Crysis: Warhead

Up next is our legacy title for 2014, Crysis: Warhead. The stand-alone expansion to 2007’s Crysis, at over 5 years old Crysis: Warhead can still beat most systems down. Crysis was intended to be future-looking as far as performance and visual quality goes, and it has clearly achieved that. We’ve only finally reached the point where single-GPU cards have come out that can hit 60fps at 1920 with 4xAA, never mind 2560 and beyond.

Crysis: Warhead - 3840x2160 - Gamer Quality

Crysis: Warhead - 2560x1440 - Enthusiast Quality + 4x MSAA

Crysis: Warhead - 1920x1080 - Enthusiast Quality + 4x MSAA

With the GTX 980 already falling just short of beating the R9 290XU in Crysis: Warhead, this is the only other instance where the GTX 970 isn’t a completely competitive card. Even the EVGA FTW overclock can’t help it catch up to the R9 290, let alone the R9 290XU. Crysis simply calls for more shader power than what the GTX 970 can realistically deliver.

Crysis: Warhead - Min. Frame Rate - 3840x2160 - Gamer Quality

Crysis: Warhead - Min. Frame Rate - 2560x1440 - Enthusiast Quality + 4x MSAA

The story is much the same with minimum framerates. Although GTX 970 doesn’t fare any worse relatively speaking, it also doesn’t get to close the gap.

Crysis 3 Total War: Rome 2
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  • JarredWalton - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    There are plenty of older (but still decent) PSUs that only have 6-pin PEG connectors, and 6-pin to 8-pin adapters are never a good idea IMO.
  • cobalt42 - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    I believe at least one released card does use a single 8-pin connector.
  • jmke - Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - link

    Asus strix 970 DC2OC uses a single 8-pin connector
  • Hrel - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    Remember you guys saying Nvidia is working from the low end up, no longer top down. Well, they should start releasing cards that way. I don't care about your overpriced space heaters, I care about the cards between $100 and $200. Release those first!
  • cobalt42 - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    They did -- the 750 and 750Ti are the first generation Maxwell cards, released earlier this year. They didn't break new ground in price/performance, but they did in price/watt.
  • anandreader106 - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    You mean performance/watt.
  • Houdani - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    I think it's finally time to upgrade my vintage 460 to one of these 970's. I don't plan on upgrading my ancient i7 930 (Nahelem, Bloomfield) just yet.

    I think I can eek more life out of my rig by bumping the GPU and keeping the rest of the innards the same for another year or two. I'm just surprised that I was able to get 4 good years out of that little 460 (mated with a 1080P monitor).
  • CaptainSassy - Friday, September 26, 2014 - link

    Exactly the same rig and monitir but i will continue sitting on it :D 329$ is still pricy, i'll wait for true 200$ champion
  • wetwareinterface - Saturday, September 27, 2014 - link

    there won't be a $200 champion. the bang for buck cards are in the $300 and above price tier right now and for the foreseeable future. it was the r9 290 and now it's the 970. the next one i predict will be the 290's replacement it will have the texture compression of the 285 and be their second down part.
  • just4U - Sunday, September 28, 2014 - link

    The $200 champion appears to really be the 280 atm for those sitting on older cards.. I'd like to say the 285 but it's higher up in the price bracket. The 960 should be interesting though when it comes out but I doubt it will be a $200 card.. Looking at the 970.. Im guessing it will sit at the $250 price point.

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