To buy? Or not to buy?

[prochargedls2]

Simple Q, found this on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/OCZ-GameXStream-850W-ATX12V-v2-2-EPS12V-Computer-Power-Supply-OCZ850GXSSLI-B-/270994779675?pt=PCA_UPS&hash=item3f188c2e1b

Is that brand reliable for gaming? SLI? It will be going with the sabertooth z77

 

[WR2]

Give it a pass.
Buy a new PSU, not a refurbished one.

 

[Rugger]

The 700W version of this PSU got good review from Johnnyguru...except for ripple that exceeded ATX specs. It's a great price, but I'd stay away from Ebay refurbs with short warranties. Go for a good quality new unit...there have been some great sales on PSUs recently, including Corsair's Enthusiast series 750W. Shop around some and you'll find a great deal. What are your system specs and are you going to OC the CPU/GPU? You may not need to go for 850W...

 

[prochargedls2]

The 700W version of this PSU got good review from Johnnyguru...except for ripple that exceeded ATX specs. It's a great price, but I'd stay away from Ebay refurbs with short warranties. Go for a good quality new unit...there have been some great sales on PSUs recently, including Corsair's Enthusiast series 750W. Shop around some and you'll find a great deal. What are your system specs and are you going to OC the CPU/GPU? You may not need to go for 850W...

Sabertooth Z77 - I5 3570K

Right now I have a GTX 280, but will be upgrading to a 295 sli soon, or something more

4gbs of corsair vengeance ram, will be upgrading to 8gbs soon

7200rpm 1tb HDD will be buying a SSD for games later

Stock frequencies on the CPU, but in a few months to a year I will be hitting at least 4.2 ghz

 

[WR2]

295 SLI?

You mean a Quad SLI setup?

 

[prochargedls2]

295 SLI?

You mean a Quad SLI setup?

LOL basically yeah

 

[WR2]

This is pretty much what you need with a GTX 295 or 2x GTX 295 in a high end gaming system:
GeForce GTX 295 in Quad SLi - 70A +12V and a 1000W PSU minimum
GeForce GTX 295 - 50A +12V and a 700W PSU minimum

 

[prochargedls2]

This is pretty much what you need with a GTX 295 or 2x GTX 295 in a high end gaming system:
GeForce GTX 295 in Quad SLi - 70A +12V and a 1000W PSU minimum
GeForce GTX 295 - 50A +12V and a 700W PSU minimum

Yeah I figured I would need that. I will probably just buy one used unless I find an outstanding deal on one, because I know they go for 300 bucks new correct me if I am wrong. And why is it quad sli? I know the 295 is 2 cards slapped together (can't remember which 2 cards). Why wouldn't it just perform as 2 cards? I am beginning to think I know less about graphics cards because of this.

 

[WR2]

Quad SLI = four GPUs. No matter if it's 1 GPU x 4 cards or 2 GPUs x 2 cards.

How locked in to the GTX 295 are you? What's it going to cost?
There are better cards out that use quite a bit less power.

 

[WR2]

I know the 295 is 2 cards slapped together (can't remember which 2 cards). Why wouldn't it just perform as 2 cards?

If it's just one GTX 295 it's not usually referred to as SLI, even those the 2 GPUs are linked (SLI) internally in the card.


GTX 295 specs (2x GTX 280 GPUs, underclocked a bit)
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-295,2107-2.html

 

[prochargedls2]

Quad SLI = four GPUs. No matter if it's 1 GPU x 4 cards or 2 GPUs x 2 cards.

How locked in to the GTX 295 are you? What's it going to cost?
There are better cards out that use quite a bit less power.

Well I put the stats together, and the SLI GTX 295 eats up other cards around the same price range for dinner. And I am pretty hooked on them, but what other cards are there that are in the same price range that performs at least as well as the 295 does? I want nVidia, I prefer that over ATI.

I don't mind buying a huge PSU, but I just want to best possible SLI cards as I can under 500 bucks

 

[WR2]

A single GTX 480 will, on average, outperform a GTX 295. Sometimes by a pretty good margin. You can find them on sale at just over $200.
And a good 650W PSU is all you'd need.

source

 

[prochargedls2]

A single GTX 480 will, on average, outperform a GTX 295. Sometimes by a pretty good margin. You can find them on sale at just over $200.
And a good 650W PSU is all you'd need.

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_480_Fermi/images/farcry2_1920_1200.gif
source

Hmm, I like the looks of that, but when I look at this: http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=627&card2=603#

It shows me that since I don't want to spend more than 180 on a single card, the 295 is my best buck.

How much do they go for used compared the the 295?

 

[WR2]

GTX 295 and GTX 480 both used to be $500 when they first came out.

Here is a new 'gray market' GTX 480 on eBay for
$170 bidding ends in 4 hrs.

 

[WR2]

Amazon has used GTX 480s for $191

 

[prochargedls2]

Well for that price if I did enough time on eBay I could get 2 GTX 295s used. But as of now I will stick with my GTX 280, buy another for sli, sell them, then go sli 295 unless I find a great deal. Speaking of, do you know of any good daily deal websites that have computer parts?

 

[WR2]

Not for used parts - that market is too volatile.

 

[prochargedls2]

I meant for new parts >.<