Planning an upgrade.
I've finally caught the bug - I'm drooling uncontrollably over a Core i7 platform, and I want to upgrade. I'm planning on the following build:
LGA1366 6.4GT/s mobo w/ 3 x16 slots (likely an x16/x8/x8 setup), planning to run dual HD5850s in crossfire along with a 9600GT for PhysX if the setup works in the software
Core i7 920 (or 930, if it's out)
6GB of some type of OCZ RAM
The problem is, I'm going to need to save up some cash to be able to afford it, and money tends to burn holes in my pockets. So, I ask the community at large... if you see me considering buying something else, please remind me of my goal so that I stay on track.
LGA1366 6.4GT/s mobo w/ 3 x16 slots (likely an x16/x8/x8 setup), planning to run dual HD5850s in crossfire along with a 9600GT for PhysX if the setup works in the software
Core i7 920 (or 930, if it's out)
6GB of some type of OCZ RAM
The problem is, I'm going to need to save up some cash to be able to afford it, and money tends to burn holes in my pockets. So, I ask the community at large... if you see me considering buying something else, please remind me of my goal so that I stay on track.
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I'm a little jealous, but at least I'm finally moving my desktop to a Core2 system in a couple weeks. I stay pretty far behind the curve, and I haven't been on the cutting edge in a loooong time. And that was a disaster involving RDRAM and a Pentium 3.
The discrepancy between the age of my CPU and graphics. I have my doubts as to whether a core 2 quad can really keep up with two HD5850s or not - not so much because of the processor itself, but because of the rather slow DMI interface. QPI is actually the biggest want factor for me in the upgrade.
As for the interface, I don't trust DMI because no matter what I try, I can't run Dirt 2 in Crossfire. The game only runs properly on a single card, and the issue seems to be fairly unique to me - lots of people complain that they don't see much performance gain in Crossfire, but I haven't found much (if any) information on framerate hitching caused specifically by it.
To my knowledge the only recent game that really scales heavily with the CPU at full HD resolutions is Dragon Age. That game shows some serious performance improvements going from a dual to a quad core on the 5870. Its an unusual example though, I can't find anything else like it. Dragon Age seems to especially love the i7.
Still, unless you could guarantee obtaining really decent value for your current mobo, CPU and RAM, its a hard thing for me to suggest just based on that single benchmark.
The bus architecture in use by the Lynnfields, and used on the Core 2 since 2006 is incapable of handling CrossFire/SLI.
OR
The game just does a shitty job at scaling with CrossFire.
One of these things is not ridiculous.
Maybe I can wait until Bulldozer after all.