ATI x1900xtx vs. Dual XFX7800GT

[Narmacil]

I'm planning a major hardware upgrade shortly and i'm currently looking at buying a SLI configuration of two XFX 7800GT 256mb cards.

Now, ATI just released their X1900XTX 512mb card and i'm getting doubts about my planned upgrade.

Would two 7800's hold their own against a x1900xtx?
The price would be the same (from where i would be buying them at least)
so this is purely a question of performance. Any opinions?

Some more info:
I use my computer mainly for gaming, surfing and as a "juskebox" running itunes etc. I won't be doing video editing or anything "work-related", just gaming.
Don't know if i should get a dual-core or single-core AMD, the only full-time background application i run is Norton IS2005, not sure if this justifies a dual-core CPU. What are your opinions on this?

Thanks in advance

 

[baracuda73]

Check out the review on tomshardware.com. the x1900xtx will hang with the sli setup.

 

[cleeve]

two 7800 GT's are probably better in the majority of stuff.

Having said that, I'd go for a single X1900 XT @ $500 and overclock it to XTX specs, instead of getting $560 of 7800 GTs.

Then, if you really want to run duals, you could always buy another X1900 in the future and Xfire it.

 

[RichPLS]

The X1900XT(x) beats the 7800's on so many levels, there is really no competition yet.
Not only are the speeds better using single card, no bugs/hangups with xFire or SLI are encountered by virtue of avoidance.

 

[Stummpy]

If you take a look at Tomshardware of the X1900XTX it beats the 7800GT in SLI. If you want a monster computer go for the X1900XTX and then CrossFire it later. I mean come on, 48 SHADER PIXEL PIPELINES! And I would get the dual core. It is the future.

 

[mdd1963]

"Now, ATI just released their X1900XTX 512mb card and i'm getting doubts about my planned upgrade.
"

The normal XT version is only clocked a littleslower (only 25 MHz on core/mem) , yet still delivering 95% of the performance, and for $100-$125 less...

Easily rivals an SLI'd pair of GTX256 in most benchmarks, and for $519 for Saphire 1900XT at Newegg, it's less expensive than two GTX's by far...

 

[illicitsc]

not pipes stumpy

 

[viperxoc]

If you take a look at Tomshardware of the X1900XTX it beats the 7800GT in SLI. If you want a monster computer go for the X1900XTX and then CrossFire it later. I mean come on, 48 SHADER PIXEL PIPELINES! And I would get the dual core. It is the future.

This test is flawed. They used the ASUS SLI-Premium for this test and in SLI mode the cards are only running at 8X and 8X. They should have used the ASUS SLI-Deluxe which runs both cards at 16X and 16X. I know it's not a huge difference, but it would change the results.

Viper

 

[RichPLS]

I think performance would be affected only marginally, and then not by the PCIe bus.

 

[Stummpy]

not pipes stumpy

Yo illicitcs, they are called pixel pipelines, but they are slowly changing the name to pixel processors.

 

[illicitsc]

not pipes stumpy

Yo illicitcs, they are called pixel pipelines, but they are slowly changing the name to pixel processors.

the x1900 has 3 shaders per pipe...so 48 shaders, 16 pipes

 

[myatitus]

As it sits right now i would recomend the X1900 over the Sli configuration, but knowing Nvidia that could change quickly though the price/proformance is great on ATI.
for the CPU i would recomend the AMD X2 or since your going all out the FX60 since games are now starting to come in multi-thread format the HT and the duel core are starting to show the true potential.

 

[Stummpy]

not pipes stumpy

Yo illicitcs, they are called pixel pipelines, but they are slowly changing the name to pixel processors.

the x1900 has 3 shaders per pipe...so 48 shaders, 16 pipes

All right I went back and checked out the diagram and re-read that part of review and yes, my wording was wrong. So allow me to rephrase. "I mean come on, 48 SHADER PIXEL PROCESSORS!" Is that more to your liking? I read a preview a little while back some where that said ATI was increasing the pipelines from 16 to 48. So you have my apology illicitsc.

 

[mdd1963]

"Then, if you really want to run duals, you could always buy another X1900 in the future and Xfire it.
"

Assuming he'd opted for a Crossfire mb when he upgrades mbs, anyway...

(If I can find an excuse to build another computer, a 1900XT is going in it!)

 

[mdd1963]

"for the CPU i would recomend the AMD X2 or since your going all out the FX60"

FX60? at $1150???

For gaming, it would better getting an Opty 175, and OCing it to 2.4 or FX60 levels, and using the $600-$700 saved on getting a 2nd video card and mb for Crossfire or SLI...

Buying the top speed (single or dual core) available is almost lunacy today(no offense!); given an 8% clockspeed boost for 4% more performance in non-video bound apps at more than twice the price.

But for high res gaming, an FX60 nets a whopping .5-1 fps extra over an X2 4200 in FEAR, for example....essentially, $700 more for .5% framerate increase = waste