Which Asus GPU should I get???

[Salt-City_Slasher]

This is going to sound stupid but I like second opinions.
I know I want an Asus video card, I have had my eye on the 5850 directcu for quite some time
because I couldn't find any problems with it, plus it OCed up to stock 5870's and seems to be the ideal one.

Then I considered the V2 but heard tons of bad news on it, with problems from the fan to ocing.
I also thought about just getting the 5830 directcu and it wouldn't be worth it if I could get a 5850.

Lastly I read on Toms that a set of 5770 x2 is faster then a single 5850, but its louder, needs more power, and there is a few bottlenecks. This however is the only other logical pick between them besides the 5850.

Anyways so I guess what I would like to figure out is if I am picking the right one. and with the 5870 V2 under 400, I would like to know if it is actually a good card??

 

[shadow187]

2x HD5770 = 1x OC'd HD5850, and both of them are slightly better than an HD5870.

2x HD5770 OC > 1x OC HD5850 > HD5870

However, you can crossfire another HD5850 later, which will give godly performance.

Also, 2x HD5770 isn't louder nor does it need more power than 1x OC HD5850.

If I were you, I'd get the HD5850. As I've said, it can equal an HD5770 crossfire, and in a year, you can add another HD5850.

 

[OvrClkr]

The problem with the 5830 is the fact that it aint worth the price unless you can get it under 200$. The 5850 DirectCu can achieve 5870 speeds quite easily with the provided voltage software and it stays nice n cool even when overvolted. And just like shadow said, later on you can slap a second one on your board if needed.

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

Yeah the Asus 5850 is sick, I just didn't know if the 5770s or the 5870 would be worth it. I didn't
think they would be cause I have asked this myself this.

I think that what happens is the 5770 is older so even having 3-4 of these in a year or two is going to
be old news. While the Asus 5850 has been out for just a little while and like you said I could always
get another one later.

The 5850 just seems to be the best available option out. I guess if you got serious cash then
get the Matrix, or them nice 4gbers. But if your only using a few 23" screens, then I don't really need
anything to fancy.

 

[shadow187]

If you're using 3 screens, you'll want 2GB of vRam.

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

Can it be combined 2gbs? Like two Asus 5850's??

 

[OvrClkr]

Dual 5850's is more than enough for an eye-finity setup. Its basically the same as a single 5970.

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

That will be perfect because I just got a 23" Acer and plan on getting another one for my b-day, then
I will get another Asus 5850 around christmas! That way I will be rolling in sickness.

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

I was just looking over some prices and I could get the Asus Matrix 5870, I just wouldn't be able to
get the sdd.
Do you think the Matrix is worth the extra $$ching ching??

 

[shadow187]

These matrixes look like their binned chips. They can be volt-modded with iTracker2, and they OC to 1050/1300 core/mem on average. 2GB of vRAM plus the aforementioned OC will do you justice in eyefinity.

 

[OvrClkr]

The matrix is one hell of a card, pricey but well worth it.. they are basically cherry picked 5870 chips that are capable of 1100mhz on the core (platinum series).

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

Well I think I might get it instead, I didn't think I could afford it but with a few part switchs it
is possible. If I get it instead I don't know if I should get the matching crosshair 4 cause
I have heard a lot of different problems about it.
The UD5 has been recommended by several people but the crosshair 4 hasn't.
What do you think of the Crosshair 4??

 

[OvrClkr]

Don't go by the newegg reviews if that is what you are referring to when it comes to the IV. Too many noobs buying hardware that they cannot handle to begin with. The IV had NB issues that have been corrected so don't hesitate to buy that board if that is what you want. I have a friend that purchased one of those IV's and all he needed to do was tighten the NB screws and it was fixed. At this moment that issue is non-existant, its a thing of the past =)

 

[notty22]

I think that what happens is the 5770 is older so even having 3-4 of these in a year or two is going to
be old news. While the Asus 5850 has been out for just a little while and like you said I could always
get another one later.

.

Approximate !
Just for the record, the 5770 is 'newer' to the market than the 5870/5850. ATI rolled out the 5870 first then
5850
5770/5750~bout 3-4 weeks later.
5570
5970 around DEC, 2 months after the 5870
5670
5450
You can go and look at TH gpu reviews and get the timelines....

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

well the matrix and the crosshair 4 would look hella good together in my HAF-X(when i get it)

To me the gigabyte UD5 is the best deal, but the matrix would be the only red piece but that wouldn't matter.
If I did go with Ch4 I would change the color to all red and black.

There are things they both have that I like, I will have to re-read toms review and read more into this.
I am more concerned with a good bios(s), good at OCing, and all the great newest feautures.

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

After further review the CrossHair 4 out beats every last board in all the events that matter to me, from memory, power comsumption, and how cold it runs at over ambient plus everything in between.
Not to mention the the oc features on this beast, wowza, between this and the Matrix i think I might
have an OC overdose.lol.

I did look into bios and I heard people complain because it didn't have a dual bios like giga, but
from what I was looking at, it was awesome.

I should know better than to read about idiots. Usually if all the idiots give good scores than I know
its idiot proof and even a noob can use it.

Anyways I really didn't look to much into the other boards, I thought I wanted the GD70 before launch, at launch I thought I wanted the UD5 or UD7, now close to purchase I want the CH4 RoG!

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

I am checking for how much power I will need, before I only needed th Corsair HX650, I
assume that 650 is will be enuff right?

Is the Matrix considered a Eyefinity 6?

 

[OvrClkr]

I am checking for how much power I will need, before I only needed th Corsair HX650, I
assume that 650 is will be enuff right?

Is the Matrix considered a Eyefinity 6?

The 650 is enough for a single 5870, the matrix will do 3 screens max, the eye-finity 6 version 5870 has 6 mini-display ports. Are you actually going to use 6 screens?

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

NO, I plan on 2 maybe 3, I just didn't know if it was eyefinity 6 cause for crossfire you need a 900 watt.
But if not 600watt is recommended, so with HX650 I will have enough hookups for 2x CF-X plus have
more than recommended wattage!

I have reconfigured my rig to be red instead blue besides the psu.
The only thing I am having a problem figuring is the heatsink, I originally had the tuniq tower 120 ext.
but I wanted the 212+ but its 60 bucks now.

 

[OvrClkr]

If you plan on dual matrix setup you will need more than a 650w regardless of the brand. I would say a very good 700w (800w recommended), especially if you plan on overclocking the CPU to insane speeds. The matrix pulls more juice than a regular 5870.

Here is a review talking about power consumption :

http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-matrix-5870-platinum-review/7

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

Well no, I figure right now I either choose the matrix or one 5850 directcu now and then possibly get another later.
Both have really good turn outs cause with just getting one 5850 I can get the sdd and what not.
But by getting the Matrix now, that will be more than I will need and won't need to get any other video cards, the bad part is thats less money for other things.

I just got to make sure I got my priorities straight. Like making a whats most important list.
Here is what I am running in my head and shopping cart:
Thuban 1050t
Crosshair 4 RoG
HX850-maybe HX750
HAF-X-I originally wanted the Cm692 advanced-either one 30$ in fans
Crucial Tracers 4gb red
Tuniq Tower 120 exetreme or Hyper 212+
Windows 7 home 64bit
OCZ Solid 2 60gb
Barracuda 7200.12 500gb 3gb/s
Asus dvd
Matrix or 5850 DirectCu
Then if I have any extra the Kaze Master Pro fan controller.

The only places to cut back on would be using my "mybook" external 500gb instead, Cm 692 ad. instead of
HAF-X, HX750 instead of HX850, Phenom 955or965 instead of 1050, or 5850 instead of 5870.
So I have tons of different options that I am still figuring.

 

[shadow187]

For merely gaming, a phenom 955 OC'd to 3.8ghz will do just fine.
The motherboard linked below supports CrossFireX as well for $140;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138193&cm_re=890fx-_-13-138-193-_-Product

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

I know this isn't the section for this, but if you got to build a computer for around 1600ish
give or take with 1700 being the max with or without mir's, what would you get based on what
I showed you earlier.

 

[Salt-City_Slasher]

This is the best cheapest config, with room to situate:
965
Crosshair 4
750HX
Tracers 4gb red
windows home 64 oem
Matrix
tuniq tower
Haf-x
asus dvd
SeaGate 500gb=1625 w/ shipping +20mir

I was really interested in the red theme. I don't have enough for little things like extra fans and controllers
or a SDD. But I do have all the 10 essientials for a build. I still don't know about the tuniq tower.

Well I would prefer to have windows installed on a sdd, but I guess I can do this down the road.
With the Martix I won't need any video card upgrades. I already have a 500gb external but I don't want
to use that for the main memory.

 

[OvrClkr]

I know this isn't the section for this, but if you got to build a computer for around 1600ish
give or take with 1700 being the max with or without mir's, what would you get based on what
I showed you earlier.

With 1,700.00/1,800.00$ (dollars) I would get this :

COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932 (With side panel window mod "no fan")
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160&cm_re=haf_932-_-11-119-160-_-Product

ASUS Crosshair IV Formula
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131644

AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition Thuban 3.2GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849&cm_re=1090T-_-19-103-849-_-Product

Coolermaster Hyper 212+
http://www.thegreatguys.com/servlet/the-1700/Coolermaster-Hyper-212-PLUS/Detail?zmam=64461962&zmas=1&zmac=18&zmap=RR-B10-212P-GP

Mushkin Enhanced Ridgeback
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226123&cm_re=mushkin_ridgeback-_-20-226-123-_-Product

CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-750HX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010&Tpk=HX750

Asus DirectCU 5850
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10012519

Mushkin Enhanced Io MKNSSDIO64GB 2.5" 64GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226105&cm_re=64gb_ssd-_-20-226-105-_-Product

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319&cm_re=western_digital_caviar_black-_-22-136-319-_-Product

ASUS Black 24X
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204&cm_re=asus_dvd_burner-_-27-135-204-_-Product

Win 7 64 bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758&cm_re=win_7_x64_oem-_-32-116-758-_-Product

the total comes out to be around 1,800.00$ before any MIR's...later on you can add a second 5850 and you should be good to go..

I would also be on the lookout for the x4 975, rumors say that it can hit 4.4Ghz (stable) on AIR and should be around 80.00$ cheaper than the 1090T.