Graphics Card Recommendation

[KingLinkTiger]

I know there are probably quite a few of these on the forums so please don’t complain about that. I also ask that this thread does not become another ASIC/FPGA/GPU argument.
Anyway, I’m in the looking for a new card for my main gaming rig, I have three 1680x1050 HD monitors that I currently have hooked up with two 5830s in CFX. I’m looking to replace these cards with one ‘higher end’ card that is capable of supporting my triple monitor setup, both for productivity and for 5040X1050 gaming, my only other stipulation is I want it to be able to bitcoin mine while idle. I’ve mainly been looking at the new 7xxx series. The main one that has caught my eye is the XFX cards, but I would be open to other brands for better performance or specs.

[crazyates]

Yep, get the best 7xxx card you can afford. I have this one, and it's the best GD video card I've ever owned. Stock OC of 1100MHz, and I can mine 700+MH/s at 1200MHz. The cooler is very quiet, and cools the core exceptionally well. I just recently got voltage control through MSI AB. The only downside is the cooler design, combined with a low ASIC quality, runs the VRM's a little hot, but that's not an issue at this point.

[Desolator]

I would strongly recommend nobody buy a graphics card for mining at the moment.  Butterfly labs is about to release a chip that, at current prices, will pay for itself in under a month and runs at 3,500 MH/s for $149 on pretty low power usage.  We're a a couple months away from the end of graphics card mining.  Let's say 100 of these small miner cards ship out.  That's 350GH/s added to the mix.  The total computational power of everyone total is a hair above 20,000 GH/s so that wouldn't affect it that much.  Let's say they sell 1000 of these instead.  Keep in mind for $149, 3500MH/s is around 36 BTC per month which is about $420 per month right now.  So yeah, they're gonna sell 1000.  They also have a larger version that goes 40,000MH/s for $1299 which, at current prices, also pays for itself in like 1.5 weeks or something.  So probably 3 months after release, depending on how fast they can manufacture and ship them, graphics cards will look like CPUs by comparison when it comes to speed vs heat vs price.

Of course, if you want a card for gaming anyway and just want to make some BTC with it for a couple months to take a bit out of the price, go for it.  If you can still find a 5830, that'd be ideal but good luck lol.  Otherwise google "bitcoin mining hardware comparison" for a pretty decent chart of electricity vs MH/s and some overclocking expectations.  That's how I made my initial purchase decision.  Just don't count on it being worth the cost of electricity by 2013.

[crazyates]

Desolator, you didn't even read the OP, did you? He said he didn't want to get into a discussion about ASICs vs GPUs, and he's already got 2 5830s in CF. Why are you telling him to buy a 3rd 5830?

My original recommendation stands: buy the best 7xxx card you can afford. Those 7970 GHz Editions are beasts.

[jjshabadoo]

Get an MSI lightning 7970. Great card, 3 year warranty transferable to anyone and no restriction on overclocking adding a waterblock, etc.

With so many monitors you might want to spring for the newer 6gb editions, pricey but probably worth it for you.

7970 is also the most power efficient gpu out there for mining right now. If you know your overclocking stuff, you can undervolt it in your afterburner profile so when you're done gaming, etc. it can mine very efficiently.

[Desolator]

I should have reversed the sentences so it made sense in relation to the OP.  The point was any GPUs will lose money on just the electricity a few months from now if mining while idles.  As soon as the mining softwares hits go, he's losing money.  So to get a GPU with mining in mind is a bad idea no matter what the choice is, thus my suggestion. It was to get an ASIC for mining (and then buy any GPU with nothing but gaming in mind.)

[crazyates]

So to get a GPU with mining in mind is a bad idea no matter what the choice is, thus my suggestion.

He needs one for his gaming computer. If he needs a GPU, why not get one that can make a few BTC before it becomes not-profitable (as it is profitable ATM).