Advice: 290x vs 280x crossfire??? (hardware purchase is time dependant)

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turok

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Hey guys, hoping for advice here. Need to make a new computer soon, before December/christmas. I currently have a PC from 2008 running Windows XP pro haha. ATI 5770 ;) Which means I never had the opportunity to play BF3 and can't play BF4 Or PlanetSide 2(without crashing after 15mins). Only played BF2 and Bad Company 2 on PC, among other games.

I'm struggling with what Video Card is the best option now and moving forward. This is my dilemma:

Wait for new R9 290x with better cooling solutions form Gigabyte, Asus, Sapphire, etc or get 280x crossfire now.
  • ■280x is older tech but better price/performance when crossfired
    ■290x is new tech? but have to wait longer for better cards late november/december or early next year?
    ■could crossfire 290x next year, April/May?
    ■ if I get 280x crossfired, I can purchase them now?
    ■ waiting 2-3months isn't really an option T_T
    ■ making a new computer from scratch, want to try and buy the most latest hardware I can afford in my budget
 
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turok

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nobody? ;-;

I want the 290x but not the current models. Performance is obviously better with 280x crossfire, but is it worth dropping money into essentially last gen cards when I could buy the 290x? But waiting for new 290x models...when will that happen? essentially I need to drop the hammer by November 11th and purchase all my hardware, but what video cards to buy.
 
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lazyboy947

lazyboy947

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Crossfire performance is not guarantee'd so id wait and go for the 290x. The performance whether u need it or not is there with a single card lol It shouldnt be too much longer before the different designed cooler for the 290x to come out. The only thing i can see with the 280x is if u get a single card now u could get another later or a 7970 to crossfire but in general crossfire is never the greatest option as produces more heat and uses quite a bit more power.

Also the 5770 can play bf3, i have one and plays high with a phenom ii x2 555. Also had crossfire 6770s before my 7970 which is a rebranded 5770 and crossfire wasnt much better than the single card but thats with lower end cards. so maybe spend more on other components, reuse the gpu for now and save for the release of better coolers for the 290x

Not too sure about bf4 as well the dual core holds it back but the games u listed is more cpu intense before the graphics become an issue lol.
 
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baner711

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You canott crossfire a 5770 with a 6770 you can crossfire a 5750 with a 5770 and a 6750 with a 6770 not sure who told you otherwize but they were wrong.
 
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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As said, you cannot CF a HD6770 and HD5770 because the HD5770 was VLIW5 arch and the HD6770 was VLIW4 arch which is different.

You can CF the 280x and HD7970 because it is the exact same card, just different name. Nothing about it is different.

To the OP, do you plan on more than one monitor? If so then CFX 280X would be better. But if you plan on one monitor then a R9-290X would be better.

As well, either way you go, you really want to upgrade as XP will limit the full potential of that GPU since you are most likely using 32bit you can only allocate up to 4GB of total RAM, system and GPU.

I suggest at least 7 64bit, if you are brave then jump to 8.1 64bit.

 
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lazyboy947

lazyboy947

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the 5770 and 6770 are the same card, just rebranded I own one of each and they work together. They are both Juniper XT cards, like the 280x and 7970 there the same card with the 280x with small performance increase over the 7970, spec wise there exactly the same cards. But not every re badged card is crossfire compatible for all i know its only the 6770/5770 and 280x/7970
 
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turok

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I am planning on getting a 2k professional monitor for photoshop/3dstudioMax/Maya later, next year perhaps. Although Asus has one that is not bad; ASUS PB Series PB278Q 27" 5ms response time. With a response time higher then 5 I don't have interest in trying to game on the monitor.

Or I may purchase a 4k monitor, unlikely though until a gaming version existed, as I would not be happy with a 4K monitor that had something like 8ms response time.

Either way I would have 2 monitors but I would not actually be gaming on more than 1 monitor.

The rest of the specs are:
CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
Motherboard: Gigabyte G1.Sniper M5 (or Asus equivalent)
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 1600Mhz
Video Card: 290 or 290x or 280x CF ???
PowerSupply: Corsair 850W Gold Certified

If I do get a MATX case then I might have to get a smaller CORSAIR H60 for the CPU, or H80 if it fits.
 
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lazyboy947

lazyboy947

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Def go with the 290 or 290x, the stock cooler on the 290/290x are pretty bad, and would wait for aftermarket coolers or replace it, but at the moment an overclocked 290 can beat a 290x but so far the 290x OC dont seem to go real far but either one would be best over CF
 
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