2x 2900xt or 1x4850?

[eklipz330]

Right now, I have a 1gb 2900xt w/ gddr4 and 512mb 2900xt w/ gddr3 cf'd on my maximus formula se

these two cards really run up my dad's bill [im 19], and im thinking of an alternative card...

would a 4850 deliver similar or better performance than these two cards?

i have a 21.6" Samsung 216BW at 1680x1050 resolution, using DVI if that helps at all... I also have my 42" 720p monitor connected through the HDMI converter

would it be worth switching over? How much do you think I can sell me 2900xt's for? [they're actually pro, but i flashed them]

Thanks for any help =]

 

[invisik]

yes the 4850 will destroy 2 2900xt so it would be a good move to switch.
you can get a 3870 which is better and much more efficient for about 100-120$ so im assuming u sell an 2900xt(even tho it a pro) for maybe like 80$

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

As far as performance goes, 1 4850 is around 30% faster than a 2900xt. But thats consistant, no CF worries. I dont recall the power usage, but itd be less than half of your current setup, meaning the cards only. At 16x10, the 4850 should handle anything thrown at it mostly, you may see a few drops in performance, but not alot, and where CF doesnt scale or not well, youll see as good or better performance. Selling the cards? EBAY, and good luck

 

[eklipz330]

MUCH appreciated guys, any links to benchmarks? I tried searching, but to no avail.. i most def will make this move in 1-2 months time, possibly to a 4870 by than

 

[nvalhalla]

Check out the 4870 reviews. Here on toms they did a 3870x2 in the tests, which is kinda like what you have.

 

[mathiasschnell]

3870 is basically the 2900XT after it got shrunk I think. And 3870X2, as was mentioned, is usually matched or beaten by a 4850. So theoretically a 4850 should do as well, if not better, than what you've got and much less power usage.

 

[eklipz330]

thats wat i was thinking at first, but i wasn't too sure if a 3870x2 would be a good comparison against a 2900xt cf

 

[mathiasschnell]

Well, I imagine if you did see any drop in performance, it'd be a small one.

 

[mothergoose]

One of your cards only has ddr3 and one ddr4? That is probably a typo, but if that is the case then a 4850 will definitely be faster, because one of those cards is holding the other way back.

 

[mathiasschnell]

One of your cards only has ddr3 and one ddr4? That is probably a typo, but if that is the case then a 4850 will definitely be faster, because one of those cards is holding the other way back.

Probably not a typo. ATi did make use of GDDR4. And actually one wouldn't hold the other back by that much. GDDR4 wasn't that big of a jump over GDDR3.

 

[th_username]

2900 is same thing as 3870

 

[eklipz330]

not a typo, and yeah i assumed one was holding the other back

but ive heard that gddr4 isnt much different from gddr3, and i have a res of 1680x1050, so 512mb ram should be more than sufficient, no?

 

[mathiasschnell]

Yeah, 4850 does fine at that resolution.