I want X1900 XTX Crossfire on Conroe or AM2 - what Mobos?

[DavidBeoulve]

Crossfire X1900 XTX's
I want to make a Crossfire setup (X1900 XTX + X1900 Crossfire Edition videocards); however, I don't want to build a new computer that uses the Socket 939 chipset and DDR RAM.

Deadline
I only have until August 25th to purchase something (employee loan agreement with the gubermint I work for) - so I can't wait indefinitely.

I have found ATI's list of Motherboards that run Crossfire and AM2, but I can't find any of those boards for sale.

Crossfire Express 3200
Conroe will be difficult to get in time for the August 25th deadline. The motherboards that work with Conroe don't use Crossfire Express 3200.

As I said, I can't find any AM2 Crossfire Express 3200 motherboards.

Can you guys help?

Many thanks...

 

[DavidBeoulve]

Surely someone is knowledgeable enough to provide a link or something.

"Throw me a bone here, people."
- Dr. Evil

 

[shadowduck]

Crossfire X1900 XTX's
I want to make a Crossfire setup (X1900 XTX + X1900 Crossfire Edition videocards); however, I don't want to build a new computer that uses the Socket 939 chipset and DDR RAM.

Deadline
I only have until August 25th to purchase something (employee loan agreement with the gubermint I work for) - so I can't wait indefinitely.

I have found ATI's list of Motherboards that run Crossfire and AM2, but I can't find any of those boards for sale.

Crossfire Express 3200
Conroe will be difficult to get in time for the August 25th deadline. The motherboards that work with Conroe don't use Crossfire Express 3200.

As I said, I can't find any AM2 Crossfire Express 3200 motherboards.

Can you guys help?

Many thanks...

1900XTX does not support X-fire in any capacity. Which is ok, because the XTX is only marginaly better than an XT anyway.

Crossfire sucks, thats why you find the total lack of motherboards. There are no AM2 boards that I know which support it. You are going to have to look at S939 for Crossfire solutions now.

 

[enforcerfx]

If you like listening to airplanes taking off, then you'll love the x1900 series! Seriously though, the x1900 series are very loud cards, and in crossfire, well you better get some earplugs, or crank your speakers up. I honestly wouldnt go for crossfire, you dont get much better results, and the price afterwards, is going to leave a huge hole in your pocket. My advice, just buy 1 x1900xt, and use the rest for your other liking. Am2 motherboards at this point, do not offer the crossfire solution, only S939 boards and i believe LGA775 boards do too. So if you still want too, buy a Am2 board, a Am2 processor, and 1 x1900xt, i think you will be pleased with the overall results.

 

[dimwhited]

if you wanted to use 2 cards, then i would deffinately use nvidia

xfire is software based, and sli is hardware based

hardware based is better

and for cpu, sence you cant wait very long, i would get a conroe. AMD isnt going to have their answer to conroe out before the time you need to buy, so conroe is your best bet

 

[Heyyou27]

Actually they're both software based, but Nvidia does not let SLI run on any non Nforce chipset.

 

[The_Prophecy]

I agree with dimwhited in terms of Conroe being a better bet. I also agree with everyone here who said that Crossfire is pointless. I say avoid it, because both Crossfire and SLI are a big waste of money, and the gains (which aren't substantial) are really not worth the gaping hole that will be burned in your wallet.

Here are my suggestions:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 (E6600 if your budget allows for it) <--- The Core 2 chips are available for pre-order. August 25th should be plenty of time to get a Core 2 chip though.

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3

RAM: OCZ Gold 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2-800

Video: Sapphire Radeon X1900XT

 

[chuckshissle]

Asus P5W DH Deluxe

Socket 775 Core 2 support and Crossfire

http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=0&model=1198&modelmenu=1

or

Intel 975X Crossfire support mobo

http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/d975xbx/index.htm

 

[Heyyou27]

I say avoid it, because both Crossfire and SLI are a big waste of money, and the gains (which aren't substantial) are really not worth the gaping hole that will be burned in your wallet.

Owning an SLI system I can honestly say that with every driver release performance increases and the benefits are there if your situation requires a multi GPU system. One thing people often do is buy an SLI system simply to have an SLI system and that’s a foolish mistake. When I purchased my 7800GTs the only other option was the more expensive 7800GTX 512MB so in my case, SLI was the better solution.

If your monitor resolution is 1280x1024 or lower, a single GPU setup is the best for you. At 1600x1200 or higher is when SLI and Crossfire are best.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Yes, SLI/Crossfire setups do make a big difference at high resolutions, however, you can't play at that high of a res unless you either:

A: Are still using a CRT monitor which can display that high.
or
B: Have a 20+ inch LCD (which can cost as much as one of the cards) and can display at that high of a res...

 

[DavidBeoulve]

I own a 21" Hitachi Perfect-Flat CRT. It can go up to 2048x1536 with a good refresh rate at 1920x1200. With a monitor this good, I haven't felt the desire to lock myself to a given resolution with a widescreen LCD.

Thank you Chuckhissle for the useful links!

 

[p8ntslinger676]

wait cant you crossfire the ATI cards on SLi mobos, i remember reading something about that like 6 moths ago, so couldnt he just get a sli mobo and crossfire on that...please correct me if im wrong :roll:

 

[the_stiffmeister]

Not all X1900 XTX cards are loud. I've got the HIS silent heat pipe card it is very quiet. I think the crossfire master card is only available with the ATI standard cooler though :?

 

[DavidBeoulve]

I recall reading that getting Crossfire working in an SLI motherboard was software only, and than some other poster said "It's all software anyway" which doesn't actually make much sense, as one does need certain HARDWARE to be on the motherboards for this to work, and I read about chipsets that are on the motherboards... whatever. I don't trust what people post until I can back it up.

Stiffmeister, thanks for the tip! If I get a HIS X1900 XTX "Crossfire ready" and a regular HIS X1900 XTX - that will Crossfire properly? What's the purpose of these slower "master" cards?

*drools*

 

[The_Prophecy]

wait cant you crossfire the ATI cards on SLi mobos, i remember reading something about that like 6 moths ago, so couldnt he just get a sli mobo and crossfire on that...please correct me if im wrong :roll:

Not possible. The chipset has to support Crossfire, just like how you can't run SLI on a board eithout an SLI chipset from Nvidia.

 

[Heyyou27]

Actually the Intel 975X works perfectly with Crossfire.

 

[DavidBeoulve]

... in 8x not "Crossfire Express 3200" 16x, right? Everything I've found points to the fact that there are no Conroe Mobos that run the new/faster standard.

 

[Heyyou27]

The only current card that may use all of the 8x slot's bandwidth is the 7950GX2, not the X1900XT.

 

[chuckshissle]

... in 8x not "Crossfire Express 3200" 16x, right? Everything I've found points to the fact that there are no Conroe Mobos that run the new/faster standard.

....and the main differece between the 8x and 16x dual gpu mobo is the price. The 16x dual PCI-E mobo has no significant performance increase in real application so don't bother choosing a mobo with these factor. Yes, the 16x has higher bandwith but it's all about the graphics card and currently none can fully utilize that 16x bandwith.

 

[DavidBeoulve]

Really? That'd be great, guys.

Do y'all know of any links to the subject?

 

[The_Prophecy]

Actually the Intel 975X works perfectly with Crossfire.

Yes because the 975X chipset supports Crossfire.... a chipset that doesn't say it supports Crossfire won't be able to run Crossfire (or SLI) no matter what you do.

 

[Heyyou27]

My mistake, I misread and thought you were saying only ATI's chipsets work with Crossfire.

 

[shadowduck]

wait cant you crossfire the ATI cards on SLi mobos, i remember reading something about that like 6 moths ago, so couldnt he just get a sli mobo and crossfire on that...please correct me if im wrong :roll:

Not possible. The chipset has to support Crossfire, just like how you can't run SLI on a board eithout an SLI chipset from Nvidia.

Not true. There are some *cough* hacks *cough* that allow Crossfire to work on an SLI motherboard. Most interesting is performace is better in some benckmarks than a native Crossfire setup.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Not true. There are some *cough* hacks *cough* that allow Crossfire to work on an SLI motherboard. Most interesting is performace is better in some benckmarks than a native Crossfire setup.

Those get broken with every new driver release though don't they?

 

[DavidBeoulve]

For the record, guys!

Concerning the X1900 XTX series:
ATI Crossfire Express 3200 (16x) matters mostly if you are using high AA settings (around 8x and above, depending on your base resolution).

That's what I read. Whip this post if I'm wrong.