ATI Crossfire, Compatibility.

[hartski]

I'm looking to get a Crossfire mobo/system. I thought I had everything figured out as far as upgrades are concerned.

What I know: Unlike SLI which can only use the exact same vidcard, Crossfire can use different ATI cards. How far does this flexibility go? Will an X850 XT Crossfire vidcard work with a X1900 XT? Is it limited to their own generations? Like only X800 models can couple and only X1x00 models can couple.

Shed some guru light please!

I hate having to upgrade vidcards everytime a new generation of eye candy slurping, licking games come out. Right now I am not so impressed by the new X1x00 line. I'm simply worried that the new games of 2006 or early 2007 will make me upgrade my videocard again just so I can play at 1280x1024 med-max settings. That's why I chose Crossfire so when I use a X1900 XT now I can get whatever is the latest ATI vidcard in mid-late 2006 and couple them.

 

[sleepdeprived82]

Currently crossfire requires cards of the same generation to be used. You can not use say a x800 with a x1800.

You can use cards of the same gen with different speeds such as a x1900xt with a x1900xtx.

So in essence the answer to your question is no: if you buy a x1900 you will not be able to add the next gen card to it to run crossfire.

Still though a x1900xt will last a good long time, the only thing you might want to wait for is dx10 cards that should be along soon.

I hate having to upgrade vidcards everytime a new generation of eye candy slurping, licking games come out

That will always be im affraid, no card will be around for long in the current environment before the next latest and greatest card/game comes out.