Asus Extreme 3870X2 VS BFG 8800GTX OC2

[mpavao81]

I have been planning on building a new system for awhile and i was set on getting the BFG 8800GTX OC2 because i had mistaken the 3870 on VGA charts as being the same as a 3870X2. Now i have always owned ATI cards(probably like 12 different ATI cards over the last 11 years). But that being said i have grown a little tired of ATI drivers, havent been that great since AMD bought them out. Which Card is a better card for gaming. I was going to go with the EVGA 780i motherboard, but if i end up going with the asus 3870x2 would i have to choose a different board?

 

[LukeBird]

I voted 3870X2
Bin the 780i board and go with an Intel chipset one, X38 is nice (and cheaper as well, I think!) and in the future you could go to 3870X2's in CrossFire if you feel so inclined!

 

[dev1se]

You can use any card on any board providing its PCI-Express x16.

As for the better card... the 8800GTX seems awfully overpriced.
Why not consider a 8800GTS 512mb Overclocked model instead? That'd be cheaper than the ATi X2 card by quite a margin.

Ok so performance in some games will be better on the X2 card.. but for those that arent Crossfire optimised, the GTS will pull infront the majority of the time. Plus the GTS and the 780i board will give you the option of going SLi in the future.

 

[mpavao81]

I voted 3870X2
Bin the 780i board and go with an Intel chipset one, X38 is nice (and cheaper as well, I think!) and in the future you could go to 3870X2's in CrossFire if you feel so inclined!

the only problem with picking a different motherboard is i need one that will support the Q9550 cpu out of the box without having to do a bios update, and so far 780i is the only one that lists as having support for the Q9550 out of the box.

 

[mpavao81]

Oh and keep in mind these prices for the 2 cards are in Canadian.

 

[LukeBird]

the only problem with picking a different motherboard is i need one that will support the Q9550 cpu out of the box without having to do a bios update, and so far 780i is the only one that lists as having support for the Q9550 out of the box.

Sorry, I'm a little out of the loop on some of the Intel stuff, but I thought the X38 & X48 would support 45nm CPU's out of the box?
My choice would still be what I suggested, save $74CD on the GPU and more on the mobo.
Although if you do go nvidia, the 790i is a better choice than the 780i for the future

 

[dos1986]

Get the 8800gts...

And keep the extra cash you have saved for the new cards in the summer...

The Gts will be able to play every game on high thats out/coming out in the next 6 months ( except Crysis)....

Pointless spening big on a 3870x2/9800gtx when they cant play the one game, you can play on high either ( Crysis)

 

[Hatman]

Meh, id wait. GX2 and X2 GDDR4 are just around the corner for the enthusiast segment.

 

[mpavao81]

Meh, id wait. GX2 and X2 GDDR4 are just around the corner for the enthusiast segment.

Yea the problem is though theres no good computer stores anywhere near me, my brother lives near tigerdirect/pccanada(In Toronto) and hes coming down at the end of the month23rd. I was going to give him the cash to buy the stuff i want and mail it back to me(since i dont have a credit card). So probably wont be able to wait till GX2 comes out i have about 2 weeks to decide on what parts i want. And my max limit on parts is $2200(canadian) which is for CPU/Motherboard/Video card/Ram/power supply

 

[mpavao81]

Sorry, I'm a little out of the loop on some of the Intel stuff, but I thought the X38 & X48 would support 45nm CPU's out of the box?
My choice would still be what I suggested, save $74CD on the GPU and more on the mobo.
Although if you do go nvidia, the 790i is a better choice than the 780i for the future

Most of the motherboards that are X38 i have checked require a bios update to support the Q9550 and problem is i dont have another 775 socket cpu to pop in to update the bios. My current cpu is socket 478 2.8ghz. and there are x48 motherboards that support the Q9550 out of the box but there DDR3 boards im going for DDR2 board. DDR3 is just too expensive.

 

[ZOldDude]

An 8800GTS (G92) will use less power/give off less heat and your eyes won't know it's not a GTX.
Saw it saleing for $220 USD a week ago.

 

[LukeBird]

Most of the motherboards that are X38 i have checked require a bios update to support the Q9550 and problem is i dont have another 775 socket cpu to pop in to update the bios. My current cpu is socket 478 2.8ghz. and there are x48 motherboards that support the Q9550 out of the box but there DDR3 boards im going for DDR2 board. DDR3 is just too expensive.

If you do go the X48 route, I'm sure Gigabyte are doing some with DDR2 instead of DDR3 support
With regard to flashing BIOS, not sure on that one!
Oh and the other thing, it depends very much on what resolution you play at.
On a single GTX I could play Crysis at high with 8x AA & AF @ 1280x1024.

 

[mpavao81]

An 8800GTS (G92) will use less power/give off less heat and your eyes won't know it's not a GTX.
Saw it saleing for $220 USD a week ago.

I could afford 2 8800GTS, but would a 780PSU be strong enough for the 8800gts?

 

[dos1986]

I could afford 2 8800GTS, but would a 780PSU be strong enough for the 8800gts?

Should do...

What make is it?

Best bang for buck imo is a 2 by 8800gt for $380....

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3538922&sku=E145-8832

Overclock both cards to the max and you will be beating a 3870x2/9800gx2 by a nice bit...

 

[dos1986]

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/geforce_9600_gt_sli_performance/page9.asp

Your cpu is way faster and when you overclock the cards and the cpu, you will have a monster...

 

[mpavao81]

Should do...

What make is it?

Best bang for buck imo is a 2 by 8800gt for $380....

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3538922&sku=E145-8832

Overclock both cards to the max and you will be beating a 3870x2/9800gx2 by a nice bit...

the PSU is OCZ and the 2 8800gts are BFG. But to be on the safe side ill pitch in another $30 to get a 900watt OCZ PSU. and correct me if im wrong but are 2 8800GTS faster than 2 8800GT

 

[aznstriker92]

You can use any card on any board providing its PCI-Express x16.

As for the better card... the 8800GTX seems awfully overpriced.
Why not consider a 8800GTS 512mb Overclocked model instead? That'd be cheaper than the ATi X2 card by quite a margin.

Ok so performance in some games will be better on the X2 card.. but for those that arent Crossfire optimised, the GTS will pull infront the majority of the time. Plus the GTS and the 780i board will give you the option of going SLi in the future.

Not really because most games are crossfire optimized. If the 8800GTS beat it in most of the time, I don't think the 3870X2 would cost $400 bucks. Do you? :lol:

 

[vaker5]

GOD crysis is rotting peoples minds.... its before its time, those cards will overkill any other game and that to some is well worth it.

 

[mpavao81]

Not really because most games are crossfire optimized. If the 8800GTS beat it in most of the time, I don't think the 3870X2 would cost $400 bucks. Do you? :lol:

it actually does when your talking canadian funds.

 

[mpavao81]

I think im going to go with 2 8800gts in sli and up the power supply to a 900 watt supply, hopefully thats enough for 2 8800gts.

 

[LukeBird]

I think im going to go with 2 8800gts in sli and up the power supply to a 900 watt supply, hopefully thats enough for 2 8800gts.

More than enough!
Look at what I'm running in my sig, that's on a CoolerMaster Real Power Pro 850W
And my GTXs will draw a fair whack more juice than the GTSs!

 

[San Pedro]

You don't need a 900 watt PSU, I'd bet the 700watt OCZ should be enough. Especially if it is the Gamexstream model.

 

[dev1se]

Not really because most games are crossfire optimized. If the 8800GTS beat it in most of the time, I don't think the 3870X2 would cost $400 bucks. Do you? :lol:

I dont see what you find so funny there since the FPS charts for Crysis show your 'so great' X2 card almost get beaten by a 9600GT.

Hardly optimised.

The X2 isnt good value for money if you want to play Crysis.

 

[mpavao81]

You don't need a 900 watt PSU, I'd bet the 700watt OCZ should be enough. Especially if it is the Gamexstream model.

I was looking at either the
OCZ ModXStream Power 780W http://www.pccanada.com/viewitem.asp?id=6970

or

OCZ ModXStream Power 900W http://www.pccanada.com/viewitem.asp?id=6971

I going with the modstream for the modular cabling, its one of the things i hate about my current system is that the power supply has a butt load of cables and even with twist ties theres just too many cables. its the biggest thing that has bugged me about me current system over the years. And i dont think ill got with the GTX i remember seeing how big it was in my brothers system, and he had to move his hard drive to get it to fit, and still just barely fit, so not sure if GTX will even fit in my system. I might be mistaken but i think the 8800GTS is a bit shorter.

and keep in mind for my planned system i am going to have:
2 8800GTS OC in sli(i think)
Zalman CNPS9700
Q9550(if it ever comes out grrrr)
EVGA 780i motherboard.
OCZ 4Gb PC2-6400 DDR2 Dual Channel Reaper CL4 HPC Edition
150GB raptor SATA
74GB Raptor SATA
400GB Seagate SATA
40GB Maxtor IDE(Only use this drive to install windows then get drivers and everything installed and image over to raptor,rest of time its disconnected)
16x Dual layer plextor drive IDE
16x LG litescribe dual layer drive IDE
Audigy 2 platinum
1 floppy drive
also have 5 case fans and a hard drive cooler with 3 little fans in the bottom bay for my raptor.

So i dont know if i should go for the 900watt to be on the safe side or do you think 780 is good enough.
And i hope this will be a decent build for a gaming/video editing machine.

 

[mpavao81]

So as long as nothing new comes out in the next 3 weeks i think i have my system and everything planned out perfectly now. I should be set