Best graphics solution in $300-$400 range?

[jandlecack]

Originally posted by: happy medium

Originally posted by: jandlecack
Wow, CF, now CFX, not everyone has a 1.2kW power supply you know.

I recommend a single GTX 285, although I'm not entirely certain what the prices are in the US for that card. Get a single 285 and if you need more power in the future, you can buy another one then. It will boost your performance incredibly even in 2 years time when you run SLI'd 285's.

power draw for 3 4850's = 2 gtx 285's and the gtx 285 cost 320.00$. Not a smart move.

But the performance gain is much higher. Two GTX285 should rip the hell out of three 4890's.

Besides that, a single GTX 285 is a much more healthy option than going Crossfire directly. Don't you prefer single-card solutions? I sure do.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the 4890 suggestions, but the OP should at least look at the GTX285.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: jandlecack

Originally posted by: happy medium

Originally posted by: jandlecack
Wow, CF, now CFX, not everyone has a 1.2kW power supply you know.

I recommend a single GTX 285, although I'm not entirely certain what the prices are in the US for that card. Get a single 285 and if you need more power in the future, you can buy another one then. It will boost your performance incredibly even in 2 years time when you run SLI'd 285's.

power draw for 3 4850's = 2 gtx 285's and the gtx 285 cost 320.00$. Not a smart move.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the 4890 suggestions, but the OP should at least look at the GTX285.

Why? when the GTX285 costs 50% more for a comparably performing card with more power draw (at load at least)?

 

[jandlecack]

A GTX 285 is more powerful than a 4890, especially when you enable filtering and play in higher resolutions.

Some people simply don't like dual-GPU solutions, that's all.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: jandlecack
A GTX 285 is more powerful than a 4890, especially when you enable filtering and play in higher resolutions.

Some people simply don't like dual-GPU solutions, that's all.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539

CoD: WaW
1680x1050 4xAA highest quality

285: 83.4
4890: 78.8

1920x1200 4xAA highest quality

285: 67
4890: 66.5

Crysis Warhead
Gamer DX10 16x10

285: 38.5
4890: 37.9

Gamer DX10 19x12

285: 32.8
4890: 31.7

Fallout 3
Ultra 4xAA 16x10

285: 56
4890: 60.2

Ultra 4xAA 19x12

285: 52.4
4890: 58.1

Far Cry 2
Ultra High DX10 4xAA 16x10

285: 42.2
4890: 42.1

Ultra High DX10 4xAA 19x12

285: 39.9
4890: 39.6

Left 4 Dead
Highest 4xAA 16x10

285: 90.2
4890: 98.9

Highest 4xAA 19x12

285: 85
4890: 83.9

Race Driver GRID
Highest 4xAA 16x10

285: 67.9
4890: 97.4

Highest 4xAA 19x12

285: 63.8
4890: 84.7


Face it. They're comparable performing cards. Even throwing out the GRID numbers, the sum of FPS for GTX285 is 587.4 versus 597.7 for the 4890. And this isn't even counting OC headroom, which 4890 has much more of, and how GTX285 requires an 8 pin pci-e conenctor. Now, why should someone pay 50% more for a GTX285?

 

[yh125d]

Not even to mention how unless OP goes x58 he'd be stuck with an nvidia chipset for SLI, instead of the much better P45 boards

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: yh125d

Originally posted by: jandlecack
A GTX 285 is more powerful than a 4890, especially when you enable filtering and play in higher resolutions.

Some people simply don't like dual-GPU solutions, that's all.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539

CoD: WaW
1680x1050 4xAA highest quality

285: 83.4
4890: 78.8

1920x1200 4xAA highest quality

285: 67
4890: 66.5

Crysis Warhead
Gamer DX10 16x10

285: 38.5
4890: 37.9

Gamer DX10 19x12

285: 32.8
4890: 31.7

Fallout 3
Ultra 4xAA 16x10

285: 56
4890: 60.2

Ultra 4xAA 19x12

285: 52.4
4890: 58.1

Far Cry 2
Ultra High DX10 4xAA 16x10

285: 42.2
4890: 42.1

Ultra High DX10 4xAA 19x12

285: 39.9
4890: 39.6

Left 4 Dead
Highest 4xAA 16x10

285: 90.2
4890: 98.9

Highest 4xAA 19x12

285: 85
4890: 83.9

Race Driver GRID
Highest 4xAA 16x10

285: 67.9
4890: 97.4

Highest 4xAA 19x12

285: 63.8
4890: 84.7


Face it. They're comparable performing cards. Even throwing out the GRID numbers, the sum of FPS for GTX285 is 587.4 versus 597.7 for the 4890. And this isn't even counting OC headroom, which 4890 has much more of, and how GTX285 requires an 8 pin pci-e conenctor. Now, why should someone pay 50% more for a GTX285?

2x4890

/thread

 

[jandlecack]

Sorry but I strongly disagree with those values.

The 4890 is comparable to the GTX 275: http://hardocp.com/article.htm...w3LCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

The GTX 285 is simply more powerful, and I have no idea how the FPS scores are so inflated.

 

[jandlecack]

Originally posted by: yh125d
Not even to mention how unless OP goes x58 he'd be stuck with an nvidia chipset for SLI, instead of the much better P45 boards

Uh, x58 except for one board that I know of always supports CF and SLI since it's an Intel chipset.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: jandlecack

Originally posted by: yh125d
Not even to mention how unless OP goes x58 he'd be stuck with an nvidia chipset for SLI, instead of the much better P45 boards

Uh, x58 except for one board that I know of always supports CF and SLI since it's an Intel chipset.

If the OP decides to go SLI (for god knows what reason), but decides not to go i7 (last I read he hadn't decided yet, I may be wrong) he'd be stuck with something like a 780i, which would be considered by most to be inferior to P45, especially in overclocking

 

[jandlecack]

Oh, I skipped the "unless", my bad.

 

[rgallant]

Originally posted by: yh125d

Originally posted by: jandlecack
A GTX 285 is more powerful than a 4890, especially when you enable filtering and play in higher resolutions.

Some people simply don't like dual-GPU solutions, that's all.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539

CoD: WaW
1680x1050 4xAA highest quality

285: 83.4
4890: 78.8

1920x1200 4xAA highest quality

285: 67
4890: 66.5

Crysis Warhead
Gamer DX10 16x10

285: 38.5
4890: 37.9

Gamer DX10 19x12

285: 32.8
4890: 31.7

Fallout 3
Ultra 4xAA 16x10

285: 56
4890: 60.2

Ultra 4xAA 19x12

285: 52.4
4890: 58.1

Far Cry 2
Ultra High DX10 4xAA 16x10

285: 42.2
4890: 42.1

Ultra High DX10 4xAA 19x12

285: 39.9
4890: 39.6

Left 4 Dead
Highest 4xAA 16x10

285: 90.2
4890: 98.9

Highest 4xAA 19x12

285: 85
4890: 83.9

Race Driver GRID
Highest 4xAA 16x10

285: 67.9
4890: 97.4

Highest 4xAA 19x12

285: 63.8
4890: 84.7


Face it. They're comparable performing cards. Even throwing out the GRID numbers, the sum of FPS for GTX285 is 587.4 versus 597.7 for the 4890. And this isn't even counting OC headroom, which 4890 has much more of, and how GTX285 requires an 8 pin pci-e conenctor. Now, why should someone pay 50% more for a GTX285?

Power consumption: up to 183W (two 6-pin connectors)

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: rgallant

Power consumption: up to 183W (two 6-pin connectors)

Total face-palm moment. Only the origina 65nm variants need the 8 pin




Silly mistakes by me aside, 4890 is still a much better buy

 

[TC91]

I personally don't like multi gpu solutions at all but if I had to choose one, it would definitely be SLI mainly because of the custom user profiles and the 1 day turnaround for new SLI profiles in new games from EVGA and now it seems NVIDIA themselves with their release of the first SLI profile patch. With crossfire, you are at the mercy of the dreadful catalyst driver team and have to wait for the driver team to implement crossfire support for some newer/older obscure games in a future driver update, if at all.

If you do end up with grabbing two 4890s though, I would recommend one that is not using the reference cooler unless you want your machine to sound like a full blown jet engine when its under a heavy graphics load. I previously had a single 4870 1GB reference model, and it was far too loud under load; can't imagine having two of them in crossfire would be bearable.

Just my take.

 

[wiak]

two 4890s or a 4870 X2

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: TC91
I personally don't like multi gpu solutions at all but if I had to choose one, it would definitely be SLI mainly because of the custom user profiles and the 1 day turnaround for new SLI profiles in new games from EVGA and now it seems NVIDIA themselves with their release of the first SLI profile patch. With crossfire, you are at the mercy of the dreadful catalyst driver team and have to wait for the driver team to implement crossfire support for some newer/older obscure games in a future driver update, if at all.

If you do end up with grabbing two 4890s though, I would recommend one that is not using the reference cooler unless you want your machine to sound like a full blown jet engine when its under a heavy graphics load. I previously had a single 4870 1GB reference model, and it was far too loud under load; can't imagine having two of them in crossfire would be bearable.

Just my take.

The reference coolers on the 4890s are actually pretty quiet. Even under a heavy 3D load like Crysis, they don't get very loud unless you have poor air circulation in your case. I ramp mine up to 40% and while certainly not silent, I don't really notice them while gaming.

 

[TC91]

Originally posted by: Elfear

The reference coolers on the 4890s are actually pretty quiet. Even under a heavy 3D load like Crysis, they don't get very loud unless you have poor air circulation in your case. I ramp mine up to 40% and while certainly not silent, I don't really notice them while gaming.

I personally found anything above 33% on the 4870 1GB reference card (I believe the 4890 uses the exact same fan) annoyingly loud. My card automatically ramped up to 40% when under gaming load and it was just unbearable (could not set a lower fan speed or else the card would break 100c). Having two of them in a case would likely result in a higher fan speed for both, and that would be even louder *shudders*

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: TC91

Originally posted by: Elfear

The reference coolers on the 4890s are actually pretty quiet. Even under a heavy 3D load like Crysis, they don't get very loud unless you have poor air circulation in your case. I ramp mine up to 40% and while certainly not silent, I don't really notice them while gaming.

I personally found anything above 33% on the 4870 1GB reference card (I believe the 4890 uses the exact same fan) annoyingly loud. My card automatically ramped up to 40% when under gaming load and it was just unbearable (could not set a lower fan speed or else the card would break 100c). Having two of them in a case would likely result in a higher fan speed for both, and that would be even louder *shudders*

Wear headphones?


(I run my HD4870 @ 65% fan and don't notice it at all with headphones on)

 

[TC91]

Originally posted by: videogames101

Wear headphones?


(I run my HD4870 @ 65% fan and don't notice it at all with headphones on)

Holy crap 65%, you're insane

I prefer using speakers and usually only wear headphones when I need to voice chat like in L4D, TF2, etc but I can still hear the fan over them and it is very very annoying.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: TC91

Originally posted by: videogames101

Wear headphones?


(I run my HD4870 @ 65% fan and don't notice it at all with headphones on)

Holy crap 65%, you're insane

I prefer using speakers and usually only wear headphones when I need to voice chat like in L4D, TF2, etc but I can still hear the fan over them and it is very very annoying.

Then pick up a couple Scythe Musashi's for ~$70. Still great bang/buck while being dead quiet and running cool