A gamer simply can't get enough graphics power in their rig, which makes the upgrade question omnipresent. To show you whether it makes sense to upgrade from one generation to another we created this series of articles, where we will compare graphics cards from different generations. Today we're having a close look at the differences between the GTX 580 and the GTX 780.
While it
is still enough for games like the Call of Duty Black Ops 2, but it is
definitely not enough when it comes to titles like Crysis 3 where the GTX 580
manages to pull a rather modes 17 FPS at High Preset, 1920x1080, 8xMSAA, Very
High settings while the GTX 780 is able to render playable 30.2 FPS. The
situation is similar in Far Cry 3 where the GTX 580 manages to get 24.8 FPS
while the GTX 780 is over 90 percent faster and pulls off 47.2 FPS.
On the other hand, the performance gain translates to higher power consumption
as while the GTX 780 is surprisingly efficient in idle at 54 Watts,
compared to the GTX 580 at 69W, the load power consumption is on the GTX 580
side as it pulls around 19 percent less. The difference between idle and load is
on the GTX 780 side as it is around 34 percent better.
The price is a whole different story, as, although it is currently not
available, it is listed with a lowest price set at €221,50 but was selling at
over €400 in its glory days, which is pretty much what you have to pay for the
GTX 780 today.
It all comes down to the choice of games, willingness to lower the quality
settings in games as well as the actual resolution of the screen. While it still
could pull playable frame rates in certain games at 1920x1080 resolution, the
GTX 780 would be much more capable in case you are looking to upgrade to a
higher resolution monitor.
The Christmas shopping season is coming soon and we are sure many stores will
have certain deals on the GTX 780 and while the GTX 780 Ti and the GTX 780 GHz
Edition SKUs are just around the corner, the upgrade from the GTX 580 to the GTX
780 should be well justified. It could still hold its ground until the next
generation but be prepared for lower quality settings, especially in recently
released games. But maybe, you're one of the guys (or
geekah?) who bought a 580 when it was brand new, in this case you might not be
willing to sacrifice image quality for performance. In this case upgrading to a
GTX 780 should definitely be an option for you.
A gamer simply can't get enough graphics power in their rig, which makes the upgrade question omnipresent. To show you whether it makes sense to upgrade from one generation to another we created this series of articles, where we will compare graphics cards from different generations. Today we're having a close look at the differences between the GTX 580 and the GTX 780. 
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