9800 GX2

[Cataclysm]

Im building a new computer soon, and my choices for graphics cards have come down to a 9800 GX2, GTX 260, or HD 4870. From almost every benchmark I've seen, the GX2 spanks the 4870 and is just out of reach for the 260.

Problem is I'm worried. I've read about micro stuttering, heat, nVidia ignoring it in favor of their baby, the GTX280; and other seeming deal-breakers. Should I be?

I know this thing will be hot. The case I am getting has dual 250mm fans in the side that blow air straight onto the motherboard and all its contents, so that doesnt bother me too much. What does, though, is micro stuttering. What is it? Is it common? Can you tweak the clock speeds to get rid of it?

Will nVidia spend too much time coddling the GTX 200 series and stop writing drivers for the GX2? Should I save up and get a GTX280? Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

[Sledgehammer70]

Im building a new computer soon, and my choices for graphics cards have come down to a 9800 GX2, GTX 260, or HD 4870. From almost every benchmark I've seen, the GX2 spanks the 4870 and is just out of reach for the 260.

Problem is I'm worried. I've read about micro stuttering, heat, nVidia ignoring it in favor of their baby, the GTX280; and other seeming deal-breakers. Should I be?

I know this thing will be hot. The case I am getting has dual 250mm fans in the side that blow air straight onto the motherboard and all its contents, so that doesnt bother me too much. What does, though, is micro stuttering. What is it? Is it common? Can you tweak the clock speeds to get rid of it?

Will nVidia spend too much time coddling the GTX 200 series and stop writing drivers for the GX2? Should I save up and get a GTX280? Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

9800 Gx2 will be nice and is nice... yes it is hot and yes it is faster. In general you have to choose a trade off, are you one willing to buy a PSU big enough to power it, and are you willing to deal will possible heat issues. if your case is big and has good air flow you should be fine. If it is cramped and hot than you will have issues.

Me persoanally would go for the 9800 gx2 as it is a sweet card but I always have a thing for new hardware. The 2800 is a pretty card and for a single GPU soultion is very fast.

But again Nvidia is coming out with its new cards in a month or so which are just rehases of the 260 and 280 no one really kows how much faster they are or how much hotter but they could be somethignt o wait for as prices usually drop when the next gen comes out.

[GnomeWizardd]

well i had a 4850 and now i have the 9800GTX anazings cards both of them, I say if you can afford it and have the PSu id go with the Nvidia, I switched from ATI to nvidia and suddenly all my crashes while playing or exiting lineage II stopped,