GPU GPU for S4 mini

[ThatRacingGuy]

I'm building an S4 mini and have all the components but my GPU

Now I was going to get a Gigabyte 1070 Mini but it isn't in stock anywhere at a reasonable price, Overclockers say up to 6 weeks to get it in stock.

So what my alternatives?
The Zotac 1070 won't fit, the MSI and XFX aren't in stock anywhere. So.,, what's my easy options? 1080??

 

[kittysox]

Easy is a single fan 1060 like the evga or a no power connector 1050ti.

 

[ThatRacingGuy]

The 1060 seems a surprising jump down from the 1070, or am I mistaken?
I'd like to game 1440p and a higher frame rate, on good settings.
I still need a new monitor so haven't chosen the exact display parameters I'm aiming for yet.

 

[Josh | NFC]

I bench GPUs for about a week and compile the scores to generate two numbers so I can quickly compare them to each other. These scores are for gaming at 2560x1440. The W part is the average draw at load. I don't want to get into my system right now, it's not important. This is just so you can roughly see the difference/step up between cards:

XXXX*@335W - 1080ti
2784@270W - 1080
2383@220W - 1070
1695@178W - 1060
1015@125W - 1050ti

I don't like the "glass half empty" perspective when talking about Pascal. Each card is more of a "step up." I game all the time on my 1050ti at 1440P and the only settings I turn down or off is AA, because at 1440p I actually prefer AA disabled. The 1060 6GB is an incredible card, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for 1440p gaming at 60hz with all the goodies turned up.

Once you move to high frame rate gaming a 1070 might not be enough for you. It depends on what games you play and if you spend more time looking at the frame rate than gaming. Listing the games you play would help me make a recommendation for you. But generally I would say that a 1060 is a fantastic choice and don't sweat the difference.

My best friend thinks that a 1080 is a peasant's GPU (despite him using a 960 in his current machine) and scoffs at the 1070...




*the number is so high that I think it's wrong and I am finding time to repeat my tests

 

[ThatRacingGuy]

Josh! Thanks for the detailed response. Helpful as always.
So by your scoring system the biggest step up is 1060 to 1070.

I play anything from Battlefield to Skyrim, Fallout, Indy games, Civilization, GTS, Racing games. Quite a splatter.

I'd also like to invest in a VR set up once my cash has recovered from my PC build.

 

[ThatRacingGuy]

http://www.pcgamer.com/geforce-gtx-1060-review/

Basing on this article, the 1060 seems to struggle hitting 60fps on most games at 1440p.

This isn't your experience?

 

[Josh | NFC]

http://www.pcgamer.com/geforce-gtx-1060-review/

Basing on this article, the 1060 seems to struggle hitting 60fps on most games at 1440p.

This isn't your experience?

There is no correct way to answer this question. I have friends who insist if a card can't check every single Ultra box and pull an average of 60FPS then it's too slow. Most those games on the list the card is just under 60...and with a few tweaks would be well over it. I've never felt the card was underpowered at 1440p, no.

I've been using a 580 in my gaming rig for the past two months and its significantly slower than my 1060 objectively but my "gaming experience" has been spot on.

I will say that the games you listed are the games I typically play, and the 1060 will murder those. Battlefield is the only thing on that list that could really benefit from a faster GPU and even then its tuned pretty well so with a few tweaks it will look amazing and play amazing.

I'm just offering you an opinion, which is all you can get for this sort of thing.

Good luck!

 

[ThatRacingGuy]

Thanks again for sharing your experience Josh.
Luckily I'm away for the next few weeks so I think I will hold off and wait for a 1070 to come into stock at a reasonable price.
Can't wait to get it all together though!

 

[Kack]

Good luck with finding a GPU you're satisfied with. Waiting should hopefully yield better prices but now I hear prices are going to go up further still? RAM prices and what not? I pulled the trigger and picked up a MSi 1070 Aero itx for $450 on eBay because it is basically as good as it gets right now what with the surge in crypto currency and all again...

 

[rchetal]

I can't recommend the MSI Aero 1070 ITX enough, it is dead quiet even under pretty intensive gaming load and I've never seen it thermal throttle at all. I don't have any experience with the Gigabyte 1070, but after reading https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...view-of-mini-gtx-1070-cards-nfc-s4-case.2586/ I decided to go with the MSI and it's amazing. I picked it up on Ebay for $415 and it still has it's warranty intact and came with everything in the original packaging.

 

[Tek Everything]

I 3rd the 1070 Aero ITX recommendation. Jumped up from a 1060 and couldn't be happier. It may not be worth the current price premium though.