3x HD 6970 VS. 2x HD 5970

[Ketsurui]

I'm just curious in seeing which way would be the best way to go. Should I get 3 HD 6970 or 2 HD 5970?

 

[mdd1963]

The 5970 is already internally a dual GPU card, where each portion/half has 1 GB of memory (not enough for some of newest DX11 titles at highest 2560x1600 res with enthusiast level AA/AF above 4x)...; the 5970 already supports three monitors.

I've not seen any reviews of dual 5970's, effectively Quad-Crossfire, and am not sure it is even possible...

SOme X58 boards for sure support 3/4 way SLI....; is there even a 3 way X-Fire?

 

[mdd1963]

Dual GTX580's, however, are quite a formidable pair!

 

[Ketsurui]

The board im using now supports 3way xfire and im currently running 3 hd 5870 on a asus p6x58d-e

 

[mdd1963]

A pair of 6950's in Crossfire is at an excellent performance level, not quite equaling SLI 580s, but, at $600 total, excellent performance for the money!

Is your goal simply 3 monitors? WIll it even be used for games?

 

[mdd1963]

it will be likely then be hard to improve on your current rig noticeably, short of 3 way GTX580s....

I've not seen too many 3 way Xfire benchmarks, but, assuming linear scaling, a pair of 6950s gives 20+% performance jump over a pair of 5870's in Xfire....

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4061/amds-radeon-hd-6970-radeon-hd-6950/13

 

[mdd1963]

As to if it will be $900 worth if improvement , will of course be your call....

 

[Ketsurui]

True thats my biggest concern though if i were to try a tri fire config with 3 hd 6970 would i be bottle necking them?

 

[mdd1963]

ONce you have so much gpu power that the video is not the bottleneck, then the cpu typically becomes the bottleneck; if you lower the resolution and your framerate increases, then the gpu is still the bottleneck. With three monitors of decent size, depending on AA/AF settings (I'd use no AA/AF if running 3), I'd imagine the gpu is still the bottleneck.

 

[aznshinobi]

My question for you ketsuri, why would you even spend that much with Antilles coming out? Also, not only Antilles but both cards run hot, I'd just wait for a non-reference design of the 69xx series.

Also.... 6950 Crossfire is already ALOT of firepower, why on earth do you need tri-6970's? or even 5970 quadfire.

 

[joelmartinez]

wait for 6990, in the waiting period donate money to an animal shelter (save a dog from being euthanized)

 

[Ketsurui]

Best answer selected by ketsurui.