New System - Which GPU

Synh

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I'm about to purchase a new mid-high end system, entirely gaming focused, and faced with the endless possibilities procured by SLI or imminent G9XX's, I could do with some advice :)

So assuming something like a 780SLI motherboard, and a high price ceiling,

1) Would a duo / tri - GTX be worth getting, as the GTX seems to be getting ever so slightly old nowadays? Or should one rather go for a couple GTS 512 >

2) Otherwise what else would you recommend? 9800 GX2? Crossfire 3870*2?

Cheers
 

dev1se

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Dont bother with SLi if you're going for a mid - hi end system setup, as the performance increase compared to cash spent simply isnt worth it.
Instead, wait for the new high end 9 series parts to be released and see how well they perform. True, two 8800GT's in SLi may sound great but paying double for a 2nd card that typiclally offers only 50% more FPS seems a big waste.

So, wait for the 9 series, see how well they perform, and the price of course. If they're expensive and not so great performing, go for a single 8800GTS 512MB, the MSI one is factory overclocked to 1944mhz GDDR3 and 730mhz core, which I'm sure will overclock great and offer performance levels higher than that of a GTX without paying too much.
 

systemlord

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First what resolution will you be playing at? Most poeple that go out and buy a 24" monitor typically run two cards in SLI, because SLI only benifits you in higher resolutions. For 19-22" monitors one great card is good enough in most cases, with Crysis having a 19" is great because you can turn on more eye candie at that resolution then you could a 20-22". The 9800GX2 will be plenty for up to 20-24" monitors, wait for the 9800 series cards before buying any video card if you can. March isn't that far away.

 

Synh

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I will likely be aiming at playing on a 24" - (Will eventually get Blu-ray so 1080p compatibility is a big +) - at high res.

The high end 9800 Series won't be out before a while though will it? The 9800 GX2 seems to be a bit of an ellusive / dodgy affair. Will Nvidia support it better than it did the 79xx? Is it not simply two GTS stuck together?
 

Waspy

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Who knows what it is or isn't, the card doesn't exist yet.

Rumors are it will be two GTs stuck together.
 

pauldh

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For 19x12 gaming, two 512MB 8800GTS is the way I would go. Been playing with dual 8800GT for a couple months now and IMO it was well worth it even at 16x10. Crysis it blows away one card. Other games like Oblivion, COD4, etc. it allows you to crank fsaa/af.
 

systemlord

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Two 512MB 8800GTS in SLI when you can have one graphics card with two 8800GTS GPU's and still have one PCI-express 2.0 slot left allows for an upgrade path. Yeah I know that the 9800GX2 will have lower clocks because of heat issues, but the reason for making this card (3870x2 is a great example of Crossfire on a stick) is for those that have Intel based mobo's (as well those with Nvidia mobo's) that want the benifits of SLI.

Almost everytime Crossfire was shown the 3870x2 either match or exceeded two different cards (two 3870's in Crossfire) in Crossfire. Its worth it to wait because it won't hurt you to wait till March, thats what I'd do.
 

pauldh

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^ personally I would not want a dual PCB heat disaster design like I think the GX2 will be. Just my opinion.... but I'd take two seperate,nicely cooled, rear venting, quiet, higher clocked, 512MB 8800GTS cards any day. If the GX2 were a single PCB design like the 3870x2, that would be different. But the 7950GX2 was a joke to me and so will this next one be IMO.

Edit, the 3870x2 is clocked higher than individual 3870's. That won't be the same for NV's solution if rumors hold true.
 

Evilonigiri

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Agreed. Just thinking, won't it be nice if it had 3 coolers sandwiching the 2 PCB? Oh well, some dreams can never come true.
 

systemlord

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This is why I said for the OP to wait and see, then make a judgement based on real hardware and not paperware. The 9800GX2 might not be the disaster design we all thought it might be, it won't kill him to wait less than a month. He could always step-up (EVGA cards) from one 8800GTS to the 9800GX2.