Crossfire?

Karl Hungus

Just a quick question, does the crossfire setup make that much of a difference over a single graphics card setup?

Thanks.

L31mr0d

like everything it depends. What will you be running and at what resolution.

Karl Hungus

At the moment, just World of Warcraft, but looking to play the likes of Fallout 3, Far Cry 2 as well as Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 when they're out. Preferably at a fairly high resolution, I'll be picking up a 24" monitor too.

Flaccus

Just get an ATI 4870X2 2gig card. Best single card out there. It's essentially 2 gpu's in 1 card and uses it's own form of crossfire. You only need a single 16x PCI-e slot and it doesn't matter if it's an nvidia chipset or intel chipset motherboard you have. Should be more then enough even on a 24" at 1920x1200. Hell, even a single 4870 512meg should be enough if your budget doesn't stretch.

On the other hand if you feel the need to add another (another 4870 or a 4870x2), as long as you have a board which supports crossfire (Intel X38 or X48 chipset), a psu capable enough you should be good to go. The gains however won't be double. Depending on the game, could be as low as 20%, or as high as 60%. I honestly don't think adding a 2nd 4870X2 for 4 gpu's (Crossfire X) is going to make much odds to most games. While buying a 4870 now, and adding a 4870 for vanilla crossfire later will. Games tend to respond better to 2 gpu's and after that it's diminishing returns. However buying a 4870x2 will bypass this decision as you will have 2 gpu's from the get go and the best single card you can buy.

Karl Hungus

Flaccus wrote: »

Just get an ATI 4870X2 2gig card. Best single card out there. It's essentially 2 gpu's in 1 card and uses it's own form of crossfire. You only need a single 16x PCI-e slot and it doesn't matter if it's an nvidia chipset or intel chipset motherboard you have. Should be more then enough even on a 24" at 1920x1200. Hell, even a single 4870 512meg should be enough if your budget doesn't stretch.

On the other hand if you feel the need to add another (another 4870 or a 4870x2), as long as you have a board which supports crossfire (Intel X38 or X48 chipset), a psu capable enough you should be good to go. The gains however won't be double. Depending on the game, could be as low as 20%, or as high as 60%. I honestly don't think adding a 2nd 4870X2 for 4 gpu's (Crossfire X) is going to make much odds to most games. While buying a 4870 now, and adding a 4870 for vanilla crossfire later will. Games tend to respond better to 2 gpu's and after that it's diminishing returns. However buying a 4870x2 will bypass this decision as you will have 2 gpu's from the get go and the best single card you can buy.

Ah ok, thanks very much for your reply.

So getting a single 4870X2 2GB for now, with a system that can handle Crossfire X for scope to upgrade in the future (and when prices on the card come down) would be really leaving my options opened. Think this would be the best bet?

Flaccus

Indeed, a good X48 board like an Asus rampage is your best bet and the cheapest 4870X2 you can get.

Karl Hungus

Flaccus wrote: »

Indeed, a good X48 board like an Asus rampage is your best bet and the cheapest 4870X2 you can get.

Ok, so is there no difference between the Sapphire, Gainward or other brands of the card?

astrofool

No, also make sure your psu can handle the cards.

You'll be getting another new card sooner than you crossfire two 4870x2's.

TerrorFirmer

That would be a monster upgrade, I doubt your current PSU is up to the task, you'd be looking at the X2 and a new PSU, which'll cost well over 550 euro - not to mention talk of a new board, you're then talking about laying down up to 700 licks on the lot. I'm building a new machine (cpu, psu, gpu, board, ram, case) for 400 and I plan using it to play those same games on my 24" at high settings!

I'd say just go for a single 4870, it'll be perfectly fine, even on a 24" monitor. I have a 24" monitor and I was getting by fine on most games (COD4, Unreal Tournament 3, Assassins Creed, etc) at the native resolution, maxed out with 2 8800GS cards (slower then a single 4870).

Out of interest what's your current card?

Karl Hungus

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Out of interest what's your current card?

Radeon 9800 Pro. :pac:

I haven't upgraded in a long time, so I'm looking to get a complete new build right off the bat. I was looking to get one a couple of months ago, but finances weren't in place. Should be going ahead now in the next couple of weeks.

Karl Hungus

Actually, looking at some of the benchmarks people have done on youtube, I don't think two 4870X2s in crossfire is ever something I'll need or really get the full benefit of, it looks very extreme overclocker running resolutions of way over 1920x1200, so I probably won't even go for a system that can support it in future. One 4870X2 will be more than enough.

Karl Hungus

Ok, ignore all of the above.

I think what I'm going to do is go for a regular 4870, with a view to upgrade to a 4870X2 in the future if needed, and when the prices come down.

Yarnhall

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Ok, ignore all of the above.

I think what I'm going to do is go for a regular 4870, with a view to upgrade to a 4870X2 in the future if needed, and when the prices come down.

Why not get a 4850 and over clock it, could save yourself €70?

Karl Hungus

Yarnhall wrote: »

Why not get a 4850 and over clock it, could save yourself €70?

Hmm, is there that little of a difference?

BadCharlie

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Hmm, is there that little of a difference?

Overclocking it will help. But i cant reach the clock speeds a 4870 are set at. And then you can over clock a 4870 also.

But a 4850 are good i have 2 of them in CF which is faster then 1x4870 and i got my 2 cards kind of cheap at €263 on e-bay.

PogMoThoin

A 4870 has GDDR5 and 4850 has only GDDR3, A heavily overclocked 4850 is still alot slower than a stock 4870. Go for the 4870, I've got one and it handles everything I throw at it on 24' monitor and Crysis at medium/high.

Karl Hungus

Alrighty guys, thanks very much for all the advice. I'll be going with the 4870.

A 750W PSU would be enough to handle the X2 if I decide to upgrade, right?