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Quick Pre-Sale Question, Re: Graphics Card Options.

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Soldato
Joined
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Recently I've adopted a new TV which I have connected to my computer along with dual screens, so I've got 3 outputs needed. My 2400Pro which I've had powering my 2nd monitor while the TV and main monitor are connected to my 4850, has started to die, for some reason it doesn't always turn on properly and sometimes isn't found by my PC :(. So here are my 4 options:

1. Buy a cheap 4xxx series to power the 2nd monitor.

2. Buy an equal 4850 and crossfire them

3. Buy a 4890 and crossfire that with my current 4850

4. Wait for a 5xxx series card and see if that can power all 3 and what the price / performance is like.
 
Th3D0n said:
Dose this work for games to get more fps
or do i need 2 of the same card?
Click to expand...

It does work, but it'll be utterly useless as his whole VRAM pool will be brought down to 512MB if he has a 512MB card.

Wait for the 5800s is what I'm gonna recommend.
 
jigger said:
Crossfire games will run at 4850 x2 speeds and non Crossfire will be 4890 speeds.

Wait if you can.
Click to expand...

Incorrect, each card runs at its own speed, they don't downclock to match the slowest card, that's pre-crossfireX behaviour.
 
Speeds don't change, but the 4890 would run as a 4850, as both cards have to be sync, so the 4890 would always be stopping and waiting for the 4850, thus its going to run like it, thats why Nvidia's SLi only allows the same cards to be paired, and runs both at the same speeds.
 
Ah, I get you know. Your assuming most people wont disable crossfire for non crossfire game first. A 4890 would have to wait for a 4850 to hurry up and do nothing.

The joys of dual graphics cards.
 
Last edited:
Well I suppose that's what I get for wanting 3 outputs, so at this point it really is either low end 4xxx to power the 2nd monitor or wait for a 5xxx. Which would be nice obviously, but a lot more expensive and the games I play at the moment don't really stress my system that much.
 
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