Crossfire or not?

[WU-TANG]GZA · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:22

Hi ppl,

OK, I've posted a little bit recently about an upgrade itch I've got.

Currently got -

i7 920 @3.4Ghz
6GB PC12800 Tri channel
Gigabyte UD3 v1.6
Intel x25-m 80GB SSD
Corsair TX 950 psu
Antec 902 case
XFX 4890 1GB
Samsung P2250 - 1920 x 1080

I play most new games aaprt from Starcraft 2 but most of the games I play the most dont even need a 4890 so this is really just an itch more than a need at this point....

OK - changing the 4890 or buying another and cross firing?

Firstly, can my mobo do crossfire - I believe it can but will it have the right ports to do it properly - I've never crossfired don't know diddily squat about it. x8 connectors or w/e ?

Having looked at the benchmarks - crossfire 4890 is still absolutely SICK and would only cost around £100 for another brand new 4890.

Other option is to change GFX card completely.

Was considering:

GTX 470
6870
and waiting for the 6950

I am still waiting for the the 6950 sure but the prices on the 5870 have come down so much !!

£190 for a 5870 is awesome and I believe this card is slightly better than the 470. This way I will have DX11 benefit but still get very good bang for buck.

BEST bang for buck would xfire the 4890 but then no DX11 which im not sure I'm that bothered about as I doubt I would notice a difference - correct me if I'm wrong....

I've read though that xfire can give u stuttering etc and seems like a bit of a ballache but that WAS the reason why I got the TX 950w psu so I could crossfire in the future (i.e. now) but now it's coming near I'm thinking 'meh...just get a new gfx card'

What you guys think?

Wu

EDIT: I'm not fussed about power consumption at all just performance/heat/stability.

krooton · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:23

Sell the 4890, get 6850s in Xfire?

[WU-TANG]GZA · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:26

krooton said:
Sell the 4890, get 6850s in Xfire?

Wow - quick !!

Would that be that much better if at all than crossfire 4890s?

I was really thinking crossfire 4890 or new gfx card all together - you've combined the two : D

you think that would be the better way to go? Rather than 5870 or 6950 etc?

krooton · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:28

Well the 6850 is the cheapest good Xfire option at the moment, and they scale better than the 5-series offerings.

So whilst a single 5850 would be faster than a single 6850 (and cost a bit more), the 6850s in crossfire perform on par (ish) with crossfired 5850, but cheaper and using less wattage.

krooton · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:29

Oh, and 6950 is obviously an option, depending on price and performance.

[WU-TANG]GZA · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:34

krooton said:
Oh, and 6950 is obviously an option, depending on price and performance.

I understand - also - looking at the Nvidia 480 - that was a beast of a card and can be had for sub £300 - that's just brilliant ! I understand they can get hot and loud but meh...my Antec 902 is already pretty loud....

honestly I want to avoid xfiring if possible just cos I cba learning about it and dealing with it when something goes wrong.

It's just that xfire 4890 would cost me VERY little and give me performance that destroys an Nvidia 480 and probably a 580 (although I'm not sure on the benchmarks for 580) in games like BC2 for example....

This would buy me time to wait for proper advances on the DX side of things and by then a new gen or two will have come out and make my generational upgrade then?

krooton · 7 Dec 2010 at 15:46

Well your PSU is up to Xfiring 4890s, and if you are happy with the heat (would be more than a 480) then go for it, £100 spend would actually be the cheapest.

I've only Xfired 5770s and my 5850s, and not had any issues with either set up, I have been lucky enough to not be interested in the games where most issues are found.

Pot Of Jam · 7 Dec 2010 at 19:53

Well I noticed that ocuk were offering pre order on 6870's @ 179, there awesome in xfire.

I have two sapphire ones in an i7 rig, very quick!

Abitar · 7 Dec 2010 at 20:37

I can recommend 6850 xfire using 2 HIS cards not had any major issues so far. Dead Rising 2 doesn't scale to well but aprt from that everything else I've tried is fine.

Metro 2033 looks stunning with most settings maxed out and runs around 40 fps with the odd dip here and there.

[WU-TANG]GZA · 8 Dec 2010 at 16:12

Abitar said:
I can recommend 6850 xfire using 2 HIS cards not had any major issues so far. Dead Rising 2 doesn't scale to well but aprt from that everything else I've tried is fine.

Metro 2033 looks stunning with most settings maxed out and runs around 40 fps with the odd dip here and there.

WTF - xfire 6850s and 40fps with most settings maxed out and odd dips in fps here and there? That's FILTH !

Is Metro 2033 the new Crysis then I take it?

Is it a good game out of interest - I thought crysis was awful just a standard boring fps and I know good fps games when I see them - is Metro 2033 one?

Wu

wolvers · 8 Dec 2010 at 16:16

5870 at the moment for 190 sheets is the biggest bargain.

Forget 2033, it's pap.

Marine-RX179 · 8 Dec 2010 at 16:42

[WU-TANG]GZA;17958071 said:
WTF - xfire 6850s and 40fps with most settings maxed out and odd dips in fps here and there? That's FILTH !

Is Metro 2033 the new Crysis then I take it?

Is it a good game out of interest - I thought crysis was awful just a standard boring fps and I know good fps games when I see them - is Metro 2033 one?

Wu

Yes. Metro 2033 is currently the most (graphic) demanding game at the moment, even more so than Crysis. As for the gameplay, it is only "meh" according to reviews.

If you are going straight to Crossfire, then ther's no reason to go 5870 over 6870 since on Crossfire there are pretty much on par, but the 6870 is lower power consumption, and has some new features which 5870 doesn't have. Also, the non-reference 5870's overclock is locked at max 900MHz (so only 50MHz overclock from stock speed 850MHz) if I'm not mistaken.

Sycho · 8 Dec 2010 at 16:48

6850 crossfire is incredibly powerful for the money if you can get them for around £130-140 each it's a really good option to consider.

[WU-TANG]GZA · 8 Dec 2010 at 16:56

Marine-RX179 said:
Yes. Metro 2033 is currently the most (graphic) demanding game at the moment, even more so than Crysis. As for the gameplay, it is only "meh" according to reviews.

If you are going straight to Crossfire, then ther's no reason to go 5870 over 6870 since on Crossfire there are pretty much on par, but the 6870 is lower power consumption, and has some new features which 5870 doesn't have. Also, the non-reference 5870's overclock is locked at max 900MHz (so only 50MHz overclock from stock speed 850MHz) if I'm not mistaken.

Well I think I'd prefer not to and if I did go Crossfire I think I would just add another 4890 bcos it would onnly cost me about £80/90 and would give me a performance that is just silly !! : DDDDDDDDDD

So realistically it will be adding another 4890 Vs new card: 6870, 470, 570, 6950 or maybe a 5870 cos they are so cheap but better than a 6870.

Plus my case is a 902 and I believe the slots on my mobo are quite close so it might get a bit warm in there.

krooton · 8 Dec 2010 at 17:01

A 4890 is more powerful than a 5770, and crossfired 5770s beat a 5870, so crossfiring what you have is the cheapest way to get the most power.

It comes at the cost of heat/noise, power draw, and the inability to upgrade any further (getting a 5850/5870 now means you can add another one later on, much like you would do with your 4890 now).

Marine-RX179 · 8 Dec 2010 at 17:04

[WU-TANG]GZA;17958385 said:
So realistically it will be adding another 4890 Vs new card: 6870, 470, 570, 6950 or maybe a 5870 cos they are so cheap but better than a 6870.

I think you should just sell the 4890 now while it still worth something; I wouldn't get another one to crossfire now as 4890 is quite hot running....you'd be better off getting a GTX570 (when their price is lower) or 6950 when they are out (assuming they are good price to performance).

[WU-TANG]GZA · 8 Dec 2010 at 17:12

Marine-RX179 said:
I think you should just sell the 4890 now while it still worth something; I wouldn't get another one to crossfire now as 4890 is quite hot running....you'd be better off getting a GTX570 (when their price is lower) or 6950 when they are out (assuming they are good price to performance).

I think you might be right Marine. I doubt I will sell the 4890 though - just lazy and cba. Unless a mate that has an old gaming rig that wants a cheap but powerful upgrade for like £70? Other than that I just wouldn't bother.

I guess it wait for 6950 Vs 570 and see what works out best price/performance like you say....

although the 5870 for £190 does seem attractive.....

Drex · 8 Dec 2010 at 17:30

To Crossfire 2 4890's do they both have to be exactly the same, like manufacturer and everything or can u mix?

Marine-RX179 · 8 Dec 2010 at 17:31

[QUOTE='[WU-TANG]I guess it wait for 6950 Vs 570 and see what works out best price/performance like you say....[/QUOTE]
Lots of us are hoping that the launch of 6950/6970 would start a price war, and forcing both AMD and Nvidia to slash price and have the 6950/GTX570 prices drop to £240~£260 range, rather than averaging at £280~£300.

Ah well, fingers-cross...one more week to go

[WU-TANG]GZA · 8 Dec 2010 at 17:31

Drex said:
To Crossfire 2 4890's do they both have to be exactly the same, like manufacturer and everything or can u mix?

I belive you CAN mix but ideally the same.

Mine is an XFX 4890 and I think getting hold of one is quite easy if you look around.