4870 1GB with eventual crossfile vs. GTX280 with NO SLI option

K

knobbicus

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
172
My question is this: which do you think I should be looking at? I have an X38-based mobo which supports Crossfire, but won't do SLI. If I were going to buy on the strength of the single-card performance, it would be the GTX280, no question.

However, it's reasonable to suppose that I could eventually get a second 4870 1GB and crossfire them in the future. But, I've seen too many instances of posts and reviews where people have issues with crossfire support or graphic artifacts using ATI cards...

So what are the recommendations? Is crossfire easy and realiable and I've only seen the bad news? Or is a single card solution just better and easier and I should get the GTX280? (And for that matter, do I need to think about whether my Corsair 620HX psu can handle 2 4870 1GB cards...?)

Thanks!
 
what resolution do you play at? i personally don't think its worth it going from a 4870 to a 280. Wait until the next generation of video cards are released, you will see a bigger increase in performance.
 
as a long time cf user, the complaints are from people who have never used the platform before and are getting it wrong. two 4870 1024's are going to be much faster than a single gtx 280 so you're going to have to decide whether spending another $230 on a 4870 is a better price/performance option to unloading your current 4870 for about $190 and adding another $120 for a new 280.
 
risqu3 said:
what resolution do you play at? i personally don't think its worth it going from a 4870 to a 280. Wait until the next generation of video cards are released, you will see a bigger increase in performance.
Click to expand...


Well, I'm currently gaming at 1680x1050 on a 22" screen. On my current 8800GTS (G92) I tend to turn some things up to max, and have to leave some settings lower, particularly shadow complexity and the like. And I'd like to leave the possibility of getting a 24" screen as a future upgrade path.

Clearly my original post wasn't very clear. I am looking at purchasing either a single 4870 now with an eye toward a future second 4870 for CF, or purchasing a single GTX280 now, with no chance of SLI-ing them later, as my mobo doesn't support it.

And there's the question of my 620HX PSU also, though I think I'm ok there.

Thanks!
 
rennyf77 said:
as a long time cf user, the complaints are from people who have never used the platform before and are getting it wrong. two 4870 1024's are going to be much faster than a single gtx 280 so you're going to have to decide whether spending another $230 on a 4870 is a better price/performance option to unloading your current 4870 for about $190 and adding another $120 for a new 280.
Click to expand...

As I said in the preceding post my original post was not written clearly. I currently have an 8800GTS (G92), and I'm looking at either a 4870 or a GTX280. And then later on, I can add a second 4870 to give the card(s) a longer lifetime. Reason tells me this is wiser, but my instinct votes against it, inexplicably. So I'm looking for recommendations.


Thanks!
 
knobbicus said:
I currently have an 8800GTS (G92), and I'm looking at either a 4870 or a GTX280. And then later on, I can add a second 4870 to give the card(s) a longer lifetime. Reason tells me this is wiser, but my instinct votes against it, inexplicably. So I'm looking for recommendations.
Click to expand...

Trust your instinct.

When "later on" comes, you will find it a better idea to sell your current card and use the cash from that and the cash you would have spent on a second identical card (IF you can find a second identical card, and that is a big IF which gets bigger the longer you wait) to buy a single, much faster card.
 
evilsofa said:
Trust your instinct.

When "later on" comes, you will find it a better idea to sell your current card and use the cash from that and the cash you would have spent on a second identical card (IF you can find a second identical card, and that is a big IF which gets bigger the longer you wait) to buy a single, much faster card.
Click to expand...


Awesome. Thanks for the reply. :D
 
Second identical card for crossfire? The 3xxx and 4xxx series from ati can run any brand even with different specs. Hell you can even crossfire a 4870 with a 4870x2, 4870, 4850x2, 4850, 4830. I say go crossfire. The performance difference between the a single 4870 1gb and a gtx 280 is less than 25% on average and the price difference is even bigger. IMO, going with the 4870 gives you a great deal of eye candy, and in the future if you feel that is not enough, you can always add a second one. In your case, you would not have the same luxury with the gtx 280.
 
I was in the exact same position as you, and ultimately went with the 280. I had the same thoughts about going cf in the future, but decided against it. I've always been a believer in having one monster card which i can always sell in the future.
 
Thanks for the replies. I think I am going to go with the GTX280. The rebates on Newegg right now are quite good, and with the news coming out on the GTX285 next week (?) I think there may be some movement in the prices of existing 280s.

Thanks everyone!
 
if you can go with 4870 1G, go with it...

especially with crossfire, 8.12 hotfix just boost a huge fps with DX10 games, such as Crysis..

run through benchmark with 4870 512 CF on veryhigh 1680*1050 got a 39.86 fps, which is quite amazing......

but if you want a single card solution, I suggest wait for GTX 285....

other than that, 4870 1G or 4870 CF will be your best choice, performance/cash...
 
I'd recommend buying the GTX280 or even a GTX260 if its a money thing and not worry about the Crossfire.. Nvidia has the win with drivers right now, and there aren't really enough games that see true benefits from SLI/Crossfire.
 
knobbicus said:
Thanks for the replies. I think I am going to go with the GTX280. The rebates on Newegg right now are quite good, and with the news coming out on the GTX285 next week (?) I think there may be some movement in the prices of existing 280s.

Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...

I would not really, not at your res. a 4870 would be all you really need, and you have the option to upgrade latter. unless your upgrading your monitor sometime soon save the money. A 280 is largely going to be wasted. you can get everything you could get with GTX280 for 66% of the cost (the playability of a GTX280 and a 4870 are equal at 1.76mp) in other words the extra 100 dollars buys you nothing on a 22" monitor.
 
Valset said:
I would not really, not at your res. a 4870 would be all you really need, and you have the option to upgrade latter. unless your upgrading your monitor sometime soon save the money. A 280 is largely going to be wasted. you can get everything you could get with GTX280 for 66% of the cost (the playability of a GTX280 and a 4870 are equal at 1.76mp) in other words the extra 100 dollars buys you nothing on a 22" monitor.
Click to expand...

I hear you about the playability difference. But it seems I've been hearing too many comments in game reviews about image quality going awry for ATI cards, while nvidia cards have been performing well (like the recent CoD 5 review here). And I guess I'm inclined to get a new card now, and not have to think about it for a couple years. Which means into perhaps a 24" monitor. And with the recent price drops between 4870 and GTX280 at newegg, it's a difference of more like $40 than $100.

Anyway, I'll keep thinking about it. We'll see what happens tomorrow when the 285 are released.


Thanks!
 
knobbicus said:
I hear you about the playability difference. But it seems I've been hearing too many comments in game reviews about image quality going awry for ATI cards, while nvidia cards have been performing well (like the recent CoD 5 review here). And I guess I'm inclined to get a new card now, and not have to think about it for a couple years. Which means into perhaps a 24" monitor. And with the recent price drops between 4870 and GTX280 at newegg, it's a difference of more like $40 than $100.

Anyway, I'll keep thinking about it. We'll see what happens tomorrow when the 285 are released.


Thanks!
Click to expand...

if your a couple of years for a monitor then the video card should be picked for your current. and as a happy GTX280 owner I can tell you that the crap about driers and such being better is highly overrated. I have used both and have about the same amount of issues, they are just different issues. (six in one hand, half dozen on the other) I would not give up an option to crossfire latter for a video card you don't need today. JM2C
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top