4890 vs 5850 (decision help needed)

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parry13

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I am stuck in a dilemma with respect to these two cards. I have been looking at purchasing the 4890 for a new i7 system i'm building (i7 920, Ocz 6gig ram, Msi pro-e board). But the recent release of the 5850 is causing me confusion. I know its supposed to be a great card but is it worth it value wise?

I have the option of purchasing the XFX 4890 with double lifetime warranty for CDN 170 and no tax. On the other hand I have the option of the Powercolor 5850 for CDN 290 + 12% tax which is ~325.

Now my question is whether it is still worth paying almost double for the 5850 right now or get the 4890 and add crossfire later on. I will be running my system at 1920x1200.

Please let me know what you guys think.

Thanks
Parry
 
Solution
capt_taco
Don't get the 4890 -- it's a DirectX 10 card. That means it's going to become obsolete a good 2-3 years sooner than a DirectX 11 card like the 5850.

It doesn't sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but DirectX version is probably the single biggest issue you need to consider in a video card. If you have one card that's a little slower than another, maybe your framerate drops a little, or the game won't run at the highest settings - big whoop. The games will still be playable, and you won't have anything to be disappointed about unless you're trying to become the local benchmark king or something. But if you have a DX10 card, and a game requires DX11, that's a hard stop that will keep the game from working at all.

It's not a huge...
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parry13

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Thanks for the advice. I've decided to stick with the 4890 for now. I think the 4890 should drop in price soon as well with these new cards coming out.

How big of a power supply do you need to crossfire the 4890? I have an OCZ 700W power supply that is 80+ certified. Will that be enough?
 
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parry13

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Just one? Is the power supply not good enough? How much bigger of a power supply do i need?

I was recommended from my computer store that 700W would be overkill for even a 4890 crossfire.
 
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capt_taco

capt_taco

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Don't get the 4890 -- it's a DirectX 10 card. That means it's going to become obsolete a good 2-3 years sooner than a DirectX 11 card like the 5850.

It doesn't sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but DirectX version is probably the single biggest issue you need to consider in a video card. If you have one card that's a little slower than another, maybe your framerate drops a little, or the game won't run at the highest settings - big whoop. The games will still be playable, and you won't have anything to be disappointed about unless you're trying to become the local benchmark king or something. But if you have a DX10 card, and a game requires DX11, that's a hard stop that will keep the game from working at all.

It's not a huge issue YET, since I don't know of any games that are DX11-only. Right now it's more DirectX 9 cards won't work with half the games coming out today, DX10 is the "adequate for now" standard, and DX11 is what will work for 2-3 years to come.

Bottom line -- go for the newest DirectX version available, otherwise you're going to be replacing your card anyway in a year to a year and a half.
 
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capt_taco

capt_taco

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I can't predict the future, but I do think DX is one of the biggest obsoleting factors for a card. With speed and memory size, you get incremental performance differences, but with DX versions, it either works or it doesn't. Guess it depends on what you think is in store for the next couple years, but I wouldn't take the gamble; I'd just go with something I know for sure is going to have more staying power.
 
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parry13

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That's a tough decision. The only reason I'm trying to avoid the 5850 is that there isn't supposed to be any availability locally until January. I went to NCIX yesterday and they said the same thing.

I think I'll just save up for the 5850 then. Also that way I don't have to worry about having issues with my power supply if i decide to go crossfire (I hope).

So now i have a computer sitting here with no graphics card. What if i get a temp card so i can at least get the machine running?
Which one should I go for?

Oh and thanks for the help!
 
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darksupreme

darksupreme

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umm idk where u live, but check fry's ( if theres 1 by u ) i just walked into mine today and there where a bunch sitting on the shelf ( no 5870's though lol ) and there cheaper than on newegg i think .
 
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parry13

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Actually that's not the problem. I already have a laptop so I won't be stuck without a computer. The only reason I wanted a temp card is to get the computer running and make sure there's no other hardware issues.

I already put myself in line for a back-order for the 5850 today so now i just have to wait a couple of months till i get it. Also I'm thinking i should just pick up a 4650 or something and eat the cost on that while waiting for the real goodness.

Almost made a non-future-proof decision there! Thanks for all the advice. Have to say I'm impressed by how fast you all responded. I will be a happy gamer once again in a month or two or three!
 
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occupant

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Would it even be worth considering a 5770? My wife wants to upgrade from a 512MB 4870 to a 1GB 4890 but the lower power consumption of the 5770 with the equivalent speed of a 4870 looks very appealing. A 1GB 5770 is priced in between the 1GB 4870 and 4890 cards. $175 vs $155 and $195.
 
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parry13

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I agree as well. Now that I have seen the light (5850), there is no turning back. I've looked at almost all the reviews there are for most of these cards and 5770 isn't being favored very well. It is slower than the card its intended to compete with, which would be the 4870.

If only those 3 options were available then i would definitely choose the 4890 for the much better performance. Overall the 5850 would leave you happier because of the added longevity, performance and all the other benefits (display port, dx11, etc)
 
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ryohei

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no, thats a bad decision. the power reductions dont justify spending 159
 
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