7800GT SLI - Best Bang for your Buck?

[Capt Caveman]

Hi All,

I've been really perplexed about how I should upgrade my video. I'm a BF2 addict and would love to get full eye-candy at 1920x1200 plus any other possible games down the road.

Options I've been looking at:
7800GTX 512 - if price was $650 or less
X1800XT - very good at high AA/AF, priced under $600
evga 7800GT model 516 - $319 at newegg and based on newegg owners, clocked the same as CO at 470/1100 but good enough for 1920x1200?
Dual evga 7800GT model 516 - appears to come out on top in reviews among the above - $680(w/ CA Taxes). But is it a smart move down the road when possible G80/R580 will be out?

Thanks for any thoughts

 

[johnnqq]

1 7800gt should do it. you have an xl...it can't really do as much as a 7800 at high resolutions

 

[Elfear]

I had the same question a few weeks ago and decided to go with the SLI'd 7800GTs. I ended up finding a pair for $600 shipped from Newegg. After I sold the games that came with both cards I ended up shelling out about $500 total. In my opinon that is the best bang for the buck right now and it will provide good fps for the next little while. It's cheaper than either the X1800XT or the 512MB 7800GTX and performs better.

 

[SPARTAN VI]

Two 7800GT's in SLI more than double the performance of an X800XL. I don't have BF2 (no clue why I haven't bought it yet), but I can tell you FEAR, CoD2, B&W2, Quake4, Rome:TW, just about anything runs extremely well.

If you had to choose between 2 7800GTs and a single 7800GTX 512mb, go with the GTX 512.

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI

If you had to choose between 2 7800GTs and a single 7800GTX 512mb, go with the GTX 512.

Mind if I ask the reasoning behind this?

 

[Neurorelay]

I just purchsed a new system using 2 7800 GT...CS Source stress test, all options high, native res on my monitor of 1280x1024 and getting 170fps. BF 2, high settings, full 48 person server, smooth as butter. 3D Mark 2005, 11,987 marks. The gaming is great. Mind you, that will only be the case for a year or so, when new games that use the power will start sucking it away.

 

[imported_JeReMY]

Originally posted by: Elfear

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI

If you had to choose between 2 7800GTs and a single 7800GTX 512mb, go with the GTX 512.

Mind if I ask the reasoning behind this?

It is just as fast, or faster.

 

[deadseasquirrel]

Originally posted by: JeReMY

Originally posted by: Elfear

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI

If you had to choose between 2 7800GTs and a single 7800GTX 512mb, go with the GTX 512.

Mind if I ask the reasoning behind this?

It is just as fast, or faster.

Depends on the resolution and depends on the game. At 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF, when taking an average across games such as COD2, FEAR, Q4, D3, HL2, FarCry, DOD:S, B&W2, and SC:CT, the SLI GTs are 10% faster. And can be had for about $150 less at the moment (or even a better deal if you go FS/FT or sell the games with a retail package).

The only way the 512GTX could match up with SLI GTs *price/performance*-wise, would be if it were priced at $550 and the GT $300. I have taken numbers from several reviews, averaged them out, compared them, and figured in costs.

However, that being said, in this case the OP wants to run 1900x1200, which is more taxing than the 16x12. Most review sites do not run those tests, so all we can do it compare at 2048x1536, which the 512GTX makes up a lot of ground on the SLI GTs, even pulling ahead. Obviously, this still isn't 19x12, but you gotta figure those results would be somewhere in the middle then.

I say, if you MUST buy right now, find 2 GTs on FS/FT for cheap and go SLI. Absolute best bang for buck right now. But, if you can wait until the 512GTX drops to what you want-- $650 or so-- it would likely be a better match for your native resolution, and be more prepared to handle next gen games.

Since I play at 16x12, it's a no-brainer for me-- the SLI GTs. But at your res, the 512GTX might be the better choice. Too bad it's so overpriced right now.

 

[LostTime77]

When I buy my new rig I am going with the dual 7800gt's with evga since i can get 2 7800gt's with an sli motherboard for 680$ which is extremely good IMO, but since you already have a sli mobo, I dont know. I agree with most people, the dual 7800gt is faster and costs less.

 

[Lord Banshee]

i really can not believe sli has gotten this popular...

I still see it as an attempt to make more money instead of doing more R&D and it is all hype.

But i see it being the only option for people running huge lcd displays and want to play the newest games at native res.

All i got to say is next gen top-end graphics card better be as fast or faster than SLI 7800GTX 512MB.

But i say get a single 7800GT or 7800GTX depending on res you want to play.

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: JeReMY

Originally posted by: Elfear

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI

If you had to choose between 2 7800GTs and a single 7800GTX 512mb, go with the GTX 512.

Mind if I ask the reasoning behind this?

It is just as fast, or faster.

It's actually just as fast or slower and more expensive.

However, for BF2, ATI cards tend to be faster (besides 512mb gtx). 7800GT is actually slower than x1800xl = Hmm..<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://">http://www.firingsquad.com/hard...vidia_geforce_7800_gtx_512mb/page7.asp[/L</a>

I think stepping up to 7800GT from x800xl might not be as great of an upgrade when you consider playing at 19xx resolutions since even 7800GT will be too slow. But 2 would be very nice

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: RussianSensation

Originally posted by: JeReMY

Originally posted by: Elfear

Originally posted by: SPARTAN VI

If you had to choose between 2 7800GTs and a single 7800GTX 512mb, go with the GTX 512.

Mind if I ask the reasoning behind this?

It is just as fast, or faster.

It's actually just as fast or slower and more expensive.

:thumbsup:

All the benchmarks I've seen support that statement, unless, on the very rare occasion, the game isn't SLI compatible.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Thanks for the input folks. You're not making the decision easier though. However, I think a single card solution is probably my best bet. With a single card, I won't have to update my psu and b/c I use two pci cards(x-fi and tv tuner) I won't have any cooling issues.

Checking out hot deals, I found the Sapphire X1800XT for $510 at ewiz. I think this may be my best option. What do you think?
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-1800XT

 

[Elfear]

Wow, that's a great price on an X1800XT. I'd grab that if you're not so hot on SLI.

 

[SPARTAN VI]

I'd go with one GTX 512mb just for sake of having a spare slot for another GTX 512 when the price goes down. Some don't see SLI as an upgrade path, but I went from one 7800GT, to SLI 7800GTs, and will more than likely do it again (if given the opportunity).

 

[mrkun]

I wasn't aware they made single slot versions of the X1800XT.