GPU Advise please

[Liquid]

Hi All,

Currently I am running an Asus Direct CU HD5850, which happily runs at 900/1200 all day long. The most logical thing to do is get another HD5850 for Crossfire but,

I must admit, I much prefer Nvidia and intend to sell up and replace it with something from them. Looking around I am thinking about the bargainous 480GTX, a GTX570 or 2 x GTX460's in SLI. I must also concede that I am not concerned by the power consumption, thermal dynamics or noise of the 480 either.

Thoughts anybody? Does SLI cause many issues these days?

 

[Liquid]

No takers ? lol

 

[tommybhoy]

I must also concede that I am not concerned by the power consumption, thermal dynamics or noise of the 480 either.

If you can live with it like you say, then the 480 is the one you should get.

 

[Cleeecooo]

AFAIK 2 460s are more powerful.

 

[Liquid]

AFAIK 2 460s are more powerful.

I like the sound of the 460's but I must admit I have never run sli before, and dismissed it years ago because of various issues people were having at the time. Now it's a bit more mature I am curious. Are there still issues?

 

[Liquid]

Gone with the 480, couldn't help myself at that sub £200 price point.

 

[Si105]

Best choice, now get a second

 

[pastymuncher]

I got a MSI Twin Frozr ll 5850 last week to go with my Asus and had nothing but problems. Games either crashed or hard locked before a BSOD whenever they were launched yet benchies ran fine. After two days of fannying around with drivers etc i sent it back for a refund. Back to a single card and all is fine. Yesterday i caved and ordered a 480.

 

[Marine-RX179]

To be honest, if your overclocked 5850 is handling the games you play fine, I really think you should wait until the launch of 28nm GPU cards before going back to the Nvidia camp. Otherwise, if you go say GTX460SLI, GTX480, GTX570 now, you just gonna get tempted again when GTX660/670/680 are launched

As great a card as the GTX480 at the current price point, or the GTX570 is...they simply ain't the most efficient card heat and power consumption wise...so it's worth holding out for 28nm process cards and see what they can do.

Just for example sake, Intel's 45nm CPUs going onto 32nm SandyBridge dropped the power consumption by a huge margin (thus run much cooler)...we could hope for the same happening when the GPU move onto 28nm process.

But if you must, the GTX480 at £200 is a steal

 

[Liquid]

I'm running a 5850 myself and I love the hardware itself, but it's just the driver/ccc side of things I cannot get on with and I find quite poor to be honest.

 

[Liquid]

I got a MSI Twin Frozr ll 5850 last week to go with my Asus and had nothing but problems. Games either crashed or hard locked before a BSOD whenever they were launched yet benchies ran fine. After two days of fannying around with drivers etc i sent it back for a refund. Back to a single card and all is fine. Yesterday i caved and ordered a 480.

Snap! lol, you were just unlucky with your one, but you will be more than happy with that 480 Mine is coming tomorrow.

Those 480's will do 820 core and 4050 memory no problem, and at that speed your knocking on the door of the 580. Obviously thermal conditions allowing lol.

I'm going to grab a Thermalright Shaman cooler for mine once it has been bedded in and i'll have 580 performance for around £250, game on lol