Upgrading HD 4890 Crossfire, $500 Budget

[hazza31b]

Hello,
I am looking at upgrading next month my current HD4890 crossfire setup to something else. I would prefer another crossfire setup that will old me over for another year or 2, if a single gpu will do this ill be happy with that to.

My system specs are
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.8Ghz
8Gb DDR2 RAM
Win 7 64bit
2 x HD4890
900W Great Wall PSU

Thanks

 

[nforce4max]

Two 6950 will blow away what you have now or you could settle for something less that does not have any major bugs a 6970 avoiding issues that comes with crossfire and sli.

 

[hazza31b]

so 2 6950's or a single 6970. I was looking at the 6850 and 6870 for crossfire aswell. is there a big difference.

 

[hazza31b]

Is a single 6990 over kill for my system? Can get one for 795

 

[nforce4max]

Is a single 6990 over kill for my system? Can get one for 795

From personal experience I suggest that you avoid dual gpu cards unless you know how to cope with any problems that come with such cards. If it is something that you really want then go ahead but I wouldn't recommend it to any one unless for certain situations.


6950 crossfire for raw bang for buck

 

[hazza31b]

Is that the 1Gb or the 2 Gb 6950

 

[nforce4max]

Is that the 1Gb or the 2 Gb 6950

2GB is the future and the way to go.

 

[bodmanza]

From personal experience I suggest that you avoid dual gpu cards unless you know how to cope with any problems that come with such cards. If it is something that you really want then go ahead but I wouldn't recommend it to any one unless for certain situations.


6950 crossfire for raw bang for buck

this.

If you are lucky enough to live in an area where PC enthusiasts are not aplenty (as I am), you may be able to find some local reference 6950's and flash them to be 6970's (as I did).

Just have to wait for my three monitors to get here

 

[hazza31b]

I think i may just buy a single 2Gb 6970 and then when i can afford it get a second. Will the 6970 still out perform my 2 4890's and will it give me good performance at max settings in game

 

[nforce4max]

I think i may just buy a single 2Gb 6970 and then when i can afford it get a second. Will the 6970 still out perform my 2 4890's and will it give me good performance at max settings in game

It should in most games as the issues of scaling are no longer present. Plus you can overclock the card when it is needed and you will gain back some of the cost of the card in utility savings every month over your two 4890.

 

[hazza31b]

last question, as a cheap option would a pair of 6850's be good as well. have seen comparisons to the 6970 and it out performs them

 

[mdd1963]

I would indeed expect a pair of 6850's (avail for $150 each at Newegg) to outperform a $370 6970.....

 

[hazza31b]

But which is the smarter option

 

[bystander]

A couple notes about the 68xx and 69xx cards. The 69xx had some architecture changes and as a result, have better tessellation and AA performance that the 68xx did not get. It also seems that I see a lot more people with poor crossfire experiences with the 68xx cards, which I do not know why (or it could be just be some sort of coincidence).

As far as the reference cards vs. non-reference cards go; while you may not be able to flash the bios of a 6970 on to the non-reference 6950's, you can unlock the shaders and OC them to the same performance, and have much better cooling, but be careful, they don't have a dual bios switch with a read only bios.

 

[hazza31b]

Can you give that to me in dumb yuppy game speech please.

So bottom line 6970 is a safe bet

 

[bystander]

Can you give that to me in dumb yuppy game speech please.

So bottom line 6970 is a safe bet

If you don't like to get under the hood of your computer, and by your last statement, I assume that fits your personality, then ya, that's not a bad choice. Although I would personally just get a 6950 instead, but I'm willing to unlock the shaders and overclock them, which I am not sure you'd want to do that.

 

[hazza31b]

Thanks to be honest im sure i am capable of doing it if i researched it a bit. But my wife would kill be if i burnt the computer and a new card. Thanks

 

[brentkhack]

Yes 6950 2gb with a modded 6950 bios to unlock shaders and then oc.

 

[nforce4max]

Thanks to be honest im sure i am capable of doing it if i researched it a bit. But my wife would kill be if i burnt the computer and a new card. Thanks

A reference 6970 is a safe card as it includes a mid plate that cools both power vrm and vram while a separate but attacked cooler provides cooling for the gpu. The heat is exhausted out the case rather than many of the non reference cards that dump the heat in the case. The only problems that are common to reference cards is the thermal pads may not be properly be applied during assembly lead to high temps of one or more phases but this isn't to common or at least not enough for to many complaints. Beyond that is noise. I trust reference cards more than I do cards that have non reference cooling as far as ati cards are concerned.

 

[hazza31b]

So whats a reference card

 

[nforce4max]

So whats a reference card

I'll show you.

 

[hazza31b]

so would this be good

http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/info/VI-HD6970/1916/

 

[nforce4max]

so would this be good

http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/info/VI-HD6970/1916/

Yes it is a reference card with the expectation that it is what the picture shows.

 

[hazza31b]

Ok so i just brought the card and sold the 2 4890's for $120

 

[hazza31b]

Ok and i just confirmed more of my system specs

My system specs are
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.8Ghz
8Gb DDR2 RAM
Win 7 64bit
2 x HD4890
900W Great Wall PSU