Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > ATI > Crossfiring a 4870 with a 4870x2?

Crossfiring a 4870 with a 4870x2?

Forum Graphic & Displays : ATI - Crossfiring a 4870 with a 4870x2?

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
AnalLeakage   07-01-2008 at 08:45:53 PM

The thread name says it all. Would it work? Do you think it will scale well? I'm building a new rig right now and am thinking of going with just the single 4870, and maybe adding in the 4870x2 later.

Message quoted 1 times
Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
arson94   07-01-2008 at 08:56:01 PM
- 0 +

It would work and it SHOULD scale well considering how well the 4850 and 4870 scale in CrossFire. However, a 4870 and a 4870 X2 will essentially be TRI-CrossFire so it's all up to the drivers and we probably won't know for sure until the 4870 X2 is released and somebody can bench it CrossFire'd with a 4870.

Reply to arson94
blackwidow_rsa   07-01-2008 at 09:06:58 PM
- 0 +

Yea, no problem. It has been done with the 38xx series

Reply to blackwidow_rsa
babybudha   07-01-2008 at 10:03:06 PM
- 0 +

3870 with a 3870X2 scaled suprisingly well. I'm pretty sure a 4870 and a 4870 X2 will be the same. Just make sure to use a X48 chipset.

This article below shows having 2 16x PCI-E slots relieve any bandwidth bottlenecks when using a crossfire setup.

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/ [...] index.html


Message edited by babybudha on 07-01-2008 at 10:03:59 PM
Reply to babybudha
hannibal   07-01-2008 at 11:05:22 PM
- 0 +

The new connection bridge in r700 (4870x2) can change things, but they should work.

Reply to hannibal
dagger   07-02-2008 at 12:09:10 AM
- 0 +

What kind of power requirement would it be?

------------------------------ Q6600@3.6ghz, GA-EX38-DS4 motherboard, 8gb 800mhz ddr2 4-3-3-12, 8800GTS(g92)@780mhz, 1TB + 1.5TB hdds, 850watt psu
 Reply to dagger
babybudha   07-02-2008 at 12:31:38 AM
- 0 +

A good 750watt powersupply would do.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to babybudha
dagger   07-02-2008 at 12:34:39 AM
- 0 +

babybudha wrote :

A good 750watt powersupply would do.


I thought that's for 2 4870. Add a third core and still 750w? :p

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ Q6600@3.6ghz, GA-EX38-DS4 motherboard, 8gb 800mhz ddr2 4-3-3-12, 8800GTS(g92)@780mhz, 1TB + 1.5TB hdds, 850watt psu
 Reply to dagger
homerdog   07-02-2008 at 02:12:37 AM
- 0 +

AnalLeakage wrote :

The thread name says it all. Would it work? Do you think it will scale well? I'm building a new rig right now and am thinking of going with just the single 4870, and maybe adding in the 4870x2 later.


Actually nobody here can answer that question for sure unless they have some insider information on the nature of the 4870X2's new interconnect. I suspect that it will work, but it probably won't be ideal.

I also suspect a single 4870X2 will be so blindingly fast that there will be no need for another 4870.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to homerdog
hannibal   07-02-2008 at 12:21:57 PM
- 0 +

homerdog wrote :

Actually nobody here can answer that question for sure unless they have some insider information on the nature of the 4870X2's new interconnect. I suspect that it will work, but it probably won't be ideal.

I also suspect a single 4870X2 will be so blindingly fast that there will be no need for another 4870.



Yep, it's hard to know how much that CrossFire Sideport will affect. Maybe it's like three normal 4870's together, without using that bridge in those situations? In anyway if 4870x2 is "blindingly fast" it does not mean that very soon we will not need more speed... :-)
There are allways situations when more speed is better... How about crysis with AA on at very high settings... maybe we have to wait next generation for that... or special four core version of the 4870x4 ;-)

Easy solution, external craphic card with four cores glued together with those new CrossFire Sideport's... well maybe not so easy solution after all... It's better to wait ATI 5000 series and Nvidia 300 series for real Crysis support... They really put hardware down to their knees with their engine this time.


Message edited by hannibal on 07-02-2008 at 09:44:43 PM
Reply to hannibal
homerdog   07-02-2008 at 01:32:09 PM
- 0 +

Even two-way AFR rendering has issues with frame synchronization and input lag, and three-way (:)) will only exacerbate these issues. I don't really recommend two cards, but never three.

Reply to homerdog
babybudha   07-02-2008 at 05:30:44 PM
- 0 +

dagger wrote :

I thought that's for 2 4870. Add a third core and still 750w? :p


If a PC Power and Cooling 750 silencer is enough for the below rig, it will be enough three 4870 cores.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/dream_machine_2007

As i said, a "good" quality PS. Having 60amps on a single 12v rail really helps! Multiple rails are just not as efficient.

Reply to babybudha
Xyiitol   07-02-2008 at 11:00:47 PM
- 0 +

You think at a DFI x38 can handle 2 4870 in CF?

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to Xyiitol
ifor   07-06-2008 at 11:10:10 PM
- 0 +

x38 chips use 2 x16 pci slots so crossfire will be fine.

Reply to ifor
homerdog   07-06-2008 at 11:51:18 PM
- 0 +

Xyiitol wrote :

You think at a DFI x38 can handle 2 4870 in CF?


Yes

Reply to homerdog
Crazy-PC   07-07-2008 at 07:47:43 AM
- 0 +

Yes, it would be work which is same as 3870 crossfire X with 3870X2 done before. I still not really happy for the high resolution performance of 4870 crossfire, Crysis with High quality at 1920X1200 with 8xAA is still OK but unfortunately I play GRID at 1920X1200 with 8xAA and 16xAF enabled and found sometimes a bit flickering. I will go with 4870 crossfire X with 4870X2 once it is available in market. I already updated my PSU to Silverstone 1200Watt 10 days before. I guess 750 to 800 Watt would be basic requirement. Good Luck guy and enjoy your gaming. :D

Reply to Crazy-PC
xx12amanxx   07-07-2008 at 08:24:59 AM
- 0 +

Analeakage???

Some name...

------------------------------ http://valid.canardpc.com/cache/banner/495838.png
Phenom 2 940 @3.9ghz|Arctic Freezer 64 Pro|Vista 64 bit|GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-DS4H |OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB)DDR2-1066|Vision-Tec HD487
 Reply to xx12amanxx
annisman   07-07-2008 at 10:10:21 AM
- 0 +

Anyone doubt my Zalman 850 Watt continuous could handle Tri-Sli w/ 4870 and 4870X2 ? I need some opinions.

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ Core i7 920 @ 4.0Ghz - Asus P6T - 12GB Corsair XMS 3 - 2X ATI 58701GB Crossfire- Zalman 850W - X-FI Fatality Gamer Pro - Xigmatek Thor's Hammer - Raptor X 150 - WD Black 1TB OCZ Vertex Turbo 120 GB SSD - Cosmos S Case w/side window + 8X 120mm fans
 Reply to annisman
homerdog   07-07-2008 at 04:12:12 PM
- 0 +

annisman wrote :

Anyone doubt my Zalman 850 Watt continuous could handle Tri-Sli w/ 4870 and 4870X2 ? I need some opinions.


I think you'll be alright with that PSU.

Reply to homerdog
annisman   07-08-2008 at 08:50:48 PM
- 0 +

Ok, thanks

------------------------------ Core i7 920 @ 4.0Ghz - Asus P6T - 12GB Corsair XMS 3 - 2X ATI 58701GB Crossfire- Zalman 850W - X-FI Fatality Gamer Pro - Xigmatek Thor's Hammer - Raptor X 150 - WD Black 1TB OCZ Vertex Turbo 120 GB SSD - Cosmos S Case w/side window + 8X 120mm fans
 Reply to annisman
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > ATI > Crossfiring a 4870 with a 4870x2?
Go to:

There are 1003 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.624 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
Related Topics
See all relatives topics
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them