New GPU or Crossfire?

[Wiry]

As in the title, I am wanting more GPU power in several games @ 1920 x 1080, As I'd like to run them maxed out! Am I better off getting another 5850 to crossfire the one I have atm, or Would I be better off getting a WHOLE new card!

 

[Wiry]

Cheers for the replies! I have a 850w corsair AX power supply, so I have 4 6+2 pin connectors. Also, I have been looking on eBay and found some 5850's going for £90 (ish)... Saving my money now will do the job Cheers!

 

[Wiry]

+1 - checky my sig - don't regret Xfire for one second.
With the contintual crossfire application profile updates from AMD i'm pretty impressed. Got my other 5850 for £80 - no way could I have got the same value by selling my one 5850 then 'upgrading'.

ok cool

 

[Wiry]

I have £160, with that and about £100 if I sell my 5850, I could get a GTX570? Worth it..

 

[Wiry]

I'm half n' half, because my resevoir is in the way at the bottom of my case, so god knows where I'd fit that If I got a second 5850 :S damn damn damn..What else would be ideal to upgrade in my computer, bearing in mind my specs,

Intel i5 750
MSI GD-55 p55
4gb 1333mhx patriot viper Ram
HAF X
ATI Radeon 5850
corsair AX850w psu

....I need to spend my money on my pc


oh and also, I have a samsung syncmaster p24h50, although I am not interested in multiple screens...

 

[Wiry]

Looking at those specs the number one upgrade would be an SSD.

Other nice upgrades would be better keyboard and/or mouse (perhaps a mechanical keyboard), better speakers/headset, CPU cooler (for lower noise, more overclocking), blu-ray drive or an IPS panel monitor.

oh cool, well I have a decent mouse and keyboard, (Logitech K340 wireless, and a lycosa for gaming, a lachesis mouse also) I have nice speakers but only 2.1, but no room for 5.1 surround sound....I have a watercooling, I do not currently have a blu-ray drive, but as I have a nice 42inch 3D TV, with a sony 3D Blu-ray TV, that's definitely a NO-NO! I am unsure how a IPS Panel Monitor would benefit me ? I don't have an SSD, but how would I shift my OEM copy of win 7 onto a SSD.......because it is currently on my 250gb samsung spinpoint...

 

[Wiry]

That's fair enough - sounds like an SSD is your best upgrade option. As for installing it - the OEM license is fine as you will be running it on the same motherboard, so that's all kosher. As for the install, just make sure your board's storage mode is set to AHCI in the BIOS, plug in the SSD and change the HDD boot priority so the SSD is at the top - then go ahead and install windows on the SSD like normal. You don't even have to format your original hard disk, as the windows install on it isn't accessed.

What is AHCI Mode, and how do I set this option in my BIOS, As I'm not the best with the newest computer technology! Also, what does enabling the mode do?

 

[Wiry]

Are these drives any good, as they are pretty cheap!

http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-233-SE

 

[Wiry]

Ok, so would a 60gb ssd be sufficient?? Also, would a SATA 3 one be much quicker, as I only have sata 2 ports on my mobo, and I could get a SATA 3 card, but this would require using a x4 PCI-E slot on my mobo, which I do not currently have one, so I would have to use the other x16 slot (PCI-E)

 

[Wiry]

ok thanks for all you help Will leaving win 7 on my other HD work then when I come to install it on my SSD, as it is an OEM copy.....

 

[Wiry]

Also, to top it off! Would a sound card benefit me over onboard mobo sound... I see you have a sound card?

 

[Wiry]

well I have some roccat kave headphones and I have 2.1 speakers, but they are about £45 ish, If I was to get a sound card, what are the better ones and what are the differences.

 

[Wiry]

OK, so whats the difference between the D2x and the D2??

 

[Wiry]

As with the D1 and DX, its the same card, the DX just has an onboard PCI to PCIE converter so it works in PCIE slots. If you are buying a new card today I would suggest going with a PCIE one, as PCI slots seem to be dying out and you will probably want to keep a quality sound card for quite some time.

The D2X is a nice jump up from the D1/DX, but If you are pushed for budget and/or having to compromise on the SSD to afford it then I would suggest prioritising the SSD, since the D1/DX (or even the DS, have a look at the reviews) is still an excellent sound card and jumping up to an SSD is a really worthwhile upgrade.

I think I might just buy a ocz vertex 2e 60gb, I think I might aswell just unplug my other 3 hard drives when installing WIN 7 onto the SSD though as it will make the job a lot easier!

 

[Wiry]

Good choice, I have the 120GB version and I'm really pleased with it, very much an SSD convert now.

You will need to change the boot priority if you want to run more HDDs than the SDD otherwise it will most likely default back to loading windows off your current primary mechanical HDD once you plug them back in. Changing the boot priority in the BIOS really isn't tough, you just need to find the right page on your motherboard manual (i think it's in the advanced BIOS features part of the BIOS). Also, make sure you enable AHCI (or RAID) mode in the BIOS before installing the OS on the SSD.

Will this enable AHCI on all drives, or just the SSD then?

 

[Wiry]

I'm tempted to get the Crucial M4, because it's a fiver more than the vertex 2E's and you get the extra 8GB and its SATA 3, 6GBPS, so If in the future I upgrade to a mobo with sata 6GBPS on, I can benefit more with this drive, and atm, I will still be getting amazing read speeds.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-009-CR&groupid=1657&catid=1660&subcat=1669

.....Or, what about this?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-076-OC&groupid=1657&catid=1660&subcat=1669