Considering upgrade, input on specs appreciated
- Thread starter 1dmf
- Start date
I've revamped my spec. i though i might as well just go for a smaller HD but SSD to really get the performance boost.
Plus i was debating over 2 x 560 SLi or 1 x 580.
I think, I'll speak with the missus tonight and see if I can break my piggy bank
Here is my final spec, so please shout now if something looks bad!
Don't worry the external USB drive is for my alienware i5 which has no optical drive currently!
Plus i was debating over 2 x 560 SLi or 1 x 580.
I think, I'll speak with the missus tonight and see if I can break my piggy bank
Here is my final spec, so please shout now if something looks bad!
Don't worry the external USB drive is for my alienware i5 which has no optical drive currently!
Soldato
- Joined
- 1 Apr 2009
- Posts
- 9,952
What PSU? 620W sounds like a corsair HX or Antec, which will be fine. Otherwise, looking good.
yes it's a corsair HX 620w SLi PSU.
But I think I might wait a bit, then I could probably afford to SLi 580, if Kepler doesn't give the ground breaking performance it promises.
I was thinking to tide me over I could Sli another 260 OCX , only my PCIe x16 has a USB 3.0 card in it!
right pain having PCIe x1 slots you can't use due to the size of the GFX card!
But I think I might wait a bit, then I could probably afford to SLi 580, if Kepler doesn't give the ground breaking performance it promises.
I was thinking to tide me over I could Sli another 260 OCX , only my PCIe x16 has a USB 3.0 card in it!
right pain having PCIe x1 slots you can't use due to the size of the GFX card!
I'm a little confused, how come that graph shows it pitted against a HD 5970 which doesn't seem to exist when you look at the normal eTailors?
I then assume that the 6xxx ATi's are better than the 5xxx, and you can get 6xxx starting from as little as £35.00
So how can an ATI that's better than the GTX580 cost a 10th the price.
I then assume that the 6xxx ATi's are better than the 5xxx, and you can get 6xxx starting from as little as £35.00
So how can an ATI that's better than the GTX580 cost a 10th the price.
Soldato
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- 1 Apr 2009
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- 9,952
That graph isn't the most up to date. The GTX580 is a sorted GTX480. Meaning it's faster, quieter, cooler and uses less juice.
This is more up to date. It is a rough estimate of comparative performance, efficiency and power usage, but it will give you a good idea. Then you can hunt down more specific reviews.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/292?vs=305
This is more up to date. It is a rough estimate of comparative performance, efficiency and power usage, but it will give you a good idea. Then you can hunt down more specific reviews.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/292?vs=305
A 5970 is a dual GPU card, its like having Crossfire on a single PCB and they were massively expensive and still are second hand, this chart is better,
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/Radeon_HD_6990/22.html
Which now takes shows the latest ATi offerings.
I have linked to a new chart above, the reason there was no 6* series listed on that first link was because the 6* series cards were released after the GTX580 came to market.
The 6 series are the newer architecture.
6990>5970
6970>5870
6950>5850
yet 480's are the same price as 580's?
yet i could get 2 x 470's for the price of one 480/580
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or is 2 x 5xxx cross fire ATI's better, I stopped using ATI many years ago due to too many problems and game incompatabilities, most games I play seem to love NVidia and have an NVidia splash screen at the start of the game, so is it best to just stick with NVidia?
yet i could get 2 x 470's for the price of one 480/580
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or is 2 x 5xxx cross fire ATI's better, I stopped using ATI many years ago due to too many problems and game incompatabilities, most games I play seem to love NVidia and have an NVidia splash screen at the start of the game, so is it best to just stick with NVidia?
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A GTX480 is the same price as there are a handful left, so the price has shot up, they were £190-210 just a few weeks ago.
Your PSU couldn't cope with a pair of GTX470 in SLI, that would need a 750W+ PSU, the old GTX480/470 are power hungry and hot running.
Your PSU couldn't cope with a pair of GTX470 in SLI, that would need a 750W+ PSU, the old GTX480/470 are power hungry and hot running.
replacing my PSU is no biggie, I was only going to keep it if it did the job, it was over £100 when I bougt it, but the guy buying my old rig will need a new PSU for his case, so it's swings and roundabouts really.
I'm just trying to understand the best solution for the least cost and if ATI is worth considering again.
It's all bit confusing with the different model numbers and the higher the number doesn't always mean better!
It seems you could get 2 x older cards for less money than a single new card and still beat it on performance, especiall if you go ATI as they older models seem considerbly less money than NVidia, but then is that AMD trying to buy it's market share back, or because the ATI's are pony compared to the NVidia's?
I'm just trying to understand the best solution for the least cost and if ATI is worth considering again.
It's all bit confusing with the different model numbers and the higher the number doesn't always mean better!
It seems you could get 2 x older cards for less money than a single new card and still beat it on performance, especiall if you go ATI as they older models seem considerbly less money than NVidia, but then is that AMD trying to buy it's market share back, or because the ATI's are pony compared to the NVidia's?
This is in stock in a few days time,
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-002-VX&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1866
http://www.guru3d.com/article/club3d-radeon-hd-6870-x2-review/1
Cheaper than a GTX580, good performance too.
Two older or lesser cards usually do beat one high end card, but you have the inconvenience of filling all your PCI-E slots and needing to power them.
Two GXT460's in SLI will beat a single GTX570 but this depends on the graphic drivers being optimized for any specific game, sometimes a single card will beat even the most powerful dual GPU setup, as you will see above in the first test using Modern Warfare2 the 6870X2 cant beat a single 6870 card, but if and when a driver update is released it should beat it.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-002-VX&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1866
http://www.guru3d.com/article/club3d-radeon-hd-6870-x2-review/1
Cheaper than a GTX580, good performance too.
Two older or lesser cards usually do beat one high end card, but you have the inconvenience of filling all your PCI-E slots and needing to power them.
Two GXT460's in SLI will beat a single GTX570 but this depends on the graphic drivers being optimized for any specific game, sometimes a single card will beat even the most powerful dual GPU setup, as you will see above in the first test using Modern Warfare2 the 6870X2 cant beat a single 6870 card, but if and when a driver update is released it should beat it.
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Thanks for all the input, after getting abuse in the GFX forum and looking at the confusing models out there at the moment, coupled with next gen on the horizon, I am not going to upgrade now until next year.
I can always lower my current OC and drop the settings on my GT260 OCX , I'm not a hardcore enough gamer to worry about a few less frame rates or the odd stutter, not if i could be throwing money away upgrading now.
I like the idea of 2 x 6879 X2's, but I dont like the idea of ATI, I constantly see peeple moaning about driver issues and game compatabilities with ATI, so perhaps NVidia might bring out a 2 in 1 card, and i could SLi those
Plus if quad channel memory is coming with the new socket 2011, and as i don't want to over charge my mate for my second hand components, if I leave it 6 months+ my bits will be more in the price bracket he likes to pay, without me crying about how much money i originally spent on them.
So thanks to all who took the time to reply to my threads as i appreciate the input and advice.
take care and happy gaming!
I can always lower my current OC and drop the settings on my GT260 OCX , I'm not a hardcore enough gamer to worry about a few less frame rates or the odd stutter, not if i could be throwing money away upgrading now.
I like the idea of 2 x 6879 X2's, but I dont like the idea of ATI, I constantly see peeple moaning about driver issues and game compatabilities with ATI, so perhaps NVidia might bring out a 2 in 1 card, and i could SLi those
Plus if quad channel memory is coming with the new socket 2011, and as i don't want to over charge my mate for my second hand components, if I leave it 6 months+ my bits will be more in the price bracket he likes to pay, without me crying about how much money i originally spent on them.
So thanks to all who took the time to reply to my threads as i appreciate the input and advice.
take care and happy gaming!