XFX 7870 Tahiti Crossfire?

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

Hello
I am building a new PC and I am planning on running XFX Tahiti Le Ghz Edition in crossfire, I'm most likely only going to be using one monitor, is it worth an extra £180 for the crossfire? anything that you can tell me I would appreciate.
Thanks.

cookybiscuit · Jun 8, 2013

No, as of right now Crossfire isn't too great. Theres alot of microstutter and it doesn't improve perceivable framerate at all.

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

I am happy with my Tahiti Xfire, but it takes effort and don't expect too much from it.

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

cookybiscuit :

Novuake :

Hard work? how do you mean? and would you say it was worth it?

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

Adam Barakat :

As in effort to use frame limiters. Uhm, its worth it because I know what I am doing. But for a new Xfire user, no, I don't think its worth it.

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

Novuake :

Adam Barakat :

As in effort to use frame limiters. Uhm, its worth it because I know what I am doing. But for a new Xfire user, no, I don't think its worth it.

That's fair enough, I already own two of the cards however my friend would like to purchase one for the original price, think i should just sell it?

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

LOL if he's a friend give him a discount!

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

Novuake :

LOL, Hard times, with the economy and all

Ninja Pants · Jun 8, 2013

cookybiscuit :

Instead of providing an opinion with no basis perhaps provide some evidence.

To the OP here are some bench's: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2311387 and here: http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/4597/amd_radeon_hd_7870_2gb_reference_video_cards_in_crossfire/index.html you can clearly see the increase in FPS. It is also worth noting in the second link the FPS vs a single 7970.
Microstutter can be an issue but the problem is definately not what it used to be and really is usually unnoticeable. Here is an article Toms did a while ago that's worth reading: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-stutter-crossfire,2995.html (I think it was this one anyway).

It does not take any effort, install the second card, go into CCC and makes sure crossfire is checked... done.

Is it worth the extra $$, that is a very subjective question. But bang for your buck, it will outperform a 7970 and 770 for less money, so its an attractive proposition. However a single card set-up is generally preferable as usually less driver / performance issues and allows room to scale (another 7970 for example).

cookybiscuit · Jun 8, 2013

Ninja Pants :

cookybiscuit :

Instead of providing an opinion with no basis perhaps provide some evidence.

To the OP here are some bench's: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2311387 and here: http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/4597/amd_radeon_hd_7870_2gb_reference_video_cards_in_crossfire/index.html you can clearly see the increase in FPS. It is also worth noting in the second link the FPS vs a single 7970.
Microstutter can be an issue but the problem is definately not what it used to be and really is usually unnoticeable. Here is an article Toms did a while ago that's worth reading: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-stutter-crossfire,2995.html (I think it was this one anyway).

It does not take any effort, install the second card, go into CCC and makes sure crossfire is checked... done.

Is it worth the extra $$, that is a very subjective question. But bang for your buck, it will outperform a 7970 and 770 for less money, so its an attractive proposition. However a single card set-up is generally preferable as usually less driver / performance issues and allows room to scale (another 7970 for example).

An article over a year old, a test that only takes into account framerate, and another article that is 2 years old, good job.

Try giving this a flick through. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-review-benchmark,3486.html

In almost every game Crossfire does nothing for visual fidelity.

Ninja Pants · Jun 8, 2013

cookybiscuit :

Ninja Pants :

An article over a year old, a test that only takes into account framerate, and another article that is 2 years old, good job.

Try giving this a flick through. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-review-benchmark,3486.html

In almost every game Crossfire does nothing for visual fidelity.

They are all relevant benchmarks. I don't understand the issue? Im sure the OP is smart enough to look at the specifications of the test rig and realise that it is not for exact numbers but a performance comparative.

And an article on a 7990? What is the relevance? We are talking about crossfire here. That article in fact shows that a 7970 XF set up matches a single 7990.

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

Here we go again... Juuuust great.

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

Ninja Pants :

cookybiscuit :

They are all relevant benchmarks. I don't understand the issue? Im sure the OP is smart enough to look at the specifications of the test rig and realise that it is not for exact numbers but a performance comparative.

And an article on a 7990? What is the relevance? We are talking about crossfire here. That article in fact shows that a 7970 XF set up matches a single 7990.

Hmm, well from the results Crossfire does seem rather compelling, however I'm not yet up to the standards to be someone who knows how to easily tinker with his PC, I am in the midst of learning, although I assumed the crossfire would of been a good idea as from what I had seen before purchase was the fact is rivaled a 770 for less?

Ninja Pants · Jun 8, 2013

You should go with what you are comfortable with, and a single GPU setup is obviously simpler. One of my rigs is a crossfire set-up and I can honestly say I've never had to touch a thing, yes some games get a better FPS increase than others but I have not had to set up any alternate profiles or anything but I know that the need may sometime arise. And yes you should get performance equal to if not a little above a 770.

cookybiscuit · Jun 8, 2013

Ninja Pants :

cookybiscuit :

They are all relevant benchmarks. I don't understand the issue? Im sure the OP is smart enough to look at the specifications of the test rig and realise that it is not for exact numbers but a performance comparative.

And an article on a 7990? What is the relevance? We are talking about crossfire here. That article in fact shows that a 7970 XF set up matches a single 7990.

Sorry did I miss the bit where AMD made the 7990 one GPU?

It's 2 7970's on one board, meaning, Crossfire.

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

cookybiscuit :

Its not traditional Xfire. it uses a PLX bridge instead of a Xfire connector. So latency is a little lower. But yea, you are mostly correct.

Ninja Pants · Jun 8, 2013

lol.

Thanks Novuake, I unfortunately do not possess that kind of tact.

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

Ninja Pants :

so we think I should stick to crossfire? or sell the card? haha

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

Well since you have the cards, try it! LOL

Adam Barakat · Jun 8, 2013

Novuake :

Well there are a few reasons I'd like to sell it, one being he really wants one of these cards as they are world exclusives to aria and only 400 of them were made. I could also do with the money, however if it is not worth selling I wont sell it, but if it doesn't make the world of a difference, then I would, which is why Im asking if it is worth keeping both cards

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

Adam Barakat :

Are you happy with the single HD7870xt/le performance?

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

Ninja Pants :

I was not choosing sides, just for the record.

Ninja Pants · Jun 8, 2013

Your going to get somewhere close to 90% more (on most games) FPS.... so depends how much you need the money or how much you like your friend I guess

Ninja Pants · Jun 8, 2013

Novuake :

I know.

Novuake · Jun 8, 2013

Ninja Pants :

OK now you are just being ridiculous? 90%???

XFX 7870 Tahiti Crossfire?

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