Eyefinity (AMD/ATI) versus Nvidia

nvidia has its own version of eyefinity called 3d surround and its pretty much the same thing

the 5k series was replaced by the next generation 6 series however amd for some reson decided to shift the number up, thier mid-high range went from the 5700's to 6800's, and now as of today the 5800 series is replaced by the 6900's . the5970 will eventually be replaced by the 6990 but it is currently the fastest single card out there however it uses two gpu's to accomplish this

top of the line single cards are 5970 for amd and 580 for nvidia. but as mentioned the 5970 is two gpu's on one board, the fastest single gpu card from amd is the 6970 (which like i said confudsing btu is slower than a 5970)

Thanks for the reply g00fy.

So in general the Radeon series maintains a 4-digit number sequence that appears to go up in newer generation? HD4850 - 6970? While Nvidia conducts the same behavior with 3-digits and increasing naming series?

A quick search on 5970 the prices vary from $500 through $1100. Average price there is above $700. Unlike the Radeon GPU's, Nvidia is steady around $525.

Does Nvidia's 3d surround compare to AMD/ATI's Eyefinity? Random searches on this forum, Google, and You Tube I haven't seen contradicting questions/answers proclaiming that 3d surround is superior. So ultra extreme performance would be Cross Fired Eyefinity cards?

I've seen some users such as YogaXL and Maxishine on You Tube having 2+ GPU's, there are only two ports on the cards for CFX correct? So if that's the case those YTers are just running individual cards per monitor correct?

Sorry for the lengthy response's and redundant questions. I'm trying to wrap my head around this before making a decision that I question later on.

Thanks!

esentually nvidia 3d surround is the same thing as eyefinity and by the saem i mean performing and doing the exact same thing in the same way. even the sli'd nvdia cards will scale for 3d surround about the same vs eyefnity there's really no advantage either way

you cna run dual graphics cards in a computer for dual monitors without sli/crossfire it just means you'll have one card running one monitor, this is sometimes a better option if the card doesn't have enough ummph to push 2 monitors at good resolutions with good framerates.

as for helping you make the best decition if you are planning to but a new graphics cars everybody will likely jumpin to ehlp but they'd need a bit more info

what type of power supply do you have, what motherboard, what cpu, how much ram/type and speed. and whats the intent of the machine, will you be gaming at a high resolition across multiple monitors or is this for workstation use liek autocad or/3d rendering?

You can run upto 3 monitors from one GPU if its powerfull enough.Check this link out,this is a midend card but can actually run 4 monitors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mJeefx5_Qc This video was out about a month or so ago

Sorry,they are not monitors they are tv`s,but still damn good performance for the price.

Were you typing on a netbook or notebook? Some of your characters got smudged together!

I'm planning on purchasing everything new except HDD, Optical, Keyboard/Mouse, and Monitors. This system will be high resolution gaming. I plan to game performance like while maintaining a competitive edginess? This system will also be used to render video's, graphics, and edit as well.

I'd like to purchase about $500 worth of components now and get the rest after Sandy Bridge is released. I'm thinking an NZXT Phantom + i7 2600 with A70 cooling + 6970 (eventually CFX) + 8 GB (cas 8 > ) + 850W PSU , etc.. would be great. Your thought of this setup? For purchasing now, I was thinking Case, PSU, A70. These items can migrate into my current setup. I would drop the case and get the GPU, but I have an Antec 300 and I don't believe the card would fit?

Ideally it's all gaming so, 2 x 6970's running on three Asus 21.5 monitors.

Anyways thoughts?

I'm not typing on a laptop.. i'm just have big hands >_< i can't find a proper keyboard (size 14 feet too) it doesn't help that i have mild dislexia so sometimes i dont even see the mistakes

that looks liek it'd make for a fantastic system. the 6970 in x fire scale extremely well. if you plan on upgradigng over time i'd say 6970, case and psu if you can pull it.

what 850 watt psu are you looking at, might be able to make sure it's going to be good for your setup if you're unsure.

As for PSU, I am unsure. I threw out a random number. I'm guessing at least 850+ would suffice at silver or gold ratings?

and 850 watt psu would be a good match as each card can pull up to 250 watts each

definatly get a good oen though a corsair would be best or a seasonic, coolmaster will do as well... just don't go cheap on a psu, don't want the whole system blowing up on you and having one big paperweight because of a cheap psu

If you are looking to build an essentially new system, I'd suggest you consider a couple more options that may be new to you (since COD4 days). First, take a look into an SSD drive for your Windows boot drive. They are becoming quite a bit more affordable. And in terms of real world, every day performance, there is nothing you can do to speed up your system more.

Second, check out 3D capability in your new video card and monitor (just as impressive as Avatar was in 3D). The examples I have seen are quite compelling.

As you are trying to decipher the current crop of video cards, don't forget to check out Tom's Hardware's articles on video card roundups. The last one was in November, and as always there is a hierarchy chart at the end that give you the comparison on all available GPU chips. Here's a link: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-rad...

The main difference between eyefinity and nvidia's 3d surround is, AMD has had eyefinity going longer, and it only needs one card to work - while nVidia has had 3d working longer, and needs two cards to work.

If you are only interested in the surround effect, go eyefinity. If you think you'll be interested in the 3d effect, nVidia is far enough ahead to warrant consideration. Be aware that the nVidia solution will cost an awful lot more.