185K +/- a day. So I would say that you should ask DrPop and Bryan about how to OC a 5850. Just my 2 cents.
Agreed. I'm awfully conservative with my 5870s, since they are at work. All I'm saying is that you can easily get more credits doing nothing but futzing with CCC. Slider bars are idiot-friendly... ;)

[Crazybob's Son]

So I was looking around in the CCC tools last night and found the slider bars. The highest my card will go is 765 in there.

I currently have it running with the stock drivers that came with the card (8.6) as I didn't feel like searching around for the updated drivers at 1AM when I finally got the card working.

Was supposed to be a quick uninstall nvidia drivers, take out the 9600GSO, plug in 5850 and go. Thought it fried the computer for a min because it didn't want to turn on. Found that I slightly unplugged the main 20+4 plug. Plugged that back in all the way then no video on the monitor when I started up the computer. Finally took the new card out, plugged old card in got video. Took out old and plugged in new, after about 4 reboots then it finally worked. So for now I'm going to leave it at that.

In just over 6 hours the card already has 56k credit in DNETC.

- Jason aka Crazybob's Son

[Mr. Hankey]

Yep, I really like the 5850s... I have 3 of them.

[Crazybob's Son]

So, roughly 12 hours and 110k (although stats sites don't reflect that yet). Should I even bother w/the stones or just count the boulders in increments of 1mil each?