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Final Rig Decisions

O

oldbustedjorn

n00b
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
31
I have a problem. I sometimes take forever to make decisions about buying PC equipment. I suppose I'm really worried about buyer's remorse, which is ridiculous since a) I can probably return most anything for at worst a restocking fee and b) I've been building computers for over 10 years (although much less frequently these days *sad*).

Here is what I'm sure I'm getting (and by sure I mean unless someone can cast significant doubt on my choices, which is as difficult as tying your shoes):

- i5 2500k (I plan on a moderate OC like 4.5, using noctua cooler)
- Some memory (does it really matter anymore? will be 1600 and probably 1.25v)
- ASUS P8P67 Pro (have no need of Z68 stuff)
- A couple of SSDs because... who cares I want them (though probably Crucial M4's)
- Dell U3011... gaming @ 2560x1600.. I don't notice the input lag on the U2410 that I have, and it isn't on game mode)
- HAF X because I like to take up as much room as possible in my house (seriously, is there another well air-cooled case with 2x native SSD slots and room for xfire?)
- Corsair HX850 or 850HX, I forget the order of the numbers now
- A Matrox G400.

Ok, so I'm still undecided on my graphics card.

At one point I was fairly sure I wanted 6950's in xfire, but now I'm wondering if a 580 with some OC might be just as interesting. Sure, I know they will both work, but it seems like 2560x1600 is in the middle as far as which setup to get. I'm not asking for you to make the decision for me, but rather to just look at my pros and cons and make fun of me. Also, if you have any reason to make my build choices look asanine, please do. I like abuse. No, not in that way.

GTX 580:

Pros:

Single card simplicity
Run most games @ 2560x1600 at highest settings, a few games will need to be reduced
nVidia seems to have a better reputation for drivers/compatibility
Has dropped in price in recent days
Quieter/Cooler than xfire 6950, despite the single card being louder/hotter

Cons:

Less performance (in most benchmarks) than xfire 6950 2gb


Xfire 6950

Pros:

Better performance of the two options, for roughly the same price
Can run 6 billion monitors (which I won't be doing)

Cons:

More complex
Possible microstuttering
Hotter/Louder


The way I look at it... To fix microstuttering, turn the graphics down until the FPS is high enough to eliminate the perception of stuttering. To fix bad FPS in some games with 580 (like Metro2033), turn down the graphics settings.

My point is that I don't see either being a free pass to run at the higest settings always and the prices are close enough that value isn't an issue. Is the extra performance that the xfire 6950's bring (scaled back to avoid stuttering) worth the extra hassle of multi-gpu setups? Could I save money elsewhere (mobo/case size) by going 580?

I realize it is a somewhat personal decision, but I'm interested in seeing how much of a hard time you can all give me for being slightly insane...

(FYI, I've spent hours reading on these subjects, so I'm fairly well informed... just looking for opinions and things I haven't thought of)
 
I think vram is going to be the kicker here. You are going to want more than 1.5GB @ 2560x1600. That means if you go 580 you really need the 3GB card, making 6950's more appealing. Wait a few days for BF3 metrics to flesh out and see how much vram it's using at that resolution.
 
Thanks for the reply... I had heard that the 3gb 580 didn't increase performance enough, even for high resolutions. At least not in the case that it was the limiting factor. If you were doing SLI, you'd be more likely hampered by vram when running high res, so the 3gb would be very useful.

But I read that on the internet and I believe everything I read on the internet!
 
Thought I'd also mention what games I play:

- Skyrim (ok, I WILL be playing this. a lot.)
- lotro (yea, could probably max this out on one lol)
- Witcher 2
- Dragon Age II
- Deus Ex:HR
- Probably either BF3 or MW3
- Mass Effect 3 when it comes out :)

I find it interesting that Metro 2033 and Crysis 2 are of the games I'd have to lower, but I really don't play them. Steam sales can make anything possible, however...
 
It sounds like you already have all the information that you need to make a decision. You're just plagued with buyers remorse for some reason. Stop being stupid and finish your build already.. :)
 
2x2GB HD6950s for 2560x1600, without doubt. At that resolution they're 60%+ faster than a single GTX580. The extra video memory will come in handy too.
 
<--- loyal to nVidia, although a billion monitors sounds pretty sweet...
 
Cowboy420 said:
It sounds like you already have all the information that you need to make a decision. You're just plagued with buyers remorse for some reason. Stop being stupid and finish your build already.. :)
Click to expand...
See now this is what I'm talking about... you sound like my therapist.

Thanks for all the responses, folks :)
 
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