System Upgrade. Keep the 5770 and crossfire, or new card

Since you already have a 5770, it's a pretty good idea to get another one and run it in CF. After all, you can get one for around $120 (less with Mail in Rebates). Any single card that will come close will cost you alot more. Two 5770s after all are often a little faster than a single 5870 or 6870, so at the least you would need a 6950 or GTX 560 if you wanted to go the single card route.

The other thing I want to think about is future growth. If I go with another 5770 that pretty much leaves me at a dead end as far as video goes. If I go with something like the 6950 you suggest that leaves me room to add another 6950 down the road if that becomes advisable. The flip side of my other thing (if that makes any sense) is that is pretty much what I was thinking when I bought the 5770 a year and a half ago. So I guess where I am going with this is, is it better to go with the 5770 now and see where video card are in another 18 months or to bet on what is available now at closer to the top end and think that will still be worth working with in 18 months.

If it helps the new system will be based around a Core i7-2600k processor and the Intel X25M that I have in my current system. (not worth upgrading to a new SSD yet IMHO)

personally I'd sell the 5770 and get a 6950/70 or gtx 570, crossfire is way too much of a headache to deal with in many ways in order to crossfire a low mid range card such as the 5770, imo...

if i were you... i will sell the 5770 and buy a new card... for radeon... i'll pick hd 6950... for nvidia... i'll pick either gtx 560 ti or gtx 570...

reason for picking...

hd 6950-

*cheaper compared to gtx 570
*can be unlocked to hd 6970
*fast when crossfire

gtx 560 ti-

*very overclockable
*cheaper than hd 6950 and gtx 570
*so many models out there with different factory oc...
*there are factory oc cards out there that runs faster than hd 6950 and comparable to hd 6970 and gtx 570 (e.g.- gigabyte gtx 560 ti soc) and still cheaper than hd 6950

gtx 570

*faster than gtx 560 ti, hd 6950 and comparable to hd 6970...
*that is what i'm using now....
*easy to get high performance without needing to flashing bios or overclocking like hd 6950 and gtx 560 ti

True but getting a second 5770 you are only spending around $100 and it will last you for some time instead of spending $250 - then by the time the CF 5770 or single 6950 is not performing well enough you then are back in the same spot you find yourself now (do I get another 6950 and CF or a single more powerful card) if you get the 6950 where with the 5770s you know it's time to get a new single powerful card and have $150 already saved since you went with the 5770 last time !

And that is an excellent point, and kind of the way I am leaning already.

Best answer selected by Lucid Moments.

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey