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GTX 470, GTX 480, or SLI? What to do?!

madindehead

madindehead

madindehead

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I know you are probably fed up of these "I don't know what to do threads" but sadly, this is another one...

I have a few options...here they are...

1) I can buy a GTX 480 in September, and possibly SLI a month later, for the best performance, but not buy my proposed watercooling loop (originally only too cool my CPU anyway). This was going to cost around £300 (leaving potential for GPUs to be added in later)

2) I have buy a GTX 470 in September, and almost definitely SLI it a month later, for better performance than a single 480, but not as good as two of course. This will also potentially leave me money for my CPU loop (not really offering extra performance however).

I have found both the GTX 480 and 470 for very good prices.

At those prices, GTX 480 in SLI is £720, and GTX 470 in SLI is £480.

Effectively the price of 480 SLI is like 470 tri-SLI. I just need to check the performance of them against each other, but what do you guys all think?

I just want the best for my system, and the best possible performance! Sorry to post another one of these, but I really am a bit stuck :p
 
If you game at 2560x1600 with max AA in most games switched on then go for GTX480 SLI otherwise the GTX470 SLI combo will be more than fine however if you game at 1920x1080/1200 then why not just use a single GTX480 heavily overclocked and save yourself some cash for somewhere else that could be upgraded?
 
I wouldn't bother with GTX480 SLI unless your running 2560x resolution - even GTX470 SLI is overkill for anything below 1920x and not even essential at 1920x tho nice if you like to play everything with max settings and ~120fps (120Hz TFT).
 
I'd definatly go with 2 470's, for the extra spare cash put it towards your water loop, like the comments above, anything less than massive resolutions sli 480's will he wasted except for epeen and a free room heater.
 
Hmm. So, basically, my best options are a single 480, or 470 SLI? I will only ever game at a maximum of 1920 x 1200 (and currently at 1680 x 1050). Are there any major problems that people have noticed with 4xx in SLI? I do like to play everything at max settings, I like my eye candy :p
 
Going off your Sammy SM226BW in your Stig the 470 would be a nice upgrade over the 275 due to the screen's max res is 1680 , even though both cards can run 1920 easy with maxed settings 99% of games but the 470 does add extra PQ and 32AA ect.

if your looking for a 1920 New screen or higher Res screen then go for the 480 to Future proof further, (well until next week :D)
 
Yeah, I will probably be looking at something that can handle 1920 some time soon. Hmm, I suppose the 480 does give me the option to upgrade further. Maybe I'll need that space heater sometime anyway :p
 
I'm thinking about a new pc. I'm going 1920 and getting the 480. It seems to munch everything at that res! also means that in a year or two when it starts to struggle I can just grab another for sli
 
you will be surprised with your 275 temps v the 480 temps , my last card was a 280 running 1920 and all games maxed, Crapsis was a notch down though due to badly programmed engine (one reason the engine was give away to Schools for free)

if your seriously looking at a 1920 above screen , the 480 is the only way forward, pointless using that card at 1680 res, waist of money imop.
 
I think I may go with the most powerful solution, overclock it, and it gives me headroom for SLI later.

People have also said, that watercooling a single GPU is easier than cooling dual cards. I suppose, this gives me some spare cash for other things...even saving it! :p
 
anant_shah94 said:
I'm thinking about a new pc. I'm going 1920 and getting the 480. It seems to munch everything at that res! also means that in a year or two when it starts to struggle I can just grab another for sli
Click to expand...

At the moment Mafia 2 is the only option to buy another 480 or 285 for Apex/Physx.. other than that your Maxed all the way for a long while.

unless Nvidia up the Specs on requirements for Physx again i.e mem requirements ect. (last done on the 9 series release)
 
madindehead said:
What resolution do you game at out of interest? And what games are we talking about? Sorry, I just want a general idea of what performance is like :)
Click to expand...

resolution is 1920x1200

not had much chance to game since I installed the 480, below is a list of games I have tested.

GTA IV
GTA:LCS
Just Cause 2
Dirt 2
Grid
Crysis
Crysis:Warhead
Half-Life 2
MassEffect
 
Not really , i tried Pong other night and i got a few frame drops, other than that .. everthing is fine.

will not go wrong with the 480, just once you buy it do not look on Hardware site .. you always see a replacement. :D
 
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