should i get another GTX280 or wait until Dx11?? any advice?

Keltik THC · 29 Jan 2009 at 12:11

recently got a new rig with 1 GTX280, i didnt go for Sli because i had heard a lot of rumblings about Sli issues with Vista etc.. but ive found out these issues have all been put to bed and that a Sli system will basically be as stable as a single GPU.

so, I'm soooo tempted to buy another GTX280 since i found out that it doesnt have to be the exact same card as my current one to run Sli (i originally thought the 2 cards had to be comletely identical) anyway, OCuk have still got their Extreme version of the card availble for £250...

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-001-OE&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1176

now, i know Windows 7 is just around the corner, and i'm pretty sure Microsoft will pull the same stunt as they have with Vista, in that they will more than likely release Dx11 as exclusive to Windows 7 and they will obviously release some Directx11/Windows7 specific GPUs... last time i heard people expect it all to be rolled out late in 2009.

im just wondering what peoples advice would be, should i just bite my nails and wait until the end of the year and save my cash and get Windows 7/Sli Directx11 GPUs? or should i just buy another GTX280 and keep running Vista and forget about Dx11 and Windows 7... because its generally accepted that when Microsoft initially release anything they basically use the people who buy the product first as their beta testers...

if i had buckets of money i wouldnt really care, but im just worried that ill spend another £250 on another GPU, after already spending about £250 on my first 280 only then to be jealous of everyone come December 2009 when they are all running Dx11 and windows 7! i really want Sli, Nvidia obviously try and sell you on buying another GPU because 2GBs of graphics power will be quite future proof which is what i want, but obviously it wont be future proofed against new versions of Dx11...

i really cant decide... everytime i boot up Crysis and have to scale down the AA etc.. i just get the urge to buy another 280... but then when i think about it i try and convince myself i should be patient and wait until Dx11...

arghhh... please someone help me with some valuable advice!

reflux · 29 Jan 2009 at 12:14

They've stated that DX11 will be available on Vista too, but yes, there will be DX11-specific GPUs. Whether any of that will be important depends on whether DX11 is less of a waste of time than DX10.

Personally I'd sit it out right now, or just buy a 4870X2. Mine runs Crysis nicely @ 1920x1200 with 4xAA

jvowles · 29 Jan 2009 at 14:30

Agreed. I would wait until the DX11 cards are actually released and understood.

ins0mn1ac · 29 Jan 2009 at 14:43

I'm wondering what problems do you have with one 280 that you think you need another? I can run Crysis on mine all on enthusiast @ 1920x1080 and still stay 30+ fps. And that's with my crappy CPU only at 3.2ghz!

Keltik THC · 29 Jan 2009 at 16:36

thanks for the advice so far guys, i suppose you are right that the most logical path would be to sit it out and wait... just everytime i get a drop in my frame rate i start to think about buying an extra gpu now! plus i really do like the GTX 280, i think its a great card, the best ive ever had (aside from the auto-fan control which stays at 40% no matter how hot the card gets) whcih makes me want to buy another one, but only if it werent for Dx11...

deleted said:
I'm wondering what problems do you have with one 280 that you think you need another? I can run Crysis on mine all on enthusiast @ 1920x1080 and still stay 30+ fps. And that's with my crappy CPU only at 3.2ghz!

i run at 1920x1200 but what AA do you have set? anything above 8x and i get loss of frame rate, with everything set at the highest settings at 1920x1200 i can only play with AA set to 4x for amazing frame rates and 8x gives me a slight drop when a lot of things are happening on screen, but is playable... 16x is defintly not suitable... also under those 'Q' settings in the AA, they cause a big drop in fps but i dont even know what the 'Q' stands for nor can see much difference between them so im not too fussed, but 16x AA with high fps would be nice.. i think i am going to try and contain myself and wait for Dx11 before i can experience it!

jvowles · 29 Jan 2009 at 16:39

upgraditis avoided!

uv · 29 Jan 2009 at 16:55

Keltik THC said:
i run at 1920x1200 but what AA do you have set? anything above 8x and i get loss of frame rate

You're joking, right?

You're unhappy with just 8xAA in Crysis?

LoadsaMoney · 29 Jan 2009 at 17:12

Waste of time waiting, look how long it took for Dx10 to even start getting used in the odd title after the first gen Dx10 8800's appeared, everyone was just buying those for Dx9.

Dx11 cards will be the same, by the time theres about a handfull of games using it, we'll all have moved on.

The first gens will only be good for Dx10.

benwoodcock · 29 Jan 2009 at 17:12

Any perceived benefits of 8*aa in crysis aren't really there

CreAtiv3 · 29 Jan 2009 at 17:16

I would personally wait for Q3 and see how things are looking then.
Its not like you wont be running everything at full with a GTX280 for a while anyway...?

Keltik THC · 29 Jan 2009 at 19:05

uvmain said:
You're joking, right?

You're unhappy with just 8xAA in Crysis?

i know its a bit crazy, i guess im just a perfectionist lol... i want everything to be maxxed..

LoadsaMoney said:
Waste of time waiting, look how long it took for Dx10 to even start getting used in the odd title after the first gen Dx10 8800's appeared, everyone was just buying those for Dx9.

Dx11 cards will be the same, by the time theres about a handfull of games using it, we'll all have moved on.

The first gens will only be good for Dx10.

you have a very good point, i think ive bought every dx10 title possible and theirs only like 10 or something... i guess im just a sucker for marketing! but thats why i posted this thread, to get some sober advice from people who arent swayed by all the hype.... maybe it would be an idea, as you say, to stick with Dx10 and then let Dx11 mature instead of buying the first nVidia gpu that comes availble with Dx11.... wow thats a very good argument for buying another GTX 280!! plus i really want to test Sli and see how it works.

benwoodcock said:
Any perceived benefits of 8*aa in crysis aren't really there

maybe its a placebo, but when i take screenies of each setting of AA i do see a difference, jaggedy edges are the bain of my existense and i want them all to be smooth and sexy looking..

CreAtiv3 said:
I would personally wait for Q3 and see how things are looking then.
Its not like you wont be running everything at full with a GTX280 for a while anyway...?

i do have everything at full on all games, but a couple, mainly the newer games, i have to tone down the AA as per Crysis to maintain a 35+ fps.

my original plan was to only have 1 GTX 280 and then when i Dx11 comes i would buy Dx11 GPUs and then move my GTX280 to my other rig... although as i said originally my graphics greed is trying to get me to order another GTX 280 when i know i shouldnt...

thanks again for the great advice guys.... but im still undecided now lol.... im actually swaying towards buying another GTX 280 because as 'LoadsaMoney' says, probably not much point in buying Dx11 when its first released which means sticking with Dx10 for longer ... my only other fear is that when and if i do finally decide to buy a GTX 280 that i wont be able to find any online, OcUK only has like 4 left!

edit: none in stock anymore

maybe fates trying to tell me something.

Clum · 29 Jan 2009 at 19:30

you obviously want to get a second card so you should just buy one. Worry about windows 7/dx11 later

queamin · 29 Jan 2009 at 20:04

Clum said:
you obviously want to get a second card so you should just buy one. Worry about windows 7/dx11 later

I agree if you want to buy a second card (and you seem to want to)and can afford it then get one because it will be a while before you see any dx11 games that are worth worrying over really.
We don't even know what the different will be between dx10 and 11,you might as well wait and see as a sli 280's will eat through almost any game unless it is a bad ported/coded game.

Ranger07 · 29 Jan 2009 at 20:05

Anyone know the time frame for the next round of graphics card from both camps?, maybe Q3 or Q4 ?

I think intels Westmere 6 core cpu's have been pushed back to 2010 now do to the down turn, Im wondering if the same will happen with GPU's.

Keltik THC · 29 Jan 2009 at 21:10

Ranger07 said:
Anyone know the time frame for the next round of graphics card from both camps?, maybe Q3 or Q4 ?

the last i heard it was late 2009, who knows though...

queamin said:
I agree if you want to buy a second card (and you seem to want to)and can afford it then get one because it will be a while before you see any dx11 games that are worth worrying over really.
We don't even know what the different will be between dx10 and 11,you might as well wait and see as a sli 280's will eat through almost any game unless it is a bad ported/coded game.

yeah im pretty much thinking along those lines, and ive basically learned that if a game is out on the 360 buy it for the 360, all the games ive tried so far for the PC that have been released on 360 have been poorly coded.

i'll guess ill just see if OCuk get anymore back in stock soon...

J1nxy · 29 Jan 2009 at 22:07

I went a little OTT and did Tri-SLI with 280s

Far Cry 2 as an example 1920x1200 Ultra 4xaa gives High 145 Low 82 Average 101 bit extreme I know but at least I know I shouldn't have any performance issues for a while.

Pred · 29 Jan 2009 at 22:09

Get another 280
Absolutley no point waiting for Dx11 cards.

Monkeynut · 29 Jan 2009 at 22:33

Look how long it took for DirectX10 to be used, when DirectX11 comes out we won't be seeing games that really make use of it for ages anyway.

queamin · 29 Jan 2009 at 22:37

Not sure when the level of the games will need a lot more power as a lot of games are ported/made with 360 in mind as well.

thevet · 29 Jan 2009 at 22:52

re

when directx 11 is released, directx 12 will be around the corner,so i its never ending...basically i only buy when i need....so if bf3 comes out soon...then that is all i will probably play...so by the time i upgrade again it will probably be directx 12 onwards...i iant goona bother with 11 as i wont need it for what i want from my pc