3 x 4870 to ??

[Sickb0y]

So I read the other huge thread about upgrading from a 4870x2 to a 6000 series ATI card but it turn out to be mostly bickering (like it always does). With that said, anybody here done a 4870x2 to something else and how it went, how much of a difference did you see etc?

I'm currently running on a 25.5 LCD 1920 by 1080 (cheapo lcd)
Quad core 2.4 @ 3.8 watercool
8 gigs of pc 9200
1 x 4870 XFX 1 gig watercool
1 x 4870x2 2 gig Accelero xtreme cooler
I do mostly programming/gaming on my pc

I was thinking either upgrade to two 6870 or 1 6970, as much as I want 2 6970(or 2 x 6950 flashed) I honestly can't afford it at the moment. So any input if I should go with the upgrades at hand or does Nvidia offer some other good mid-level cards that someone here can recommend?
I figure once I sale this video cards I can get maybe get 250.00 for both cards. I have another 200 on the side for a total of 450.00 I'm trying to stay with crossfire/SLI if possible.
thanks

 

[InfernalMachine]

I was previously running dual 512mb 4870s and recently picked up a 6950 in hopes of flashing the BIOS to a 6970. Perhaps try that route?

 

[samuelmorris]

I went from two 4870X2s to two 6970s. Loved it. However, the differences are primarily efficiency-related. All the noise is gone, and a lot of the heat and power consumption, but the performance difference isn't enormous. It's definitely there, and in some games it's huge (crysis frame rates have basically doubled, in both the original and warhead) but what worked well in crossfire before, will only see minor gains, as in raw performance terms ignoring CF scaling, HD6970s are only just more than twice as powerful as a 4870X2, so going from four GPUs to two sees minimal benefits in the games that had epic CF scaling before. Left 4 Dead 2 for example, which scaled a good 350% in quadCF before, has gone from an average of 160fps with a minimum of 80 to an average of about 190fps with a minimum of 90-95. [2560x1600 4xAA]. Meanwhile Crysis Warhead, all enthusiast at 2560x1600 4xAA, has gone from an average of 21fps, to an average of 38-46.

 

[Sickb0y]

Thanks for the input guys sounds like an upgrade will mostly benefit the power consumption/noise in addition to directx 11. My only reason for selling them is to get some money out of the cards before they go instinct lol but not sure if I can justify 600.00 for 2 6970 :s I can't decided!!

 

[Valset]

Thanks for the input guys sounds like an upgrade will mostly benefit the power consumption/noise in addition to directx 11. My only reason for selling them is to get some money out of the cards before they go instinct lol but not sure if I can justify 600.00 for 2 6970 :s I can't decided!!

do you need two cards at that resolution? try one 6950 first save the money and see if you can justify it first. I would def sell the other cards and get what you can for them.