Thinking about grabbing a new Graphic card, have some questions.

[AndrewL1950]

My system specs are in my sig.

I have a 9800GTX right now. It's a great card, and runs everything except Crysis at max settings. However, I now own a 1080p monitor and I am at a crossraods.

I want to buy a graphic card, and future proof myself for about a year, while saving up for Intel's new offerings. However, I am not really sure what to do.

I don't really know if ATI and Nvidia have any new cards on the way, or will the current ones just see some new iterations for the next year or so (similar to how the 8800 series went). I don't really want to buy, say a 4870, then have something far better out in 4 months.

So here are my options.

-Buy a 16**X1*** Samsung Monitor + a ATI 4870
-Buy a ATI 4870X2 and stick with my 1080p monitor.
-Keep my current setup, and hold tight for a while.
- Buy an ATI 4870, keep my current monitor.

I have looked at various benchmarks and they seem to all tell a slightly different story. Ideally, I would like to go the cheapest route possible, (outside of keeping my rig, grabbing a 4870).

So if anyone owns a 4870 and games at 1900X1080 let me know. Any other advice is appreciated.

[xMrBunglex]

i own two 4870's and i game at 1920x1200. it's pretty ridiculous how fast these things are. i averaged 197 fps on the Devil May Cry 4 stress test (215.39 fps, 155.31, 259.15, 159.88). all my games run faster than i need them to.

future-proofing with a video card isn't a great idea though. there will always be something new around the corner. cards that are out today will just get cheaper with time. since the 4870 X2 is currently the fastest video card in the world, it will obviously be good longer than any of the others though. while a single 4870 is a definite improvement from what you have now, it isn't twice as fast or anything.

[AndrewL1950]

Thanks for the advice.

I still don't know what I am going to do. I might go with a 4870 1gb model, but I don't know when they get released. I have an SLI board, so two 4870's won't work, so I will be forced to buy the x2. I am also running at 650Watt PSU (the one in my sig crapped out). From what I have read I could still run the 4870X2 though.

[Scray XXI]

If you have an SLi board, go with the 9800GX2. It's the second best single slot deal on the market right now [I read somewhere it performs 11% faster than a 4870 and it's available on newegg for less than $300.00]. You could buy two of them and still not spend more than you would if you got two 4870s and still have better performance.

Either that or go with a GTX 280 and wait until you have enough to get another one [or realize just one is probably enough]. But I would go for Quad-SLi with dual GX2s: the best performance for price deal right now for someone with an SLi board.

I wouldn't go with ATi if you have an SLi board. It defeats the point of having the board in the first place...

[B.E.E.F.]

GTX 280.

The HD4870X2 needs a crossfire board?

[Kondik]

Nope 2x 4870 yup, 4870X2 will go even on 790i boards

[jimmyxxx]

9800GTX is a good card, and i know that 4870 is almost twice as good, but you can stick with the setup u allready have an w8 for something better. The battle between nvidia and ati have just started, and i think the good things are going to come, not today not tomorrow but soon. And hopefully your 9800GTX would survive this period.

[perkam]

I usually recommend ATI, but there is a sense of obviousness in this thread that no one has yet noticed :p:

You have an SLI motherboard...a single 9800GTX...and you want more performance :lol:

Grab another 9800GTX and you're set with the cheapest route possible + you get to keep your monitor :up:

Perkam

[AndrewL1950]

I usually recommend ATI, but there is a sense of obviousness in this thread that no one has yet noticed :p:

You have an SLI motherboard...a single 9800GTX...and you want more performance :lol:

Grab another 9800GTX and you're set with the cheapest route possible + you get to keep your monitor :up:

Perkam

Will any brand of 9800GTX work? Because I have not been able to find the EVGA 9800GTX online in Canada for sometime. Ncix does not have it. Direct Canada does, but it's always "Not available" and listed at $350. Would a 9800GTX+ work with a 9800GTX? Or do they both need to be an EVGA 9800GTX.

Also Keep in mind I am using a Corsair HX620 PSU. Don't know if that would be able to power them.

[adamsleath]

same clocks for both cards should work in sli. especially seeing that 9800gtx are now cheep cheep.

power could be pushing it, but it should handle it....400Wish draw:shrug:
i think 750w is the 'safer' bet (like what's in your sig:hehe:)- corsair has the right pci-e outlets...i think.
...but with 50A on 12v rails, and molex to pci-e adaptors, it should work shouldnt it?
if i had an sli board i'd be tempted by another cheapo gt.

on the other hand g92 is receding into history as time goes by :p:

[AndrewL1950]

same clocks for both cards should work in sli. especially seeing that 9800gtx are now cheep cheep.

power could be pushing it, but it should handle it....400Wish draw:shrug:
i think 750w is the 'safer' bet (like what's in your sig:hehe:)- corsair has the right pci-e outlets...i think.
...but with 50A on 12v rails, and molex to pci-e adaptors, it should work shouldnt it?
if i had an sli board i'd be tempted by another cheapo gt.

on the other hand g92 is receding into history as time goes by :p:

Ya, my 750W crapped out on me last week, and I am using the HX620 I had in my closet for now.

I might just go for a 4870 1gb when they come out.

[AndrewL1950]

I think I am going to go with the GTX280 OC. Then towards the holidays, pick up a new PSU, and a second GTX280.

I am asumming two GTX280's would be great for my resolution, and out perform 4870X2, but I have not seen benchmarks. so who knows.

[Vullf]

I just think that you should been your Sharp screen cuz it's a real beauty (:
And prolly get a 4870X2.

[perkam]

I am asumming two GTX280's would be great for my resolution, and out perform 4870X2,http://www.techreport.com/r.x/radeon-hd-4870-x2/cod4-2560.gif

:wasntme:

Perkam

[saki_bomber]

I think I am going to go with the GTX280 OC. Then towards the holidays, pick up a new PSU, and a second GTX280.

I am asumming two GTX280's would be great for my resolution, and out perform 4870X2, but I have not seen benchmarks. so who knows.

holy hell:ROTF:

check out perkam's post, nothing could be farther from the truth:up:

[xMrBunglex]

to be fair, the 4870 X2 is only 1 fps higher than GTX 280 SLI in Perkam's picture and the OP does have an SLI motherboard. but 280 SLI would cost quite a bit more than a single 4870 X2, so i guess there is still no easy answer. i normally recommend Nvidia cards for people with Nvidia motherboards, but the X2 looks too good to pass up right now.