Really confused to buy a video card.

[M12]

Hi all!!!!

I'm getting my new pc, I've already got the mobo an the CPU (Asus A8N32-SLI Delux / AMD ATHLON 64 4800+ X2 2.4 GHZ ) and I'm getting so very confused to get the best SLI/Crossfire video card.

for example, I've just seeing nvidia cards (7600, 7800, 7900) and I have some Questions....

If I get 1 7950 for example is like if I had 2 7600 working in SLI?

I know that SLI and Crossfire names are just for marketing but I have doubts about if an ATI is compatible with my MOBO.


And what's better to buy two identical video cards for example 7600 or one 7950 having on main cost / performance if i'm an extreme gammer?

As you can see I'm a little newbe in this.


Really thanks a lot.

Fondest Regards.

 

[djplanet]

Hey there, you're mobo is fine and dandy for any PCIe graphics card and it's SLI compatible (thus single ATI cards will work). Where you run into thorny compatibility issues is with SLI and Crossfire. As I said, it will work with SLI, but not Crossfire (no mobo exists that supports both). I believe one 7950 will out pace two 7600's, plus by buying a single card you'll avoid the issues a few (not many) games have with multi-GPU technology. It'll generate less heat in your case too.

All GeForce 6 series and up cards are SLI capable, and X800 and all X1000 series ATI cards are Crossfire capable. SLI simply links the two cards by an internal bridge, Crossfire requires an external dongle and a special Crossfire version card to accommodate it (except for the 1950 Pro, which uses a bridge like SLI). SLI requires two cards of the same model, Crossfire only requires two of the same series (i.e. X1800 Crossfire will work will X1800XL and X1800XT, but 7950 will only work with another 7950).

Edit: One more thing, SLI/Crossfire tend to shine when high resolution is used and all the eye candy (HDR, AA, AF) is turned on.

 

[enforcerfx]

SLi and Crossfire only matter if your playing at resolutions 1600x1200 or higher. Otherwise, just stick with 1 card.

 

[prozac26]

SLi and Crossfire only matter if your playing at resolutions 1600x1200 or higher. Otherwise, just stick with 1 card.

Not to mention two 7600GTs are total crap in SLI. This goes to any mid-range cards also.

 

[M12]

Ok buddies, so what if I get two GeForce 7600 XXX

http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product/listConfigurationDetails.jspa;jsessionid=a_pFJwjF82zgvLl0J7?productConfigurationId=592431

Do you guess is acceptable for example to run a GRAW with max Quality at 1280 X 1024 ????

 

[prozac26]

Please,

DO NOT GET TWO MID-RANGE CARDS.

It cannot be stressed enough.

A single 7900GT is a much better choice.

 

[Xazax310]

Yea 7900GT is awesome ive had mine for 6 months and been OCing it to 1700memory and 590 Core for month now and ZERO PROBLEMS its quite an awesome card and great OCing capabilities

Here it is at Tigerdirect for 200 dollars

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2512321&CatId=0

 

[sirheck]

Please,

DO NOT GET TWO MID-RANGE CARDS.

It cannot be stressed enough.

A single 7900GT is a much better choice.

i agree with prozac.

you could get 2 76gt,s for around 200$ or so.
and a 79gs single card for almost if not cheaper and the performance
is about the same. if you are playing at say 12x10 or less
i dout youll see any difference.

you could turn up the settings a little higher. with sli.

 

[enforcerfx]

Hell you can get a 7900GS at BestBuy, thats right. BESTBUY. For 150. Its crazy these days. :lol:

 

[sirheck]

yeah i believe that the 76gt,s are around 100$
the 79gs is 180 or less and it seems the 79gt
is around 200$.
the gto and 7950 probably arent 50$ more.