2560x1600 Crysis maxed class. Best option?

[imhobbes]

Hey all,
I'm in the market for a new comp with the following, i7 920, 6gb ram, 2x Raptors RAID 0. I'm stuck on the video card though. I've been considering 4850x2 but I get the feeling that even that monster is not capable of running a Crysis class game maxed on 2560x1600 (got a Dell 30 a couple years ago).

Now, I know I can go get 3x the most expensive card on the market, but while I'm no pauper I do have to justify to myself and the girlfriend any over-the-top expenditure. I don't have a preference between ATI and Nvidia, but I do have a slight preference for a single card versus two cards. The reason is that if I buy a single card now, I leave myself the option of a significant upgrade by going out to buy another card.

My budget is <$500 for the card(s) and would be uncomfortable paying the max as it would likely mean some sort of shopping trip for the gf. Can it be done for that price? Is there such a card combo that can max out a Cyrsis class game at my resolutions? Am I going to have to wait?

Thanks for the help

 

[Bluescreendeath]

No GPU or dual GPU or GPU SLi/Xfire option currently in existence can play Crysis maxed out (very high, AA turned up) at 2560x1600.

Triple GTX285 come close (more than $1000), but still no cigar.

 

[daedalus685]

You would need 3 4890's, or 3 285's. Overclocked of course, to even come close. It woudl probably be unplayable on enthusiast with AA on though, even with 3 285's on water with an OC on each near the best I have seen on teh net... roughly the same with the 4890's.

Saddly you are dreaming of some fantacy land or a fantacy land if you actually expect a single card to produce a playable fps on crysis at that res with max settings.

Oh, so your best option? play at lower settings with no AA....

 

[mindless728]

well, monitors that display 2560x1600 have a very small pixel pitch that the AA would probably not be needed at all

 

[imhobbes]

Thanks for the replies. Actually, in an odd way, I'm happy to hear that there's nothing that gets me there from here. I actually don't give a damn about Crysis. I was just looking for something that could play that kind of game maxed.

What's the best I can do for $300ish that's relatively future proof?

 

[Guest]

Get a 4890, test it out (most of the reveiws ive read about it show it handling almost all the games out there on 2560x1600 with all the eye candy except crysis) and you know you can just get another if you need it a little later on down the line, but be aware of not spending more than you need as the scene changes so fast you will be changing in 18/24 months again, that seems to be the way we currently keep pace with staying on the front edge of gaming.

Buy a card/s that will be the cheapest over this frame of time and will give you the playable performance needed (45 to 60fps, any more is just built in redundancy) and be prepared to buy again in max two years as the landscape will have changed at least two generations by then again so dont look at future proofing, look at it as if it were a hire purchase where you replace it every couple of years for a better model and regain a bit of the cost by selling the second hand parts

 

[croc]

"My budget is <$500 for the card(s) and would be uncomfortable paying the max as it would likely mean some sort of shopping trip for the gf. Can it be done for that price? Is there such a card combo that can max out a Cyrsis class game at my resolutions? Am I going to have to wait?"

No, no wait required. Drop that GF like a hot rock. My earnings are mine, hers are hers.

 

[Bluescreendeath]

Best option would be to buy a real game.

Crysis is actually a very good game. It's single player is better than COD4's single player.

 

[imhobbes]

"My budget is <$500 for the card(s) and would be uncomfortable paying the max as it would likely mean some sort of shopping trip for the gf. Can it be done for that price? Is there such a card combo that can max out a Cyrsis class game at my resolutions? Am I going to have to wait?"

No, no wait required. Drop that GF like a hot rock. My earnings are mine, hers are hers.

Well... even though I make a very nice salary (6 fig), she makes three times what I do (doctor). I'd be foolish to let her go over a video card ;-). Like I said, it'd be uncomfortable but I might have to go for the shopping trip.

I think what I'm going to do is just buy a very good card and take the advice of an earlier poster and add as needed or simply replace. There doesn't seem to be a magic bullet.

Thanks.

 

[radiowars]

Crysis is actually a very good game. It's single player is better than COD4's single player.

yeah I love Crysis, although I can barely run it lol.

 

[jzsang]

Here's an alternative idea...

1 - Buy a cheap, placeholder graphics card...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102819

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131155

2 - Save up a bit more.

3 - Wait until the HD 5870 and GTX 380 come out later this year.

4 - Ask this question again. I'm sure you'll get a more appealing answer.

 

[terminus]

Here's an alternative idea...

1 - Buy a cheap, placeholder graphics card...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102819

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131155

2 - Save up a bit more.

3 - Wait until the HD 5870 and GTX 380 come out later this year.

4 - Ask this question again. I'm sure you'll get a more appealing answer.

that;s actually what I'm doing. I bought a GTX 275 for now as my placeholder (actually it's a very good GPU tied with the 4890, above the GTX 280, and below the GTX 285), and later I'm planning on getting the Nvidia GTX 395 if it ever comes out.

 

[imhobbes]

that;s actually what I'm doing. I bought a GTX 275 for now as my placeholder (actually it's a very good GPU tied with the 4890, above the GTX 280, and below the GTX 285), and later I'm planning on getting the Nvidia GTX 395 if it ever comes out.

OK. So let's say I buy a placeholder card like the gtx 275 now. Can I run it with a 395 later?

 

[moomooman]

"Well... even though I make a very nice salary (6 fig), she makes three times what I do (doctor). I'd be foolish to let her go over a video card ;-). "

You could always try emotional blackmail, "If you really cared for my emotional well being you'd buy me two 4870x2s".

Just what the doctor ordered

 

[wh3resmycar]

3 285's with no AA @ that resolution will probably do good.

 

[maximiza]

I agree with the others that say you don't need AA at that resolution. Probably a GTX495 could do it no problem, but transdimensional time warp shipping is not currently offered so those video card products are still stuck in the future. Best bet option is to wait 3 years then buy and play Crysis at full settings.