P5E for 3870X2 CF ou XFX 780i for 8800GTS tri-SLI

what processor do you plan on using, a slower dual core processor might bottle neck the use of more graphics cards, so if you are going to use a dual core stup use the tri-sli, if you are going to use a quad core, i suggest the CrossfireX steup.

Right now the only Nvidia cards that can be used in tri-SLI are the 8800 Ultra and the 8800 GTX. The best you can do with an 8800 GTS 512 is dual SLI - even with a 780i board. The new flagship card for Nvidia will be released in Feb or March most likely.

If you can't wait to see actual performance/price point of the new flagship - go with the Crossfire solution now.

Yes that is True only 8800GTX \ Ultra can do Tri Sli.

I would not surprised if Two 3870 X2 in crossfire outperform 3 8800GTX's
in Tri-Sli judging from early 3dmark scores.

WOW 2 3870X2 cards are looking like a better option than 3 GTX's LOL

Of Course NVIDIA is coming out with X2 cards as well in the next 1-2 months.

If your looking to buy them that soon then the ATI card wont even be out yet. And when they are released you prolly wont be able to find them. If you want the best performance right now get 2 8800GTS 512's and put them in SLI.

If you really cant wait too long then two 8800GTS 512 will be excellent. But IMO its a total waste to buy 8800GTS 512 at this point since in they next few weeks the X2 cards will render them obsolete.

As for the Nvidia X2 cards they probably going to be much more expensive. And we all know that SLi is not as good as crossfire. It will be a interesting next few weeks. Cant wait to see some benchies of the X2 cards in SLi and Crossfire.

Im sure the X2 Nvidia card will be faster on its own. But will it be faster in Sli mode compare to the X2 in crossfire from ati/amd that is the question !!!

Thanks for all this answers, now... I'm planning to put a intel E8400 on the board..
There is something i did not told on my post...So i asked you to tell me what was the best buy but it is a fact that I'll just buy one graphic card for now, I mean, I'm trying to think what is best in the future...
Personally I think that 3870X2 is the best way (even with a dual core CPU I could buy a new one later to do CF)

So I'll ask again, What is the best buy?

- A P5E with (for now) one HD3870X2 (and do CF later)

or
- A XFX nForce 780i with (for now) now 8800GTS (to do 3-SLI later)

P.S. I'm Portuguese so I'm not very good at english, and I didn't understand the GTS problem with 3-SLI, I mean, I understand that
it does not work with 3-SLI, for now but there is a new GTS board coming or a driver??

I'm sorry for any mistake, Thanks a lot

Sorry, it's not a driver issue, but a physical limitation of the card itself; it only has the connectors for a two-card setup. 3-way SLI with the 8800 GTS is, and always will be, impossible.

As for the HD 3870 X2, since they're not released yet, it's hard to say how it will compare to future Nvidia cards in SLI, but based on the fact that two 3870s in CF are comparable or slightly better than two 8800GTs in SLI, price may be the determining factor. The E8400 isn't released yet either, so you won't be able to build this until the end of the month. Just wait for some reviews to come out and make your decision then.

Thanks for the detailed info JuiceJones, I know that this stuff are not for sale yet, and I can and will wait for it...
If all these components were for sale it wuold be a better option to buy a P5E with a 3870X2...

Thanks a lot, here I've to wait a day to have some answers but you made severeal, with info I did not knew...
You're awsome!!