7800GT SLI or 1900XTX

[SniperWulf]

Hey guys,

I was wondering which would you choose and why. I currently have a GT SLI rig and have been thinking about going back to a single card. I love the performance of the rig at the moment, but there are a few un-resolved driver quirks with SLI that I know have been around since SLI's new beginning that still bug me. The most annoying at the moment is ALT-Tabing out of a game only to have your machine blue screen and re-boot. Another is the profiles and control panel. I don't mind creating and modifying profiles and the like, but the control panel is due for an overhaul (the 83.60 beta CP looks promising).

As for ATI, I've always like their IQ better, but the CCC leaves a bit to be desired. But the standalone driver + ATI Tray Tools make for a winner.

With that said, should I tough it out or go back with the red team? What would you do?


EDIT: Poll added

 

[JPB]

I would sell off the GT's and run a single XTX....It would be faster and draw less power than SLI ( I think ).

Edit: Start a poll to see what everyone else thinks....Thats how I chose my card.

 

[Elfear]

I did exactly like you're thinking. I wanted the power of SLI in one card (relatively speaking) so I sold my 7800GTs and bought an X1900XT. I'm happy with my decision.

 

[darXoul]

I would wait for the 7900 GTX and then decide whether to get one or switch to the ATi camp.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: x80064
I would sell off the GT's and run a single XTX....It would be faster and draw less power than SLI ( I think ).

Edit: Start a poll to see what everyone else thinks....Thats how I chose my card.

its not always faster ,i believe the SLI will give you the higher minimum frame rates which are important.

i have 2 7800gts and i think going X1900 is simply a side grade in terms of performance, but it just comes with the added benefit of being a single card. id wait for significantly more powerful single cards to come out. its not like the 7800 SLI cant play all todays games very well is it.

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer


its not always faster ,i believe the SLI will give you the higher minimum frame rates which are important.

i have 2 7800gts and i think going X1900 is simply a side grade in terms of performance, but it just comes with the added benefit of being a single card. id wait for significantly more powerful single cards to come out. its not like the 7800 SLI cant play all todays games very well is it.

That's probably true for the most part but the games that my 7800GTs really struggled at (FEAR and COD2) get a nice performance boost with the X1900XT. Factor in the $165 I saved moving to the XT and the ease of running a single card, and it was an easy decision. Your're right though that 7800GTs are still a great gaming setup.

 

[Skott]

If the video card industry continues to churn out newer and better cards then single card setup is probably the better way to go both in performance and economically but if the industry takes a pause between cards then SLI/Crossfire would net you the better performance overall. If SLI/Crossfire performance improves and/or new video card prices drop though then things could change. Sometime this year multi engine video cards are to make their way into the market supposedly. Thats going to be interesting to see. If it works people will be upgrading again.

 

[SoneeOO7]

I think you should go with the x1900xt because of every benefit everyone was saying plus you wont need to have a power supply hefty enough like what you need to run SLI. I'm betin you already have one but for anyone else reading that might be worth it to save some money on not buying a new power suppy and maybe buy some more ram instead. Not to mention that 2 GTs do cost more and you cant really run HDR and AA at the same time with most Nvidia 7800 series cards like you can with ATI's x1000 series.

 

[SniperWulf]

Originally posted by: darXoul
I would wait for the 7900 GTX and then decide whether to get one or switch to the ATi camp.

That thought has crossed my mind, the only thing I'm afraid of is that it will cost more than an XTX

 

[Frostwake]

Originally posted by: SniperWulf

Originally posted by: darXoul
I would wait for the 7900 GTX and then decide whether to get one or switch to the ATi camp.

That thought has crossed my mind, the only thing I'm afraid of is that it will cost more than an XTX

And it will, you can bet on that... also XTX? This has been beaten to death but XT -> XTX bios = 100$ cheaper

I voted "keep the gt sli" simply because huh.. well if the thread was "should i get 7800 GT SLI or x1900?" i would have voted 1900, but in your case you already have GT SLI so i wouldnt bother with the trouble, aside from that yeah its definately worth it

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: SniperWulf

That thought has crossed my mind, the only thing I'm afraid of is that it will cost more than an XTX

It might be worth the wait but it will most assuredly cost more than the X1900XT and probably more than the XTX by that time.

 

[nts]

Originally posted by: SniperWulf
That thought has crossed my mind, the only thing I'm afraid of is that it will cost more than an XTX

Undoubtedly, the X1900's are already going for under MSRP and no one knows what the 7900 will actually be (could be vaporware like the GTX512) or when exactly it'll be out and at what MSRP.

I'd take the X1900 over the GT's. Very happy with mine.

Ofcourse if you wait for the 7900 then the prices on the 1900s will also have dropped (if that matters)...

 

[Matt2]

I was going to do the same, decided to go for G71. Good ol' Step-Up

 

[DeathReborn]

Pong FTW.

Seriously tho, 7800GT should be fine and is comparable to a X1900XT in most cases anyway. You could wait for 7900 and risk selling 7800GT's at a lower price or sell now and get similar performance from 1 noisy but effective card. YOu won't notice much difference going from the 7800GT SLI to X1900XT, you might not notice much difference going from 7800GT SLI to 7900GTX but any of the 3 should do fine for a while to come.

 

[Wreckage]

Dual GT's do about the same or better than a XTX. It's more of a side grade than a upgrade.

http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q1/radeon-x1900/index.x?pg=1

 

[SniperWulf]

I realize it's more of a side grade, and that's cool. That damn crashing when ALT-Tabbing is killing me though. Thats the main reason I'm even considering this. The GTs I have are both about $300 and the XTX is around $650, so there isn't much price disparity. The XT is sounding better price wise simply because I can prolly pocket a few bux.

I also just checked Newegg and it looks like they no longer carry the cards I have. They are the eVGA's with Copper sinks that aren't labeled CO edition. I'm sure someone knows what I'm talking about

 

[gjwild]

I cast my vote for a single 1900 XT/XTX!

 

[nib95]

Definately single X1900 XT.
That way your set for the future aswell, as its a simple case of buying another X1900 XT later on for Crossfire.