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Hi peeps, this post took longer than expected. I decided to test the performance of this card in a different way to see the average maximum framerate and compare with the other cards I've got. This means I've had to revisit the previous cards I've tested for comparison purposes. The cards that'll be tested will be the R9 290X, GTX 970, GTX 780Ti(delivery got delayed so will be added later) & R9 380.

Test Setup
Motherboard - Asus Maximus Ranger VII
Processor - Intel i7-4790K @4.4Ghz
RAM - Kingston HyperX Fury @1866Mhz
Storage - Samsumg 2TB HDD
Power supply - Corsair AX860i

Test Method - FRAPS was be used to capture the framerate and an average of 3 runs of the game title will be used to calculate the framerate. This is to minimise errors and as such will take quite a while to collate the data.
All games will be tested at 1920x1080, unless stated otherwise. Actual gameplay will be used unless I believe the in-built benchmark of the title suffices. Only DX11 games will be tested. As soon as a benchmark tool for DX12/Vulkan is available I'll be doing games like Hitman, RoTR, AoTS, TotalWar:Hammer, DOOM.
Power consumption is captured using Corsair LINK software

Feel free to ask questions...I had to remove Hitman Absolution from the test as it gave me inconsistent readings.

Game settings used
Witcher 3 - Ultra Settings, High Post processing, Nvidia Hairworks OFF
AC: Syndicate - Very High Settings with FXAA
Black Op3 - High Setting with SMAA 2x
Crysis - Very High Setting with FXAA
Shadow of Mordo[/b]r - Ultra Setting
[b]Tomb Raider 2013 - Ultra Setting - MSAA 2x

venal:
nice one, man ur really baddass in this stuff.

Thanks bro, I think this is a reminder I spend too much time messing with PC's

Singapore1:
u don't know him

Now I know

kimco:
the problem, however,is dat most games are console ports...the limitations of the consoles can be seen (low npcs on a map at once, poor physics, etc) if u want gaming to go ahead u better hope consoles are powerful enuff

Gosh! You are hard to please haha.....the Xbox Scorpio/PS4 Neo, will be more powerful. Issue however is devs priority may be to try and consistently hit 1080p at 60Hz so image quality will still suffer. We'll have to see.

purplekayc:
really
paste the link

DOOM 2016 - http://oceanofgames.com/doom-free-download/

kimco:
subtle improvements is not wat people were looking forward to when they bought the new consoles.

when the graphics for the division was released at e3 some tym back i beliieved dat was what we were to see.sadly all we see are slightly better textures a nd more foliage.you cant compare ps2 graphics with ps3/xbox to xbox 360. you can compare ps3 to 4/xbox 360 to xbone. the "improvements are not good enough.

Guess it's time to move to PC gaming..that's where the hardware for ultra image quality is not consoles, if that's what you are looking for
Console hardware is too weak!

Lana1:
The PC upgrades is understandable. And with the Frostbite Engine and some of the new features in the game, i cant complain much abt those recommended specs.
The problem here is the game size. But for a soccer game, 50gig is a significant leap from 13gig. No soccer game should be dat demanding.

Yea, frostbite seem to use minimal compression..yet another game to join the >40GB group...let's just hope it's actual game textures/image quality/new features rather than multi-language packs and overwhelming commentaries . But knowing DICE, they deliver though.

Lana1:
Jesus 50GB?? From 13GB to 50GB

When the recommended specs require an i5-3550K, GTX660/R9 270? It's not going to get easy for a lot of PC gamers...upgrades are inevitable.

purplekayc:
END OF AN ERA:
Best meta search torrent website has been blocked

2003-2016
http://www.torrentz.com/
https://www.torrentz.eu/

I know, even KickAssTorrent has been blocked. The alleged owner was arrested.

kimco:
yes there are Gen 6 ps2, gen 5 ps1 and so on

Ah! I get you now. Console gaming.

Console hardware is weak compared to a gaming PC, so there's only so much you can exploit from it . What happens is that developers find new techniques to improve shadow, ambient occlusion, draw distance, texture details e.t.c. Sometimes the difference are very subtle that one doesn't notice it but there will always be a different between each console generation.
1. Uncharted - PS4 has more facial hair, better hair texture, better lighting effects
2. Destiny - PS4 has better texture detail overall
3 GTA 5 - Look in the distance, and you'll find more detail on the PC > PS4 >PS3
4 Watchdogs - PS4 better resolution looking at the hat, more detail in his jumper (around the neck); a subtle difference.

BRAINZBox:
Dedicated is jst 128MB...still looking for a way to increase it...cos d total is 2131MB

If you are using the integrated graphics it uses the 'SYSTEM RAM' as it's VRAM..it's shared. You can't increase it to 2131MB. Some BIOS allow it to be increased up to 512MB. You'll need to access the BIOS when you power-up the laptop. It should tell you what key to press when you turn on your laptop before the logo splash screen.

Say hello to the MSI Geforce GTX 970...gaming tests to follow shortly

So you are thinking of buying a used graphics card but not sure what to look out for. Well, I'll be addressing what I think are good things to note when buying a used graphic card. If you are buying from a reputable retailer, then there's every chance it will come with some warranty or guarantee. From the private seller, the story is different, how can yo be sure you aren't buying a 'brick'?

1. Do not buy a card you can't see working....if a seller tells you he is unable to test the card in your presence...DO NOT buy it. It's probably a 'dead card'

2. If the seller can test, then have it running for at least 20-30 mins on a software that can stress test or put a 100% load on the GPU. Unigine Valley or Heaven (linked below) can be used to stress test the GPU. Unigine Heaven can be saved on a portable USB drive and carried around with you. Always tell the seller how long you wish to see the card running, the best policy trust me...it removes any form of awkwardness and you can chat about something else while you wait.

Ok, now the GPU is being stress tested what should you look out for.
a. Temperature: Every GPU has a operating temperature limit when loaded. Once this temperature is exceed the performance of the card drops also known as 'thermal throttling'. The cards algorithms will cut down the GPU clock speed to try and reduce the temperature. Using Unigine's Valley(linked below) keep an eye on 'graphics' in the top right hand corner of the screen. If it consistently stays below the cards rated clock speed under load there could be an issue with it's cooling. The screen shot posted is one for the Saphhire R9 380, rated to operate at 985Mhz on load and this one sticks doggedly to it.

b. Fan noise: damaged fan bearing will usually emit a sound. Another noise that may be noticed is 'coil whine'..this is not a fault. PCB components like capacitor are frequency dependent and can be remedied (more on coil whine in another post).

c. Artifacting: This is the result of compressing a video feed, causing distortions and other visual inconsistencies and can be noticed on the PC monitor, it will flicker, you'll see random colour patches pop-up and disappear on the screen. This usually signals a failing card.

Unigine Valley, I've split the file into sizeable chunks for download, so download all the parts first. Using winrar, run the 'part01' file and it will automatically decompress the rest. - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5gP1lXvmMe5MkVVWHhRaUZyNFU

Install, choose Extreme Settings, tick full screen and run.


Related Post - https://www.nairaland.com/3271154/graphic-cards-wyntk

The Power Supply Unit is one of the most integral components of a PC, but often overlooked. Builders should think of the PSU as the beating heart of the PC because it provides energy to every component. Skimping on the PSU on a Gaming PC can have annoying consequences including PC crashes, PC turning-off at will, artifacting; all leading to poor gaming experience. Below are the important things to consider when choosing a power supply

#1 - Wattage. The amount of power required by the PC measured in Watts is the first thing to know. Thankfully, using PC partpickers build guide includes an invaluable tool to calculate the wattage you should use in your build. If the gaming PC components draws more power than the PSU can handle, it will leading to the annoying consequences stated above
PCPP - https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/

#2 - Rating 80PLUS an organisation defined the efficiency standards for power supplies. In a nutshell, some power drawn from the socket is lost when the PSU converts it to usable voltages for the PC components. The higher the PSU efficiency the less power lost during power conversion. As a recommendation, always buy PSU's with the 80PLUS certification. You'll typically find them in tiers -
*80PLUS Bronze - Entry level
*80PLUS Silver
*80PLUS Gold
*80PLUS Platinum
*80PLUS Titanium - Enthusiast level

#3 - Modularity -
* Direct cable - all the PSU cables are attached to the PSU housing directly...this is the cheapest option available. Cable management is harder to deal with.
* Semi-Modular - All the necessary cables come from the PSU case directly such at the ATX Power (20+4) connector, CPU (4+4) connector and PCIe(6+2) connector. Other non-essential plugs such as the Molex (4-pin) and SATA (15-pin connectors) are removable
* Modular - All cables are removable making cable management extremely easy and sleek.

cc Lana1 - The 24-pin, also known as the (20+4) connector provides power for the motherboard while the 8-pin (4+4) connector provides power directly to the CPU.

For many mid-range gaming PC's i.e. with a mid range CPU and GPU, as this are the two components that draw the most power, 450W to 550W 80PLUS certified power supply is usually enough. A budget PSU is the EVGA 500B power supply. On the enthusiast side of things, Corsair AX series, EVGA P2 series are reliable models.
As a rule of thumb set aside a budget or around 10-15% of the total cost of the PC build for the PSU. For example, if the total build cost $500, set aside $50-$75 for the PSU.

Related Post - https://www.nairaland.com/3267973/gaming-pc-what-need-know

KazukiIto:
How to check the mHz?

I use a free program called CPU-Z. - http://www.cpuid.com/downloads/cpu-z/cpu-z_1.77-en.exe .'Task Manager' is notorious for quoting the wrong information.

On the Memory Tab, check the DRAM Frequency and multiple that number by 2. Why 2, for those who might ask? It's because RAM carries out operations on the rising and falling edge of the clock hence why it's called DDR (double data rate) memory.

Lana1:
Most of the SSDs i've seen and the most popular ones are made by Samsung. Eg. Samsung 750 Evo. Aren't there other models??

There are several SSD manufacturers and what ever one you choose for a gaming PC will give you a significant boost compared to HDDs. So I tend not to recommended any particular brand. A quick Google search will reveal many.

What's noteworthy is if you choose an SSD for only the OS, the recommended size is a 120GB as the bare-minimum. A fresh install of Windows 10 for instance, will comfortably fit in a 60GB SSD with some favourite programs but when you factor in the price difference it's cheaper to get the 120GB capacity.

Wiztek:
Ok so 2400mhz is ok

You can choose whatever RAM speed you wish to use but high speed RAM in a gaming PC is a waste of money. As mentioned in my original post 1600/1866Mhz DDR3 or 2133Mhz DDR4 is the sweet spot.

Wiztek:
What about a 3200mhz 16gb rig is that a little overkill

High speed RAM benefits people who do video editing, Computer Aided Deisgn (CAD) or converting large/complex files. There is very little gains in gaming. In this regard, it is overkill for gaming.

kimco:
there is no conparison ..but. an expectation of revelution....halflife physics are still great to see and feel. that speaks volumes of our "progress". still playing last gen games and impressed with graphics...when i played gen 6 games during gen 7 graphics were nt even comparable in the same galaxy.

I'm completely lost here...what are gen 6 and gen 7 games? Are there gen 5,4,3,2,1 games?

So you've made it to the graphic card post..

Let's set this straight, the correct term is video/graphic card because the Graphics processing Unit (GPU) resides on the graphics card.
In a nutshell, the graphics card is the heart of any gaming PC...gaming on Intel's integrated HD graphics has severe limitations, AMD make APU's which perform much better than Intel's HD graphics but more on that in another post. I won't bore you with the history and tech details so lets get to the point.

Why a GPU? Why can't a CPU do the same thing? Modern GPU's are very efficient at manipulating computer graphics and image processing, and their highly parallel structure makes them much better than general purpose CPU's for algorithms where processing of large blocks of data is done in parallel e.g gaming.

Graphic cards are mounted on the PCIe x16 slot on a motherboard and can draw power from the PCIe slot and /or power connectors directly from the power supply. So in selecting a graphics card ensure you have adequate power supply (more on power supplies later).

There are two main GPU manufacturers, Nvidia and AMD. They make several models that range from the entry level card (GTX750Ti, R7 265) then the main stream (mid-range) (GTX960, R9 380), high end (GTX980, R9 390X) to the enthusiast(GTX980Ti, R9 Fury X). These different tiers have different performance levels, with the enthusiast level offering the highest performance. There are several other models but that will be covered in another post to keep this concise.

As a guideline, playing at Full HD (1920x1080) @60Hz with Med to High settings requires a mid range card with at least 4GB VRAM (more on VRAM later).

Related Post - https://www.nairaland.com/3267973/gaming-pc-what-need-know

Storage is required for the operating system, games and files. There two types of storage that are noteworthy, Solid State Drives (SSD), Hard Disk Drive (HDD) without going into much details, SSD's support higher data throughput than HDD's, don't have moving parts; noiseless operation, come as 2.5" (laptop HDD size) but it's price-per-GB is significantly higher than HDD's

HDD's come in 2 distinct size 2.5" (laptop size), 3.5". Most gaming cases have support for both so having and SSD & HDD in your gaming system isn't an issue.

That said, I'd recommend an SSD to store the OS and programs to reduces loading times. HDD's been cheaper can be used to store games, music, videos and photos. However, if you got the funds available you can have all SSD's in your gaming machine.

For an indepth explanation see this post -https://www.nairaland.com/2620267/difference-between-ssd-hard-drives

Related post - https://www.nairaland.com/3267973/gaming-pc-what-need-know

texazzpete:
Both

I'll have to 'close my eyes' to buy one lol but I'll wait for the Sulon Q that's powered by AMD to see what that offers, I'm keen on VR headsets not being tethered. VR should also be more mature by then, still to young imo.

texazzpete:
I don't think I've played anything since I got them. Main purpose was for VR, but i'm building up a Steam Library now.

Nice. You are defo set for VR. Oculus Rift or HTC VIVE?

bhybhar:
i have a laptop with 4GB ram,i intend to increase it to 6 or 8,depends on which one i can afford. My question is will the ram increase automatically increase gaming performance?

Your processor and graphic card will determine if it will give you a boost...low-end or non-gaming laptop specs won't see any boost in gaming performance but more RAM will help with daily use if you multitask a lot.

My guides are more suited for desktop gaming PC's.

hakinze00:
Ed Boon Teases Kombat Pack 3 For Mortal Kombat X
Once Again

I hope they release an update for the PC platform. Online play is dead!

texazzpete:
Main PC
Hp Envy Phoenix 810-430qe
CPU: Intel Core i7 4790k @ 4Ghz
RAM: 32GB RAM
HDD: 500GB Evo 850 SSD + 2TB 7200 rpm HDD
GPU: Geforce GTX 980
Bluray Disc drive

HTPC (living room)

Alienware X51
CPU: Skylake Core i5 6500
RAM: 16GB
HDD: 256GB Msata SSD + 1TB 7200 rpm HDD
GPU: GTX 970

Dope setups! Do you play online often?

texazzpete:
I'll be selling a new GTX 1060 soonish. Anyone interested?

Is it the FE?

David4473:
could you please drop your number so we can talk on WhatsApp?

Sure, I've just sent you a PM

50% off DOOM 2016 on steam until 8th August.

Darray:
I need help. My HP Pavillion dv 3500 is now displaying like the negative of a camera film.

I received warning to check for the genuineness of my windows 7 pro for sometime but I ignored it as I was very certain that my windows was genuine having used the laptop for close to 6years. But immediately the warning expired, the Laptop's display made it very uncomfortable to use as it was not showing clearly and I cannot verify my key again as the label containing it at the back of my lappy has peeled off.

Kindly assist with a way of correcting this display and how I can retrieve my windows keys as all the ones I obtained online are wrong.

@horrpeyemi,@hollarmy,@skydancer please help.

-deleted-

If you’re building a new gaming computer, then you’ve probably heard that your memory is pretty important. In the simplest of terms, your computer’s memory gives your processor a place to carry out it’s processes. The more memory you have and the quicker it functions, the faster your processor can access important files. Of course, in gaming, there is only so much memory that can be had.

Generally speaking, 4-8GB is all that is needed in order to max out the potential of adding more RAM. However, if you are planning on doing other process-intensive tasks like video/image editing, more RAM will come in handy. I typically don’t recommend more than 16GB of memory for a gaming PC because anymore than that is overkill.

The latest RAM available, DDR4 RAM is only compatible with the Intel LGA1151 socket. Others including AMD use DDR3 and DDR2 RAM on less expensive or older motherboards. The motherboard manufacturer will always say what RAM is compatible.

DDR4 RAM @ 2133Mhz & DDR3 RAM @ 1600Mhz/1866MHz RAM are the sweet spot for gaming, higher clocked RAM are so much more expensive and don't give any significant performance boost in gaming. My advice is go for what you can afford.

Related Post - https://www.nairaland.com/3267973/gaming-pc-what-need-know