It's funny to watch the CPU performance wars vs. the GPU performance wars. Just as AMD and Intel keep trading the top spot, nVidia and ATI keep flip-flopping with who's on top at any given time.
Right now, nVidia's got the crown with the 280 (and now 285), but is it really enough of a performance boost to justify the massive price increase (shades of Intel vs. AMD about 5 years ago, anyone?). Sure, the 285 edges out the 4870 and the 4850 x2 in performance, but the ATI cards can be found for a much lower price. Strap two of those 4850s together with Crossfire and you've got some SERIOUS GPU horsepower for the money.
Full Disclosure: I have always been a fan of nVidia, and currently run a pair of 7600s in SLi. But... I'd jump on a pair of 4850 x2s in Crossfire in a minute if given the opportunity.
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited January 2009
Just as AMD and Intel keep trading the top spot
Sorry that's ancient history. It's been a one horse show for two years now.
Nearly 3 years at this point. It's a real shame, but the whole competition is a ghost of CPU past. The Radeons are just close enough to the NVIDIA parts that it's not worth the monumental price jump to run with NVIDIA.
Why buy a 3.6GHz Pentium 4 when you can overclock a Thorton? Same for the Radeon 4830. 4830s in CF is faster than a GTX 280 in virtually every task, for a fraction of the price.
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited January 2009
it's not worth the monumental price jump to run with NVIDIA
Amen. Support your local trading forum! Ha, try and find a new, retail part in my systems!
OK, with that said....waiting for the GTX 285 to hit six-months old and start appearing on the pre-owned market.
BuddyJ
Dept. of PropagandaOKC Icrontian
Comments
Right now, nVidia's got the crown with the 280 (and now 285), but is it really enough of a performance boost to justify the massive price increase (shades of Intel vs. AMD about 5 years ago, anyone?). Sure, the 285 edges out the 4870 and the 4850 x2 in performance, but the ATI cards can be found for a much lower price. Strap two of those 4850s together with Crossfire and you've got some SERIOUS GPU horsepower for the money.
Full Disclosure: I have always been a fan of nVidia, and currently run a pair of 7600s in SLi. But... I'd jump on a pair of 4850 x2s in Crossfire in a minute if given the opportunity.
Why buy a 3.6GHz Pentium 4 when you can overclock a Thorton? Same for the Radeon 4830. 4830s in CF is faster than a GTX 280 in virtually every task, for a fraction of the price.
OK, with that said....waiting for the GTX 285 to hit six-months old and start appearing on the pre-owned market.
True... I should have said 'kept trading the top spot'.