Radeon HD 3870 X2 Launch On Jan 23rd, Costs US$449

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:43

Problem there you dont know if its done in software..... This is a new card coming out to the masses.

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:43

willhub said:
Not an example, they are using some sort of built in crossfire.

Same thing as what's integrated on the X38. They've had to place it on the board in order for a single PCB card to be feasible.

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:45

I dont think these will be as bad as you think and you dont know how crossfire will turn out with this card. I dont give a damn if they are crap I've got an 8800GT it'll be good for a while yet.

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:45

willhub said:
Problem there you dont know if its done in software..... This is a new card coming out to the masses.

Trust me its done in software. ATi would be making a HUGE deal out of it if they'd cracked the dual gpu problem in hardware and thus got one over nvidia.

This is crossfire on a single card.

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:47

NDA...

Ok can you tell me exactly were from you KNOW its using software?

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:48

willhub said:
I dont think these will be as bad as you think and you dont know how crossfire will turn out with this card. I dont give a damn if they are crap I've got an 8800GT it'll be good for a while yet.

You can live in hope. But I'm expecting absolutely nothing over a 2x 3870 setup. And like I already said, I'm not impressed with mine half the time. Given what I know now, I'd much rather go single gpu or NV SLI which has seemingly better support.

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:51

Well Its allready better than a 2X3870 setup, its one card...

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:55

willhub said:
NDA...

Ok can you tell me exactly were from you KNOW its using software?

Quit being so naive, I can understand everyone wants this to be a push in the right direction. Remember the GX2 and all the hot air that generated pre-release? Look at the known facts and the hardware its based on, then take a look at the marketing of it. It doesn't take a genius to realise what this is and how its implemented. If we were going to be getting some improved single board crossfire implementation we'd know about it. ATI would go to lengths to make it clear that they've developed new multi gpu scaling technology.

This is an enthusiast part just like the GX2 before it. Sure it'll amaze in some games but others will have you scratching your head thinking "Gee, I paid a lot for this performance". Its that potential for hit and miss that makes this technology suck for me.

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:58

I dont care if the performance of it is crap it means I can get a new bicycle or E8400 or something thats all.

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:59

willhub said:
Well Its allready better than a 2X3870 setup, its one card...

So better in this case is a size issue. That's not a great reason to spend good money.

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 19:59

willhub said:
I dont care if the performance of it is crap it means I can get a new bicycle or E8400 or something thats all.

OK

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:02

ShinOBIWAN said:
So better in this case is a size issue. That's not a great reason to spend good money.

Its length of a GTX.

ShinOBIWAN · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:05

willhub said:
Its length of a GTX.

Taking up a single slot.

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:11

Its dual slot.

Owenb · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:16

ShinOBIWAN said:
Trust me its done in software. ATi would be making a HUGE deal out of it if they'd cracked the dual gpu problem in hardware and thus got one over nvidia.

This is crossfire on a single card.

I would imagine that it will be software for sometime yet. Both Nvida and ATI have spent a lot of time/money on SLI/Crossfire. Lets face it, neither has been a success even among the enthusiasts who usually jump on anything that gives a few more frames. The only reason i can see for it, is that it was the ground work for future GPU's that would be multi-core for similar reasons that CPU's are going that way.

LoadsaMoney · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:30

LoadsaMoney said:
What a pasting.

The X2 might not be much of an increase over 1x GT if you think about it then, as its gota add all those frames back to 1x 3870 to match the GT, then add more to beat it.

Take Crysis there for instance, the 3870 is over 12fps slower, so that means the 2nd one on the X2 has to add those frames just to match the GT, then its gota add more on top to beat it.

What do you think about this that i posted in another thread about this review.

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/sapphire_radeon_hd_3850_ultimate_3870_atomic/page11.asp

Im getting well :confused:

here.

willhub · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:37

I dont want this card to succeed anymore because I want a bicycle. It will proberbly be a 1337 card tho

.

LoadsaMoney · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:41

Im just gona wait for reviews and see, come on Tweaktown, should have been up by now yours.

mike gunnz · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:52

All you considering selling your 8800GT/GTS for this are bonkers. If the x2 can't play Crysis in all its glory then its an utterly pointless card to buy. Crysis is the benchmark all forthcoming GPUs should be judged against.

My next upgrade will be to a card that can play Crysis at very high, with sky high fps, be it ATI or NV.

Till then my GT handles everything comfortably at 1920x1200.

stevenazari1 · 17 Jan 2008 at 20:54

guess we'll find out next week