Get a second Radeon 5870 or replace it?

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snapple232

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Aug 8, 2010
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I'm considering upgrading my video card, a Radeon 5870 1GB, but I'm not sure whether I should get a second 5870 to run in a crossfire configuration or replace it entirely. I see some used 5870s on ebay for ~$200. Which is more cost effective? I have a 650W PSU. Also, my CPU is an i7-930, and I have 6GB RAM if that's relevant.
 
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MajinCry

MajinCry

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Dec 8, 2011
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A 5870 in crossfire? The older the series of graphics card, the less effecient it is at crossfiring (don't quote me on that. I'm just saying what is the general consensus from what I've read). And considering how watt-thirsty the 5870 is, I'd suggest selling the card and buying a faster, single card than what you've currently got.

As a reference, the 5870 performs pretty much the same as the 6950, which performs pretty much the same as the 7850. Reference: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/511?vs=549

If you wanted to upgrade now, a 7970 would be the only single card that gives a noticeable improvement worth upgrading to. However, it's too damn expensive.

The Radeon HD 9000 series (AMD has skipped the 8000 series due to re-badging the 7000 series for OEM desktops) will be coming out soon, and you'll get more bang for your buck; either there will be a graphics card that performs better for the same price, or the 7970 will fall in price.

My suggestion? Sit on it for a while longer. The 5870 has some serious horse power in it.
 
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andystanley

andystanley

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Mar 6, 2012
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I would opt to buy a new card instead of cross-firing the 5870. Reason is, the 5870 is old and only has 1gb of vram. So if you want to run some modern titles at a higher setting you will not be able to due the limited memory. Also not all games are optimized for crossfire and it will not be as smooth as a faster single card. Besides $200 for a USED 5870 is way too much. I wouldn't even pay $100 for a NEW 5870.
As far as what card to buy, a 7870 LE card is probably your best option for about $250. The sapphire version is by far the best.

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-11199-20-20G/dp/B00AWKYB1M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369513385&sr=8-1&keywords=7870xt

The 7870 LE is a cut down 7950. It performs about on par with a stock 7950 and is $40-$50 cheaper.
It really is a terrific card for the money and will smash your old 5870.
 
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MyNewRig

MyNewRig

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May 7, 2013
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Replace without a second thought, that card is so outdated and will be much more by the end of the year when AMD is on its 9000 series on a 20nm node, by this time your card will belong to the museum :)
 
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