Profile of Werw0lf

on a better cooling device for your graphics cards.

Minds that think alike. In summer, heat and humidity present a serious problem to hardware where I live if one's kit is situated within an air conditioned envionment. Although I didn't mention it previous, part of the upgrade $$$ had already been triaged to include a liquid cooling kit for the CPU. Not an important factor for many perhaps, but it is for me. Not only more stable temps, but saves significantly on the cumulative fan ambient noise levels when the CPU is ramped up, and more efficiently dissipates the heat to atmosphere (room temp already sweltering in summer from device heat dissipation).

I'm fortunate in that I have a dedicated PC room. Not an unused bedroom, but purpose built in the centre of the house adjacent the family room, bedrooms and HT room. However as yet it is not air conditioned as the design of the home being open plan, to effectively air condition that area requires a fully ducted system which is both expensive and compromised by the fact that we can't get other than residential single phase power outside our capital cities without an extended wait time/queue. <sigh>. However that IS on the agenda for this financial year, and one of the areas I'd rather spend my money than contributing to either AMDs or NVIDIA's coffers any more than I must.

To those of your reciting the GTX970 mantra. With sincere respect, I am hearing you and do appreciate your reply and the suggestion, acknowledging your perspective. But it's just not going to happen for me at this time.

In AU, the price of all things IT is just absurd, and the recovering US economy and strengthening USD does us no favours either in a world where trade revolves around it. NVIDIA's GTX970 is > AUD$500 here, around 45% more expensive than a 4GB GTX960. Spending an additional $150 to $200 on just a GPU just isn't an option I care to exercise. Although over the years I have more frequently than I would prefer to recall, the days of me spending $500 or more on just a GPU are long gone. Read why in the final paragraph at the foot of this post.

As it is, my current primary PC performs in excess of requirement for everything I require of it except this game. So performing a hardware upgrade now is pretty much a grudge buy justifiable in terms of WHF only by the '3 year PC techno life' rule. Those of you married will comprehend the importance of Wife Happiness Factor. Either I spend on an upgrade on the previously spec. items RAM, CPU, MOBO, SSD which is still a modest one by any standard, or not at all. A core upgrade to anything less is just irrational with modest savings for a huge perf hit. I have already chosen the sweet spots. I can always replace my GPU later with the key now being minismisation of the 100% depreciative loss GPUs represent when they are obsoleted.

Although both AMD and NVIDIA both do their utmost to deny it to the end user by implementation of deliberate obsoletion and segmentation marketing program which today they have perfected to a fine art, nothing is surer regarding GPUs than faster becomes cheaper rapidly, even though the cycle runs at an inconsistent pace. Of recent it has slowed as has CPU development which heralds a significant leap at some time not too future distant.

At this time, my only realistic chance of obtaining a GTX970 or better at the pricing they are pitched these days is as a hand me down. I have a long time good friend who is an obsessive gamer who usually buys the latest hottest GPU on the block in its incipient release phase price regardless. So I'll possibly wait for him to change over and if it's not too late in the card's techno life cycle, move up to whatever he is casting off. Or make an offer as incentive for him to upgrade now if he hasn't got the biggest fastest latest brute GPU already. Otherwise, I'd just rather allocate that money elsewhere on things a lot better value than a GPU daughterboard in a savvy marketed glam oversized box targeted at its testosterone fueled demographic. Just like Subway does with its subs, the GPU manufacturers know exactly their primary target demographic they can extort max demand pricing from.

For those of suggesting I spend up to a GTX970. Why won't I spend that kind of money on graphics any more? Been there done that, bear the deep scars of the fiscal regret. Been PC gaming since '92. Just one of many examples, anyone here want to buy a pair (X2) of Canopus 3dfx Voodoo II 12MB cards with SLI connectors in original boxes since long ago surplus to requirement? Just one of so many too rapidly obsolescent but HOT HOT HOT at the time cards I've owned over the years sitting stored in the roof space. Now I'd rather just have my $1800 back I spent on that pair (in about '97 dollars if I recall accurately) with interest. And it is just one of so many including the very first and revolutionary NVIDIA 2D/3D OpenGL API chipset which went on to become the RIVA128 and then the GeFORCE as it has been marketed ever since. Been there since 16 bit ISA was the standard graphics bus to be superseded by VESA, PCI, AGP, then PCIe to where we are at now with PCIe X3.n, through 3dfx's Glide, Microsoft's Direct3D, and eveolution of the OpenGL APIs to name but a few significant milestones. Owned the lot when they were HOT back then. $$$$$ OUCH! Just trying to give perspective from where I'm sitting to those of you with helpful intention pushing for the 970, and advise that whilst I do understand why, present my reason why not.

All that said, I do appreciate the suggestions and help generously offered by each and every one of you who responded.

my 970 gtx used 3.2GB once with options on higher

Thanks. Just the kind of qualitative anecdotal confirmation I am after. Was that running in 1920x1080 at the time?

Quantitatively reporting characteristics should help Relic diagnostically isolate the cause.

I've noticed it seems to occur more frequently for me after runnning the game for a contiguous prolonged period. That said, I haven't had it occur now for several days. Go figure?!

And yes, it is especially annoying when it occurs at the 2v2 auto load screen leaving my playpal flying solo.

Thank you for the guide. You hit every issues nails right on the head. Been a tremendous help in understanding.