Graphics?

[Alfonzie916]

Im building a new gaming system and wondering which to choose. SLi vs Crossfire. Please give your opinion and why. Thanks

 

[xthekidx]

Only use SLI if you can afford to pay for an x58 chipset and an i7 CPU and DDR3 ram. 7 Series SLI motherboards are very flaky and unstable. The P45 chipset for intel LGA 775 or 790fx/gx for AMD AM2+ are much more stable and you should build based on one of those two platforms. They only support crossfire, and so if you cannot afford the high priced x58 mobo, you should build for xfire, if indeed you will ever need dual GPU's. Many people would just rather build a single GPU setup for cost efficiency and heat/power consumption. Buying two gpu's does not equal double the performance, usually only 1.5x performance at best, typically 1.3-1.4x performance of just one GPU. Dual GPU setups aren't usually necessary unless you are building an extreme gaming system to play on 1920x1200 res or larger.

 

[aevm]

What resolution? Budget? Favorite games? Are you in the USA?

 

[theAnimal]

Why not keep everything in one thread?

 

[Alfonzie916]

Yes im in the USA and games i want to play are crysis and c.o.d in high settings.. I was thinking about 2 9800GTX+'s or 2 GTS 250's.. ive always been an Nvidia guy but im willing to switch to ATi if needs be

 

[xthekidx]

Why not just get a gtx 285?

 

[aevm]

Yeah, a $340 GTX 285 will beat two $175 9800GTX+ cards, and it doesn't even require a SLI motherboard.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130442

On the ATI side, there's the $395 Sapphire HD 4870 X2 2GB in your price range.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102768

Between GTX 285 and HD 4870 X2: the GTX 285 wins in Crysis and PT Boats, the HD 4870 X2 in FarCry2 and Left4Dead, and it's a tie IMO in STALKER and World in Conflict:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1715/4/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_285_graphics_card/index.html

 

[Alfonzie916]

ok the GTX 285 sounds like a good plan.. i can SLi those later on right? i just went to the NViDiA site and they have the GTS 250 1Gb 256 Bit for $149.99.. How about if i SLi 2 of those?

 

[tenaciousleydead]

gts 250 is the same thing as the 9800gtx+.

 

[Alfonzie916]

the GTS 250's have a higher clock speed and are 1gb as opposed to 512mb from the 9800GTX's and the 250's are cheaper!

 

[xthekidx]

you can find overclocked GTX+'s in 1gb versions that would be the same as the GTS 250. They both use the G92 processor.

 

[Alfonzie916]

Yeah they do but its cheaper to buy the GTS 250 1Gb Superclocked than to buy the 9800GTX 1Gb Superclocked.. About $25-$40 cheaper depending on where u get it from

 

[xthekidx]

Thats just because the GTS 250 was just released and prices haven't adjusted yet. But they really are basically the same exact thing, once stores clear out their stocks of 9800 GTX+'s, prices will go down, but retailers don't want to sell the GTX+'s at a loss which they got in stock before the release of the GTS 250.

 

[Alfonzie916]

ok i understand what your saying. So will (2) GTS 250's Superclocke do a good job on like Crysis ans COD??

 

[xthekidx]

Depends on the resolution you play at, but it should do fine...I still say go for GTX 285 though, you will get about the same performance and have way less power consumption, which reduces your power bill ($$$) and heat in your case. Read this to get an idea, look at the 9800 GTX+ SLI.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3517&p=7