Which card: 275 (1792MB) or 285

[GTSRboy]

Im looking for a setup that will last as long as possible, i dont know which is more important for long term, the slightly faster speed of the 285, or the 1700 MB of VRAM on the 275? Which limit will be reached first? I plan to SLI it in a few months also.

Also, EVGA has 713mhz overclocked 275's for $50 more than stock ones. Why would i pay $50 for a 713mhz 275 when i could just use EVGA precision to crank my stock one up 713? Am i missing somthing?

[GTSRboy]

thread=fail

[perkam]

I'll break it down for you:

GTX 285 SLI = 4890 Xfire > GTX 275 SLI

Perkam

[Carfax]

Im looking for a setup that will last as long as possible, i dont know which is more important for long term, the slightly faster speed of the 285, or the 1700 MB of VRAM on the 275? Which limit will be reached first? I plan to SLI it in a few months also.

If you're going SLI, get the GTX 285, then you'll have 2 GB of total VRAM.

Also, EVGA has 713mhz overclocked 275's for $50 more than stock ones. Why would i pay $50 for a 713mhz 275 when i could just use EVGA precision to crank my stock one up 713? Am i missing somthing?

If you like to overclock, you'll probably be able to squeeze more performance out of an SSC or FTW card than a vanilla.

This doesn't mean that vanilla cards don't overclock well however..

I have a vanilla GTX 285, and it easily runs at 756/1620/1455.. If I had an FTW card, I could probably get higher shader/memory clocks, but the performance gain wouldn't be worth it imo..

[NaMcO]

If you're going SLI, get the GTX 285, then you'll have 2 GB of total VRAM.

It doesn't work like that, each GPU has a mirror of the other's RAM for its own use, so SLI of 2x1GB cards is actually 1GB.

[GTSRboy]

It doesn't work like that, each GPU has a mirror of the other's RAM for its own use, so SLI of 2x1GB cards is actually 1GB.

Wow, i didnt know that. Sounds like two 275's (EVGA's 1792MB verison) are a better buy because of the increased VRAM. The 285 is only slightly faster than the 275 and looks to me like the VRAM will be more important...plus two 275's and i save $100

[Arkangyl]

IMO the extra RAM really isn't important quite yet. Games & apps are only just getting coded to realize the benefit of more than 512mb RAM which was the high water mark for a loooooong time.

Even with the SLI RAM mirroring (possibly why Crossfire scales better? the benefits of GDDR5 in action?) I don't think the 2gb GTX 275's are better than GTX 285s

The fewer ROPs and smaller memory bus on the 275 will become more apparent the more cards you SLI, and the farther you overclock them.

[GTSRboy]

i guess GTA4 is a one time deal since it needs like 2GB to VRAM to run at max settings

[NaMcO]

i guess GTA4 is a one time deal since it needs like 2GB to VRAM to run at max settings

GTA4 relies heavily on the CPU. It's a x360 conversion, so that comes as no surprise. Programmers shouldn't have been lazy and should have offloaded some of the graphics to the GPU - Game needs it badly. 2GB for THAT game? Come on, what are they drinking

[Anemone]

Also remember that DX11 cards may arrive by or around year end. They won't be night and day better than today, and there won't be games written for it for a while, but it's something to consider if you want to get some lifetime out of any product you buy.

[GTSRboy]

So in reference to future, more demanding games, the GTX275's limits will be reached sonner than the 285's VRAM gets filled? Is it worth paying the extra $50 fo the 285? from benchmarks its only 2 fps ahead in most games. In the future, when GTX275 SLI isnt enough to runs games either would a 285 SLI setup

[B.E.E.F.]

There's no such thing as futureproofing.

Look at ATi with the 3870X2. People bought them, then the HD4870 came out and destroyed that card for half the price.

The 9800GX2 and the GTX285. Same deal.


Look at the performance now, and the price now.

[GTSRboy]

I know cards will keep getting faster, but i dont think much more demanding stuff than crysis will be coming out for a looooong time for PC. Crysis is way ahead of its time, and i dought another 'ahead of its time' game like that will be out again for PC unless its protected by steam. Even if in 3 years the average PC game i as demanding as Crysis, your still covered with SLI 200 series. Im betting two 285's will run any game at max setting for the next 5 years

[B.E.E.F.]

If that's what you want to believe, then YES. I completely agree.

[Glow9]

I know cards will keep getting faster, but i dont think much more demanding stuff than crysis will be coming out for a looooong time for PC. Crysis is way ahead of its time, and i dought another 'ahead of its time' game like that will be out again for PC unless its protected by steam. Even if in 3 years the average PC game i as demanding as Crysis, your still covered with SLI 200 series. Im betting two 285's will run any game at max setting for the next 5 years

NO, Crysis is just coded like .

[ExodusC]

It doesn't work like that, each GPU has a mirror of the other's RAM for its own use, so SLI of 2x1GB cards is actually 1GB.

I thought they both contained the same data in the VRAM, not mirroring the other's data.

[GTSRboy]

If any game in the next 5 years is going to be 'un runnable' on SLI 285's, then 1.) it will have to be developed for PC only, because counsles wont be able to run it. and 2.) the company will lose tons of money due to pirating, unless they release it on steam or somthing. What company is going to do that? I mean how many years till we see a game thats more demanding than Crysis? Crysis was in development for years, im not aware of any 'super big' upcoming games. Look at Crysis Warhead, they actually downgraded the graphics for a newer verison

[B.E.E.F.]

it will have to be developed for PC only, because counsles wont be able to run it.

GTAIV.

the company will lose tons of money due to pirating, unless they release it on steam or somthing.

the company will lose lots of money from people not buying it, because its a POS. like GTAIV.

NO, Crysis is just coded like .

Crysis is a demanding game because there are hundreds of different shaders for every little thing, as well as the ridiculous texture resolutions on most objects. The only problem is the bugs from the designers not completing the levels, and sometimes the wonky physics.

[GTSRboy]

Ill just get the xfx 285. Let me just say i very much look forward to the graphics on a game that two of those cant run

[Glow9]

Crysis is a demanding game because there are hundreds of different shaders for every little thing, as well as the ridiculous texture resolutions on most objects. The only problem is the bugs from the designers not completing the levels, and sometimes the wonky physics.

Isn't it only single threaded?

[YukonTrooper]

HD4890 is the best buy of the enthusiasts cards, in my opinion, but to each their own.

[GTSRboy]

HD4890 is the best buy of the enthusiasts cards, in my opinion, but to each their own.

Can you pitch to me why i should get a 4890 over a 285? Right now it looks like the 285 and even 275 are ahead of the 4890, but if you think otherwise by all means explain why ive got an open mind

[YukonTrooper]

Can you pitch to me why i should get a 4890 over a 285? Right now it looks like the 285 and even 275 are ahead of the 4890, but if you think otherwise by all means explain why ive got an open mind

GTX 285 > HD4890 > GTX 275. By best buy, I meant best for the money. From all the reviews I've seen, the HD4890 beats the GTX 275 in most cases. Of course, this is just performance taken into consideration. I went with the GTX 260 216SP over the HD4870 1GB because of prices in Canada and the ability to use CUDA for SETI.

[Carfax]

From all the reviews I've seen, the HD4890 beats the GTX 275 in most cases.

To me it's the exact opposite

Anyway, I think the HD 4890 in Crossfire is awesome for performance and cost effectiveness, but for single GPU solutions, the GTX 285 and GTX 275 are the better options.

[YukonTrooper]

To me it's the exact opposite

Anyway, I think the HD 4890 in Crossfire is awesome for performance and cost effectiveness, but for single GPU solutions, the GTX 285 and GTX 275 are the better options.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539&p=1

I see the HD4890 ahead, unless you're gaming at 2560X1600.