Upgrade to 7950GX2 or stay with 7900GTX

LordBritish

LordBritish

2[H]4U
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Jan 28, 2001
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I currently have an evga 7900 GTX and I may have an opportunity to "step up" to a 7950GX2.

What are some disadvantages with the 7950GX2?

I know each individual "card" on the 7950GX2 is actually slower than my 7900 GTX :eek:

I would imagine there would also be increased graphics latency from using SLI.

Probably more power consumption too and more heat.
 
i'd constantly step-up if i was able to, your card always depreciates and if you can spend a few bucks to get the next best thing then i'd go for it.
 
If you only have on 7900GTX and can step up for free or close to it, the 7950 will beat your single 7900 GTX. Check out the reviews, they are all over the web and come to that conclusion.

Just make sure that you motherboard can support it, and you can find that list on vNidia site.
 
How does this step up program work?

You send in your card and sometime later you get the new card?

So there will be a period where I'll have to obtain another cheap video card ?
 
Yea, or just not use your computer for about a week.

You have to register the card on their site, then step-up the card. After you send them your invoice and they approve it, you'll pay for the difference and shipping. Then send back you're card, and 3 business day's later they'll send your card back. So, if you next day air'd your card to them on a Monday and paid for overnight air back, you *should* have your card back by the end of the week. I'm thinking about calling them and seeing if I can drop it off since I live about 40 minutes away from the RMA address.
 
Dual monitors and the 7950 do not mix well. You get to either use the card in sli mode at full speed or use one gpu for each monitor which is a lot slower than the 7900...
 
Actually, its an SLI/CrossFire thing. If you are running multiple monitors you cannot run the the cards in dual mode.

I think people make a little more out of this issue than it really is. I usually am using multiple monitors when I'm working and only one monitor when I'm gaming or playing in general.

Now if you want swtich between gaming and working on the fly, that its not smooth, because sometimes you have to reboot when going back to SLI mode.

Personally, it's a bit of an inconvience, but its definately not that bad, as I tend to be in work mode or game mode and not going back and forward much.

The 7950 I think is a great card, and I'll get my second when if the details on QUAD-SLI look good to me.

If they could just get the switch between dual monitor/SLI mode to never require a reboot, I'd be happy. Of course if they could get it to switch on the fly, that be even better.
 
If you have one card, get the GX2 (but dual monitors would be an issue). If you have two cards, then keep 'em, cause the GX2 can't outperform them. SLI GX2 will, but only by a small margin, the perf increase just doesn't justifiy the cost. The only time that GX2 SLI will show its advantages is if you have a 30" or larger monitor.
 
I have decided NOT to step up to a 7950GX2.

When I need more power, I will simply get another 7900 GTX to run in SLI mode.

The lowered clock speeds of the 7950GX2 turned me off.
 
LordBritish said:
I have decided NOT to step up to a 7950GX2.

When I need more power, I will simply get another 7900 GTX to run in SLI mode.

The lowered clock speeds of the 7950GX2 turned me off.
Click to expand...

Good luck with your desicion. Yes, the 7950 is a little slower than 7900GTX SLI, but I doubt that most people would notice in most games. Plus the potential of QUAD-SLI is really why I got one and waiting for two.

However, 7900GTX SLI is all your gonna need the rest of the year for evey game anyway, so in the end, you're good either way.
 
for the little extra money you will get nearly twice the performance.................................
or for TWICE the money get nearly the same performance............................................


your decision makes sense...not.
 
Faction said:
for the little extra money you will get nearly twice the performance.................................
or for TWICE the money get nearly the same performance............................................


your decision makes sense...not.
Click to expand...

Actually, it does make sense if you look at if from the standpoint that if you don't go QUAD-SLI, a pair of 7900GTX is STILL your fastest dual card solution.

But not my much, in fact if you clock the 7950 up to the speeds of the XFX XXX (570/775) you've got like 95%+ of the speed of a stock speed 7900GTX.

However, you can potentially go well beyond 7900GTX SLI with QUAD-SLI. However, the jury is still out on exactly how much performance if any you'll get from QUAD-SLI.

Bottom, line, if QUAD-SLI turns out to be a dude, as pair of 7900GTX might give you better and more stable overall performance, than QUAD-SLI. If QUAD-SLI kicks a little booty, then it really might make a pair of 7900GTX look dull.
 
the point is price/performance. it makes 0 sense to keep a 7900GTX when you can get a 7950.
 
Ok, I changed my mind again.

I did request a step up - lol.

I hope I don't regret my decision - i'll blame all of you if I do !!!

I tried to find a list of compatible motherboards on nVidia's website but couldn't find it. Can somebody please tell where it is? Even though somebody here said my motherboard (DFI LanParty UT NF4 Ultra-D) is compatible, I would like to double check.

Oh another thing, I have 550W OCZ PowerStream PSU, that should be adequate right?
 
I think you'll be happy with 7950, so far mine has been great. Remember, you do give a little bit of performance vs 7900GTX SLI, but its not something you'd notice in real games, mainly benchmarks. It looks like my XFX XXX 7950 has about 98% (according to 3DMark) the performance of my 7800 512 GTX SLI setup, and in gaming I can't tell the difference, tried F.E.A.R, Quake 4, Serious Sam 2 so far and they run the same.

The same for performance for less the half the price of those 7800 512's only six months later. Both the beauty AND curse of SLI!
 
I'll be sending my card in tonight for t his step-up.

for me, it makes a lot of sense seeing as i will gain performance with my 1920x1200 monitor. And i do believe it will be worth more later then the 7900gtx's... plus quad sli :)
 
Alright, here's my turn...

I have a 7800GT.

I have a chance to step-up to the 7950 (i'm currently in line for a 7900GTX SC).

What's the better buy?

I'll be paying either way (the difference) but I wanted to know, since I'll most likely be staying in single card solution (one PCI-e slot) is it better to go 7950 GX2 or get the 7900 GTX SC and wait on the 7950 GX2 OC (I hear there will be an overclocked version).

I need to get an answer pretty soon as my step up is fast approaching with people jumping over to the 7950.

I guess at this point whether a 7950 OC comes out or not, I won't be able to "step-up" to it...what do i do folks?

Your help would be appreciated.
 
Don't be silly. One 7950gx2 (while overclocked) comes 3-4fps to SLI 7900gtx. XFX 7950gx2 comes overclocks, and runs basically just as fast as SLI 7900gtx, but for half the price. I stepped up from the 7900gtx to the 7950gx2 myself using eVGA's step up program. My wait in line is almost over :D
 
BoredTiger said:
Alright, here's my turn...

I have a 7800GT.

I have a chance to step-up to the 7950 (i'm currently in line for a 7900GTX SC).

What's the better buy?

I'll be paying either way (the difference) but I wanted to know, since I'll most likely be staying in single card solution (one PCI-e slot) is it better to go 7950 GX2 or get the 7900 GTX SC and wait on the 7950 GX2 OC (I hear there will be an overclocked version).

I need to get an answer pretty soon as my step up is fast approaching with people jumping over to the 7950.

I guess at this point whether a 7950 OC comes out or not, I won't be able to "step-up" to it...what do i do folks?

Your help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Step up the card. It'll still be faster than your single card but not faster if you were going to SLI 2 of those cards.
 
Ok guys! :)

Thanks...guess I'll be stepping it up then :)

I wonder how long I have to wait for THIS step up now hahahah

I waited something like 3 months for the step up to the 7900 GTX Superclock...but seems as though this one is available to me now... :p

Here we go! :)

Thanks everyone!
 
yeah the 7950 queue is going fast. I sent my 7900gtx out last night.... it was hard to ship something so expensive and trust it to get there lol

I'm glad i kept all the parts and box and all that jazz
 
Heheh, I kept the box and the card :)

I'm keeping the QUAKE 4, but I don't think there was much anything else other than the dvi adapter.

Hopefully, my turn will come soon and I'll have some new graphics sweetness (I'm not even complaining with my 7800 GT OC. It's been a dream using my 7800 GT.

I love the card, and really don't know why I'm upgrading it other than that financially it makes sense to get the newest, for top dollar on an older card. So...that's why :)

I truly hope that I don't encounter any growing pain issues with this new card, as so many 7900 GTX owners had to endure.
 
I'm a little concerned about "upgrading" from a perfectly working 7900GTX to something new.

I broke a cardinal rule of mine: "If it aint broke, don't fix it".

There also the slight variation of that: "If it aint broke, overclock it"

:D
 
Your not going to be able to over clock a single 7900GTX to match a 7950 in games that work with SLI, with is the lions share of modern games.

Don't worry so much, when you get that 7950 in, I bet you'll be glad that you did.
 
I'm #148 on evga's step up queue.

The world's fastest consumer graphics card will soon be mine - muhhahahahahahhahahahhahahhahaah.

Eat your heart out !!
 
A lot of you guys are talking about the dual display complications but have any of your with dual displays tried it with the new beta ForceWare 91 drivers? In the new control pannel of those drivers there is now the option to change from hardware acceleration in single display or dual display mode. Right now there is only single display option. I dont have dual monitors, only a solitary 24'' samsung 244t (woot). But I have always wondered if I could get full hardware SLI acceleration in a game on one monitor while being able to, say, play a movie or at least maintain the desktop on the other display.
 
Unless you have a 30" display you are not going to gain anything; then again, all you gain is speed. I would wait for HDR+AA from NV before considering any upgrade.
 
i've got a dfi lanparty nf4 ultra mobo and i see that it isn't supported on the evga website. Any idea as to when it might be? I've only got 4 weeks left to step up my card!@! omgwtfbbq
 
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