Another spec me a card, but with a twist

[cooljimy84]

Good boxing day to all !!!

Quick two questions, i have a 8800gtx and am lookin to upgrade. but i not sure on what card to get my self. After reading some benchies and lookin on the fourms i'm still in two minds...

i play Supreme commander, all of the need for speeds, Fear, Crysis, c&c FEAR and i try and have the quilty settings up at tops, but this can be hard with the 8800 @ 1920x1200.

I'm looking at the 4870 or the 4870x2 or the 280, i've got about 250-300 TOPS of 390 to spend, but want some thing i can game on for a year or two.

but i have a x-fire board, hence i'm looking at the 4870x2 so that in 6-12 months when i need more power i can stick a second one in....

Any idears ?!?

 

[sambo_joseph]

I vote the GTX 280. I believe there will be a much better single chip solution down the line than having to x-fire two 4870X2's.

 

[TheCenturion]

if you play crysis, get nvidia, the gtx 260 maxcore might be good, it's almost as good as the 280, yet it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

 

[Peter450]

At that res most reviews have shown the X2 to give the edge, above poster is right in that you will probably get the power of the X2 or perhaps a little more with a single chip GPU down the line, but it will have to be a very big step over the current gen to match two X2's

I'd probably go the X2 now, and when the time comes you will have the option of either Crossfire or replacing it with a new single chip GPU, the X2 is more than the 280, but it will give you more options down the line, for either crossfire or total replacement, with the GTX 280 your only going to have the total replacement option

Don't get me wrong i like the 280 and have one myself, but for the extra money you will have more power now, and the option of a alternate upgrade path in a year or two's time

 

[queamin]

The 4870x2 is faster in most games than a 280,and around 6 to 9 months time the real next gen cards should be out from both camps.

 

[TheCenturion]

don't forget that ATI runs poorly on crysis, and other games are Nvidia optimized, any card higher than a 4850 will blow away your 8800 ultra!

 

[alex24]

I would go for 260-216 or the 280, depending on much you're willing to spend. I don't think it's worth spending more on a card.

 

[TheCenturion]

also, clocking a 260 to higher speeds can make it as fast as the 280, so you save £100!

 

[sambo_joseph]

also, clocking a 260 to higher speeds can make it as fast as the 280, so you save £100!

but then there always the fact that you can also OC the 280

 

[wombraider]

I went from a 8800GTX to a GTX280 and it was a bit of an improvment , but not earth shattering.

I also tried a 4870x2 on the same system and found the gtx280 to be more consistant ie less stuttering.

 

[cooljimy84]

yer the trouble is nothing has been a real "jump", just more power, more streams, more heat, more volts......

I think i'll prob go with the 280, but i might get the earge to stop eating for a few weeks to get the extra for the 4870x2