Selling ATI-Buying an Nvidia

[zman4700]

Hello everyone,

I feel that it is now the time to upgrade from my ATI Radeon HD 2900XT and switch to a card that can handle more games even better. My 2900XT is a great card, but there are just too many hiccups and problems with drivers.

My budget is around $530 so I have narrowed my choices down to these three cards. (Keep in mind that I need something that can deal with Crysis pretty well).

1st Choice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130072

2nd Choice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150232

3rd Choice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127281

If anyone thinks I can find a better deal or a better card, please submit your opinion, I deeply want to make the correct choice here.

 

[Harrisson]

None of them, if you going for nvidia, take 2 x 8800GT and smoke the cards you linked to oblivion

 

[cleeve]

Yep, two 8800 GTs would be preferable to a single GTX or Ultra.

 

[zman4700]

Ok, and it will run well with crysis, even with vista? Also, I've never set up dual graphics cards, is it difficult?

 

[itotallybelieveyou]

2x 8800GT no it's easy to do SLI

 

[zman4700]

Ok I just really want to make sure. Does anyone have game play footage on Crysis with this card?

Also, what are the 2 best 8800GT's I can get?

 

[nuklep]

2 8800GT is better than 1 8800GTX. But for 2 8800GT, you need to have a motherboard which is SLI capable

Mine isn't

You gave link to 8600GT , but we are saying 8800GT

they are in high demand, so might take a few tries to find any in stock.
don't make the mistake to get 2 8600GT. BAD BAD

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130303

 

[zman4700]

Here is the board I have

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813121059

Will it work?

 

[babybudha]

$530 is just too much to spend on technology that is already one year old. I'm sure Nvidia will soon bring out a flagship model in that price range that will at least double the performance of a 8800gtx. They have had a year to develop it, without having to rush it. If you look at the 8800gt, it's a good card, buy you can definitely tell they are holding alot of technology back.

IMO, not worth the price just to get a small-moderate performance increase over a 2900xt.

 

[zman4700]

Ok but will my board work with SLI?

 

[jtnstnt]

no that board does not have any sli support

 

[tkpb938]

Don't do it! Nvidia/Intel = the dark side

 

[zman4700]

But I have 2 slots to put both cards in so why can't I just both both cards in the slots and then link them? I also have a juice box to support more power. And why does Nvidia/intel= dark side? Does that mean if I bought a GTX then it still wouldn't be compatible?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

For now no.

That board is Crossfire only, not SLi.

If you were looking for similar performance then the 2 x HD3870 would be the main option, with the potential for maybe a 3rd board later with Asynchronous Xfire.

No my cup of tea but those are the options for that board.

Currently I wouldn't buy a GF8800GTX or GF8800Ultra, so IMO your options are a single GF8800GT for now and then add another when/if you get an SLi MoBo, or else go with 2 HD3870 for now and then potentially add a 3rd later.

But if your issue with the HD2900 were drivers (no one asked you to elaborate but, whatever) then SLi and Xfire are not a step in the easier drivers direction.

For now SLi and Xfire in Crysis are limited but a patchi is pending (or may have just arrived, don't have time to play it yet).

 

[nukchebi0]

Just wait.

 

[zman4700]

So what are you saying I should exactly do right now?

 

[boner]

GT!!!!

 

[zman4700]

Ok, so I'll get a 8800GT and possibly upgrade to an SLI compatible mobo in the future, but will the 8800GT run better then the 2900XT, and how will it look on crysis. (I'm talking about only installing one because of my mobo).

 

[nukchebi0]

What is the point of upgrading now? There isn't.

 

[zman4700]

Well when should I upgrade then?

 

[jtnstnt]

when next gen comes out its close
8800gtx 128 sp probably your best bet by the time christmas comes around

 

[Blackra1n]

Ok, so I'll get a 8800GT and possibly upgrade to an SLI compatible mobo in the future, but will the 8800GT run better then the 2900XT, and how will it look on crysis. (I'm talking about only installing one because of my mobo).

Get dual 3870s and still beat a GTX and if you want to know what each card will look like on Crysis
http://iax-tech.com/video/3870/38704.htm

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well when should I upgrade then?

I have to agree with Nuk.

Unless you get the money that it costs you to buy the GF8800GT from selling the HD2900XT, then it doesn't make much sense for such a small upgrade. Of course if these driver issues are huge (would be nice if elaborated *cough* *cough*), then of course selling the HD2900XT for anything and buying a GF8800GT would be a good strategy, however realistically, the quality of game play differences between the HD2900XT and GF8800GT is not huge, at least no more so than the difference between the GF8800GT and 2 HD3850 in Xfire.

So really I agree with Nuk, wait for something better to come along early to mid next year, those solutions should really give you some majorly improve features and performance together.

But if you really want to upgrade from the HD2900XT, I'd say your best bet is to roll the dice and seee if the fabled 128SP G92 does see the light of day this year or not and what it's price is.

The GF8800GT is a GREAT new buy, but isn't all that compelling IMO as an upgrade option, at least not at current availability/price, unless it's close to a free swap.

 

[starcraftfanatic]

are you using vista? if you are SLI is out of the question even if you replaced the motherboard, Vista+SLI=@!%#!@%#@%#%@, the easiest thing to do is get the MSI or XFX GTX you listed, it will run Crysis easily as long as you dont max it out

 

[zman4700]

Well this kinda sucks. This 2900XT is not doing me a lot of good right now at all. Games just don't look good.