BEST Single Soultion Card

[bsan89]

First off, This is my Spec:

Vista Premium 32bit
XFX 680i mobo
Intel E6850 C2D @3.6ghz (Water-cool)
1000 watt PSU
350gb Raptor 10k Raid 0
150gb x2 Raptor 10k
4gb Ballstix Ram
X-Fi Champion Fatality
x2 512mb XFX 8800GT Alpha Dog Edition in SLI
Z-5500 5.1 Speaker
3ms 24" Gateway FHD2400 w/hdmi
6ms 24" Dell Ultrasharp 2408

OK, having SLI is really great. Though unfortunately I cannot use two screen with SLI enable.
My co-work has offer to buy the card from me at a greatful price.

So to get things started, MONEY IS NOT AN ISSUE.
I'm in need of help of suggestion and opinion on the "Best Single Solution Card."
Single Solution/ONE GPU. Not something like 9800gx2 which is an SLI card.

And I'm in need of one, from today till Early April.
I know the 9800 series is around the corner but isn't that big of a leap in technology.
Also the 8800 Ultra is phasing out as well.

I was originally planning to pick up an Ultra, or perhaps wait for the 9800gtx. (How faster is the gtx than the 8800 ultra?)

Any suggestion or comment?

 

[elsc0rch0]

i'd get an evga g92 gts and step up later to a 9800gtx

 

[Shadow703793]

^Agreed. Man it looks like you got money to burn. Can I have some?

 

[Xazax310]

I would check out the HD 3870x2 i believe ASUS has a verison with FOUR DVI ports all which can hook up to a different monitor and its a single card solution

and since money is not an issue

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=8&l3=636&l4=0&model=2057&modelmenu=1

 

[bsan89]

i'd get an evga g92 gts and step up later to a 9800gtx

Sounds like an Idea, How long is the step up program? 1 month?
I think I'm going to try the ultra and step up later.
The g92 gts doesn't seem that much of a step up from the 8800gt.

The asus look nice, haven't done that much research on the 3870x2.
Would it work my 680i xfx motherboard with two monitor?
On my SLI 8800gt I have to disable SLI to use my second monitor.
Hmm

 

[Xazax310]

If you disable SLI it works because each monitor is running of the GFX however in games only one 8800GT will be used.

the HD 3870x2 is a excellent card and like i pointed out unlike Nvidia with CF you can run as many montiors as you want and still use CF and for the HD 3870x2(in ASUS case) you can run up to FOUR from a single card!
Mobo compatibility wont be an issue any motherboard that supports PCI-E x16 1.0/1.0a/2.0 will work with the HD.

Just a question why dont you run both monitors off a single card(instead of having one monitor on each) does that work?

Here is a review of the ASUS

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/asus_eah_3870_x2_top/default.asp

"The EAH3870 X2 1GB TOP board is outfitted with 1200MHz memory, and thanks to its higher clock speeds, runs around 3-5% faster than the stock Radeon 3870 X2 reference board. ASUS then spices the package up even further by adding two additional DVIs as well as integrating a beefier cooling solution. In our opinion, this is the best Radeon HD 3870 X2 card that has been announced to date."

 

[bsan89]

Wow, that some serious card. Too bad not available yet.

As for the 8800gt via monitor.
I haven't tried that yet. I'll do it tomorrow.
I was told by a few forums member to disable sli to use dual monitor.

I was about to pick up a 8800gtx evga for 299$ and use step up later once the 9800gtx comes out. But let see if I can keep my two gt.

 

[goonting]

wow, great specs man... wish to run more than 32 inches lcd on one of those

 

[Xazax310]

lol@ System lord he didnt ask about his raptors

 

[Waspy]

If you already have the two cards and want to run SLI with dual monitors why don't you buy a 3rd PCI card and do it that way?

See this post: http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=6269

This is really only a good solution if you do NOT plan on doing split-screen gaming but rather one monitor as gaming and a second for whatever...email, web browsing, IM, etc.

Anywas if this doesn't work for you I'd recommend the 3870X2...it is technically 1 card, with 2 GPUs on it. If this doesn't tickle your jimmy-johns, then I'd recommend an 8800 GTS G92 and then do a step up to some 9800 card once we see information about them.

 

[rodney_ws]

I would check out the HD 3870x2

The op clearly said he wasn't interested in a two GPU card.

 

[Waspy]

The op clearly said he wasn't interested in a two GPU card.

You are right, he did say that in his post...I also mentioned the 3870X2, because in his post title he says single CARD...and that is a single PCB, so just wanted to make sure he knows his options.

 

[Avenger_K]

Sounds like an Idea, How long is the step up program? 1 month?
I think I'm going to try the ultra and step up later.

The step-up program lasts for 90 days after you register the card. I would not buy the ultra because you will not be refunded the difference if you step up to a less expensive card. The Ultra costs around $600-700, and new high end cards are usually about $600-650 when they first come out. The 9800GTX is supposed to be only about $400, so you'd lose about $200-300 "stepping up" to it. Not to mention that the 9800GTX isn't even going to outperform the Ultra, if what I've been hearing/seeing is true. Oh, and I just checked Newegg and they don't even have any Ultras anymore lol. So I guess that rules that option out unless you still really want to get one and you can find it somewhere else.

 

[bsan89]

Oh man, a 3rd card? Well it seem the 3870x2 isn't like the 9800gx2 in which I can use the two gpu in it.

Though I might pick up an ultra, because I can get 100$ off from EVGA.
Plus the step up may be nice, though I may lose some $ but hopefully maybe the 9000 series so some promise. Though on many read up, not likely.

 

[SpinachEater]

i'd get an evga g92 gts and step up later to a 9800gtx

That gets my vote

 

[Waspy]

Ultras have been officially discontinued by nVidia as well, if that would impact your decision at all.

 

[systemlord]

I bought an 8800GTX and overclock it past 8800Ultra spec's, all the Ultra is is an overclocked 8800GTX. Plus the Ultra runs alot hotter than most cards. If you buy the 8800GTX now you still have 3 months for the step-up program. Don't know why you aren't intrested in the 9800GX2 or 3870x2, they will have more power than any single card solution.

 

[bsan89]

I post a few times on the 9800gx2.
Mainly because it can use my duel screen setup. I'll have to disable its sli feature since its an sli card. So the 9800gx2 is useless.

Also 680i motherboard can't use 2 9800gx2 because that'll be quad sli.

I can look back and quote a few people if you can prove them wrong.

 

[Xazax310]

Well if his SLI setup cannot run Dual monitors and he wants a single card(which Dual GPUS are) not running SLI, i pointed the fact that what would be good for him is the HD 3870x2 because of ATI's Hyrda Vision which allows mutliply monitors and in the case of ASUS HD 3870x2 its, a Single Slot Solution, 4 DVI ports to run up too 4 Monitors and will beat a single 8800GT anyday.

 

[systemlord]

I post a few times on the 9800gx2.
Mainly because it can use my duel screen setup. I'll have to disable its sli feature since its an sli card. So the 9800gx2 is useless.

Also 680i motherboard can't use 2 9800gx2 because that'll be quad sli.

I can look back and quote a few people if you can prove them wrong.

What makes you think that you can't run two 9800GX2's in SLI? I have a friend that has been running two 7950GX2's in SLI since they came out.

By systemlord at 2008-01-04

 

[dev1se]

What makes you say that you can't run two 9800GX2's in SLI?

I did, :lol: because there's no CPU on that rig. Talk about a bottleneck if there ever was one

 

[systemlord]

I did, :lol: because there's no CPU on that rig. Talk about a bottleneck if there ever was one

Now we know why Nvidia has had problems getting two 9800GX2's to scaling well in SLI.

 

[bsan89]

Well there's a debate on what the 9800gx2 actually is.
Its possible I may run into a misconception. I really do want a next generation 8800 ultra series card. In this case it'll be the 9800gx2.

I believe it was hatman post I read that.
9800gx2 = 8800gts g92 sli.
So 9800gx2 = sli
So 9800gx2 in sli = quad sli.
Is there any motherboard that support quad sli?
Can a old motherboard with 1 pci-express use a 9800gx2 if its SLI Card?

Can I use a 9800gx2 with my dual screen setup?


Now I hope I'm wrong. These are the question that really stopping me from being interested in the card at all.
With my 8800gt sli set up. I've disable sli to use my second monitor for obvious reason.

Plus I don't think my 1000 watt power supply can take 2 9800gx2.

 

[dev1se]

Now we know why Nvidia has had problems getting two 9800GX2's to scaling well in SLI.

And I thought you had no sense of humour.... top notch that was :lol: :lol:

 

[dev1se]

the GX2 wont need anything more than a good dual / quad core cpu with a quality power supply and PCI-E motherboard, although best results will no doubt be found on a PCI-E 2.0 mobo.

And it'll only really shine at resolutions of 1680 x 1050 and higher.